Maternal blood proteins linked to preeclampsia and later heart disease
Official title: Causal links between the maternal plasma proteome, preeclampsia, and future cardiovascular disease
Funded at Massachusetts General Hospital · NIH-11319539 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A study will look at proteins in a pregnant person’s blood to understand why preeclampsia happens and how it may raise the risk of heart disease later in life.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Massachusetts General Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | August 10, 2026 |
| Project end | July 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $1,665,042 |
| NIH project number | 1R01HL184432-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11319539 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Pregnant people in their first to third trimester who are at risk for or have a history of preeclampsia may participate.
✕Less likely to help
Not all participants will experience preeclampsia or cardiovascular outcomes within the study period.
What this research studies
In this study, researchers will analyze maternal blood samples across pregnancy to identify proteins associated with preeclampsia using the Olink HT Explore platform. The goal is to connect early changes in circulating microparticles to later health risks for both mother and child, with a focus on how the placenta and blood vessels interact. If successful, findings could point to new ways to predict and someday intervene before severe complications arise. The project builds on prior work and will involve longitudinal analyses of CMPs from early to late gestation to uncover tissue-specific mechanisms.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the research could lead to earlier prediction and new targets for preventing preeclampsia and future cardiovascular disease.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work suggests circulating factors and microparticles reflect placental and maternal endothelial changes, supporting the potential of this approach.
Where this research is happening
-
Massachusetts General Hospital
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Saxena, Richa — Massachusetts General Hospital
- Study coordinator: Saxena, Richa
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
How pre-pregnancy health affects pregnancy complications and heart health later on
This study is looking at how health issues like being overweight or having high blood pressure before pregnancy might lead to preeclampsia, a serious condition during pregnancy, and it aims to find out how these factors can affect heart health for women after they give birth, so we can improve care and prevention for t
-
Investigating the link between preeclampsia and cardiovascular disease in women
This study is looking at how having preeclampsia during pregnancy might raise the chances of heart problems for women later on, and it’s exploring how tiny cells from the baby that stay in the mother’s body could play a role in this, all to help find better ways to detect these cells and improve heart health.
-
Understanding how genetic changes in blood cells relate to heart disease in people with HIV
A study will look at how age-related blood cell mutations and large chromosomal changes might contribute to heart disease risk in people living with HIV.
-
Food allergy antibodies linked to heart disease risk in adults
Many adults have antibodies to foods without symptoms, and this study asks whether those antibodies are linked to higher risk of heart disease and related conditions.
-
Mindfulness training to lower cardiovascular risk for moms and babies during pregnancy
A mindfulness program is being tested during pregnancy to help prevent high blood pressure and heart problems for mothers and their babies.
-
Ethical, multimodal AI for predicting preeclampsia risk in early pregnancy
A data-driven AI tool uses early-pregnancy information from medical records, ultrasound, and notes to predict preeclampsia risk and support safer pregnancy care.
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.