2024 Danielle Peress Memorial Fund Awards

Pictured above (left to right): Drs. Laurie Griffin and Claudia Ibarra have been selected as the recipients of the 2024 Danielle Peress, MD Memorial Fund Award.

The Danielle Peress, MD Memorial Fund was established in 2018 in memory of Dani Peress, MD, who envisioned supporting MFM fellows in their clinical or translational research endeavors. Learn more about the Danielle Peress, MD Memorial Fund Award here.

Laurie Griffin, MD, PhD, a second-year maternal-fetal medicine fellow at Women & Infants Hospital / Brown University, will conduct a study, “Assessing Interventions to Increase Tdap Acceptance for Non-birthing Partners in Pregnancy (ITAPP).”

Vaccination plays a critical role in decreasing the morbidity and mortality of vaccine-preventable diseases. Maternal vaccination increases neonatal immunity via passive immunity through antibody transmission across the placenta during pregnancy. Dr. Griffin’s study aims to assess whether targeted prenatal education regarding Tdap vaccination recommendations, with and without in-office vaccination opportunities, improves Tdap uptake among non-birthing partners of pregnant patients compared to standard prenatal care. It will also assess whether non-birthing partners presenting for Tdap vaccination are willing to accept dual vaccination with Tdap and influenza. Dr. Griffin will be mentored by Adam K. Lewkowitz, MD, MPHS.

Claudia Ibarra, MD, MPH, a second-year maternal-fetal medicine fellow at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, will conduct a study, “Maternal Gestational Diabetes Treatments: Effects on Fetal Brain Biology.”

Insulin and Metformin are widely accepted clinical treatments for Type II and gestational diabetes in pregnancy. While Metformin remains popular due to its oral route and lower incidence of hypoglycemia and maternal weight gain compared to insulin, concerns remain regarding potential adverse fetal effects. Dr. Ibarra’s study aims to show that metformin may decrease the fetal effects of adverse exposures associated with maternal diabetes. Dr. Griffin will be mentored by Laura Goetzl, MD, MPH.

Learn more about the Danielle Peress, MD Memorial Fund Award here.