Next Generation Pregnancy Initiative

Next Generation Pregnancy Initiative is sponsored by Burroughs Wellcome Fund. This program funds innovative basic science research with high-risk/high-reward projects focused on mechanisms of healthy pregnancy, preterm birth, pregnancy loss (after 12 weeks), and pre-eclampsia.

Next Gen Pregnancy Initiative - Burroughs Wellcome Fund Share this Grant Apply Now The Burroughs Wellcome Fund's Preterm Birth Initiative , launched in 2009, marked the Fund's first major investment in reproductive sciences. This award mechanism operated every other year from 2009-2019.

Originally developed through a series of scientific convenings that brought together leaders in the field, the program supported research aimed at better understanding the biological mechanisms underlying preterm birth. In 2019, building on the original goals of the Preterm Birth Initiative, the Fund convened a Pregnancy Think Tank to guide the next phase of funding.

With growing evidence to suggest the connections between pregnancy duration, fetal growth, adverse pregnancy outcomes, preeclampsia, intrauterine grown restriction, stillbirth and maternal medical complications including maternal mortality, a decision was made to broaden the scope of the initiative. Reflecting the expanded focus, the program was named the Next Generation Pregnancy Initiative (NGPI) .

Along with a broader scope, the application and award moved to annual cycles to address the limited funding mechanisms available in this scientific area. After five years of conducting the program with the broadened scope, BWF paused the mechanism to initiate a strategic reassessment of the program to revisit our investments, the state of the field, researchers’ priorities, and funders landscape.

The program relaunched with a 2025-2026 cycle which included updated priority areas. This 2026-2027 cycle represents full implementation of the outcome of this assessment with a shift in programming in regard to priority areas and most notably an increase in the size and number of awards in response to limited funding in the field.

The 2026–2027 competition marks the full implementation of this renewed strategy, featuring updated research priorities and a substantial increase in both the number and size of awards to address persistent funding gaps in pregnancy research.

Current Research Priorities The Next Generation Pregnancy Initiative supports research in the following priority areas: Biological mechanisms of healthy pregnancy, including the normal physiology and biological underpinnings of health pregnancy Pregnancy loss after 12 weeks of gestation, including recurrent pregnancy loss The BWF NGP team will host a webinar for investigators who are interested in applying for the NGP award.

In this webinar, participants will receive an overview of the updated award and learn more about the application process, eligibility criteria, and award components. Interested applicants may register here. For a full explanation of the eligibility requirements, view the Request for Proposals .

Progress and financial reports are required of all BWF grants and are due on the date specified in ProposalCentral. Advisory Committee and staff depend heavily upon progress and financial reports to evaluate progress. Late reports inconvenience advisory committee reviewers and impede BWF's evaluation of its programs.

Failure to submit progress or financial reports on time will result in payments being withheld. If submissions are missed repeatedly, it will result in termination of the award. BWF provides the following progress report guidelines below to assist in the preparation and submission of Progress Reports in an acceptable manner.

The progress report and financial updates are to be submitted through Proposal Central. You can find required deliverables listed on the home page after logging in to Proposal Central. Failure to submit any portion of the report by the due date will result in an interruption or cancellation of your funds.

Progress Reporting for Awardees The progress report requires the awardee to submit a written report on the progress of the original or approved update to research project aims, an updated biographical sketch, a letter of support, and any recent publications. Details regarding each section are in Proposal Central. The progress report must be submitted annually on June 1st.

Awardees are required to update award spending in the Proposal Central budget summary. Awardees should update their financial report twice a year and provide up-to-date spending information for the previous six months. Details regarding financial reporting are in Proposal Central.

Financial reports are due biannually on March 1st and September 1st. All progress and financial reporting materials should be submitted through Proposal Central. If you have questions, please contact Lama Haidar ( lhaidar@bwfund.

org ). The NGP FAQs are updated regularly in response to questions received. BWF staff will do their best to respond to every inquiry but will prioritize questions not already clearly addressed in the published guidelines.

Please do not contact BWF to request an exception to clearly stated guidelines. What are the priority areas for the NGP program?

The NGP program aims to fund innovative basic science research, with high-risk/high-reward projects focused on the following priority areas: 1) Mechanisms of healthy pregnancy (e.g., normal physiology and biological underpinnings of healthy pregnancy), 2) Preterm birth, 3) Pregnancy loss (after 12 weeks), and recurrent pregnancy loss, 4) Pre-eclampsia. Projects should address the prevention of adverse pregnancy outcomes.

We especially welcome applications focused on subtyping adverse pregnancy outcomes, investigating maternal–fetal interactions, and integrating animal models with clinical outcomes. Can I contact BWF to determine my eligibility? Applicants are required to complete a pre-application eligibility check within ProposalCentral.

Only upon completion and confirmed eligibility can the full application be accessed. Please see the “Application Instructions and Submission Guidelines” section of the RFP for more information on how to complete. BWF recommends completing the eligibility check by November 3, 3:00 pm EST.

Beyond this date, BWF will not be responding to eligibility inquiries. What academic/research positions are eligible for this award? Eligible Principal Investigators include applicants with positions as senior postdoctoral fellows, staff scientists, Assistant Professors, and Associate Professors.

The eligibility requirements mention that the primary investigator must be based at a public or private non-profit institution in the U.S. or Canada, and the application requires an IRS Determination Letter indicating the institution is recognized as a 501(c)(3) or equivalent. What is a 501(c)(3)? According to the U.S. Internal Revenue Code, a 501(c)(3) organization is an American tax-exempt, nonprofit organization.

Almost all degree-granting institutions are classified as such, as are most research institutes. You will need to check with your institutional officials, typically referred to as the grants and contracts office or the sponsored programs office, to confirm your institution’s classification. BWF cannot make this determination on your behalf.

I am at an independent research institute. Am I eligible for this award? Yes.

Public or private non-profit organizations in the United States and Canada, including degree-granting academic institutions, research institutes, and teaching hospitals affiliated with academic degree-granting institutions, can receive Burroughs Wellcome Fund support. Applications from other nonprofit organizations may be considered, subject to program officer approval. I am a past BWF grantee.

Am I eligible for this award? Current or prior BWF Pre-term Birth Grant or Next Generation Pregnancy award recipients are ineligible to apply. Candidates who currently hold any other Burroughs Wellcome Fund competitive award and are interested in applying for the NGP award must contact BWF staff (ngp@bwfund.

org) before beginning an application. I completed the eligibility check and was deemed ineligible. Can I be granted an exception?

If you were deemed ineligible, you may not request an exception. Do I need to create an NIH-style biosketch in SciENcv? No. We ask that you submit an NIH-style biosketch, but we do not require that it is made and certified in SciENcv.

You have flexibility to craft an NIH-style biosketch in a manner that is most convenient to you, utilizing past NIH templates or the template in ProposalCentral for your submission if you prefer. Can I submit more than one application? Do I need to be nominated by my institution to apply?

No, you do not need to be nominated; however, you must obtain approval from your institution. As of August 2015, eligible candidates may self-nominate by submitting a full proposal by the deadline. All applications must be approved by an official at the institution responsible for sponsored programs (generally from the grants and contracts office, the office of research, or the sponsored programs office).

I am a permanent resident. What documentation is required to verify my residency status? BWF does not require documentation of your permanent residency for the proposal.

Your institution must verify your permanent residency status by certifying the eligibility of your application upon signing the proposal. I would like to include additional materials as appendices to the application. Is this allowed?

No. You may not include materials beyond those requested by the application instructions. Including additional materials will disqualify you from the competition. Do I need to submit a proposed budget with my application?

Yes, a tentative budget associated with your project plan must be included. Are there limits to the salary and fringe amounts that can be budgeted? Yes, there are limits for the primary investigator (PI) and collaborators.

Can indirect costs be budgeted? Indirect costs may not be charged against the awards. Institutional overhead may not be charged against BWF grants.

See BWF’s indirect cost policy for more information. How does BWF define who is a collaborator versus administrative personnel? For the NGP program, a collaborator is defined as someone who is working as a co-investigator and/or thought partner on the proposed project.

The NGP award has stated annual salary and fringe benefits limits for the primary investigator (PI) and up to two collaborators. Administrative personnel are additional team members such as lab technicians, graduate students, and administrative staff who will be directly supporting the work of the proposed project.

These individuals are NOT considered collaborators and are not subject to the annual salary and fringe benefit limits for the PI and collaborators. For more information about budgeting for administrative personnel, see BWF’s Indirect Costs Policy . Can collaborators be located at different institutions?

Yes. However, the primary investigator (PI) must be based at a non-profit institution [501(c3)] in the U.S. or Canada, which will be the administering institution for the award. The primary investigator (PI) must meet all eligibility requirements for the program.

How much preliminary data should applicants have? Does this award require a substantial amount, similar to an R01? BWF does not have a particular threshold requirement for being competitive for this award.

BWF is very flexible and specifically aims to take on less developed and/or riskier projects than would be competitive for an R01. This award targets projects that have a solid basis for expanded study and could leverage NGP award funds to build a stronger foundation of evidence, making them more competitive for an R01 or other larger grant mechanism. I have collaborators as part of my proposal.

If we are invited to the interview stage of the application process, do I need to have those collaborators available during the interview or only me as the primary PI? Only the primary investigator (PI) is allowed to interview. I would like to include support for a collaboration(s) with an investigator or data collection outside the US or Canada in my proposal.

Is this allowed? Possibly. If the primary PI is based at and applying through their home institution, which is a public or private non-profit institution in the U.S. or Canada recognized as a 501(c)(3) or equivalent, support for an international collaboration and/or data collection can be considered.

Is the BWF application deadline firm? Yes. Applications will not be accepted after 3:00 pm EST on November 3, 2026.

At the precise deadline, the online application system will gray out the SUBMIT button preventing submission and will NOT be reactivated. Can I submit a paper application? No. BWF requires that all applications for this program be submitted electronically by the application deadline.

Paper applications will not be accepted. Can I submit more than one application? Can I change my application once it is submitted?

No. Once your application is submitted, it cannot be changed. What is a “signature block”? A signature block is found at the end of a letter and includes the letter writer’s name, title(s), department(s), and institution.

It is usually found just after the closing of the letter (e.g., just after the word ‘Sincerely,’ or ‘Yours truly,’) and just under the letter writer’s signature. Here is an example of a signature block: Jane Smith, M. D.

, Ph. D. Chair and Professor, Department of Medicine, ABC University Do I need to complete an application in one session?

I forgot my user ID and/or password. What should I do? If you have forgotten your password or user ID, visit ProposalCentral and click the forgotten password link.

What is the Signature Page Form? How do I submit it? The Signature Page Form provides a signature line for the Applicant.

An application is not considered complete without the Signature Page form. You must upload the completed Signature Page form with your signature by the application deadline date. An emailed, mailed, or faxed signature page will not be accepted.

What is the Institutional Certification Form? How do I submit it? It is a required web form in ProposalCentral that must be completed and signed by an authorized signing official to certify (a) the university’s non-profit status as a degree-granting institution and (b) the applicant meets all eligibility and residency requirements for the CAMS program at the submission deadline.

An application is not considered complete without the Institutional Certification form. An emailed, mailed, or faxed institutional certification form will not be accepted. Can I interrupt the award because of family commitments?

Yes. Awardees may receive annual no-cost extensions; requests explaining why an extension is needed must be submitted in writing at least four months prior to the end date of the award.

Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Activity-dependent chromatin regulation as a driver of persistent maternal neuroplasticity University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine Leveraging transcriptomic insights into premature cervical softening in pregnancy: a novel role for lipid nanoparticles in preterm birth prevention Translating Placental Pathology driven Immune Signature into Early Biomarkers of Infant Neurodevelopment University of Colorado, Denver The effect of placental proteins on the outcomes in a novel guinea-pig model of extreme prematurity University of California, San Francisco Developing genome editing strategies to prevent pregnancy complications in hydrops fetalis Uncovering genetic mechanisms of pregnancy loss across parental and fetal genomes University of Kansas Medical Center Research Institute Protein Arginine Methylation and Pregnancy The role of CovR in Group B Streptococcus perinatal infections and adverse pregnancy outcomes Alison Gernard, PhD, MPH, RD Pennsylvania State University AI-driven placental imaging tool to reduce adverse pregnancy outcomes through prediction of neonatal sepsis Washington University in Saint Louis Deciphering Immune Cell Phenotypes in Chronic Chorioamnionitis to Develop Biomarkers for Preterm Birth University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center Promoting resilience against the effects of maternal inflammation on developmental programming of microglia in the offspring Pregnancy-associated biological aging and postpartum recovery: associations with maternal cardiovascular health in an evidence-based intervention Identifying the molecular regulation of syncytiotrophoblast programmed necrosis Innovative techniques to understand maternal-fetal synchrony as a way to predict adverse fetal outcomes in a hypertensive environment University of California, Davis Epigenetic mechanisms underlying adverse outcomes associated with maternal infection .

Elizabeth Crouch, MD, PhD University of California, San Francisco A vascular strategy to ameliorate germinal matrix hemorrhage in preterm infants University of California, San Francisco Extrathymic Aire-Expressing Cells are Novel Mediators of Fetal-Maternal Tolerance that Prevent Intrauterine Growth Restriction and Fetal Loss Prenatal programming of cerebrovascular health by preeclampsia exposure Maternal microbial metabolites in the intergenerational transmission of metabolic disease risk University of Pennsylvania Genetic Protection Against Intrauterine Growth Restriction Gabrielle Rizzuto, MD, PhD Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center Glycan-dependent mechanisms of fetomaternal tolerance University of California-Los Angeles School of Medicine Noninvasive Prenatal Diagnostics for Placenta Accreta Spectrum Disorders Defining the Drivers of Poor Pregnancy Outcomes in Sickle Cell Disease Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh Prenatal programming of long-term kidney health by in utero exposure to maternal diabetes Uteroplacental Insufficiency Disrupts Placental-Fetal Lipid Regulation and Dynamics University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine Immunological functions of fetal red blood cells during pregnancy State University of New York-Buffalo Evolution of human specific pregnancy traits Monica Ailawadi Mainigi, MD University of Pennsylvania The Role of Estrogen Metabolites in Abnormal Placentation Disorders University of California-San Francisco Antibody Surveillance of Human Development for Preterm Birth Diagnostics and Prevention Disorders Massachusetts General Hospital Prediction of Preterm Birth through Single-Cell Genomics and Machine Learning Chandrasekhar Yallampalli, DVM PhD Baylor College of Medicine Transcriptome and proteome profiling to evaluate role of placenta specific complement activation in preeclampsia and fetal growth restriction Mechanisms and prevention of preterm birth in pregnant individuals exposed to opioids during pregnancy University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center-Dallas A Multi-Omics Approach to Understanding Human Placenta Gene Expression Baylor College of Medicine Endometrial signaling pathways during peri-implementation as determinants of pregnancy success Baylor College of Medicine Characterizing the role of the vaginal microbiota in group B Streptococcus colonization and dissemination University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill Periconception evaluation of the vaginal microbiome and immune response to predict adverse birth outcomes in women with and without HIV Dissecting the signaling and biomechanics of embryo implantation and failure using quantitative organoids of early human embryogenesis The role of HLA-G+/C+ extra villous trophoblasts in placental inflammation Noninvasive imaging of human myometrial microstructures and electrical contraction patterns during pregnancy Multiomics Modeling of the Immunological Clock of Pregnancy Adrian Erlebacher, MD, PhD University of California-San Francisco Epigenetic regulation of labor onset University of California-San Francisco Harnessing immune regulatory mechanisms to target the fetal inflammatory response in preterm birth University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center-Dallas Defining the Spatio-Temporal Drivers of Cervical Remodeling in Pregnancy and Parturition University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center-Dallas Fetal-Maternal Signaling in the Initiation of Labor Aleksandar Stanic-Kostic, MD, PhD University of Wisconsin-Madison Novel Innate Lymphoid Cells in Preterm Birth Integrating 'omics and electronic health records to elucidate the genetic architecture of preterm birth University of Texas-Austin Identifying genetic factors controlling normal and abnormal placental development University of California-San Francisco A precision medicine approach to detect dysbiosis and immune activation in preterm birth Kimani C.

Toussaint Ph. D. University of Illinois-Urbana-Champaign Investigating the mechanobiology of cervical remodeling using a novel combination of optical microscopy and nanoindentation Genomic study of gestational length and preterm birth Role of type I IFNs/IFNAR axis in inflammation-induced preterm birth Laura Marie Ensign, Ph.

D.

The role of vaginal progesterone delivery in cervical remodeling and preterm birth Case Western Reserve University Determination of the Mechanisms of Preterm Premature Fetal Membrane Rupture Using a Novel in-vitro Model System Cell-free Fetal DNA - the Trigger for Spontaneous Parturition Virginia Commonwealth University Epigenetic mechanisms of preterm birth in a racially mixed sample of pregnant women University of California-San Francisco Fetal immune activation and lineage switching in preterm labor The functions of B cells in pregnancy and the pathogenesis of preterm birth Stanford University School of Medicine Myometrial smooth muscle cell TRPV channel activity modulates contractility Targeting leukocyte activation to prevent preterm labor Vincent Joseph Lynch, Ph.

D. Evolutionary forward genomic insights into the casual mechanisms of preterm birth George Scott Worthen, M. D.

University of Pennsylvania Genetics of preterm birth Francesco J. DeMayo, Ph. D.

Baylor College of Medicine Progesterone receptor regulation of gravid myometrium Mucus barrier degradation in bacterial vaginosis-associated preterm birth Host-microbe cross-talk and pregnancy outcomes Katharina Ribbeck, D. Phil. , Ph.

D. Massachusetts Institute of Technology Properties and functions of cervical mucus associated with preterm birth Kjersti M. Aagaard-Tillery, M.

D. , Ph. D.

Baylor College of Medicine Contributions of maternal-fetal-mitochondrial genome and microbiome interactions to preterm birth Genomic networks that guide trophoblast invasion and disease University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center-Dallas Assessment of cervical ripening by sodium magnetic resonance imaging Genomic signatures of gene expression and alternative splicing in preterm birth Occult infections in the etiology of preterm birth Kjersti M.

Aagaard-Tillery, M. D. , Ph.

D.

Baylor College of Medicine Contributions of maternal-fetal-mitochondrial genome and microbiome interactions to preterm birth The role of placental Nod-like receptors in infection-associated preterm labor Genomic networks that guide trophoblast invasion and disease Unexplained Preterm birth University of Pennsylvania Targeting novel pathways in cervical remodeling for predicting prematurity: a combined biomarker and genomics approach Michael Douglas House, M.

D. Beyond cervical length: development of a patient-specific model of cervical mechanical function in pregnancy pregnancy University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center-Dallas Assessment of cervical ripening by sodium magnetic resonance imaging Genomic signatures of gene expression and alternative splicing in preterm birth Occult infections in the etiology of preterm birth Carl P. Weiner, M.

D. , M. B.

A. Initiator-effector gene sets regulating myometrial contractility during term and preterm labor Chair, Obstetrics, Gynecology, & Reproductive Sciences Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, & Reproductive Sciences University of Maryland School of Medicine Isabella Caniggia, MD, Ph. D Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Sinai Health System Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Physiology Frederick P.

Zuspan Professor of Obstetrics & Gynecology Division Director, Maternal Fetal Medicine Executive Vice Chair, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology The Ohio State University Medical Center Laura Ensign, PhD (Co-Chair) Marcella E.

Woll Professor of Ophthalmology (Nanomedicine Division) Johns Hopkins University BWF Preterm Birth Initiative – 2015 Adrian Erlebacher, MD, PhD Department of Laboratory Medicine University of California, San Francisco Stadtman Tenure-Track Investigator National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences National Institutes of Health REI Division, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio Amy Murtha, MD (Co-Chair) Dean, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology Department of Biomedical and Molecular Science Blum-Riese Professor and Chair Department of Human Genetics Committee on Genetics, Genomics, and Systems Biology Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine Department of Human Genetics Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology McGill University Health Center Research Institute Professor and Vice Chair of Research Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology Additional members may be added to the committee.