Reproductive tract microbes and immune signals in couples' fertility
Official title: The role of the female and male reproductive microenvironment in fertility fitness
Funded at Case Western Reserve University · NIH-11323097 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at whether the microbes and immune signals in both partners' reproductive tracts are linked to IVF pregnancy success.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Case Western Reserve University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Cleveland, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2023 |
| Project end | April 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $597,872 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HD110367-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11323097 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are partnered couples undergoing IVF who can provide genital and semen samples and share their pregnancy outcome data.
✕Less likely to help
People whose infertility stems from unrelated medical conditions or who are not undergoing partnered IVF (for example, single individuals using donor gametes) may not receive direct benefit from this project.
What this research studies
As someone facing infertility, this project would collect samples from both partners — including endometrial and vaginal samples from women and semen and penile samples from men — around the time of IVF. Researchers will analyze microbes and immune markers in these samples and compare patterns between partners and with pregnancy outcomes. They will look for within-couple signatures that predict whether an embryo transfer leads to a clinical pregnancy. The goal is to find biological signals that could become tests or new treatments to improve IVF success.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to tests or treatments based on a couple's reproductive tract microbiome and immune profile to increase IVF pregnancy rates.
How similar studies have gone: Previous smaller studies have found links between genital microbiomes and reproductive outcomes, but this comprehensive, partnered systems-level approach is broader and remains unproven for improving IVF success.
Where this research is happening
-
Case Western Reserve University
Cleveland, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Farr Zuend, Christina — Case Western Reserve University
- Study coordinator: Farr Zuend, Christina
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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.