POD Center NewsletterMarch 2025
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Join Us for a Research Collaboration Brainstorming Session!
📅 Wednesday, March 19th 2025
đź•’ 11:00 AM-12:00 PM
We invite all POD Center members to a dedicated brainstorming session focused on exploring research collaborations across UC Davis and UC Davis Health. This meeting will provide an opportunity to discuss shared interests, such as the impact of weight loss pharmaceuticals on maternal child health and identify potential interdisciplinary partnerships.
Come connect, share ideas, and help shape future research initiatives!
We look forward to seeing you there.
If interested in attending, please reach out to POD Center Coordinator, Jasmine Cuellar at jmcuellar@ucdavis.edu.
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POD Center Co-Director Spotlight
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UC Davis From Labs to Lives
Listen to Leigh Ann Simmons, Ph.D., professor at the UC Davis Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing, discuss the impact of her research on pregnancy and early childhood development.Â
Dr. Simmons underscores the critical role of federal research funding in driving health advancements, emphasizing that without sustained support, the ability to translate scientific discoveries into real-world solutions would be significantly hindered. Through her leadership at the POD Center, she continues to foster interdisciplinary collaborations, ensuring that research translates into actionable strategies that improve health equity for all.
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Funder(s):Â Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF)
Amount:Â Upper $500,000 USD
Details:Â Preeclampsia is a leading cause worldwide of maternal morbidity and mortality, premature birth, stillbirth, and neonatal death. Preeclampsia is a placental disease caused by two different pathologies during pregnancy. Early-onset disease, caused by reduced uteroplacental blood supply, is a major driver of fetal mortality. Late-onset disease, caused by increased fetoplacental demands, is a major driver of maternal morbidity and mortality. These two pathologies converge on elevated levels of the protein sFlt1 and concomitant decreases in PlGF.
We seek proposals for innovative solutions for the early detection, prevention, and treatment of preeclampsia, particularly in low- and middle-income countries where maternal mortality rates are high. To support this focus, we are looking for collaborations, including those with research institutions, health care providers, and global health organizations, that enable cross-sector insights and ensure that solutions are adaptable and practical.
The objectives of the challenge are:
- Early prediction and detection of preeclampsia. We seek biomarkers (including other than sFlt1 and PlGF), diagnostic tests, and point-of-care technologies to predict early in pregnancy the risk of preeclampsia and to diagnose it before symptoms become severe.
- Understanding the pathophysiology of preeclampsia and its heterogeneity. We seek to understand the biological mechanisms driving the disease and its subtypes so that new interventions can be effectively tailored to the underlying etiology.
- Preventive and therapeutic interventions. We seek new approaches to known targets or new targets to reduce the incidence and severity of preeclampsia, mitigate disease progression, and prevent the cardiovascular and metabolic complications that often follow it.
Application Deadline:Â March 25, 2025
Funder(s):Â Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health
United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
Amount:Â Upper: $550,000 USD Lower: $300,000 USD
Details: The Office on Women's Health (OWH) anticipates the availability of funding for an implementation and scaling project to build upon foundational work in managing hypertension by the HHS Hypertension Innovator Award (OWH), the Hypertension in Pregnancy Change Package (CDC), the National Hypertension Control Initiative (OMH, HRSA), the SMBP Forum and SMBP QI work (CDC), the CDC-supported National Hypertension Control Roundtable, and the HHS Federal Hypertension Control Leadership Council. The lessons generated from these endeavors will be deployed to achieve the current initiative’s primary aim to accelerate nation-wide implementation of SMBP (self-measured blood pressure) during pregnancy and postpartum. SMBP is a best practice defined as the regular measurement of blood pressure by the patient at home or other setting with clinical support. Based on a large body of evidence, SMBP is recommended in both national and international guidelines for the detection and control of HTN in adults and its use postpartum by AHRQ’s Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis on the Management of Postpartum Hypertensive Disorders of Pregnancy. This initiative is intended to serve as the catalyst to drive towards making SMBP a common and routine practice during pregnancy and postpartum. With a special focus on underserved and rural communities, including maternity care deserts, the initiative seeks equitable detection and control of HTN, improved maternal and fetal outcomes, and reductions in admissions and morbidity from HTN-related complications. Applicants will need to demonstrate that they will be able to fully implement their projects within the first six months of the award. Recipients will be expected to evaluate processes and outcomes throughout the project to assess project effectiveness and impact over the period of performance. Over the course of the project, recipients will be expected to document and share project findings and results (e.g., data, best practices, lessons learned) with HHS and others interested in SMBP utilization during pregnancy and postpartum.
Application Deadline: April 2, 2025
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Recent Publications by POD Center
Affiliate Faculty & TraineesÂ
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February 2025
He, X., Tinghäll Nilsson, U., Mishchuk, D. O., Hernell, O., Lönnerdal, B., Hartvigsen, M. L., Jacobsen, L. N., Kvistgaard, A. S., Slupsky, C. M., & Karlsland Åkeson, P. (2025). Impact of formula protein quantity and source on infant metabolism: serum, urine, and fecal metabolomes of a randomized controlled study. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajcnut.2025.02.002
O’Geen, H., Mihalovits, A., Brophy, B. D., Yang, H., Miller, M. W., Lee, C. J., Segal, D. J., & Tomkova, M. (2025). De-novo DNA Methylation of Bivalent Promoters Induces Gene Activation through PRC2 Displacement. BioRxiv. https://doi.org/10.1101/2025.02.07.636872
Ozonoff, S., Young, G. S., Bradshaw, J., Charman, T., Chawarska, K., Iverson, J. M., Klaiman, C., Landa, R. J., McDonald, N., Messinger, D., Schmidt, R. J., Wilkinson, C. L., & Zwaigenbaum, L. (2025). Familial recurrence of autism: updates from the baby siblings research consortium. Obstetrical & Gynecological Survey, 80(2), 71–73. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.ogx.0001108064.17110.de
Koko, M., Satterstrom, F. K., Autism Sequencing Consortium, APEX consortium, Warrier, V., & Martin, H. (2025). Contribution of autosomal rare and de novo variants to sex differences in autism. American Journal of Human Genetics. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajhg.2025.01.016
McLellan, J., Iosif, A.-M., Cichewicz, K., Canales, C., Rahbarian, D., Corea, M., Bauman, M., Nord, A. S., & Van de Water, J. (2025). Gestational autoantibody exposure impacts early brain development in a rat model of MAR autism. Molecular Psychiatry. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41380-025-02907-3
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Noori, N., Stewart, C. P., McDonald, C. M., Wessells, K. R., Root, E. D., & Dewey, K. G. (2025). Identifying Priority Countries for Scaling Up Small-Quantity Lipid-Based Nutrient Supplements. MedRxiv. https://doi.org/10.1101/2025.02.11.25322040
MacMahon, J. A., Andrew, P. M., Izadi, A., Bruun, D. A., Saito, N. H., Tancredi, D. J., Brooks-Kayal, A., Lein, P. J., & Gurkoff, G. G. (2025). Acute and persistent changes in neural oscillatory activity predict development of epilepsy following acute organophosphate intoxication in adult rats. Epilepsia. https://doi.org/10.1111/epi.18212
LaSalle, J. M. (2025). DNA methylation biomarkers of intellectual/developmental disability across the lifespan. Journal of Neurodevelopmental Disorders, 17(1), 10. https://doi.org/10.1186/s11689-025-09598-5
Zahid, N., Blebu, B., Felder, J., McCulloch, C. E., Chambers, B. D., Curry, V. C., Carraway, K., LeĂłn-MartĂnez, D., Coleman-Phox, K., Kuppermann, M., & Karasek, D. (2025). Economic Insecurities and Mental Health Among Low-Income Pregnant People in the Central Valley Region of California. Women’s Health Issues. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.whi.2025.01.006
Bloom, M. S., Upadhyaya, S., Nzegwu, A. W., Kuiper, J. R., Buckley, J. P., Aschner, J., Barr, D., Barrett, E. S., Bennett, D. H., Dabelea, D., Dunlop, A. L., Fuller, A., Karagas, M., Liang, D., Meeker, J., Miller, R., O’Connor, T. G., Romano, M. E., Sathyanarayana, S., … ECHO Cohort Consortium. (2025). Racial and ethnic differences in prenatal exposure to environmental phenols and parabens in the ECHO Cohort. Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41370-025-00750-w
Dean, L. E., Wang, H., Li, X., Fitzjerrells, R. L., Valenzuela, A. E., Neier, K., LaSalle, J. M., Mangalam, A., Lein, P. J., & Lehmler, H.-J. (2025). Identification of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and PCB metabolites associated with changes in the gut microbiome of female mice exposed to an environmental PCB mixture. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 489, 137688. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2025.137688
Locks, L. M., Stewart, C. P., Hoffman, D. J., & Duggan, C. P. (2025). A shock to the global nutrition system: Why nutrition scientists should challenge the dismantling of the US Agency for International Development and US withdrawal from the World Health Organization. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajcnut.2025.02.020
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Partner Events and Publications
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Upcoming Events
Center for Healthcare Policy and Research Seminar Series (March 12, 2025)
CHPR hosts a weekly health services research seminar that is open to the public. Seminars are held each Wednesday at 12 P.M. PST via webinar during the Fall, Winter and Spring UC Davis academic quarters (excluding holidays).
Earn CME and course credit
For most seminar sessions, Continuing Medical Education (CME) credit is available to practicing physicians.
Register here.
On behalf of the Santa Clara County Perinatal Equity Initiative, we are delighted to invite you to our Third Annual Perinatal Equity Conference on Friday, April 11, 2025, from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Our illustrious list of speakers includes experts in health equity for the perinatal population, with the goal of improving health outcomes for women and birthing people of African Ancestry.
We are excited to announce that we are offering 3.5 CEs. Santa Clara County Public Health Nursing Provider approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing, Provider Number 12849, for 3.5 hours. The fee for CEs is FREE!  Please note that participants must attend all sessions to receive the full CEs.
Sign up for more information here.
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Partner Publications
Maternal Mortality data released by the CDC, from the National Vital Statistics System, (NVSS) revealed a decline in maternal mortality rates in the United States in 2023.Â
Data from the National Vital Statistics System rely on death certificate data, and are considered less reliable than data from state maternal mortality review committees, which the CDC also issues reports.Â
Further, data from the NVSS are shown in the CDC’s assessment for only the four largest race and Hispanic-origin groups for which statistically reliable rates can be calculated, and numbers and rates are suppressed for those groups for which statistically reliable rates cannot be calculated, including the Native American/Alaskan Native populations which have the highest maternal mortality rates.Â
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