Sound-wave separation of tiny placental particles to learn about pregnancy health
Acoustofluidic Separation of Placental Nanovesicle Subpopulations in Obstetrical Diseases
This work uses sound waves in a small device to sort tiny particles from the placenta that circulate in pregnant people's blood to learn about placental health.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Stanford University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Stanford, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11381329 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This project uses a microfluidic device that applies gentle sound waves to separate different kinds of tiny particles (extracellular vesicles) released by the placenta into your blood. Researchers will collect small blood samples during pregnancy and isolate specific vesicle subgroups to see what molecules they carry. By comparing vesicle types from healthy pregnancies and those with problems, the team hopes to find signals linked to placental disease. The approach is designed to be minimally invasive because it relies on routine blood draws rather than procedures aimed directly at the placenta.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Pregnant people willing to provide blood samples during pregnancy, including those with high-risk pregnancies or suspected placental disorders, would be the best candidates.
Not a fit: People who are not pregnant or who need immediate treatment rather than diagnostic information are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could lead to blood tests that detect placental problems earlier or more precisely, helping guide care in pregnancy.
How similar studies have performed: Previous work shows placental extracellular vesicles can carry informative signals and separation methods are promising, but using acoustofluidic sorting to isolate specific vesicle subgroups is relatively new and still being tested.
Where this research is happening
Stanford, United States
- Stanford University — Stanford, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Sadovsky, Yoel — Stanford University
- Study coordinator: Sadovsky, Yoel
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 below.