Understanding how maternal weight affects placenta development in preeclampsia
Official title: Mechanisms of maternal obesity and feto-placental development in preeclampsia
Funded at Colorado State University · NIH-11145759 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at how a mother's weight and inflammation might lead to preeclampsia by affecting how the placenta grows.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Colorado State University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Fort Collins, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2024 |
| Project end | May 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $501,307 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HD114145-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11145759 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Pregnant individuals experiencing or at risk for preeclampsia, particularly those with obesity, might benefit from future treatments developed from this research.
✕Less likely to help
Patients whose preeclampsia is not linked to maternal obesity or inflammation may not directly benefit from this specific line of research.
What this research studies
Preeclampsia is a serious pregnancy complication marked by high blood pressure and protein in the urine, often linked to problems with the placenta. We believe that a mother's body fat can increase inflammation, which then interferes with the placenta's normal development. Our work aims to discover how inflammatory signals from maternal fat tissue might reduce the helpful immune cells and factors needed for a healthy maternal-fetal connection. We will use a special mouse model that develops preeclampsia to explore these connections. By understanding these early processes, we hope to find new ways to prevent or treat preeclampsia.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to new ways to prevent or treat preeclampsia by targeting inflammation related to maternal weight.
How similar studies have gone: While the link between maternal obesity, inflammation, and preeclampsia is recognized, this specific approach to understanding the detailed mechanisms at the maternal-fetal interface using leptin and single-cell sequencing in this mouse model is novel.
Where this research is happening
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Colorado State University
Fort Collins, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Sones, Jennifer Liford — Colorado State University
- Study coordinator: Sones, Jennifer Liford
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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.