Placental Malaria and Fetal Growth Restriction: Epigenetic Impacts - Stephanie Gaw, MD, PhD 2/13/25

Title: Placental Malaria and Fetal Growth Restriction: Immune and Epigenetic Impacts - A Frontiers in Child Health Research Seminar Speaker: Stephanie Gaw, MD, PhD Associate Professor, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences University of California, San Francisco Learn how placental malaria shapes birth outcomes and the long-term health of newborns in Dr. Stephanie Gaw’s Frontiers in Child Health Research Seminar. A major challenge in malaria-endemic regions, placental malaria not only affects fetal development but also triggers immune and epigenetic changes with lasting consequences. Dr. Gaw explores these mechanisms and their implications, providing critical insights into maternal-fetal health. A leading expert in maternal-fetal immunology and placental biology, Dr. Gaw has spent over 20 years studying malaria in both laboratory and field settings. She has advised the NIH, WHO, and CDC on pressing global health issues and led research on malaria in Uganda, Zika virus in Brazil, and COVID-19 in pregnancy. At UCSF, she practices full-spectrum maternal-fetal medicine, including a specialty clinic for infectious complications of pregnancy. Learning Objectives: •Identify the impact of placental malaria on birth outcomes. •Describe the distinct maternal and fetal macrophage responses to placental malaria. •Discuss the distinct impacts of malarial vs non-malaria fetal growth restriction on placental epigenetics.