Understanding how maternal extracellular vesicles in early pregnancy affect embryo development
Official title: Functional assessment of extracellular vesicles from the female reproductive tract during early pregnancy
Funded at University of Missouri-Columbia · NIH-11377190 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This grant explores tiny particles from the mother’s reproductive tract and how they influence early embryo growth and implantation in animals, with potential relevance to people facing fertility challenges.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Missouri-Columbia NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Columbia, United States) |
| Project start | May 15, 2026 |
| Project end | March 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $411,539 |
| NIH project number | 1R21HD119276-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11377190 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates would be individuals affected by subfertility or infertility related to implantation issues and who may benefit from advances in ART.
✕Less likely to help
Results from animal studies may not directly translate to every patient, and immediate clinical applications may be limited.
What this research studies
Researchers will study extracellular vesicles shed by the maternal oviduct and how their cargo, including miRNAs, impacts embryo development in the earliest stages. They use a special mouse model to visualize maternal vesicles in embryos as they form and begin to implant. The project aims to map where these vesicles go and what signals they carry, which could explain some cases of suboptimal implantation after assisted reproduction. Findings could identify new biomarkers or targets to improve fertility outcomes, progressing our understanding of embryo-maternal communication.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to better understanding of why some embryos fail to implant, guiding new strategies to improve pregnancy rates.
How similar studies have gone: Prior work shows that maternal-derived vesicles can interact with embryos, supporting a foundational basis but in vivo human relevance remains to be established.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Missouri-Columbia
Columbia, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Winuthayanon, Wipawee — University of Missouri-Columbia
- Study coordinator: Winuthayanon, Wipawee
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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.