Human milk sugars to help prevent Group B Strep infections in pregnancy
Utility of human milk oligosaccharides against the perinatal pathogen, Group B Streptococcus
This project looks at whether sugars found in human breast milk can lower the chance of Group B Strep infection for pregnant people and newborns.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Vanderbilt University Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Nashville, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11195622 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers will test specific sugars from human breast milk, called human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs), to see if they stop Group B Strep from forming biofilms and spreading in pregnancy. The work uses human placental immune cells, a womb-like organ-on-a-chip model, and pieces of gestational tissue studied outside the body to measure bacterial growth, inflammation, and microbiome changes. The team will also examine how HMOs affect colonization in lab models that mimic the vaginal and uterine environment. If these lab findings are promising, they could guide future studies where people donate breast milk or tissues or join clinical trials of HMO-based prevention.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates would include pregnant people known to be colonized with Group B Strep and new mothers willing to donate breast milk or placental tissue for research.
Not a fit: People with an active GBS infection seeking immediate treatment or individuals who are not pregnant are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this preclinical research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could lead to new non-antibiotic approaches to prevent maternal and newborn Group B Strep infections and reduce preterm birth and neonatal sepsis.
How similar studies have performed: Laboratory and epidemiological studies have suggested that human milk oligosaccharides can block bacterial biofilms and may protect infants, but clinical prevention using HMOs is still largely untested.
Where this research is happening
Nashville, United States
- Vanderbilt University Medical Center — Nashville, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Gaddy, Jennifer a — Vanderbilt University Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Gaddy, Jennifer 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.