Lawrence Reynolds

Brief Career Summary:

For his entire 45+-year research career, Dr. Reynolds has focused on ‘Problems of Pregnancy,’ which have major socioeconomic and health implications for livestock and for humans as well. These problems of pregnancy include infertility (the inability to conceive and establish a pregnancy), poor pregnancy outcomes (primarily reflected by low birthweight), and premature birth. Dr. Reynolds is a founding Director and currently Co-Director of the Center for Nutrition and Pregnancy at his home institution, North Dakota State University (NDSU).

Along with numerous collaborators throughout the world, Dr. Reynolds helped establish that placental (uterine and umbilical) blood flows are key to normal placental function (i.e., nutrient, respiratory gas, and waste transport between the maternal and fetal systems) throughout gestation. Subsequently, they showed that the placenta produces angiogenic factors that promote its dramatic vascular development, which is key to the sustained increase in placental blood flow throughout pregnancy. Recognizing that placental growth also is key to placental function throughout pregnancy, they also were among the first to develop methods to evaluate the rate of cell turnover in vivo, including that of the placenta. Dr. Reynolds and co-workers have shown that the detrimental effects of maternal stressors on placental development begin very early in pregnancy, thereby altering placental function and consequently affecting fetal growth and development. These maternal stressors include especially maternal malnutrition, but also maternal age, maternal and fetal breed, environmental factors, and assisted reproductive technologies. They also were among the first to recognize and investigate the immediate impact and long-term consequences of ‘developmental programming’ in livestock. Currently, Dr. Reynolds and colleagues are investigating therapeutic and management strategies to improve fertility and pregnancy outcomes, as well as the role of the placental steroid metabolome in fetal organ maturation, birth, and postnatal survival.

Career Highlights:

During his 45-year career, Dr. Reynolds:
— Has been PI or Co-PI on 43 federal grants (~ $14.2 million total grant funds received) from agencies including NIH (13 grants), NSF (10 grants), and USDA (16 grants), as well as 2 Fulbright Senior Scholar/Specialist awards (2017 and 2022) to teach and establish research collaborations with the Physiology of Reproduction group of the Veterinary Faculty at the University of Murcia in Spain.
— Has published more than 270 books, book chapters and journal articles including 40 invited reviews). Forty-five of these publications have been cited 100 or more times, with more than 17,900 citations overall and an h-index of 70 (see Google Scholar).
— Served, since 1986, on 69 federal grant-review panels for NIH (56, chair of 7), USDA (10, chair of 2) and the Fulbright Scholar Program (3). Has also reviewed grants for federal programs in Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Holland, Hong Kong, Israel, Italy, Norway, Poland, Spain, Switzerland, and the U.K.·
— Is ranked in the upper 2.4% overall (all STEM fields) of top-cited researchers in the world and in the upper 0.3% of top-cited researchers in his primary field (Dairy & Animal Sciences; Ioannidis et al., 2020, PLoS Biol 18(10):e3000918, https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.3000918).
— Received the American Society of Animal Science (ASAS) Animal Physiology and Endocrinology Award (2007), and the ASAS Animal Growth and Development Award (2013).
— At his home institution (North Dakota State University), received the Fred Waldron Excellence in Research Award (2021), the Eugene R. Dahl Excellence in Research Award (2006) and the 51st NDSU Faculty Lectureship (2009).
— In 2016, he was named Research Fellow of the American Society of Animal Science, the highest honor bestowed by the society.
— Has taught and lectured in more than 25 different undergraduate and graduate courses in animal genetics, cell biology, endocrinology, growth biology, nutritional sciences, and reproductive biology.
— Has mentored more than 35 undergraduate research interns, 15 graduate students, and 30 postdoctoral fellows, visiting scientists and junior faculty.
— Was Co-Director, from 2012 to 2016, of the Frontiers in Reproduction Advanced Summer Course at the Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods Hole, MA, where he also served as a Faculty/Scientific Course Consultant for 11 years (2009 to 2019).
— Has co-organized and spoken at more than 50 national/international symposia and held 16 Visiting Professorships and Keynote Speakerships throughout the world.
— Served, from 2005 to 2008, as Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Animal Science, the world’s top-ranked Animal Science journal.
— Was named “University Distinguished Professor of Animal Sciences,” the highest academic rank, in 2008 at NDSU.
— Has been involved with a national effort promoting farm animals as dual-use models for agricultural and biomedical research, and also is involved with national/international efforts to highlight the importance of funding for livestock research, which is critical to solving problems of pregnancy, food security and agricultural sustainability (see: https://doi.org/10.3945/jn.115.212217).