# Caesarean Delivery's Effect on the Early Life Microbiome and Neurodevelopment

> **NIH NIH F30** · RUTGERS BIOMEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES · 2022 · $36,973

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY / ABSTRACT
The microbiome is the community of bacteria, fungi, and viruses that live in and on a host. Over the past few
decades, advances in sequencing technology have allowed us to better understand the composition of the
mammalian microbiome and the ways it affects host development. Recent evidence shows that Caesarean-
section delivery, though a medical necessity for some births, may disrupt the vertical transfer of microbiota
from mother to child. This can cause different microbial communities during critical periods of development.
The brain may be particularly sensitive to microbiome changes because neurogenesis in many brain regions
and myelination continue through childhood. This may be one explanation for the increased prevalence of
neurodevelopmental disorders like autism spectrum disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder that are
associated with Caesarean delivery. Nevertheless, it remains unknown whether microbial communities, and
specifically those caused by differential birth mode, can cause neuroanatomical changes. To advance our
understanding of Caesarean delivery’s effect on neurodevelopment, we will use a mouse model of Caesarean
delivery that will allow us to separately quantify the effect of birth mode on both the offsprings’ microbial
communities (Aim 1) and neurodevelopment (Aim 2). We hypothesize that perturbation of the infant
microbiome by Caesarean delivery will disrupt the normal pattern of neurodevelopment in pre-weaning mice (≤
postnatal day 21). To test this hypothesis, in Aim 1 we will study microbial communities through next
generation sequencing, community structure analysis, and predicted bacterial gene content . Additionally, the
direct and local effects of the microbial community will be quantified by mRNA transcriptomic analysis of
gastrointestinal tissues. In Aim 2, we will study brain development through histology and transcriptomics of the
cerebellum and hippocampus. Both regions exhibit neurodevelopment in the early postnatal period and are
implicated in the pathogenesis of neurodevelopmental diseases. Gene expression will be quantified in each
brain region through mRNA transcriptomics. The results of this proposed study may inform targeted
microbiome-based interventions that restore microbial composition and function and facilitate proper
neurogenesis. This research will be completed between two labs at Rutgers university that have expertise in
microbiome analysis and neurodevelopment. The fellow will receive training to achieve his goal of becoming an
independent physician-scientist. This will entail field-specific training in microbial ecology and neuroscience, as
well as the generalizable skills necessary to become an independent investigator, including: experimental
design, scientific writing and communication, and presentation skills.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10537858
- **Project number:** 1F30HD107912-01A1
- **Recipient organization:** RUTGERS BIOMEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES
- **Principal Investigator:** Jeremy K Lessing
- **Activity code:** F30 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $36,973
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2023-01-01 → 2026-12-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10537858

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10537858, Caesarean Delivery's Effect on the Early Life Microbiome and Neurodevelopment (1F30HD107912-01A1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10537858. Licensed CC0.

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