# New York State BD-STEPS: Component A and B

> **NIH ALLCDC U01** · NYSDOH/HEALTH RESEARCH, INC. · 2024 · $855,000

## Abstract

Project Summary
The New York State Center for Birth Defects Research and Prevention (NYSCBDRP) proposes to continue its
strong record of conducting epidemiologic research to identify the causes of birth defects through its
participation in the Birth Defects Study to Evaluate Pregnancy exposureS (BD-STEPS). The NYSCBDRP has
been a major contributor to CDC’s collaborative National Birth Defects Prevention Study (NBDPS) and BD-
STEPS since 1996. The NYSCBDRP is situated in the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) Birth
Defects Registry and enjoys a strong collaborative relationship with the University at Albany School of Public
Health. The Specific Aims of this project are to: (1) identify birth defect cases and controls from two
geographically and sociodemographically diverse catchment areas in New York State; (2) conduct
epidemiologic investigations on non-genetic risk factors for specific birth defects, including medications,
chronic and infectious disease, occupational factors, social determinants of health, and health equity, resulting
in at least 7 publications and 7 presentations over 3.5 years; (3) contribute residual newborn bloodspots and
investigate genetic factors for birth defects; (4) link individuals to the NYS National Electronic Disease
Surveillance System to ascertain and characterize the impact of infections before and during pregnancy on
birth defects; (5) evaluate and develop existing and novel modes of information collection for BD-STEPS; and
(6) mentor and train future birth defects researchers by offering internships and thesis/dissertation data for
graduate students at the University at Albany School of Public Health and training opportunities for junior
NYSCBDRP analysts. From its position within the NYSDOH, the NYSCBDRP will leverage considerable
resources through donated staff time, privileged access to individual medical records, the Birth Defects
Registry, infectious disease surveillance systems, and affiliation with the world-renowned Wadsworth Center
laboratory for genetic studies. The NYSCBDRP has demonstrated success implementing the NBDPS and BD-
STEPS studies and conducting birth defects research, with the highest BD-STEPS participation rate and more
than 50 peer-reviewed publications of NBDPS/BD-STEPS analyses led by an NYS author. The NYSCBDRP is
well-positioned to continue successfully implementing BD-STEPS, helping to increase knowledge of risk
factors for birth defects and inform prevention strategies.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10907393
- **Project number:** 5U01DD001304-02
- **Recipient organization:** NYSDOH/HEALTH RESEARCH, INC.
- **Principal Investigator:** Meredith M Howley
- **Activity code:** U01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** ALLCDC
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $855,000
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2023-09-01 → 2027-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10907393

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10907393, New York State BD-STEPS: Component A and B (5U01DD001304-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-28 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10907393. Licensed CC0.

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