Edlow Lab: Andrea Edlow, MD, MSc

The Edlow Laboratory is investigating the effects of maternal obesity and maternal viral infection in pregnancy on placental immune activation, fetal brain development and offspring behavior, using preclinical models and human cohorts.

Back to the Edlow Lab

During the COVID-19 pandemic, our lab pivoted to expand our focus to maternal SARS-CoV-2 infection in pregnancy. Partnering with a multi-disciplinary team, we have worked across the Mass General Brigham system to establish one of the largest COVID-19 Pregnancy Biorepositories in the country. Through these samples generously provided by enrolled participants, we have generated key insights into maternal immune response, vertical transmission and placental antibody transfer.

Media Mentions

Review: COVID-19 Vaccination in Pregnancy and Lactation: Current Research and Gaps in Understanding - Front. Cell. Infect. Microbiol. - Sept. 16, 2021

Podcast: Women’s Health: Fertile Ground for COVID Myths / Andrea Edlow, Stephanie Gaw, Alice Lu-Culligan, Leena Mithal, Steve Stecklow – EPIDEMIC with Dr. Celine Grounder 

COVID-19 Vaccination During Pregnancy Likely Benefits Moms and Babies – NICHD - Sept. 13, 2021

COVID vaccine effective in pregnant women –The Naked Scientist (BBC) - April 20, 2021

More Signs COVID Shots Are Safe for Pregnant Women – WebMD - April 20, 2021

Covid-19 Vaccinations of Pregnant Mothers Also Protect Newborns, Studies Suggest – Mar. 31 - The Wall Street Journal

Vaccination Calculus is Changing for New Parents – Mar. 31 - The Atlantic

Estudio revela cómo vacunas contra COVID-19 podrían beneficiar a embarazadas y sus bebés – Mar. 30 - Telemundo (video)

AJOG Video: COVID-19 Vaccination Response in Pregnant and Lactating Women: A Cohort Study - Mar. 29 

Pfizer, Moderna COVID Vaccines Safe for Pregnant Women – Mar. 29 - WebMD

Pregnant women 'didn't have the data' – until now: COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective, even for babies, study shows - Mar. 27 –  USA Today

Reporte: vacunas de Pfizer y Moderna son efectivas en embarazadas y lactantes - Mar. 26 - Telemundo

Pregnant women show robust immune response to COVID-19 vaccine, study finds - Mar. 25 - TODAY

Pfizer and Moderna are safe and effective in pregnant women, provide antibodies to newborns - Mar. 25 - ABC News

Study says Covid-19 vaccines provide protection for pregnant and lactating women—and their newborns – Mar. 25 - CNN

Pregnant Or Lactating? Vaccinated People Might Be Passing On COVID Immunity To Their Babies - Mar. 2021 - Washington Post

Vaccinated Mothers Pass Covid Antibodies to Babies In Utero and Through Breastmilk, Early Studies Show - Mar. 2021 - WBUR

Evidence Builds That Pregnant Women Pass Covid Antibodies to Newborns - Jan. 2021- New York Times

Research reveals compromised transfer of SARS-CoV-2-specific antibodies through the placenta - Dec. 2020 - Mass General

Pregnant women with COVID-19 don’t pass virus to newborns, but also may pass fewer-than-expected antibodies to newborns - Dec. 2020 - Mass General

 

News Clips

In the largest study of its kind to date published in American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Dr. Edlow and researchers have found mRNA COVID vaccines to be highly effective in producing antibodies against the SARS-CoV-2 virus in pregnant & lactating women.

CBS News: Doctors say pregnant women are at a higher risk of developing complications from COVID-19. That has many wondering if the coronavirus vaccine is safe for them and their unborn child. Nikki Battiste spoke with Dr. Andrea Edlow, about a new analysis of the vaccine's effect on pregnancy.

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Publications

Gray KJ, Bordt EA, Atyeo C, Deriso E, Akinwunmi B, Young N, Baez AM, Shook LL, Cvrk D, James K, De Guzman RM, Brigida S, Diouf K, Goldfarb I, Bebell LM, Yonker LM, Fasano A, Rabi SA, Elovitz MA, Alter G, Edlow AG. COVID-19 vaccine response in pregnant and lactating women: a cohort study. American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology, March 25, 2021.

Evan A Bordt, Lydia L Shook, Caroline Atyeo, Krista M Pullen, Rose M De Guzman, Marie-Charlotte Meinsohn, Maeva Chauvin, Stephanie Fischinger, Laura J Yockey, Kaitlyn James, Rosiane Lima, Lael M Yonker, Alessio Fasano, Sara Brigida, Lisa M Bebell, Drucilla J Roberts, David Pepin, Jun R Huh, Staci D Bilbo, Jonathan Z Li, Anjali Kaimal, Danny Schust, Kathryn J Gray, Douglas Lauffenburger, Galit Alter, Andrea G Edlow. Sexually dimorphic placental responses to maternal SARS-CoV-2 infection. Biorxiv. 2021.

Sheridan, S.D., Thanos, J.M., De Guzman, R.M. McCrea LT, Horng JE, Fu T, Sellgren CM, Perlis RH, Edlow AG. Umbilical cord blood-derived microglia-like cells to model COVID-19 exposure. Transl Psychiatry. 11, 179 (2021). 

Gray KJ, Bordt EA, Atyeo C, Deriso E, Akinwunmi B, Young N, Baez AM, Shook LL, Cvrk D, James K, De Guzman RM, Brigida S, Diouf K, Goldfarb I, Bebell LM, Yonker LM, Fasano A, Rabi SA, Elovitz MA, Alter G, Edlow AG. COVID-19 vaccine response in pregnant and lactating women: a cohort study. medRxiv [Preprint]. 2021 Mar 8:2021.03.07.21253094. doi: 10.1101/2021.03.07.21253094. PMID: 33758889.

Bartsch YC, Wang C, Zohar T, Fischinger S, Atyeo C, Burke J, Kang J, Edlow AG, Fasano A, Nilles EJ, Woolley AE, Karlson EW, Hopke AR, Irimia D, Fischer ES, Ryan ET, Charles R, Julg BD, Lauffenburger DA, Yonker LM, Alter G. Humoral signatures of protective and pathological SARS-CoV-2 infection in children. Nature Medicine. Epub 2021 Feb 12.

Atyeo C, Pullen KM, Bordt EA, Fischinger S, Burke J, Michell A, Slein MD, Loos C, Shook LL, Boatin AA, Yockey LJ, Pepin D, Meinsohn MC, Nguyen NMP, Chauvin M, Roberts D, Goldfarb IT, Matute JD, James KE, Yonker LM, Bebell LM, Kaimal AJ, Gray KJ, Lauffenburger D, Edlow AG, Alter G. Compromised SARS-CoV-2-specific placental antibody transfer. Cell. 2021 Feb 4;184(3):628-642. Epub 2020 Dec 23.

Sheridan SD, Thanos JM, De Guzman RM, McCrea LT, Horng J, Fu T, Sellgren CM, Perlis RH, Edlow AG. Umbilical cord blood derived microglia-like cells to model COVID-19 exposure. Biorxiv. Epub 2020 Oct 7 (under peer review).

Edlow AG, Li JA, Collier AY, Atyeo C, James KE, Boatin AA, Gray KJ, Bordt EA, Shook LL, Yonker LM, Fasano A, Diouf K, Croul N, Devane S, Yockey LJ, Lima R, Shui J, Matute JD, Lerou PH, Akinwunmi BO, Schmidt A, Feldman J, Hauser BM, Caradonna TM, De la Flor D, D’Avino P, Regan J, Corry H, Coxen K, Fajnzylber J, Pepin D, Seaman, MS, Barouch DH, Walker BD, Yu XG, Kaimal AJ, Roberts DJ, Alter G. Assessment of maternal and neonatal SARS-CoV-2 viral load, transplacental antibody transfer, and placental pathology in pregnancies during the COVID-19 pandemic. JAMA Netw Open. 2020 Dec 1;3(12):e2030455.

Yonker LM, Neilan AM, Bartsch Y, Patel AB, Regan J, Arya P, Gootkind E, Park G, Hardcastle M, St John A, Appleman L, Chiu ML, Fialkowski A, De la Flor D, Lima R, Bordt EA, Yockey LJ, D’Avino P, Fischinger S, Shui JE, Lerou PH, Bonventre JV, Yu XG, Ryan ET, Bassett IV, Irimia D, Edlow AG, Alter G, Li JZ, Fasano A. Pediatric Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2): clinical presentation, infectivity, and immune responses. J Pediatr. 2020 Dec; 227:45-52.

Sheridan SD, Thanos JM, De Guzman RM, McCrea LT, Horng J, Fu T, Sellgren CM, Perlis RH, Edlow AG. Umbilical cord blood derived microglia-like cells to model COVID-19 exposure. Translational Psychiatry. accepted, in press, 2021.

Edlow AG, Li JA, Collier AY, Atyeo C, James KE, Boatin AA, Gray KJ, Bordt EA, Shook LL, Yonker LM, Fasano A, Diouf K, Croul N, Devane S, Yockey LJ, Lima R, Shui J, Matute JD, Lerou PH, Akinwunmi BO, Schmidt A, Feldman J, Hauser BM, Caradonna TM, De la Flor D, D’Avino P, Regan J, Corry H, Coxen K, Fajnzylber J, Pepin D, Seaman, MS, Barouch DH, Walker BD, Yu XG, Kaimal AJ, Roberts DJ, Alter G. Assessment of maternal and neonatal SARS-CoV-2 viral load, transplacental antibody transfer, and placental pathology in pregnancies during the COVID-19 pandemic. JAMA Netw Open. 2020 Dec 1;3(12):e2030455.

Yonker LM, Neilan AM, Bartsch Y, Patel AB, Regan J, Arya P, Gootkind E, Park G, Hardcastle M, St John A, Appleman L, Chiu ML, Fialkowski A, De la Flor D, Lima R, Bordt EA, Yockey LJ, D’Avino P, Fischinger S, Shui JE, Lerou PH, Bonventre JV, Yu XG, Ryan ET, Bassett IV, Irimia D, Edlow AG, Alter G, Li JZ, Fasano A. Pediatric Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2): clinical presentation, infectivity, and immune responses. J Pediatr. 2020 Dec; 227:45-52.

Goldfarb IT, Clapp MA, Soffer MD, Shook LL, Rushfirth K, Edlow AG, Boatin AA, Kaimal AJ, Barth WH Jr, Bryant AS. Prevalence and severity of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) illness in symptomatic pregnant and postpartum women stratified by Hispanic ethnicity. Obstet Gynecol. 2020 Aug;136(2):300–302. Epub 2020 Jun 02.

Shook L, Shui JE, MD, Boatin AA, Devane S, Natalie Croul N, Yonker LM, Matute JD, Lima RS, Schwinn M, Cvrk D, Gardner L, Azevedo R, Stanton S, Bordt EA, Yockey LJ, Fasano A, Li JZ, Yu XG, Kaimal AJ, Lerou PH, Edlow AG. Rapid establishment of a COVID-19 perinatal biorepository: early lessons from the first 100 women enrolled. BMC Med Res Methodol. 2020 Aug 26;20(1)215.