Federal Project Grant Award Summary

The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) awarded The Regents of the University of Colorado-Denver a $703,662 Project Grant on July 15, 2026, under the Drug Use and Addiction Research Programs (CFDA 93.279) to conduct translational research examining the mechanisms by which prenatal cannabis exposure affects child growth and metabolic outcomes. The research combines large-scale epidemiologic investigation with in vitro experimental work, leveraging two Colorado-based cohorts (Healthy Start and Mile High Echo) to assess the impact of in utero and in vitro exposure to delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (D9-THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) on angiogenic and adipogenic pathways in placental microvascular endothelial cells and umbilical cord tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells. The project addresses a critical knowledge gap regarding CBD's health impacts in pregnancy, as current epidemiologic literature is limited by reliance on self-reported cannabis use and bioanalytic testing that does not distinguish between specific cannabinoid compounds.

The award, with a performance period extending through April 30, 2031, will generate translational science outputs including mechanistic data on cannabinoid receptor and metabolic receptor signaling in perinatal tissues, epidemiologic evidence linking specific cannabinoid exposures to infant growth trajectories and adiposity outcomes, and potentially causal inference regarding prenatal cannabis exposure and child metabolic health. Deliverables will include peer-reviewed publications, laboratory characterizations of treated perinatal tissue responses, and epidemiologic analysis reports integrating biospecimen data from the two racially and ethnically diverse prospective cohorts. This work directly supports NIDA's mission to develop new knowledge and approaches for prevention and treatment of substance use disorders and related health outcomes.