Federal Grant Award Summary

Washington State University received a $193,277.19 Project Grant from the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) under the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI), CFDA 10.310, awarded July 15, 2026, with completion by June 30, 2027. The grant funds research to investigate the immunomodulatory mechanisms underlying pregnancy maintenance in cattle, addressing the estimated 50% pregnancy failure rate that significantly impacts U.S. cattle industry profitability. The research will establish baseline knowledge of uterine immune cell populations and functions during placental attachment and evaluate whether pregnancy-associated glycoproteins (PAGs) secreted by the placenta modulate maternal immune responses to promote embryo tolerance.

The project encompasses two primary research studies conducted at Washington State University's Pullman, Washington facility. The first study characterizes changes in uterine resident immune cell populations and molecular functions during the critical period of placental attachment. The second study determines whether PAGs reduce pregnancy loss by modulating the innate immune response of endometrial epithelial cells and peripheral blood immune cells. The research is expected to identify pathways altered by PAG exposure and establish mechanistic links between maternal uterine immune dysfunction and pregnancy failure, potentially opening avenues for therapeutic interventions to improve cattle reproductive outcomes and reduce economic losses in livestock production.