The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) received a $171,095 federal Project Grant award from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) under the Cardiovascular Diseases Research program (CFDA 93.837). The grant, awarded on Aug 15, 2024, supports research on chorioamnionitis (CHORIO), the most common cause of preterm birth, and its impact on lung and cardiac function in infants. Specifically, the project aims to test the hypothesis that CHORIO induces alterations in the fetal immune system, leading to long-term adverse lung function and pulmonary hypertension. The research will involve a prospective cohort study on 152 preterm infants to examine the relationship between CHORIO, Th17 cell activation, pro-inflammatory cytokine generation, and subsequent lung and cardiac outcomes. This grant award furthers UAB's expertise in cardiovascular disease research and its commitment to advancing scientific knowledge to improve neonatal and pediatric health outcomes.
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