How Ebola infects the placenta and reaches the baby during pregnancy
Identifying placental tissue tropism and cellular mechanisms of Ebola Virus transmission from mother to fetus in pregnancy
This project will learn how Ebola virus targets cells in the placenta and can pass from a pregnant person to their baby.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Iowa NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Iowa City, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11257380 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From the patient perspective, scientists will look at placental tissues from different stages of pregnancy to see which cells Ebola infects and how the virus moves through the placenta. They will use human placental samples, lab-based tissue staining and genetic tests, and complementary animal or cell models to trace viral entry and spread. The team will search for which cell-surface receptors Ebola uses on placental cells to gain entry. Results will map likely routes of mother-to-fetus transmission to guide future prevention steps.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants would be pregnant people with confirmed or suspected Ebola exposure or infection, or those willing to donate placental tissue or related samples for research.
Not a fit: People who are not pregnant or who have no exposure to Ebola will not directly benefit from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reveal ways to block placental infection and lower the risk of mother-to-baby Ebola transmission, guiding better prevention and treatments.
How similar studies have performed: Outbreak reports have found Ebola in placentas and newborns, but detailed experimental mapping of placental tropism and entry mechanisms is limited, making this work relatively novel.
Where this research is happening
Iowa City, United States
- University of Iowa — Iowa City, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Maury, Wendy Jean — University of Iowa
- Study coordinator: Maury, Wendy Jean
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.