Mitochondria changes in babies born to obese mothers
Official title: Mitochondria mediated changes in obese pregnancies
Funded at University of Pennsylvania · NIH-11345205 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A study in adults and animal models looks at how obesity during pregnancy affects mitochondria in offspring and whether antioxidants during pregnancy can prevent future obesity.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Pennsylvania NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Philadelphia, United States) |
| Project start | June 1, 2025 |
| Project end | May 31, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $574,695 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HD113889-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11345205 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are adults with obesity-related conditions and those who would participate in future translational or observational follow-ups related to placental and offspring mitochondrial function.
✕Less likely to help
Those not affected by maternal obesity or not considering related translational studies may see limited direct benefit.
What this research studies
This project explores how maternal obesity may reprogram a child’s metabolism by altering mitochondria in key tissues. Researchers will use ATAC sequencing and adipose tissue studies to understand the mitochondrial changes and how extracellular vesicles from fat tissue may carry mitochondrial cargo to the embryo. Using a mouse model of obesity in pregnancy, the team will test whether damaged mitochondrial content in EVs affects metabolic balance in male offspring. The work could reveal early targets to prevent obesity and metabolic syndrome that begin before birth.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the findings could lead to strategies to reduce obesity risk in children of mothers with obesity, potentially through maternal interventions.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work supports a link between maternal obesity, mitochondrial function, and offspring metabolism; this study extends to EV-mediated mitochondrial cargo.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Simmons, Rebecca a — University of Pennsylvania
- Study coordinator: Simmons, Rebecca a
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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.