# Prenatal diet-stress interactions and the maternal metabolic response in human pregnancy

> **NIH NIH R00** · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA-IRVINE · 2022 · $244,021

## Abstract

ABSTRACT
RESEARCH SUMMARY: Maternal glucose-insulin homeostasis in pregnancy represents one of the 
 most important physiological processes for maternal and child health outcomes. Although 
maternal diet is a key regulator of this process, its effects vary widely across 
individuals, suggesting other moderating factors may be at play. Based on studies that demonstrate 
diet and stress interact at various biological and behavioral levels, and the biological response 
to stress alters glucose-insulin homeostasis, I submit that stress likely represents a 
moderator of considerable significance in pregnancy. Yet, existing studies of pregnancy 
have not considered their combined effects. The primary goal of this K99/R00 project is 
 to test the hypothesis that maternal prenatal stress may exacerbate the unfavorable 
effects of unhealthy diet on gestational glucose-insulin homeostasis. I aim to address 
 this knowledge gap using two complementary approaches. Aim 1: To establish the 
independent effect of prenatal stress, and the interaction effect of prenatal diet 
quality and stress, on indicators of fasting insulin resistance (HOMA-IR and Adipo-IR). Aim 2: To 
conduct a randomized, controlled, cross-over study to experimentally test whether stress exposure 
potentiates the glycemic and fatty acid response to a standardized meal (indicative of 
postprandial insulin resistance) among pregnant women.
CANDIDATE: My background expertise is maternal nutrition in pregnancy and the 
elucidation of prenatal factors that influence fetal development and child metabolic 
health. My research focus has now expanded to incorporate the role of prenatal stress 
and stress biology. My career goal is to develop and establish myself as an 
independent, trans- disciplinary investigator addressing key questions related to a) the combined 
effects of maternal diet and stress on pre-natal metabolism, and b) how prenatal biology 
may be altered via maternal behavior/psychosocial state for improved fetal programming 
outcomes. My short-term goals are a) to understand the prenatal biochemical effects of 
maternal diet-stress interplay, and b) to advance this field of research from observational to 
experimental study design.
CAREER DEVELOPMENT PLAN: My training plan is designed to allow me to acquire the professional and 
technical skills necessary for a successful transition to independence as a trans-disciplinary 
investigator. It includes regular meetings, structured coursework, focused tutorials, 
practical training and research management under the guidance of an expert mentorship 
team, led by Pathik Wadhwa (prenatal stress, DOHaD), and co-mentors Sonja Entringer (fetal metabolic programming, stress biology), Janet King (prenatal nutrition, metabolism) and Daniel Gillen 
(biostatistics).
ENVIRONMENT: The UC Irvine Development, Health and Disease Research Program (DHDRP) offers myriad 
resources, including an inter-disciplinary team to provide an intellectually productive...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10437664
- **Project number:** 5R00HD096109-05
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA-IRVINE
- **Principal Investigator:** Karen Lindsay
- **Activity code:** R00 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $244,021
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2020-07-01 → 2024-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10437664

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10437664, Prenatal diet-stress interactions and the maternal metabolic response in human pregnancy (5R00HD096109-05). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10437664. Licensed CC0.

---

*[NIH grants dataset](/datasets/nih-grants) · CC0 1.0*