What is your role at your work?

I am an early career investigator establishing an independent lab in the area of preeclampsia and its effects on neurovascular structure and function in the mother and offspring.

How did you get interested in your career path?

My career as a researcher was not planned. I was exposed to research one summer working as a temporary worker at my undergrad, Fort Valley State University, to earn extra cash. I enjoyed it so immensely that I took additional Biology electives and applied to neuroscience graduate programs.

What are you most proud of in your career or otherwise?

Coming from the small island of Dominica where little girls do not aspire to be biomedical researchers due to lack of awareness of the career path, I am especially proud to have come this far.

What important career challenges have you faced and how did you overcome them?

One of the major challenges I faced was getting through the first year of graduate school without the necessary background in the sciences. My lack of background knowledge was evident, but through dedication and a will to succeed, I made it through.

What advice would you give your younger self?

It is okay to plan a path for yourself but be mindful that it does not always go the way you plan. Sometimes, much better opportunities than you could plan for opens up to you. Go ahead and embrace those.

Highlight your most significant research contributions and publications (3-5) – if relevant to you.

1. Clayton AM. Shao Q, Paauw ND, Granger JP, Warrington JP. Postpartum Increases in Cerebral Edema and Inflammation in response to Placental Ischemia during Pregnancy. Brain Behavior and Immunity; 2018
2. Zhang LW, Warrington JP. Magnesium sulfate and blood-cerebrospinal fluid barrier permeability in placental ischemic rats. Frontiers in Neuroscience, 2016, doi: 10.3389/fnins.2016.00561.
3. Warrington JP. Placental ischemia increases susceptibility to pentylenetetrazol-induced seizures and cerebrospinal fluid cytokines. Physiological Reports, 2015.
4. Warrington JP, Fan F, Murphy SR, Roman RA, Drummond HA, Granger JP, Ryan MJ. Placental ischemia in pregnant rats impairs cerebral blood flow autoregulation and increases blood-brain barrier permeability. Physiological Reports, 2(8), 2014. PMID: 25168877
5. Warrington JP, Csiszar A, Lee YW, Johnson DA, Ahmad S, Herman ST, Sonntag WE. Cerebral microvascular rarefaction induced by whole brain radiation is reversible by systemic hypoxia in mice. American Journal of Physiology, Heart and Circulatory Physiology, 300(3), 2011. PMID: 21186274

Have you had any significant career mentors? If yes, please provide further details.

Yes! My graduate mentor: Dr. William Sonntag. Postdoctoral mentors: Drs. Joey Granger, Michael Ryan, and Heather Drummond. Dr. Merry Lindsey, who offers salient advice on navigating this critical early stage of my career.

How can we support the next generation of women scientists?

The International Society of Hypertension is doing a great job supporting women scientists by providing this avenue of featuring its female members.