Mary Prahl, MD

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.
Education
2019 - Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Champion Training, University of California
Fellowship, 2016 - Pediatric Infectious Disease, UCSF
Residency, 2012 - Pediatrics, Northwestern/Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago
M.D., 2009 - Medicine, University of Minnesota
B.S., 2004 - Biochemistry, College of Saint Scholastica
Honors and Awards
  • LRP Award, NIH, 2017-2022
  • Melvin M. Grumbach Award for Excellence in Research, UCSF, 2017
  • Merle A. Sande/Pfizer Fellowship Award in International Infectious Diseases, IDSA Foundation, 2014
  • Research Scholars Day Judges' Award, Northwestern University, 2012
  • Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society, Northwestern University, 2011
  • Resident Teaching Award, Children's Memorial Hospital/Northwestern University, 2009
  • Summa Cum Laude, College of Saint Scholastica, 2004
Websites

  1. 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. In Utero Exposure to Maternal COVID-19 and Offspring Neurodevelopment Through Age 24 Months. JAMA network open 2024. PMID: 39412802


  2. 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. Neutralizing and binding antibody responses to SARS-CoV-2 with hybrid immunity in pregnancy. NPJ vaccines 2024. PMID: 39191763


  3. 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. In Utero Exposure to Maternal COVID-19 Vaccination and Offspring Neurodevelopment at 12 and 18 Months. JAMA pediatrics 2024. PMID: 38252445


  4. 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. Milk antibody response after 3rd COVID-19 vaccine and SARS-CoV-2 infection and implications for infant protection. iScience 2023. PMID: 37731614


  5. Gonzalez VJ, Li L, Buarpung S, Prahl M, Robinson JF, Gaw SL. Minimal mRNA uptake and inflammatory response to COVID-19 mRNA vaccine exposure in human placental explants. iScience 2023. PMID: 37664582


  6. 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. 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 2023. PMID: 37450302


  7. Lin CY, Cassidy AG, Li L, Prahl MK, Golan Y, Gaw SL. Nirmatrelvir-Ritonavir (Paxlovid) for Mild Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Pregnancy and Lactation. Obstetrics and gynecology 2023. PMID: 36928334


  8. Gonzalez V, Li L, Buarpung S, Prahl M, Robinson JF, 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 2023. PMID: 36778281


  9. 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. 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 2022. PMID: 36561188


  10. 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. In Utero Activation of NK Cells in Congenital CMV Infection. The Journal of infectious diseases 2022. PMID: 35876164


  11. 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. Evaluation of transplacental transfer of mRNA vaccine products and functional antibodies during pregnancy and infancy. Nature communications 2022. PMID: 35908075


  12. Hunagund S, Golan Y, Asiodu IV, Prahl M, 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 2022. PMID: 35903100


  13. 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. Neutralizing antibody activity against SARS-CoV-2 variants in gestational age-matched mother-infant dyads after infection or vaccination. 2022. PMID: 35579965


  14. 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. Early non-neutralizing, afucosylated antibody responses are associated with COVID-19 severity. 2022. PMID: 35040666


  15. 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. Antibodies elicited by SARS-CoV-2 infection or mRNA vaccines have reduced neutralizing activity against Beta and Omicron pseudoviruses. 2022. PMID: 35025672


  16. 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. Divergent early antibody responses define COVID-19 disease trajectories. bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology 2021. PMID: 34075376


  17. 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. Evaluation of transplacental transfer of mRNA vaccine products and functional antibodies during pregnancy and early infancy. 2021. PMID: 34931183


  18. Simon N, Shallat J, Houck J, Jagannathan P, Prahl M, Muhindo MK, Kakuru A, Olwoch P, Feeney ME, Harrington WE. Peripheral Plasmodium falciparum infection in early pregnancy is associated with increased maternal microchimerism in the offspring. The Journal of infectious diseases 2021. PMID: 34010401


  19. 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. Evaluation of transplacental transfer of mRNA vaccine products and functional antibodies during pregnancy and early infancy. 2021. PMID: 34931197


  20. 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. COVID-19 mRNA Vaccination in Lactation: Assessment of Adverse Events and Vaccine Related Antibodies in Mother-Infant Dyads. 2021. PMID: 34804068


  21. 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. 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 2020. PMID: 32947612


  22. Golan Y, Prahl M, Cassidy A, Lin CY, Ahituv N, Flaherman VJ, Gaw SL. Evaluation of Messenger RNA From COVID-19 BTN162b2 and mRNA-1273 Vaccines in Human Milk. JAMA pediatrics 2021. PMID: 34228115


  23. 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. 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 2021. PMID: 34373861


  24. 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. BMJ open 2021. PMID: 34234001


  25. 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. 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 2021. PMID: 33972953


  26. 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. Exposure to pesticides in utero impacts the fetal immune system and response to vaccination in infancy. Nature communications 2021. PMID: 33420104


  27. Blauvelt CA, Chiu C, Donovan AL, Prahl M, Shimotake TK, George RB, Schwartz BS, Farooqi NA, Ali SS, Cassidy A, Gonzalez JM, Gaw SL. Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome in a Preterm Pregnant Patient With Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). Obstetrics and gynecology 2020. PMID: 32384385


  28. 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. In utero priming of highly functional effector T cell responses to human malaria. Science translational medicine 2018. PMID: 30333241


  29. 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. Dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine for intermittent preventive treatment of malaria during pregnancy and risk of malaria in early childhood: A randomized controlled trial. PLoS medicine 2018. PMID: 30016328


  30. Farrington L, Vance H, Rek J, Prahl M, Jagannathan P, Katureebe A, Arinaitwe E, Kamya MR, Dorsey G, Feeney ME. Both inflammatory and regulatory cytokine responses to malaria are blunted with increasing age in highly exposed children. Malaria journal 2017. PMID: 29284469


  31. Prahl M, Jagannathan P, McIntyre TI, Auma A, Wamala S, Nalubega M, Musinguzi K, Naluwu K, Sikyoma E, Budker R, Odorizzi P, Kakuru A, Havlir DV, Kamya MR, Dorsey G, Feeney ME. Sex Disparity in Cord Blood FoxP3+ CD4 T Regulatory Cells in Infants Exposed to Malaria In Utero. Open forum infectious diseases 2017. PMID: 28480292


  32. Prahl M, Jagannathan P, McIntyre TI, Auma A, Farrington L, Wamala S, Nalubega M, Musinguzi K, Naluwu K, Sikyoma E, Budker R, Vance H, Odorizzi P, Nayebare P, Ategeka J, Kakuru A, Havlir DV, Kamya MR, Dorsey G, Feeney ME. Timing of in utero malaria exposure influences fetal CD4 T cell regulatory versus effector differentiation. Malaria journal 2016. PMID: 27717402


  33. Prahl M, Dhaliwal G, Shulman ST, Doshi N, Monash B. Another spin. Journal of hospital medicine 2016. PMID: 27018991


  34. Prahl M, Smetana D, Porta N. Lactobezoar formation in two premature infants receiving medium-chain triglyceride formula. Journal of perinatology : official journal of the California Perinatal Association 2014. PMID: 25073493