# Immune Control of Group B Streptococcal Placental

> **NIH NIH R01** · SEATTLE CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL · 2021 · $868,958

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
Intra-amniotic infection and inflammation remain a significant cause of preterm birth, stillbirth and neonatal
morbidity and mortality. The objective of this proposal is to define early maternal and placental immune
responses that are critical for resolution of bacterial infections at the maternal-fetal interface. Elucidation of
immune events occurring at the maternal-fetal interface in human pregnancy is complicated by the
inaccessibility of maternal and fetal compartments, which also imposes limitations on our understanding of the
nature of the invading organism and cell types directing bacterial clearance. We have overcome these
challenges by using a unique chronically catheterized pregnant nonhuman primate (NHP) model that closely
emulates human pregnancy. In this proposal, we will elucidate early immune mechanisms that result in
bacterial clearance and define the key immune cell-types and host defense networks that protect the fetus from
invasive bacterial infections. We will use the established NHP model of GBS infection to study bacterial
clearance at the maternal-fetal interface using innovative methods including: 1) multidimensional flow
cytometry to quantitate immune cell populations at the maternal-fetal interface, 2) single cell RNA-Seq to
generate a transcriptional map of cell types and regulatory gene networks, 3) reverse phase protein array to
analyze signalling cascades and host translational networks and 4) sophisticated computational modelling to
link clinical metadata (e.g. bacterial burden, peak uterine activity) with single cell RNA-Seq and protein array
data. The proposed aims will thus establish the temporal and spatial nature of immune responses and host
transcriptional and translational networks essential for bacterial clearance at the maternal-fetal interface during
pregnancy.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10228644
- **Project number:** 5R01AI145890-03
- **Recipient organization:** SEATTLE CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL
- **Principal Investigator:** Kristina M. Adams Waldorf
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $868,958
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2019-09-01 → 2024-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10228644

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10228644, Immune Control of Group B Streptococcal Placental (5R01AI145890-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10228644. Licensed CC0.

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