Traffic pollution in pregnancy and its effects on the placenta and child thinking
Prenatal Traffic-Related Air Pollutants, Placental Epitranscriptomics, and Child Cognition
This project looks at whether traffic-related air pollution during pregnancy changes chemical signals in the placenta and links to children's thinking and attention.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Columbia University Health Sciences NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11251949 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
The team measures how much traffic-related air pollution pregnant people were exposed to during pregnancy. They analyze placentas for RNA chemical marks called m6A and the proteins that add, read, or remove those marks. Researchers follow children's thinking and attention as they grow, linking placenta changes to cognitive outcomes at early ages. The work uses human placental samples and child follow-up to connect prenatal exposure with later development.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants would be pregnant people or families willing to provide placenta samples at birth and join follow-up visits for their young children, especially those living near traffic sources.
Not a fit: People who are not pregnant, do not have young children, or who cannot provide placenta samples or participate in follow-up would not directly benefit from joining this work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reveal how prenatal traffic pollution harms brain development and point to ways to prevent or reduce developmental problems in affected children.
How similar studies have performed: Previous animal and human studies have linked prenatal traffic pollution to neurodevelopmental problems, but examining placental m6A RNA changes as a mechanism is a new approach.
Where this research is happening
New York, United States
- Columbia University Health Sciences — New York, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Herbstman, Julie Beth — Columbia University Health Sciences
- Study coordinator: Herbstman, Julie Beth
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.