How group B strep causes pregnancy and newborn infections
Signal transduction, metabolic shifts, and host interactions during group B Streptococcus infection
['FUNDING_R01'] · UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH AT PITTSBURGH · NIH-11309178
Researchers are learning how group B strep changes its metabolism to harm pregnant people and their babies.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_R01'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH AT PITTSBURGH (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (PITTSBURGH, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11309178 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
This project looks at group B Streptococcus (GBS), a common bacterium that can move into the amniotic fluid and cause preterm labor, fetal injury, or stillbirth. The team will study how reduced nutrients in amniotic fluid trigger bacterial stress responses that make GBS more harmful. They will use bacterial genetics (including CRISPR-based tools), lab models, and relevant samples to identify the bacterial molecules that drive inflammation and pregnancy injury. The goal is to find targets that could lead to tests or treatments to protect pregnancies from GBS.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People who are pregnant or recently pregnant and known to carry GBS, or those who have had preterm labor or suspected intraamniotic infection, would be most relevant to this work.
Not a fit: People who are not pregnant, do not carry GBS, or whose pregnancy complications have other causes are unlikely to get direct benefit from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new ways to prevent or treat GBS-related preterm birth, stillbirth, and newborn infections.
How similar studies have performed: Laboratory studies, including the investigators' prior data and other groups' findings, support the idea that metabolic shifts promote GBS virulence, but clinical prevention strategies based on this are still early and unproven.
Where this research is happening
PITTSBURGH, UNITED STATES
- UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH AT PITTSBURGH — PITTSBURGH, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: HOOVEN, THOMAS A — UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH AT PITTSBURGH
- Study coordinator: HOOVEN, THOMAS A
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.