How metal exposures during pregnancy can change the placenta and affect child growth
The placental epitranscriptome as a novel mechanism behind prenatal metal mixture exposures and child growth and development
This project looks for connections between mixed metal exposures during pregnancy and chemical RNA marks in the placenta that may influence infant growth and development.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Columbia University Health Sciences NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11238027 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you're pregnant in New York City, researchers are looking at whether mixtures of metals (like arsenic, lead, cadmium, and essential metals) reach the placenta and change chemical tags on RNA called m6A. They will use placentas and health records from a local cohort, measure metal levels and m6A patterns, and compare those findings to babies' birth size and early growth. The work focuses on communities at higher exposure risk, including low-income and Hispanic families in NYC. The goal is to connect specific placental molecular changes to differences in child growth trajectories.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are pregnant people and their newborns from New York City—especially those in low-income or Hispanic communities or with higher prenatal metal exposures.
Not a fit: People without prenatal metal exposure, those outside the study area, or those unable to provide placenta samples are unlikely to directly benefit.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could identify placental molecular markers that explain how prenatal metal mixtures harm growth, guiding prevention or early intervention strategies.
How similar studies have performed: Related epigenetic studies have linked prenatal metals to child growth, but using placental m6A epitranscriptomics is a newer and less-tested approach.
Where this research is happening
New York, United States
- Columbia University Health Sciences — New York, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kupsco, Allison — Columbia University Health Sciences
- Study coordinator: Kupsco, Allison
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.