Understanding how the mother’s immune signals affect a baby’s brain during flu during pregnancy
Official title: Investigating Transplacental Immune Pathways Contributing to Fetal Brain Pathology in Maternal Influenza
Funded at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign · NIH-11413853 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Aims to find immune signals crossing the placenta during flu infection in pregnancy that could affect fetal brain development in babies.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Champaign, United States) |
| Project start | September 10, 2025 |
| Project end | May 31, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $591,620 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HD119067-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11413853 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Pregnant individuals exposed to seasonal influenza and their unborn babies, or those with a history of influenza-related pregnancy complications, may be eligible.
✕Less likely to help
Pregnant people without flu exposure or whose pregnancy is not affected by immune signaling crossing the placenta may not directly benefit.
What this research studies
This study looks at how influenza during pregnancy may trigger immune messages that cross from mother to fetus and influence brain development. Researchers will examine placental and fetal immune cells to identify pathways that lead to brain changes in the fetus. The goal is to find safe antenatal therapies to reduce this inflammatory signaling and improve outcomes for both mother and child. The work involves analyzing human-relevant samples and animal models to map the transplacental communication that could affect neurodevelopment.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the research could guide safer antenatal therapies to protect fetal brain development during flu infections.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies have shown that maternal infection can influence fetal brain development, but specific transplacental signaling pathways are not yet clear.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Champaign, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Antonson, Adrienne M — University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
- Study coordinator: Antonson, Adrienne M
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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.