How sex hormones change immune cells in the uterus
Goods - Proj 1
Researchers are looking at how sex hormones change immune cell behavior in the uterus to better understand conditions like endometriosis for people who menstruate.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Dartmouth College NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Hanover, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11109555 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This project studies immune cells, especially macrophages, in the female reproductive tract and how their activity shifts across the menstrual cycle under the influence of sex hormones. Scientists will use systems-biology approaches including ATAC-seq to map chromatin and gene-activity changes that define cell states. Samples are likely to come from uterine tissues and related body compartments, and data will be integrated to link cell behavior to tissue function. The goal is to explain how hormone-driven immune changes may contribute to uterine health and diseases such as endometriosis.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants would be people of reproductive age, including those with or without endometriosis, who can provide tissue or biological samples at specified times in their menstrual cycle and are willing to share medical history.
Not a fit: People who are postmenopausal, do not have uteruses, or have conditions unrelated to hormonal uterine biology are unlikely to directly benefit from or participate in this work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reveal new biological targets or biomarkers that help diagnose, prevent, or treat hormone-linked uterine conditions like endometriosis.
How similar studies have performed: Previous studies have detailed hormone effects on uterine epithelial and stromal cells, but applying chromatin-mapping tools like ATAC-seq to macrophages in the reproductive tract to link findings to endometriosis is relatively novel.
Where this research is happening
Hanover, United States
- Dartmouth College — Hanover, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Goods, Brittany Anne — Dartmouth College
- Study coordinator: Goods, Brittany Anne
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.