The Burroughs Wellcome Fund (BWF) is pleased to announce the seven recipients of the 2026 Next Gen Pregnancy Initiative (NGP), a program supporting innovative research that advances understanding of pregnancy and pregnancy-related complications. The initiative invests in bold, interdisciplinary science aimed at improving outcomes for pregnant individuals and infants while deepening our understanding of the biological processes that shape healthy pregnancies. Dr. Kristin Gerson was one of the seven recipients of this award for her project “Leveraging transcriptomic insights into premature cervical softening in pregnancy: a novel role for lipid nanoparticles in preterm birth prevention.” 

“Pregnancy is a remarkable biological process that remains incompletely understood despite its profound impact on human health,” said Paige Cooper Byas, PhD, program officer for NGP. “We are excited to support this outstanding group of investigators as they advance discoveries that could transform maternal and fetal health.”

The Next Gen Pregnancy Initiative seeks to catalyze research in areas that have historically been underexplored despite their significance to public health. The 2026 awardees represent a diverse range of disciplines, including genetics, developmental biology, neuroscience, immunology, genome editing, and translational medicine. Their projects address key priority areas for the initiative, including normal pregnancy biology, preeclampsia, preterm birth, pregnancy loss, and fetal development.

Click here to learn more about the Burroughs Wellcome Fund and see the full list of recipients.

Congratulations Dr. Gerson!