Fetal-exosome blood test to predict fetal alcohol syndrome
Fetal-Derived Exosome Cargos in Maternal Blood to Predict Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
A blood test that looks for tiny fetal particles in pregnant people's blood to predict whether an alcohol-exposed baby will develop fetal alcohol syndrome.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Temple Univ of the Commonwealth NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Philadelphia, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11326817 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers will collect blood from pregnant participants and isolate fetal-derived exosomes — tiny particles released by the fetus — from the mother's circulation. They will measure specific proteins, RNAs, and cell-death signals in those exosomes that earlier work linked to fetal alcohol effects. Participants and their babies will be followed after birth to see whether the prenatal exosome markers match later clinical signs of fetal alcohol syndrome or related disorders. The team aims to create a prenatal marker set that can identify at-risk pregnancies earlier than current imaging allows.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Pregnant people with known or suspected alcohol use during pregnancy who can give blood samples and agree to follow-up visits for their baby are ideal candidates.
Not a fit: People without prenatal alcohol exposure or those unwilling to provide blood samples or participate in postnatal follow-up are unlikely to benefit directly from this study.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could allow earlier identification of babies at risk for fetal alcohol syndrome so parents and clinicians can plan monitoring and early interventions.
How similar studies have performed: Earlier analyses of banked maternal blood and fetal tissue found correlations between exosome markers and fetal brain and eye changes, but prospective prediction of postnatal outcomes has not yet been proven.
Where this research is happening
Philadelphia, United States
- Temple Univ of the Commonwealth — Philadelphia, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Selzer, Michael Edgar — Temple Univ of the Commonwealth
- Study coordinator: Selzer, Michael Edgar
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 below.