Using nervous-system signals to help the pregnant immune system
Neuromodulation of maternal immune adaptations in pregnancy
This project tests whether changing nerve-driven signals can reduce harmful immune inflammation in pregnant people who are at risk for preterm birth.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California, San Diego NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (La Jolla, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11175472 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would hear from researchers at UC San Diego who are studying how the brain and sympathetic nervous system influence immune cells during pregnancy. They will collect blood from people with term and preterm pregnancies and use high-dimensional mass cytometry and blood measurements to see how immune cells respond to adrenergic (stress-related) signals. In parallel, they will use mouse models and targeted neuromodulation of specific brain circuits to test whether increased sympathetic tone drives pro-inflammatory monocytes. The combined human-sample and animal work aims to link nervous-system activity with immune changes that may contribute to preterm birth.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are pregnant people—especially those in late pregnancy or with risk factors for preterm birth—who can provide blood samples and attend clinic visits at the study site.
Not a fit: People who are not pregnant, already postpartum, or who cannot provide blood samples or attend the study site are unlikely to benefit directly from participating.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new ways to identify people at higher risk for preterm birth and to therapies that target nerve-immune signals to protect pregnancies.
How similar studies have performed: Studies outside pregnancy have shown the nervous system can change immune responses, but applying neuromodulation to alter pregnancy immune tolerance and prevent preterm birth is largely new.
Where this research is happening
La Jolla, United States
- University of California, San Diego — La Jolla, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Stelzer, Ina — University of California, San Diego
- Study coordinator: Stelzer, Ina
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 below.