# Protection of at-risk low birth weight infants against influenza via maternal antibody

> **NIH NIH K23** · UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON · 2022 · $188,460

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY / ABSTRACT
Acute respiratory infections are the leading cause of mortality among neonates globally, particularly among low
birthweight infants from pregnancies complicated by prematurity or placental insufficiency. Maternal immuniza-
tion, the vaccination of pregnant women to enhance antibody transported across the placenta to the fetus, is
utilized increasingly as an infection prevention strategy to protect neonates from pathogens such as influenza,
and may be critical as new vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 are developed. This proposal aims to better eluci-
date transplacental antibody transfer in low- and high-risk pregnancies, specifically those with prematurity or
placental insufficiency, which is not known. It also describes a research training program that will allow me to
become an independent physician-scientist with a translational research program focusing on infectious
diseases and vaccines in pregnancy. This proposal builds upon my training in high-risk obstetrics and global
health, and provides a detailed plan to improve my knowledge of virology, immunology, vaccinology, cohort
studies and statistical analysis. It incorporates the expertise of an outstanding mentorship team, including
experts in infectious diseases, immunology, pathology, statistics, and computational biology who are dedicated
to the success of this project and the development of my career as an independent clinical researcher.
The first aim of this proposal involves establishing normal and high-risk pregnancy cohorts and quantifying
transplacental antibody transfer in the context of pregnancies resulting in both normal and low birth weight
infants, including those complicated by placental insufficiency leading to small for gestational age infants or
prematurity. I will compare quantity of transplacental antibody transfer of total IgG, influenza- and SARS-CoV-
2- specific antibodies, and expression of neonatal Fc receptor in placentas. I will also compare neonatal
immunity against influenza among women who did and did not receive influenza vaccine during pregnancy,
allowing the opportunity to develop multivariable models and adjust for multiple clinical covariates. For my
second aim, I will characterize antibody profiles and transplacental transfer in the same cohorts using a
systems serology approach to determine biophysical and effector functions of maternal and fetal immunology.
Through accomplishing the aims in this proposal, I will contribute significantly to our knowledge of maternal
immunizations, maternal and neonatal immune interactions and neonatal immunity against influenza and
SARS-CoV-2. Improved understanding and characterization of transplacental antibody transfer in the context
of maternal immunizations may provide insight in the optimization and individualization of vaccine delivery and
timing in high-risk pregnancies and, ultimately, has the potential to improve neonatal survival globally. This
proposal will allow me to develop a unique ...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10374134
- **Project number:** 5K23AI153390-02
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON
- **Principal Investigator:** Alisa Kachikis
- **Activity code:** K23 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $188,460
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2021-06-01 → 2026-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10374134

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10374134, Protection of at-risk low birth weight infants against influenza via maternal antibody (5K23AI153390-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10374134. Licensed CC0.

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