Role of the maternal gut microbiota in immune activation at the maternal-foetal interface: impact on preeclampsia and offspring's immune development
Preeclampsia is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in pregnancy. Although the pathogenesis remains largely elusive, it is thought to reside in loss of immune-tolerance at the maternal-foetal interface. At present, preeclampsia can neither be reliably predicted nor prevented. 
Scope of this research project is to investigate how changes in microbiota during pregnancy impact immune responses at the maternal-foetal interface, and to determine the consequences on pregnancy outcomes as well as development of offspring’s immunity. Translational relevance of findings specifically to preeclampsia will be evaluated in a large cohort of patients, with implications potentially arising from the identification of novel biomarkers and of molecular mechanisms amenable to pharmacologic intervention.
The Experienced Researcher (ER) of this study, Dr. Silvia Giugliano, is an accomplished immunologist with primary expertise in organ-specific immune responses to microbes. Formerly an independent academic researcher in the USA, she was recently recruited to work at the European Institute of Oncology (Milan, Italy) by Prof. Maria Rescigno, a world-class expert in the field of microbiota and mucosal immunity, specifically to advance the hosting laboratory’s expertise in placental immunity. 
There is an urgent call for actions aimed at improving women’s health, and it is incumbent on the scientific community to tackle this issue. Thus, the present proposal captures the current zeitgeist and social responsibility of Science. Complementary, prime expertise between the ER and host laboratory will create a synergistic enterprise, ideally suited to the pursuit of this ambitious research goal. Findings and hypotheses generated in this process will kick off additional, related projects, and will be disseminated beyond the boundaries of the scientific community and to public audiences. The ER will emerge with new skills, and the capability to transition to independence in her home country.