Mary Prahl, MD | Women Physician-Scientists @UCSF

Assoc Prof of Clin Pediatrics

M_PEDS-INFECTIOUS DISEASE

Dr. Prahl is a clinician-scientist engaged in translational research evaluating human immune responses to infectious diseases during pregnancy and early childhood to facilitate the development of novel strategies for disease prevention.

Pregnancy and Early Childhood Malaria:
Dr. Prahl’s work is aimed at understanding the immunologic consequences of in utero malaria exposure and malaria prevention on the immune system during fetal development and early childhood. Current malaria vaccines have been limited by poor immunogenicity in young children living in malaria endemic areas, and further research is needed to determine the reasons for these poor immune responses to malaria antigens in order to develop new tools to fight the malaria epidemic. This research is based on collaborations with Makerere University/IDRC in Uganda. Dr. Prahl’s work is aimed at evaluating potential contributing mechanisms of immune tolerance resulting from in utero malaria exposure and evaluating the effect of malaria control measures on the developing immune responses. In addition to her translational immunology work, Dr. Prahl aims to encourage and train future medical providers in global health careers.

SARS-CoV-2 Infection and Vaccination in Pregnancy, Lactation, and Early Childhood:
Dr. Prahl’s work is aimed to address critical knowledge gaps in the immunologic impact of SARS-CoV-2 infection and vaccination during pregnancy, lactation, and early childhood. In addition, Dr. Prahl and her colleagues aim to determine mechanisms of transferred maternal-fetal immunity and the impact on protection against SARS-CoV-2 in early childhood.

Publications

Genomic characterization of normal and aberrant human milk production.

Science advances

Golan Y, Nyquist SK, Liu Z, Ennis D, Zhao J, Blair E, Khan AR, Prahl M, Gaw SL, Yassour M, Engelhardt BE, Flaherman VJ, Ahituv N

Pregnancy and lactation induce distinct immune responses to COVID-19 booster vaccination and SARS-CoV-2 breakthrough infection.

JCI insight

Yin K, Li L, Luo X, Neidleman J, Cassidy AG, Golan Y, Ozarslan N, Lin CY, Jigmeddagva U, Ilala M, Chidboy MA, Prahl M, Gaw SL, Roan NR

Genomic characterization of normal and aberrant human milk production.

medRxiv : the preprint server for health sciences

Golan Y, Nyquist SK, Liu Z, Ennis D, Zhao J, Blair E, Rahim Khan A, Prahl M, Gaw SL, Yassour M, Engelhardt BE, Flaherman VJ, Ahituv N

Liver stage P. falciparum antigens highly targeted by CD4+ T cells in malaria-exposed Ugandan children.

PLoS pathogens

Acevedo GR, Samiee SS, Ilala M, Levan J, Olive ME, Hunter RD, Prahl M, Rajalingam R, Rek J, Dorsey G, Feeney ME

Respiratory Syncytial Virus Vaccine and Nirsevimab Uptake Among Pregnant People and Their Neonates.

JAMA network open

Blauvelt CA, Zeme M, Natarajan A, Epstein A, Roh ME, Morales A, Bourdoud N, Flaherman VJ, Prahl MK, Gaw SL

In Utero Exposure to Maternal COVID-19 and Offspring Neurodevelopment Through Age 24 Months.

JAMA network open

Jaswa EG, Huddleston HG, Lindquist KJ, Wu AHB, Bishop SL, Kim YS, Kaing A, Prahl M, Gaw SL, Corley J, Hoskin E, Cho YJ, Rogers EE, Cedars MI

Neutralizing and binding antibody responses to SARS-CoV-2 with hybrid immunity in pregnancy.

NPJ vaccines

Li L, Matsui Y, Prahl MK, Cassidy AG, Golan Y, Jigmeddagva U, Ozarslan N, Lin CY, Buarpung S, Gonzalez VJ, Chidboy MA, Basilio E, Lynch KL, Song D, Jegatheesan P, Rai DS, Govindaswami B, Needens J, Rincon M, Myatt L, Taha TY, Montano M, Ott M, Greene WC, Gaw SL

In Utero Exposure to Maternal COVID-19 Vaccination and Offspring Neurodevelopment at 12 and 18 Months.

JAMA pediatrics

Jaswa EG, Cedars MI, Lindquist KJ, Bishop SL, Kim YS, Kaing A, Prahl M, Gaw SL, Corley J, Hoskin E, Cho YJ, Rogers E, Huddleston HG

Milk antibody response after 3rd COVID-19 vaccine and SARS-CoV-2 infection and implications for infant protection.

iScience

Golan Y, Ilala M, Li L, Gay C, Hunagund S, Lin CY, Cassidy AG, Jigmeddagva U, Matsui Y, Ozarslan N, Asiodu IV, Ahituv N, Flaherman VJ, Gaw SL, Prahl M

Minimal mRNA uptake and inflammatory response to COVID-19 mRNA vaccine exposure in human placental explants.

iScience

Gonzalez VJ, Li L, Buarpung S, Prahl M, Robinson JF, Gaw SL

Assessment of Adverse Reactions, Antibody Patterns, and 12-month Outcomes in the Mother-Infant Dyad After COVID-19 mRNA Vaccination in Pregnancy.

JAMA network open

Cassidy AG, Li L, Golan Y, Gay C, Lin CY, Jigmeddagva U, Chidboy MA, Ilala M, Buarpung S, Gonzalez VJ, Basilio E, Duck M, Murtha AP, Wu AHB, Lynch KL, Asiodu IV, Prahl MK, Gaw SL

Nirmatrelvir-Ritonavir (Paxlovid) for Mild Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Pregnancy and Lactation.

Obstetrics and gynecology

Lin CY, Cassidy AG, Li L, Prahl MK, Golan Y, Gaw SL

Minimal mRNA uptake and inflammatory response to COVID-19 mRNA vaccine exposure in human placental explants.

medRxiv : the preprint server for health sciences

Gonzalez V, Li L, Buarpung S, Prahl M, Robinson JF, Gaw SL

Milk antibody response after 3rd dose of COVID-19 mRNA vaccine and SARS-CoV-2 breakthrough infection and implications for infant protection.

medRxiv : the preprint server for health sciences

Golan Y, Ilala M, Gay C, Hunagund S, Lin CY, Cassidy AG, Jigmeddagva U, Li L, Ozarslan N, Asiodu IV, Ahituv N, Flaherman VJ, Gaw SL, Prahl M

In Utero Activation of NK Cells in Congenital CMV Infection.

The Journal of infectious diseases

Vaaben AV, Levan J, Nguyen CBT, Callaway PC, Prahl M, Warrier L, Nankya F, Musinguzi K, Kakuru A, Muhindo MK, Dorsey G, Kamya MR, Feeney ME

Evaluation of transplacental transfer of mRNA vaccine products and functional antibodies during pregnancy and infancy.

Nature communications

Prahl M, Golan Y, Cassidy AG, Matsui Y, Li L, Alvarenga B, Chen H, Jigmeddagva U, Lin CY, Gonzalez VJ, Chidboy MA, Warrier L, Buarpung S, Murtha AP, Flaherman VJ, Greene WC, Wu AHB, Lynch KL, Rajan J, Gaw SL

Effects of Vaccination Against Influenza, Pertussis, and COVID-19 on Human Milk Antibodies: Current Evidence and Implications for Health Equity.

Frontiers in immunology

Hunagund S, Golan Y, Asiodu IV, Prahl M, Gaw SL

Neutralizing antibody activity against SARS-CoV-2 variants in gestational age-matched mother-infant dyads after infection or vaccination.

JCI insight

Matsui Y, Li L, Prahl M, Cassidy AG, Ozarslan N, Golan Y, Gonzalez VJ, Lin CY, Jigmeddagva U, Chidboy MA, Montano M, Taha TY, Khalid MM, Sreekumar B, Hayashi JM, Chen PY, Kumar GR, Warrier L, Wu AH, Song D, Jegatheesan P, Rai DS, Govindaswami B, Needens JM, Rincon M, Myatt L, Asiodu IV, Flaherman VJ, Afshar Y, Jacoby VL, Murtha AP, Robinson JF, Ott M, Greene WC, Gaw SL

Early non-neutralizing, afucosylated antibody responses are associated with COVID-19 severity.

Science translational medicine

Chakraborty S, Gonzalez JC, Sievers BL, Mallajosyula V, Chakraborty S, Dubey M, Ashraf U, Cheng BY, Kathale N, Tran KQT, Scallan C, Sinnott A, Cassidy A, Chen ST, Gelbart T, Gao F, Golan Y, Ji X, Kim-Schulze S, Prahl M, Gaw SL, Gnjatic S, Marron TU, Merad M, Arunachalam PS, Boyd SD, Davis MM, Holubar M, Khosla C, Maecker HT, Maldonado Y, Mellins ED, Nadeau KC, Pulendran B, Singh U, Subramanian A, Utz PJ, Sherwood R, Zhang S, Jagannathan P, Tan GS, Wang TT

Antibodies elicited by SARS-CoV-2 infection or mRNA vaccines have reduced neutralizing activity against Beta and Omicron pseudoviruses.

Science translational medicine

Sievers BL, Chakraborty S, Xue Y, Gelbart T, Gonzalez JC, Cassidy AG, Golan Y, Prahl M, Gaw SL, Arunachalam PS, Blish CA, Boyd SD, Davis MM, Jagannathan P, Nadeau KC, Pulendran B, Singh U, Scheuermann RH, Frieman MB, Vashee S, Wang TT, Tan GS

Divergent early antibody responses define COVID-19 disease trajectories.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology

Chakraborty S, Gonzalez JC, Sievers BL, Mallajosyula V, Dubey M, Cheng BY, Tran KQT, Chakraborty S, Cassidy A, Chen ST, Sinnott A, Gelbart T, Golan Y, Prahl M, Singh U, Kim-Schulze S, Sherwood R, Zhang S, Marron TU, Gnjatic S, Gaw SL, Nadeau KC, Merad M, Jagannathan P, Tan GS, Wang TT

Evaluation of transplacental transfer of mRNA vaccine products and functional antibodies during pregnancy and early infancy.

Research square

Prahl M, Golan Y, Cassidy A, Matsui Y, Li L, Alvarenga B, Chen H, Jigmeddagva U, Lin C, Gonzalez V, Chidboy M, Warrier L, Buarpung S, Murtha A, Flaherman V, Greene W, Wu A, Lynch K, Rajan J, Gaw S

Peripheral Plasmodium falciparum infection in early pregnancy is associated with increased maternal microchimerism in the offspring.

The Journal of infectious diseases

Simon N, Shallat J, Houck J, Jagannathan P, Prahl M, Muhindo MK, Kakuru A, Olwoch P, Feeney ME, Harrington WE

Evaluation of transplacental transfer of mRNA vaccine products and functional antibodies during pregnancy and early infancy.

medRxiv : the preprint server for health sciences

COVID-19 mRNA Vaccination in Lactation: Assessment of Adverse Events and Vaccine Related Antibodies in Mother-Infant Dyads.

Frontiers in immunology

Golan Y, Prahl M, Cassidy AG, Gay C, Wu AHB, Jigmeddagva U, Lin CY, Gonzalez VJ, Basilio E, Chidboy MA, Warrier L, Buarpung S, Li L, Murtha AP, Asiodu IV, Ahituv N, Flaherman VJ, Gaw SL

Infant Outcomes Following Maternal Infection with SARS-CoV-2: First Report from the PRIORITY Study.

Clinical infectious diseases : an official publication of the Infectious Diseases Society of America

Flaherman VJ, Afshar Y, Boscardin J, Keller RL, Mardy A, Prahl MK, Phillips C, Asiodu IV, Berghella WV, Chambers BD, Crear-Perry J, Jamieson DJ, Jacoby VL, Gaw SL

Evaluation of Messenger RNA From COVID-19 BTN162b2 and mRNA-1273 Vaccines in Human Milk.

JAMA pediatrics

Golan Y, Prahl M, Cassidy A, Lin CY, Ahituv N, Flaherman VJ, Gaw SL

COVID-19 mRNA Vaccination in Lactation: Assessment of adverse effects and transfer of anti-SARS-CoV2 antibodies from mother to child.

medRxiv : the preprint server for health sciences

Golan Y, Prahl M, Cassidy AG, Gay C, Wu AHB, Jigmeddagva U, Lin CY, Gonzalez VJ, Basilio E, Warrier L, Buarpung S, Li L, Asiodu IV, Ahituv N, Flaherman VJ, Gaw SL

Passive and active immunity in infants born to mothers with SARS-CoV-2 infection during pregnancy: prospective cohort study.

BMJ open

Song D, Prahl M, Gaw SL, Narasimhan SR, Rai DS, Huang A, Flores CV, Lin CY, Jigmeddagva U, Wu A, Warrier L, Levan J, Nguyen CBT, Callaway P, Farrington L, Acevedo GR, Gonzalez VJ, Vaaben A, Nguyen P, Atmosfera E, Marleau C, Anderson C, Misra S, Stemmle M, Cortes M, McAuley J, Metz N, Patel R, Nudelman M, Abraham S, Byrne J, Jegatheesan P

Passive and active immunity in infants born to mothers with SARS-CoV-2 infection during pregnancy: Prospective cohort study.

medRxiv : the preprint server for health sciences

Song D, Prahl M, Gaw SL, Narasimhan S, Rai D, Huang A, Flores C, Lin CY, Jigmeddagva U, Wu AHB, Warrier L, Levan J, Nguyen CBT, Callaway P, Farrington L, Acevedo GR, Gonzalez VJ, Vaaben A, Nguyen P, Atmosfera E, Marleau C, Anderson C, Misra S, Stemmle M, Cortes M, McAuley J, Metz N, Patel R, Nudelman M, Abraham S, Byrne J, Jegatheesan P

Exposure to pesticides in utero impacts the fetal immune system and response to vaccination in infancy.

Nature communications

Prahl M, Odorizzi P, Gingrich D, Muhindo M, McIntyre T, Budker R, Jagannathan P, Farrington L, Nalubega M, Nankya F, Sikyomu E, Musinguzi K, Naluwu K, Auma A, Kakuru A, Kamya MR, Dorsey G, Aweeka F, Feeney ME

Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome in a Preterm Pregnant Patient With Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19).

Obstetrics and gynecology

Blauvelt CA, Chiu C, Donovan AL, Prahl M, Shimotake TK, George RB, Schwartz BS, Farooqi NA, Ali SS, Cassidy A, Gonzalez JM, Gaw SL

In utero priming of highly functional effector T cell responses to human malaria.

Science translational medicine

Odorizzi PM, Jagannathan P, McIntyre TI, Budker R, Prahl M, Auma A, Burt TD, Nankya F, Nalubega M, Sikyomu E, Musinguzi K, Naluwu K, Kakuru A, Dorsey G, Kamya MR, Feeney ME

Dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine for intermittent preventive treatment of malaria during pregnancy and risk of malaria in early childhood: A randomized controlled trial.

PLoS medicine

Jagannathan P, Kakuru A, Okiring J, Muhindo MK, Natureeba P, Nakalembe M, Opira B, Olwoch P, Nankya F, Ssewanyana I, Tetteh K, Drakeley C, Beeson J, Reiling L, Clark TD, Rodriguez-Barraquer I, Greenhouse B, Wallender E, Aweeka F, Prahl M, Charlebois ED, Feeney ME, Havlir DV, Kamya MR, Dorsey G

Both inflammatory and regulatory cytokine responses to malaria are blunted with increasing age in highly exposed children.

Malaria journal

Farrington L, Vance H, Rek J, Prahl M, Jagannathan P, Katureebe A, Arinaitwe E, Kamya MR, Dorsey G, Feeney ME