Ohio State researchers chart new path in maternal health through NSF I-Corps Program

At The Ohio State University, science and compassion are working hand in hand to tackle one of the most pressing issues in health care: complications of pregnancy. Supported by the National Science Foundation’s I-Corps program and the Keenan Center for Entrepreneurship, a research team from the College of Nursing is transforming a decade of laboratory discoveries into a clinical tool that could save lives.

“The NSF I-Corps program helps faculty and students explore the market opportunity of their research,” said Caroline Crisafulli, director of entrepreneurial education at the Keenan Center. “We are proud to support investigators like Dr. Gillespie and her team, who are dedicated to improving lives and amplifying the impact of their research.”

Led by Shannon Gillespie, PhD, RN, FAAN, associate professor in the College of Nursing, the team is developing a predictive blood test to assess risk for complications like preterm birth, hypertensive disorders of pregnancy and gestational diabetes—well before symptoms arise. The tool could help providers make more informed decisions and intervene earlier, particularly for patients who face systemic barriers to care.

“Our work is really focused on prevention,” Gillespie said. “We want to know what’s driving the risk, how we can measure it as early as possible, and how we can prevent it. That’s the goal.”

Gillespie’s journey began in 2013 with a single question: How does chronic stress—particularly psychosocial stress—get “under the skin” in ways that affect maternal and infant health? That question led her into the field of psychoneuroimmunology, where she began exploring how biological effects of stress can increase risk during pregnancy.

“It’s a really important time where the health of two people—mom and baby—can be drastically affected,” Gillespie said. “We see these risks in the clinical data, but we haven’t always had the tools to explain why they happen or how to stop them.”

The blood tests her team is developing aim to change that. By identifying the presence of molecular or cellular patterns linked to complications, the tests help flag patients who may be on track for adverse outcomes like early labor or high blood pressure.

“It’s like trying to stop a train already on the tracks,” she said. “By the time a process like labor starts, it’s hard to change course. We want to give providers—and families—the information they need before that point.”

The team’s work was selected for Ohio State’s NSF I-Corps program, which provides intensive training on how to evaluate the market potential of university research. Clinical research nurse Ana Wong, who has worked alongside Gillespie for more than five years, participated as the team’s entrepreneurial lead and led customer discovery efforts. The experience sparked new conversations within the lab, eventually leading to a decision to launch a biotech startup dedicated to maternal health innovation.

“The I-Corps program isn’t just about business—it’s about impact,” Gillespie said. “It helped us take this idea we’ve been developing for 12 years and start thinking seriously about how to get it to the people who need it.”

Now, the team is preparing for the next phase: validating the test in a large NIH-funded study with more than 500 participants. They hope to demonstrate that the tool works across diverse populations and clinical settings. And if successful, the startup could soon offer the test as a widely available service—possibly paired with personalized prevention strategies tailored to each patient’s biological risk profile.

“I don’t want to just identify the risk,” Gillespie said. “I want to do something about it. We’ve designed this with the intention of making a real difference. That’s what drives us.”

Gillespie emphasized that such advances don’t happen in isolation.

“It takes a lot of thought and planning—and fantastic volunteers,” she said. “We’re standing on years of work and collaboration, and we’re just getting started.”

With support from the Keenan Center and the broader Ohio State innovation ecosystem, the team is building more than a startup—they’re building hope for families facing uncertainty.

“We’re ahead of the game in terms of thinking,” Gillespie said. “Now we just need to solidify our ability to test it, prove it, and bring it to the people who need it most.”

The I-Corps team includes Gillespie, Wong and assistant professor Mackenzie Janczura, PhD, RN, who brings complementary techniques and expertise in maternal health research. The broader research group also includes a research associate coordinator, a research assistant, two laboratory technicians and a team of co-investigators supporting the NIH-funded validation study. While the core I-Corps group focuses on commercialization strategy, the larger team plays a vital role in advancing the science and executing the clinical research behind the innovation.