Creating a model to study placenta health and complications during pregnancy
Official title: Developing trimester-specific placenta organ-on-chips to model healthy and oxidative stress and inflammation-associated pathologies
Funded at University of Texas Med Br Galveston · NIH-11083731 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is creating a special model that mimics the placenta during pregnancy to help us understand how stress and inflammation can affect pregnancy outcomes, with the hope of finding new ways to prevent complications for expectant mothers.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Texas Med Br Galveston NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Galveston, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2023 |
| Project end | April 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $618,008 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HD110400-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11083731 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are pregnant individuals experiencing complications related to oxidative stress or inflammation.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who are not pregnant or those with no history of pregnancy complications may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research focuses on developing a new organ-on-chip model that simulates the placenta's structure and function during each trimester of pregnancy. By mimicking the unique oxygen environments and cellular interactions of the placenta and maternal tissues, the study aims to better understand how oxidative stress and inflammation contribute to adverse pregnancy outcomes. This innovative approach seeks to address the limitations of current models, which often fail to replicate the complexities of human placental physiology. Ultimately, the goal is to identify potential therapeutic strategies to prevent complications during pregnancy.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to new interventions that reduce the risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes and improve maternal and fetal health.
How similar studies have gone: While the approach of using organ-on-chip technology is gaining traction, this specific application to model placental health and complications is relatively novel and has not been extensively tested.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Texas Med Br Galveston
Galveston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Richardson, Lauren Stafford — University of Texas Med Br Galveston
- Study coordinator: Richardson, Lauren Stafford
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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.