Birth defects research in New York to find causes and prevent pregnancy exposures
Official title: New York State BD-STEPS: Component A and B
Funded at Nysdoh/health Research, INC. · NIH-11399472 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A state health project will study birth defects to understand how pregnancy exposures and health factors contribute, with goals to publish findings and improve prevention.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Nysdoh/health Research, INC. NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Menands, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2023 |
| Project end | February 28, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $641,250 |
| NIH project number | 5U01DD001304-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11399472 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates include pregnant individuals and newborns in New York State who are part of the BD-STEPS catchment areas, including diverse sociodemographic groups.
✕Less likely to help
Some families may not be directly affected if their exposures and conditions are not linked to birth defects in the study.
What this research studies
This project continues a long-running study in New York to identify non-genetic and genetic factors linked to birth defects. It will enroll cases and controls from diverse areas, examine exposures such as medications, infections, and social determinants, and contribute bloodspots for genetic analysis. The team will also link records to public health databases to understand infections around pregnancy and will pursue new methods for collecting information. The effort aims to produce several publications and presentations over about 3.5 years.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the research could clarify risk factors for birth defects and inform prevention strategies for pregnant people and families.
How similar studies have gone: This work builds on a long history of BD-STEPS/NBDPS with established approaches and prior findings supporting its relevance.
Where this research is happening
-
Nysdoh/health Research, INC.
Menands, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Howley, Meredith M — Nysdoh/health Research, INC.
- Study coordinator: Howley, Meredith M
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.