We are proud to recognize Dr. Enrico R. Barrozo, GC-CPEH Pilot Project Awardee and Assistant Professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children’s Hospital, who has received a new R01 award from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS).
The project, “Understanding the Impact of Micro- and Nanoplastics on Preterm Birth” (R01ES038182), will examine how micro- and nanoplastics accumulate across maternal and fetal tissues during pregnancy, how they drive placental inflammation, and how these processes may increase the risk of preterm birth.
The study builds directly on Dr. Barrozo’s GC-CPEH pilot project, which generated critical preliminary data and demonstrated the feasibility of tracking microplastic accumulation in placental tissue. This progression highlights the role of GC-CPEH pilot funding in advancing early-stage ideas into competitive, NIH-funded research.
“This award will allow us to move beyond detecting micro- and nanoplastics in human placentae to defining when these exposures emerge during pregnancy and how they may disrupt placental immune balance in ways that increase the risk of preterm birth.”
Figure. Xenium Explorer visualization showing placental tissue segmentation using DAPI, antibody-based cellular compartment staining, 18S RNA, H&E, and selected RNA targets. As a proof of concept, the platform was applied to a SARS-CoV-2–positive placenta, highlighting distinct infection-associated microenvironments.
Dr. Barrozo’s work addresses a growing concern in environmental health: the impact of emerging contaminants on pregnancy and early-life outcomes. Findings from this study may inform future strategies for exposure assessment, prevention, and maternal-fetal health protection.