Colorado State University research scientist Lauren Hoskovec has received a National Institutes of Health grant to investigate wildfire smoke exposure during pregnancy and effects on infant birth weight and growth trajectories.

Hoskovec and her team will use a nationwide wildfire smoke model developed at CSU to try to identify specific periods during pregnancy where the fetus is most vulnerable to wildfire smoke exposure and if that exposure influences birthweight and infant growth patterns. Prenatal exposures to other types of chemicals can result in atypical growth patterns post-birth, so they will investigate if this is the case for wildfire smoke and if breastfeeding can bring the infant growth pattern back to normal.

“Studying wildfire smoke exposure is important because wildfires are increasing in frequency, intensity and duration, and we don’t fully understand the consequences of smoke exposure, especially during vulnerable periods of development,” Hoskovec said.

The Opportunities and Innovation Fund grant was awarded through the Environmental Influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) program, which is supported by the National Institutes of Health. Hoskovec is a member of the Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory and collaborates on projects related to greenhouse gas emissions on agricultural lands and health effects of environmental pollutants.