Maternal inflammation and epigenetics linked to autism in kids
Official title: Contribution of maternal immune activation, viral infection and epigenetics to autism--a community-based case control study
Funded at Institute for Basic Res in Dev Disabil · NIH-11316991 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A study following children to understand how inflammation during pregnancy and epigenetic changes might contribute to autism in some kids.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Institute for Basic Res in Dev Disabil NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Staten Island, United States) |
| Project start | May 3, 2023 |
| Project end | April 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $623,529 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HD109330-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11316991 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Children in the community-based hospital population who have or are at risk for autism and whose mothers had placental histopathology data available.
✕Less likely to help
Families with autism not related to placental inflammation or those without access to the required tissue data may not benefit directly.
What this research studies
This project looks at how prenatal inflammation and placenta biology may influence autism risk in children from a community setting. Researchers will connect placental tissue findings with later autism diagnoses to identify pathways that could explain some cases. The study uses existing hospital data and tissue samples to explore links between early-life biology and neurodevelopment. Families involved would contribute medical history, placenta samples, and follow-up information about their child’s development.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, findings could improve early understanding and potential prevention strategies for autism linked to prenatal factors.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has identified associations between placental inflammation and autism risk, but mechanisms remain unclear, making this work exploratory yet promising.
Where this research is happening
-
Institute for Basic Res in Dev Disabil
Staten Island, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Salafia, Carolyn M — Institute for Basic Res in Dev Disabil
- Study coordinator: Salafia, Carolyn M
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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.