Featured Research
Featured Research
A closer look at the questions driving her work — and what the studies found.
Maternal-infant immune signatures in infants at risk for SARS-CoV-2-associated neurodevelopmental disorders
Communications Biology
Research question
Are there measurable immune signatures in mothers and infants that could flag which SARS-CoV-2-exposed children are at higher risk of abnormal neurodevelopment?
Key findings reported in the paper
- The cohort had previously shown developmental delay in 11.6% of 172 exposed children versus 1.6% of 128 pre-pandemic controls.
- Positive autism spectrum disorder screens were nearly twice as frequent in 218 exposed children (10.1%) as in 527 unexposed controls (5.7%).
| SARS-CoV-2-exposed | 10.1% (n = 218) |
|---|---|
| Unexposed controls | 5.7% (n = 527) |
Screening result, not a diagnosis. Values as reported in the abstract. Data as reported in the publication abstract.
Neurodevelopmental delay in children exposed to maternal SARS-CoV-2 in-utero
Scientific Reports
Research question
Is SARS-CoV-2 infection during pregnancy associated with adverse neurodevelopment in the children?
Key findings reported in the paper
- Overall, 20 of 172 exposed children (11.6%) and 2 of 128 controls (1.6%) had developmental delay (p = 0.0006).
- On Bayley-III alone: 12 of 128 exposed (9.4%) vs 2 of 128 controls (1.6%), p = 0.0007; 8 of 44 additional exposed children had delay on ASQ-3.
| Exposed in utero | 11.6% (20 / 172) |
|---|---|
| Pre-pandemic controls | 1.6% (2 / 128) |
p = 0.0006. Values as reported in the abstract. Data as reported in the publication abstract.
Respiratory distress in SARS-CoV-2 exposed uninfected neonates followed in the COVID Outcomes in Mother-Infant Pairs (COMP) Study
Nature Communications
Research question
Is maternal COVID-19 vaccination related to respiratory distress in SARS-CoV-2-exposed but uninfected newborns?
Key findings reported in the paper
- 17% of SARS-CoV-2-exposed uninfected infants had respiratory distress.
- Term newborns of unvaccinated mothers had 3.06-fold odds of respiratory distress versus those of mothers vaccinated before infection (95% CI 1.08–10.21).
- respiratory distress in exposed, uninfected newborns
- 17%
- term infants of unvaccinated vs vaccinated mothers
- OR 3.06
- mothers enrolled (227 exposed fetuses)
- 221
Neuromotor repertoires in infants exposed to maternal COVID-19 during pregnancy: a cohort study
BMJ Open
Research question
Do infants exposed to antenatal COVID-19 differ in neuromotor repertoires and early milestones from unexposed infants?
Key findings reported in the paper
- 239 infants enrolled: 124 cases (83 USA / 41 Brazil) and 115 controls.
- Median MOS-R was 23 in exposed infants vs 25 in controls (p < 0.001); 16 exposed infants (14%) scored below 20 vs none of the controls.
| Exposed to maternal COVID-19 | 12% (13 / 109) |
|---|---|
| Pre-pandemic controls | 0% (0 / 115) |
Values as reported in the abstract. Data as reported in the publication abstract.
GLUT1 overexpression enhances glucose metabolism and promotes neonatal heart regeneration
Scientific Reports
Research question
Does glucose metabolism regulate the regenerative capacity of the neonatal heart?
Key findings reported in the paper
- GLUT1 overexpression increased glucose uptake and glycogen storage in the postnatal heart.
- After cryoinjury, transgenic hearts regenerated better, with less fibrosis.
Clinical & scientific significance
Glucose metabolism appears to be a determinant of neonatal heart regeneration, likely through nucleotide supply — a lead for future heart-repair strategies (mouse data).
From maternal infection to child development: the COMP cohort design
01
Infection in pregnancy
Laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2; trimester, severity and vaccination recorded.
02
Maternal immune response
Inflammatory proteins and antibodies measured in maternal blood.
03
Birth
Cord and newborn blood; neonatal outcomes such as respiratory distress.
04
Developmental follow-up
Standardized motor and developmental assessments from infancy into early childhood.
05
Biomarker discovery
Immune signatures compared with developmental outcomes.