Understanding Fetal Brain Health in Pregnancies with Opioid Use
Official title: Assessment of fetal brain health via circulating exRNA carriers for opioid use disorder in pregnancy
Funded at University of Washington · NIH-11117160 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This research aims to find ways to predict which babies exposed to opioids during pregnancy might develop Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS) by looking at tiny particles from the baby's brain in the mother's blood.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Washington NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Seattle, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2023 |
| Project end | June 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $706,615 |
| NIH project number | 5R01DA057748-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11117160 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research would be pregnant individuals with opioid use disorder.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who are not pregnant or whose pregnancies are not affected by opioid exposure would not directly benefit from this specific research.
What this research studies
When a baby is exposed to opioids during pregnancy, they might develop Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS) after birth, but it's hard to know which babies will need treatment. This project seeks to find new ways to tell if a baby's brain development is affected by opioid exposure while still in the womb. Researchers will look for tiny packages of genetic material, called extracellular vesicles, that come from the baby's brain and can be found in the mother's blood. By studying these vesicles, we hope to gain insights into fetal brain health and create better ways to predict a baby's risk for NAS.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to personalized risk assessments for babies exposed to opioids, helping doctors decide who needs treatment for NAS and improving care.
How similar studies have gone: While the concept of using extracellular vesicles for insights into fetal health is promising, current methods for isolating and studying these specific brain-derived vesicles lack the necessary sensitivity, making this a novel approach.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Washington
Seattle, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Chiu, Daniel T — University of Washington
- Study coordinator: Chiu, Daniel T
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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.