Sunday, October 19, 2025 10/19/2025

Investigating Transplacental Immune Pathways Contributing to Fetal Brain Pathology in Maternal Influenza

Award Number: R01HD119067
ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF CHILD HEALTH AND HUMAN DEVELOPMENT
OPDIV: NIH
AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY
AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 09/10/2025
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 05/31/2030

Group Awards By:

View Award Description

Investigating Transplacental Immune Pathways Contributing to Fetal Brain Pathology in Maternal Influenza - Project Summary/Abstract The overarching goal of this application is to identify targetable transplacental immune signaling pathways for optimizing antenatal therapies that improve maternal and offspring health outcomes during seasonal influenza outbreaks. Influenza viruses pose ever-present threats to the health of pregnant women and escalate the risk of neurodevelopmental disorders in their offspring. Yet, how and which immune signals propagate across the maternal-fetal interface to impact fetal brain development during gestational influenza virus infection are unknown. The objective of this proposal is to assess the extent to which transplacental immune signaling drives fetal brain pathologies during maternal respiratory influenza virus infection. The central hypothesis is that gestational influenza causes leukocyte and lymphocyte infiltration into the placenta and enhances transplacental inflammation that is ultimately sensed by fetal microglia and border-associated macrophages, leading to subsequent fetal brain pathologies. The premise for this proposal is that influenza-driven immune signaling must cross the maternal-fetal interface before reaching the fetal brain. Surprisingly little is known about the contribution of transplacental immune signaling in directing aberrant fetal brain development during gestational influenza virus infection. This is significant because noninvasive antenatal therapies directed at curbing inflammation at the maternal-fetal interface could mitigate fetal neuroinflammation and subsequent neurodevelopmental disorders. The current proposal will use cutting-edge spatial transcriptomics to define time-dependent phenotypic and functional shifts in immune and non-immune cells at the maternal-fetal interface during maternal respiratory influenza infection. Rates of placental vascular permeability and leukocyte diapedesis as well as their dependence upon IL-6 signaling will be defined throughout mid-to-late gestation. The extent to which fetal brain microglia and macrophages shift their proliferation, activation, and colonization patterns in response to transplacental IL-6 signaling will help determine whether this cytokine could be targeted in clinical settings. Overall, these studies will illuminate transplacental immune mechanisms by which gestational influenza predisposes individuals to neurodevelopmental disorders and will provide insights for mitigating fetal neuroinflammation during related viral pandemics.


Issue Date FY	Funding FY	Legal Entity Name	Legal Entity Address	Legal Entity City	Legal Entity State	Legal Entity Zip Code	Legal Entity COUNTY	Legal Entity COUNTRY	Assistance Listing	Award Code	Budget Year	Action Date	Action Type	Action Amount

Issue Date FY: 2025 ( Subtotal = $535,039 )
2025	2025	UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS	506 S WRIGHT ST	URBANA	IL	61801	CHAMPAIGN	USA	Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research	000	1	9/10/2025	NEW	$535,039
														Subtotal = $535,039

Grand Total All Awards = $535,039

Top

All Categories

About

Search

Reports

Data Submission

Award Information

Investigating Transplacental Immune Pathways Contributing to Fetal Brain Pathology in Maternal Influenza

Award Number: R01HD119067

ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF CHILD HEALTH AND HUMAN DEVELOPMENT

OPDIV: NIH

AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY

AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 09/10/2025

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 05/31/2030

Federal Websites

Department of Health & Human Services

HHS Operating Divisions

HHS Staff Divisions

Download A Document Viewer