How maternal viral inflammation affects baby's immune system and brain
Impact of Maternal Inflammation and Cell Trafficking on Fetal Immune Ontogeny
This work looks at whether viral infections and inflammation during pregnancy change a baby's immune system and brain development.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California at Davis NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Davis, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11284002 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This research uses a primate model similar to human pregnancy to study how maternal viral infection and inflammation alter the placenta and the developing fetal immune system. Scientists will compare pregnancies with and without rhesus CMV exposure to track immune cells, inflammatory molecules, and how cells move between mother, placenta, and fetus. They will also examine fetal brain immune cells (microglia) and follow postnatal immune and developmental outcomes using advanced tissue and molecular analyses.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates for related human studies would be pregnant people with recent or chronic CMV or other viral infections and their newborns for follow-up.
Not a fit: People who are not pregnant, not exposed to maternal viral infection, or with unrelated conditions are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, findings could point to ways to prevent or treat immune and brain development problems in children born after maternal viral infection.
How similar studies have performed: Prior work in rhesus macaques and some human studies suggest maternal CMV and inflammation can alter offspring immune and brain development, but applying these findings to prevent harm is still an emerging area.
Where this research is happening
Davis, United States
- University of California at Davis — Davis, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Tarantal, Alice F — University of California at Davis
- Study coordinator: Tarantal, Alice F
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.