How hepatitis B spreads from mothers to their babies
Official title: Molecular analysis of mother-to-child transmission of hepatitis B virus
Funded at University of Southern California · NIH-11310804 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This research looks at how a mother's hepatitis B infection changes her baby's immune response and can lead to long-term infection.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Southern California NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Los Angeles, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | April 1, 2025 |
| Project end | March 31, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $621,698 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AI189583-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11310804 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People who are pregnant and hepatitis B–positive, and infants born to HBV-positive mothers, are the groups most directly relevant to this work.
✕Less likely to help
People with hepatitis B acquired in adulthood or those not exposed to HBV during pregnancy are unlikely to directly benefit from this specific mother-to-child transmission research.
What this research studies
The project uses a mouse model that mimics babies born to hepatitis B–positive mothers by breeding HBV-carrying female mice and introducing HBV DNA into the pups' livers to see whether the virus persists. Researchers compare pups born to infected versus uninfected mothers and study liver immune cells (Kupffer cells) and CD8 T cells to understand how prenatal exposure shapes the baby's immunity. The aim is to identify molecular signals that allow HBV to avoid clearance in newborns and to point toward ways to prevent chronic infection after birth.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new ways to prevent babies from becoming chronically infected with hepatitis B.
How similar studies have gone: Prior animal studies using similar mouse models have shown that maternal HBV exposure can change offspring immune responses and lead to persistent infection, and this work builds on those preclinical findings.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Southern California
Los Angeles, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ou, J.-H. James — University of Southern California
- Study coordinator: Ou, J.-H. James
Related research
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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.