Research Objectives
The Human Placenta Project has five main research objectives:
- Improve current methods and develop new technologies for real-time assessment of placental development across pregnancy.
- Apply these technologies to understand and monitor, in real time, placental development and function in normal and abnormal pregnancies.
- Develop and evaluate non-invasive markers for prediction of adverse pregnancy outcomes.
- Understand the contributions of placental development to long-term health and disease.
- Develop interventions to prevent abnormal placental development, and hence improve pregnancy outcomes.
Funding
Since the project launched, NIH has awarded more than $50 million in HPP research awards. All HPP-funded projects are listed on NIH RePORTER.
HPP Funding Opportunity Announcements (FOAs):
2017
Moving Beyond Standard Assessments: Applying Novel Tools to Assess Human Placental Structure and Function in Real Time
- Applications will be accepted through March 31, 2017.
- R01 Research Project Grant (RFA-HD-18-003)
- R21 Exploratory/Developmental Research Grant (RFA-HD-18-004)
Assessing Human Placental Development and Function Using Existing Data
- Funding decisions are ongoing.
- R01 Research Project Grant (RFA-HD-17-004)
- R21 Exploratory/Developmental Research Grant (RFA-HD-17-005)
- Frequently Asked Questions about RFA-HD-17-004 and RFA-HD-17-005
2016
Using '—Omics' to Define Human Placental Development and Function Across Pregnancy
- R01 Research Project Grant (RFA-HD-16-036)
- R21 Exploratory/Developmental Research Grant (RFA-HD-16-037)
- Frequently Asked Questions for RFA-HD-16-036 and RFA-HD-16-037
- List of projects funded through 2016 FOAs.
2015
Developing Paradigm-Shifting Innovations for in vivo Human Placental Assessment in Response to Environmental Influences
- U01 Research Project - Cooperative Agreements (RFA-HD-15-034)
- Notice of Clarification for RFA-HD-15-034
- Frequently Asked Questions about RFA-HD-15-034
Novel Tools to Assess Human Placental Structure and Function
- R01 Research Project Grant (RFA-HD-15-030)
- R21 Exploratory/Developmental Research Grant (RFA-HD-15-031)
List of projects funded through 2015 FOAs.
FOAs for other types of placental research (non-HPP):
- Trophoblast Differentiation and Function: R01 Research Project Grant (PA-16-445)
- Parent Announcements for Investigator-initiated Applications
Project Background
The Human Placenta Project was inspired by the NICHD's Scientific Vision (PDF - 2 MB) and is described in these articles:
- Guttmacher, AE, Maddox, YT, & Spong, CY. (2014). The Human Placenta Project: Placental structure, development, and function in real time. Placenta, May;35(5), 303-4. (PMID: 24661567)
- Sadovsky, Y, Clifton, VL, & Burton, GJ. (2014). Invigorating placental research through the 'Human Placenta Project.' Placenta, August;35(8), 527. (PMID: 24997635)
- Guttmacher, AE, & Spong, CY. (2015). The Human Placenta Project: It's time for real time. Am J Obstet Gynecol, Oct;213(4 Suppl), S3-S5. (PMID: 26428502)
Return to the Human Placenta Project main page.