Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Ideas

The human placenta is unique among mammals. We lack understanding of its immune complex and the innate responses that prevent or enable vertical transmission. The COVID pandemic highlights this gap. Where previous coronavirus outbreaks were associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes, SARS-Cov-2 does not appear to pass the placenta and negatively impact fetal development. Interestingly, several groups have highlight SARS-Cov-2... more »

Placental inflammation is a key driver of adverse pregnancy events and also directly impacts fetal and neonatal development. A key focus on how inflammatory cells orchestrate immune tolerance and immunity to infection in healthy human placentas as well as how events including infection and allogeneic inflammatory responses contribute to failed trophoblast invasion, placental inflammation and pregnancy complications should... more »