Dr. Ria Goswami was awarded $154,000 from Open Philanthropy to study changes in the microbiome of preterm infants modulated by Cytomegalovirus infections in mothers.
Cytomegalovirus (CMV) acquired through breast milk results in severe health consequences in preterm infants. There remains a gap in knowledge on how maternal CMV infection disrupts breast milk components that are crucial drivers of infant growth outcomes. We were awarded this funding to define the impact of CMV-induced changes in breast milk microbiome and milk metabolome on gut microbial colonization and growth outcomes of preterm infants. This data will lay the foundation for future studies to assess the impact of targeted breast milk fortification to improve growth outcomes of postnatally CMV-exposed preterm infants.