Culturally based live music program to lower stress-linked preterm birth risk in Black pregnant women
Official title: The impact of a culturally based live music intervention on the metabolites and metabolic pathways associated with chronic stress and the risk of preterm birth in Black women
Funded at Columbia University Health Sciences · NIH-11238934 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This 10-week culturally based live music program for Black pregnant women aims to lower stress-related molecules that are linked to preterm birth.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Columbia University Health Sciences NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project start | April 16, 2023 |
| Project end | November 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $478,918 |
| NIH project number | 5R01MD016899-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11238934 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal participants are Black pregnant women in early to mid pregnancy who can attend weekly sessions in New York and agree to provide biological samples and survey information.
✕Less likely to help
People who are not pregnant, who cannot travel to the study site, or who have medical conditions causing imminent preterm delivery may not benefit from participating.
What this research studies
You would be invited to attend a 10-week series of live music sessions designed with Black cultural traditions, while another group receives a similarly delivered sham control. You would give blood and other samples before and after the program so researchers can measure metabolites and metabolic pathways tied to chronic stress and preterm birth risk. The team will also use a Music Characterization System to identify which musical features might drive any changes. The study is run through Columbia University and focuses on pregnant Black people at higher risk for stress-related preterm birth.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could lower biological stress markers and help reduce the risk of preterm birth for Black pregnant women.
How similar studies have gone: Some prior music-therapy work has reduced stress and improved mood, but using culturally based live music to change metabolites linked to preterm birth is a new, first-of-its-kind approach.
Where this research is happening
-
Columbia University Health Sciences
New York, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Taylor, Jacquelyn Y — Columbia University Health Sciences
- Study coordinator: Taylor, Jacquelyn Y
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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.