How a mother's bones influence her baby's adrenal gland growth

Regulation of adrenal development and function by the mother's skeleton

NIH-funded research Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences · NIH-11140351

This project explores how a protein from a mother's bones might guide the healthy development and function of her baby's adrenal glands.

Quick facts

Grant typeR01 grant
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionRutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Newark, UNITED STATES)
Project IDNIH-11140351 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

Our bodies have adrenal glands that produce important hormones, and this project looks at how they grow and work, especially during early life. We want to understand if a specific protein from a mother's bones, called osteocalcin, is essential for her baby's adrenal glands to develop correctly. We are also trying to figure out if this protein directly helps the adrenal glands grow and make hormones by signaling through a specific receptor. Ultimately, we aim to precisely map out when and how the mother's osteocalcin affects her offspring's adrenal gland development and function.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: This foundational research focuses on understanding biological mechanisms, so it does not directly involve patient participation at this stage, but future applications could benefit infants with adrenal gland development issues.

Not a fit: Patients seeking immediate treatment options for existing adrenal conditions may not see direct benefit from this basic science project.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to a better understanding of adrenal gland development and new ways to address conditions like adrenal insufficiency in infants.

How similar studies have performed: This project explores a novel connection between maternal bone and offspring adrenal development, representing a new area of investigation.

Where this research is happening

Newark, UNITED STATES

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Last reviewed 2026-06-10 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.