POPI: Placenta, Opioids and Perinatal Implications
Funded at University of Kentucky · NIH-11454723 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This grant supports research into how maternal opioid use affects placenta function and baby brain development, with a focus on people in Appalachia and potential long-term neurobehavioral outcomes.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Kentucky NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Lexington, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2023 |
| Project end | July 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $989,264 |
| NIH project number | 4R01DA059152-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11454723 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Pregnant individuals with opioid use disorder and their newborns, especially in the Appalachian region, who are willing to participate in longitudinal assessments.
✕Less likely to help
Pregnant individuals without opioid exposure or those unwilling to participate in longitudinal neonatal assessments may not directly benefit.
What this research studies
The project explores how opioid use during pregnancy may disrupt the placenta and fetal development, using a systems biology approach that links placental health, cord blood, and newborn neurobehavior. Researchers will collect phenotypic data, functional measurements, and genomic information from mothers and babies, and track neurobehavioral and motor skills after birth. The study aims to uncover how placental inflammation and dysregulation contribute to adverse outcomes in infants exposed to opioids. By focusing on the placenta-brain connection, the team hopes to identify targets for interventions that could improve fetal growth and neurodevelopment.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the research could lead to better understanding of how to protect fetal development in the context of maternal opioid use and inform strategies to reduce neurodevelopmental risks for exposed infants.
How similar studies have gone: Previous data suggest a link between prenatal opioid exposure and adverse outcomes, but this study aims to clarify mechanisms via a placental biology perspective.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Kentucky
Lexington, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Messaoudi, Ilhem — University of Kentucky
- Study coordinator: Messaoudi, Ilhem
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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.