Ernesto Figueiro MD, PhD

Dr. Ernesto Figueiro (Figueiro‑Filho) graduated in Medicine at FAMED‑UFMS (Faculty of Medicine–UFMS), Brazil (1997), earned a Master’s in Obstetrics from the University of São Paulo (USP) in 2002 and completed his PhD in Obstetrics at USP in 2004. He holds board certification in Gynecology & Obstetrics (2000), Ultrasound in Obstetrics & Gynecology (2002) and Maternal‑Fetal Medicine (2004) from the Brazilian Medical Association and the Brazilian Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology. He also completed a Medical Education Fellowship (2010–2014) through the Foundation for Advancement of International Medical Education and Research (FAIMER), Brazil. Dr. Figueiro served as a full professor of obstetrics at FAMED‑UFMS (2004–2015), where he was head of the Academic and Scientific Support Division, professor in the Post‑Graduate Program in Health and Development, coordinator of the Ethics Board Committee for Research in Humans and Dean of the Faculty of Medicine. His research in Brazil focused on the effects of pre‑eclampsia, intrauterine growth restriction and vertical transmission of infections, along with student evaluation, outpatient care and team‑based learning.

After moving to Canada, Dr. Figueiro completed a post‑doctoral fellowship (2015–2017) at Queen’s University (Kingston, ON) investigating the effects of pre‑eclampsia on the fetal brain. He then pursued clinical fellowships in perinatology (2017–2018), advanced obstetrics (2018–2019) and maternal‑fetal medicine (2019–2021) at Mount Sinai Hospital, University of Toronto. He has been a maternal‑fetal medicine specialist at Regina General Hospital since 2021. Dr Figueiro is a Subspecialist Affiliate in Maternal-Fetal Medicine from the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada since 2023. 

Placental Growth Factor (PlGF) Research Program

Dr. Figueiro leads a clinical research program implementing placental growth factor (PlGF) blood test to help manage high‑risk pregnancies in Saskatchewan. PlGF is an angiogenic protein produced by the placenta. Low maternal PlGF levels occur before pre‑eclampsia and intrauterine growth restriction, while normal levels indicate lower risk. The team uses this test to stratify patients: normal results provide reassurance, whereas low results prompt closer monitoring.

This research is supported by a Saskatchewan Health Research Foundation establishment grant that funds team expansion. Dr Figueiro’s Lab has plans for a randomized clinical trial exploring whether therapies such as low‑molecular‑weight heparin and aspirin can improve outcomes in women with low PlGF. The group collaborates with national and international partners and aims to make PlGF testing a routine part of obstetrical care, particularly benefiting rural and underserved communities.

Mitochondrial Dysfunction & Placental Insufficiency Collaboration

Dr. Figueiro’s team has recently partnered with Dr. Ana Paula Mendes‑Silva’s “Mito‑Brain” laboratory at the University of Saskatchewan to investigate how mitochondrial dysfunction contributes to placental insufficiency. The Mito‑Brain lab studies the biological mechanisms of mitochondrial dysfunction in mental illnesses and develops mitochondria‑based diagnostic tools. Its research program explores mitochondrial DNA, the gut‑brain axis and novel biosensors, and collaborates widely across the University of Saskatchewan and internationally. Evidence from recent reviews shows that the placenta is a highly metabolic organ whose function relies on healthy mitochondrial physiology; disruptions in mitochondrial metabolism are linked to pregnancy complications such as pre‑eclampsia and gestational diabetes. By combining expertise in maternal‑fetal medicine and mitochondrial biology, the collaboration aims to identify mitochondrial markers of placental insufficiency and develop strategies to improve outcomes for mothers and infants.

• Maternal Fetal Medicine
• Obstetrics
• Infections during pregnancy: HIV, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, Syphilis
• Preeclampsia, intrauterine growth restriction and placental growth factor (PlGF), Placental insufficiency and mitochondrial dysfunction
• Effects of preeclampsia on the fetal brain
• Obesity and pregnancy
• Diabetes and pregnancy
• Medical education

Google Scholar - Ernesto Figueiro

Web of Science - Ernesto Figueiro