Federal Project Grant Award Summary

The National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) awarded $669,594 to the University of Colorado-Denver on June 17, 2026, under the Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research program (CFDA 93.865) to conduct longitudinal research on circulating extracellular vesicles (EVs) as biomarkers of maternal health outcomes in pregnancy and postpartum. The research specifically examines mechanisms linking adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) to negative pregnancy and postpartum outcomes—including gestational diabetes, preterm birth, and postpartum depression—with a focus on understanding how the X-linked gene O-glycosyltransferase (OGT) regulates EV secretion from the placenta and influences maternal stress physiology and mood. The project, which extends through February 28, 2031, will be conducted in Aurora, Colorado.

This investigator-initiated project represents an advancement of the research team's decade-long work identifying the functional roles of EVs in maintaining maternal homeostasis during pregnancy. The research will leverage the dramatic physiological changes in maternal EV concentration during pregnancy and postpartum—including a 4-5 fold increase during gestation and sharp decline following placental delivery—to develop novel biomarkers and elucidate causal mechanisms underlying maternal health disparities associated with early adversity. The study addresses a critical gap in understanding longitudinal EV dynamics in human pregnancy and postpartum, information not previously available from human cohort studies.