Developing capacity to study geophagy in pregnant moms and its effects on children’s brain development
Official title: Planning Grant: Developing the Research Capacity to Investigate the Practice of Geophagy Among Pregnant Mothers and Impacts on Children's Neurodevelopment
Funded at Oregon State University · NIH-11554856 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This grant helps researchers in the United States and Africa build the skills and capacity to study how pregnant mothers eating earth may affect their babies’ brain development.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Oregon State University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Corvallis, United States) |
| Project start | September 15, 2025 |
| Project end | June 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $63,180 |
| NIH project number | 3R21TW013293-02S2 |
| Project ID | NIH-11554856 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Pregnant women in sub-Saharan Africa (specifically HIV-negative peripartum mothers) and their newborns who may be assessed for neurodevelopment outcomes in future stages.
✕Less likely to help
Families not exposed to geophagy or not participating in later stages may not experience direct benefits in this planning phase.
What this research studies
This planning grant supports collaborations between Oregon State University and partner institutions in Zambia to prepare methods for measuring child neurodevelopment. It aims to train researchers to use Bayley-4 assessments to evaluate development in children and to study how geophagy and heavy metal exposure during pregnancy might influence outcomes. The project focuses on a population of HIV-negative peripartum mothers and their children in sub-Saharan Africa, with a goal of producing reliable data to inform future studies and interventions. The grant does not yet enroll participants but lays the groundwork for subsequent human studies and partnerships.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the project could lead to better understanding of risk factors affecting child development and inform interventions to protect neurodevelopment in regions where geophagy is common.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work has linked maternal geophagy and heavy metal exposure to potential developmental risks, but this plan emphasizes capacity-building and region-specific assessment to strengthen future evidence.
Where this research is happening
-
Oregon State University
Corvallis, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Rothenberg, Sarah E — Oregon State University
- Study coordinator: Rothenberg, Sarah E
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.