The Preeclampsia Foundation has opened its call for Letters of Intent under the Peter Joseph Pappas Research Grants funding program. This effort supports research designed to remove the reliance on preterm delivery as a treatment option for severe preeclampsia, HELLP syndrome, and other hypertensive disorders of pregnancy. The grants honor Peter Joseph Pappas, the son of survivor Lauren Pappas and her husband Clement, and will distribute multiple two-year awards in 2025 with a combined value of up to $200,000.

Researchers may submit proposals that address gaps identified at a 2020 workshop co-hosted by the Preeclampsia Foundation and the Society for Maternal Fetal Medicine. Focus areas include clarifying disease pathways and subtypes, advancing diagnostic or predictive tools, developing therapies to stop or reverse placental and organ damage, and promoting health before and between pregnancies to improve outcomes. Projects that draw on data from the Preeclampsia Registry or generate new information and samples for the registry will receive priority consideration. Full guidelines appear in the application materials posted on the foundation website.

The grant honors the memory of Peter Joseph Pappas, who arrived at 29 weeks after his mother developed severe preeclampsia and HELLP syndrome. Nearly a dozen studies have already been supported, covering topics such as new treatment options, genetic indicators, and the placenta's role in disease onset.

"We lost our son Peter to complications from preeclampsia after a 29-week delivery," said Lauren Pappas. "We have since devoted ourselves to helping families avoid this tragedy through the Peter Joseph Pappas Fund."

"With support from relatives, friends, and our collaboration with the Preeclampsia Foundation, we are progressing toward our target of ending preterm births caused by preeclampsia by 2050," added Clement Pappas.

Complete instructions and deadlines are available on the foundation website. Letters of intent must arrive by 5:00 pm ET on Friday, August 14, 2026.

About the Preeclampsia Foundation

The Preeclampsia Foundation is a U.S.-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2000 to improve outcomes for hypertensive disorders of pregnancy through education, support, community engagement, better clinical practices, and faster research progress. Its vision is a future in which preeclampsia and related conditions no longer endanger mothers and infants.

About the Peter Joseph Pappas Research Grant Program

Clement and Lauren Pappas of Philadelphia lost their first child, Peter Joseph, when HELLP syndrome required an early delivery. Together with family and friends, they created this dedicated fund at the Preeclampsia Foundation to drive research toward the goal of eliminating preterm births from preeclampsia by 2050.

Contact: Danielle Babcock Sapienza
Preeclampsia Foundation
321.421.6957
[email protected]

SOURCE Preeclampsia Foundation