Federal Grant Award Summary

The University of Southern California received a $456,500 Project Grant award from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) under the Environmental Health program (CFDA 93.113), effective September 19, 2025, through September 18, 2027. The award supports research investigating biological signatures of prenatal wildfire smoke exposure and their effects on fetal and infant growth. The primary deliverable is a longitudinal study examining 466 participants from the MADRES cohort in Los Angeles, California, to identify how wildfire smoke exposure during pregnancy triggers measurable biological responses in extracellular vesicle-microRNAs (EV-miRNAs) and how these biomarkers correlate with adverse fetal and infant growth outcomes.

The research will additionally examine how neighborhood characteristics—including housing quality, infrastructure, and other social determinants—modify the relationship between smoke exposure and miRNA signatures, ultimately advancing understanding of the mechanistic pathways through which environmental air pollution affects maternal and child health. This investigation addresses a critical knowledge gap identified by recent meta-analyses linking prenatal wildfire smoke exposure to reduced birth weight and preterm birth, providing both molecular biological evidence and epidemiological insights to support prevention and intervention strategies.