Improving Maternal Vaccines to Protect Newborns
Mechanistic insights into the kinetics of Fc receptor-mediated placental antibody transfer to optimize maternal vaccine strategies
This project aims to understand how protective antibodies pass from mothers to their babies during pregnancy, helping us create better vaccines for infants.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Virginia NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Charlottesville, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11170641 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Newborn babies are often vulnerable to infections because their immune systems are still developing. Fortunately, mothers pass important protective antibodies to their babies through the placenta, offering crucial defense in the first weeks of life. This project explores how these antibodies travel from mother to baby, focusing on specific receptors in the placenta that act like gatekeepers. By understanding this process better, we hope to improve maternal vaccines so they can provide stronger and more consistent protection for all infants.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: This research is relevant to pregnant individuals and their developing babies, as it focuses on how maternal antibodies protect newborns.
Not a fit: Individuals who are not pregnant or planning pregnancy would not directly benefit from this specific research on maternal antibody transfer.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to more effective maternal vaccines that better protect infants from serious infections during their most vulnerable early weeks.
How similar studies have performed: Maternal vaccines have shown partial success in reducing some neonatal infections, but this work seeks to overcome current limitations by gaining deeper mechanistic insights.
Where this research is happening
Charlottesville, United States
- University of Virginia — Charlottesville, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Dolatshahi, Sepideh — University of Virginia
- Study coordinator: Dolatshahi, Sepideh
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.