Understanding the Link Between Maternal Infection and Brain Injury in Newborns
Official title: Maternal Chorioamnionitis and Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy: The MATCH Study
Funded at University of California, San Francisco · NIH-11128376 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project aims to better understand how infections during pregnancy might affect a newborn's brain and lead to conditions like hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE).
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California, San Francisco NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (San Francisco, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2022 |
| Project end | July 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $173,481 |
| NIH project number | 5K23HD109684-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11128376 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
This research focuses on newborns affected by hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) and their mothers who experienced chorioamnionitis during pregnancy.
✕Less likely to help
Patients not directly involved in the study or those whose conditions are unrelated to HIE or chorioamnionitis may not see direct benefit from this specific research.
What this research studies
Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) is a serious brain condition affecting many newborns, often leading to severe disabilities or even death. We know that infections or inflammation during pregnancy, called chorioamnionitis, can increase a baby's risk for HIE and might make treatments less effective. This project seeks to define chorioamnionitis more precisely and understand its exact connection to HIE. By doing so, we hope to find better ways to prevent and treat this challenging condition in vulnerable newborns.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to improved methods for identifying newborns at risk for HIE and developing more effective prevention and treatment strategies.
How similar studies have gone: While the link between chorioamnionitis and HIE is recognized, this project aims to refine the definition of chorioamnionitis and its specific relationship to HIE risk, which is a novel approach.
Where this research is happening
-
University of California, San Francisco
San Francisco, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Cornet, Marie — University of California, San Francisco
- Study coordinator: Cornet, Marie
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Brain support cells in newborn brain injury after birth asphyxia
This grant studies how brain-supporting cells called pericytes affect brain damage after a newborn experiences a lack of oxygen at birth, with potential to guide new treatments.
-
Neonatal brain health: using a new NIRS approach to guide cooling therapy in newborns with HIE
A new NIH-funded approach aims to use bedside brain oxygen and blood flow measurements to personalize cooling therapy for babies with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy.
-
Brain-derived exosomes to detect and track newborn oxygen-related brain injury
This project looks for tiny brain-derived particles in newborns who had low oxygen at birth to help predict how they'll recover and whether cooling will help.
-
Personalized care for newborns with oxygen-related brain injury (HIE)
We are creating a combined MRI and clinical tool to better predict long-term outcomes for newborns who had low oxygen to the brain (neonatal HIE).
-
Improving Cooling Treatment for Newborn Brain Injury
This project looks for better ways to guide cooling treatment for newborns who have experienced brain injury due to lack of oxygen.
-
A wearable device to monitor brain health in newborns with oxygen deprivation
This study is testing a new, affordable wearable device that helps doctors keep an eye on the brain health of newborns with a condition called hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) by measuring important markers in real-time, so they can act quickly to help these babies.
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.