human vaginal metagenome Genome sequencing and assembly

The Multi-Omic Microbiome Study-Pregnancy Initiative (MOMS-PI) is a collaborative project with the Global Alliance to Prevent Prematurity and Stillbirth (GAPPS) based at Seattle Children's and is funded by the NIH Roadmap Human Microbiome Project. Together, we are committed to understanding the impact of the vaginal microbiome on pregnancy, pregnancy-related complications and the impact on the fetal microbiome. Preterm birth is the leading cause of death in neonates, thus our efforts are largely focused on assessing the role of the microbiome on preterm birth and maternal-infant health.MOMS-PI is a multifaceted initiative to generate large and comprehensive datasets using six "omics" technologies: 1) metagenomic rRNA gene sequencing, 2) whole metagenomic shotgun sequencing, 3) metatranscriptomics, 4) metabolomics/lipidomics, 5) immunoproteomics and 6) interactomics. Samples will be collected throughout the course of pregnancy from a cohort of ~2000 women. We believe this large-scale, innovative effort will lead to insights into how the microbiome impacts risk for preterm birth and the temporal dynamics of the pregnancy microbiome.