About

Years: 2020 – 2021

Training Site: University of Ghana

Country: Ghana

Mentors: Jonathan Stiles, PhD; Michael Wilson, PhD

Title: Assessing the effects of free heme and heme scavenging mechanisms on Birth and Perinatal Outcomes

Program Objectives:

Aim 1: Conduct a prospective study to assess heme and heme scavenger levels in pregnant women: (a) Assess peripheral maternal scavenger concentrations of Haptoglobin, Hemopexin and HO-1 in women with or without placental malaria (b) Determine heme scavenger functional polymorphisms associated with adverse pregnancy and birth outcomes.

Aim 2: Implement a prescreening intervention to assess individuals for heme scavengers prior to iron supplement recommendation to understand impact on heme, heme scavenger levels and birth outcomes. Test the hypothesis that women prescreened prior to iron supplementation will have improved birth outcomes.

NIH Support: NHLBI