FOR FACULTY
Pediatric Intramural Research Funding Program:
Summer/Fall deadline: September 24, 2024
The Department of Pediatrics manages a portfolio of philanthropic funds designated to support research in pediatrics. Proposals are accepted twice per year, in Winter/Spring and Summer/Fall cycles. For submission details, please click on the link below to review the current Research Funding Announcement (RFA).
HOW and WHEN TO APPLY
A Research Funding Announcement (RFA) will be circulated approximately 6 weeks before the due date, highlighting any program changes and detailed submission information. Applications are accepted through the University of Michigan Medical School (UMMS) Competition Space.
*Download RFA: RFA-Pediatric-IM-Research-Funding Summer-Fall 2024
Application due dates: Summer/Fall 2024 - September 24, 2024
Winter/Spring 2025: TBD
Contact/Questions:
Cathy Mizgerd: [email protected], 734-998-0847
Intramural Funding Team: [email protected], 734-615-1740
FUNDING and IMPLEMENTATION POLICIES
Eligibility
- Only faculty with primary appointments in the Department of Pediatrics are eligible to serve as Principal Investigators (except when applying for the Charles Woodson Collaborative Research Award; please see below for the Woodson Award RFA).
- U-M faculty from other Medical School departments may submit applications for the Charles Woodson Collaborative Research Award under an MPI format with Pediatrics faculty (see separate RFA).
- Faculty may submit only one application per cycle, as Principal Investigator on an intramural award (or as MPI on a Charles Woodson Collaborative Research Award). However, a Woodson Biostatistics Award application may be submitted in addition to the single application.
- Residents and fellows are not eligible to serve as Principal Investigators. Please refer to "Resident and Fellow Research Grant Program" information below.
- Applicants may resubmit revised applications that were not funded in the prior cycle.
Funding Restrictions
- Unless otherwise stated, funds may be used for University of Michigan research staff salary support, supplies, and research equipment.
- Award funds may NOT be used to support any U-M faculty member, cost overruns or retroactive funding, publications, grant preparation costs, travel, hosting, annual membership dues, renovations, office equipment, GSRA tuition, external collaborator or consultant salaries, membership dues, or indirect (facilities and administrative) costs (F&A).
- Clinical trials that require a billing calendar are NOT eligible for funding.
- Projects that involve collaboration, shared funding, or data sharing with commercial entities (i.e., academic-industry partnerships) are NOT eligible for funding.
- This intramural award program is NOT designed to provide sustained infrastructure support for new or established clinical programs.
Human Subjects / Animals
- Funds for research proposals that require IRB or IACUC approval by the U-M Institutional Review Boards (IRB) or Institutional Animal Care & Use Committee (IACUC) will not be released until documentation of IRB or IACUC approval is provided to the Pediatric Research Office, along with any substantial changes to the proposed research required by the IRB or IACUC.
*Note: Regulatory approvals must be acquired within 6 months of award notification; grants may not have a ‘delayed start’ past 6 months.
Project Period(s)
All intramural awards will have an end date by which funds must be expended.
- Awards < $30,000 must be expended within 1 year of disbursement of funds
- Awards =/> $30,000 must be expended within 2 years of disbursement of funds
- Faculty may request a 1-year extension beyond these time periods; written requests for extensions must be submitted to the Pediatric Research Office for approval 3 months prior to the award end date.
- Funds that are not expended within the award project period will be returned to the Department of Pediatrics.
Reporting
Awardees are required to submit post-funding progress reports, acknowledge the funding mechanism in research publications or presentations, and present research at the annual Pediatric Research Symposium.
REVIEW
The review committee currently includes Dr. Dave Olson, Dr. Ryan Barbaro, Dr. Melissa Cousino, and Dr. Jordan Shavit. Each application is reviewed by at least two committee members; for major awards ($30,000 or more), committee members may request supplemental reviewers. Committee members score each application (excluding applications with specific conflicts). Scores are provided to Dr. Donna Martin, Department Chair; she and Dr. Olson, Associate Chair for Research, make final award decisions.
Award Mechanisms
Mechanisms only for mid-career or junior faculty in the Department of Pediatrics
- Gorman Scholar Award ($15,000): Must be at the rank of instructor, assistant professor, or associate professor. The award is potentially renewable for an additional year. The award must lead to submission of a new external grant application within 18 months of funding.
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Janette Ferrantino Investigator Award ($40,000):Must be at the rank of instructor or assistant professor; must be within the first three years of appointment at the University of Michigan. The award is potentially renewable for an additional year.
- Elizabeth E. Kennedy (Children's Research) Award ($20,000-$50,000): Must be at the rank of lecturer, instructor, or assistant professor. Areas of particular interest include developmental biology, genetic and translational research.
Mechanisms for faculty of any rank with a primary appointment in the Department of Pediatrics
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Charles Woodson/Children's Health Pilot Research Award ($15,000-$30,000): Supports high-merit, innovative pilot projects in children’s health research
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Charles Woodson Biostatistics Award (up to $10,000): Supports specialized biostatistical consultation within U-M that is outside the scope of available Department of Pediatrics support/services
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Pediatric DEI Research Award: ($15,000-$30,000): Supports new research efforts to reduce disparities in health care delivery for children and adolescents and to optimize long-term outcomes for the most vulnerable pediatric populations
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Amendt-Heller Award for Newborn Research ($15,000-$50,000): Supports newborn research
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Nancy Newton Loeb Pediatric Cancer Research Award ($25,000-$50,000): Supports cancer research
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Gracie’s Fund – Leukemia Research Award ($20,000-$50,000): Supports leukemia research (especially relapsed and complicated leukemias)
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Barwick Scholar Award for Spinal Cord Research ($15,000-$50,000): Supports spinal cord research that will advance care/outcomes of children with spinal cord injuries
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Charles Woodson Collaborative Research Award (See RFA Below).
Charles Woodson Collaborative Research Award:
Summer/Fall deadline: September 24, 2024
The University of Michigan/Michigan Medicine Department of Pediatrics manages the Charles Woodson Collaborative Research Award, which is designated to support collaborative research in pediatrics. There are two peer-review competition cycles annually. The Charles Woodson Collaborative Research Award focuses on support for innovative pilot projects in children’s health research through an interdisciplinary team approach that includes faculty from Pediatrics and other MM Medical School departments in a “Multiple Principal Investigator” approach. The award is up to $50,000; all costs must be explicitly justified.
The primary goal is to support innovative collaborations that will be highly competitive for new extramural (federal and foundation) funding.
Applications are accepted through Competition Space.
*Download RFA: RFA-Woodson-Collaborative _Summer-Fall-2024.pdf
Application due dates: Summer/Fall Cycle 2024: September 24, 2024
Winter/Spring Cycle 2025: TBD
Contact/Questions:
Cathy Mizgerd: [email protected], 734-998-0847
Intramural Funding Team: [email protected], 734-615-1740
FUNDING and IMPLEMENTATION POLICIES
Eligibility:
- There must be at least two Principal Investigators (PIs), each of whom brings separate but complementary expertise to a research topic that is directly relevant to children’s health.
- One of the PIs must be a faculty member with a primary appointment in the U-M/MM Department of Pediatrics, and at least one of the other PIs must be a faculty member in another U-M/MM Medical School department.
- U-M faculty with primary appointments in other U-M/MM Medical School departments may submit applications for the Charles Woodson Collaborative Research Award under a multiple PI (as defined by NIH) format with Department of Pediatrics faculty.
- Applications may have 3 PIs; only Medical School faculty are eligible; MPIs cannot both (or all) be from the Department of Pediatrics.
- Residents and fellows are not eligible to serve as Principal Investigators.
- Faculty may submit only one application per cycle, as Principal Investigator or MPI.
- Applicants may be invited to resubmit revised applications that were not funded in the prior cycle.
Funding restrictions:
- Unless otherwise stated, funds may be used for University of Michigan research staff salary support, supplies, and research equipment. Budget requests must be justified in a budget justification narrative.
- Award funds may NOT be used to support any U-M faculty member, cost overruns or retroactive funding, publications, grant preparation costs, travel, annual membership dues, hosting, renovations, office equipment, GSRA tuition, external collaborator or consultant salaries, or indirect (facilities and administrative) costs (F&A).
- Clinical trials that require a billing calendar are NOT eligible for funding. Projects that involve collaboration, shared funding, or data sharing with commercial entities (i.e., academic-industry partnerships) are NOT eligible for funding.
- This award program is NOT designed to provide sustained infrastructure support for new or established clinical programs.
- Funds that are not expended within 3 years of the award date will be returned to the Department of Pediatrics.
Review Process:
Each application receives at least two reviews by members of the Intramural Award review committee; additional reviews may be requested in some cases. Applications are discussed and scored at a meeting of the Pediatric Intramural Program review committee; committee members score each application (excluding applications with specific conflicts for any reviewer). Scores are provided to Dr. Donna Martin, Department Chair; she and Dr. Dave Olson, Associate Chair for Research, make final award decisions.
Please refer to the RFA for application guidelines.
Funded Projects
Winter/Spring 2024
- Charles Woodson Children’s Health Pilot Research Award: Erin Carlton, MD
Following Long term Immunity after Pediatric Sepsis (FLIPS)
Tens of thousands of children are hospitalized each year with sepsis, an overwhelming and life-threatening response to infection. Many of these children subsequently develop another infection after they recover from sepsis. However, the mechanism underlying these recurrent infections is not understood and requires longitudinal studies to measure bio samples for immune function. As loss-to-follow-up has been a major barrier to such studies, we will test the feasibility of using an at-home blood collection device to measure immune recovery in children who survive sepsis. - Janette Ferrantino Investigator Award: Hayley Centola, PhD
The Developmental Course of Diabetes Distress in Type 1 Diabetes: A Mixed-Methods Study of Adolescents
Diabetes distress, defined as emotions such as stress, worries, guilt, denial, and frustration often associated with the daily burden and self-management of diabetes, is a universal experience for patients with type 1 diabetes, with higher levels of distress associated with poor health outcomes. The proposed study represents a unique opportunity through the combined use of big data and patient voice to better understand real-world experiences of diabetes-related distress including factors that increase and decrease levels of distress. We will examine how diabetes distress changes over time for adolescents as they approach young adulthood, including factors that impact levels of distress and associated health outcomes. This study is the first of its kind to examine diabetes distress data in a real-world clinical setting over multiple timepoints allowing for more representative and generalizable findings to inform data-driven approaches to future intervention work. Likewise, this study has the potential for broader health policy implications regarding the visibility of and resources allocated to patients experiencing diabetes-related distress to improve both medical and psychological outcomes. - Charles Woodson Collaborative Research Award: Karl Desch, MD
Neonatal intensive care blood monitoring at microliter-scale
Frequent blood sampling is essential to monitor the dynamic health status of neonates in intensive care. Today, unfortunately, this sampling process itself – because of the resulting loss of blood volume – is hurting our smallest patients. Our proposal will enhance neonatal care by reducing per-sample blood volumes by ~90%. Decreased blood volume losses will reduce the frequency of adult blood transfusions and will empower clinicians to obtain frequent neonatal measurements safely. The work will use our demonstrated microfluidic liquid control systems and sensors to measure neonatal blood pH (respiratory status) and total ions (hydration status). Low-volume blood analyses are a critical step forward in the pursuit of optimized, patient-centric care methodologies within the NICU. - Pediatric DEI Research Award: Dana Gadaire, MSW, PsyD
School-based supports promote equity in pediatric behavioral health
Existing behavioral health systems are struggling to meet the complex emotional and psychological needs of children and families, particularly those who are most vulnerable due to risk factors outside of their control (e.g., minoritized status, neurodevelopmental disabilities); schools are well-positioned to address these risks if provided appropriate resources and support. We propose to evaluate an innovative school-based mentorship program that empowers adolescents (i.e., high school students) to support elementary students in the context of everyday school activities. First, we will support program leadership in developing a systematic approach to identify youth who can most benefit from mentorship; next, we will train adolescent mentors in the use of effective supervision, interpersonal, and conflict resolution skills. We will then evaluate the effects ofmentorship on critical behavioral health outcomes including: 1) school connectedness and safety (particularly during vulnerable unstructured activities, such as recess), 2) social engagement and interpersonal skills, 3) school performance, and 4) conduct problems. We will also evaluate adolescents’ perceptions of their mentoring experiences and potential enhancement of psychological well-being. Finally, we will create procedural guidelines so that other schools and districts can adopt similar programs to serve diverse populations of young people. - Charles Woodson Collaborative Research Award: Vinitha Jacob, MD, PhD; Jordan Shavit, MD, PhD
Establishing the Role of the Cholesterol Synthesis Enzyme DHCR7 in Sepsis
Sepsis, or dysregulated host response to infection, is one of the most common causes of hospitalization in the U.S. and accounts for a significant proportion of pediatric deaths. We have found that DHCR7, an enzyme involved in cholesterol synthesis, is associated with mortality in human sepsis, and zebrafish treated with a DHCR7 inhibitor were protected from mortality in an endotoxemia model. Endotoxemia is only one aspect of sepsis, and this proposal will extend these studies to elucidate the function of DHCR7 in full sepsis models, with implications for the development of therapeutics. - Nephrotic Syndrome Pilot Research Award: Zubin Modi, MD, MS
Biomarker profiles in children with steroid resistant minimal change disease
The levels of specific compounds in blood and urine may provide important information about a child’s nephrotic syndrome that a kidney biopsy cannot. This study aims to better understand if types of nephrotic syndrome that appear differently on biopsy can have similar combinations of compounds in blood and urine that describe what will happen to a person with nephrotic syndrome better than we currently are able. This is important because some types of childhood nephrotic syndrome are not as severe as others. Knowing what type of nephrotic syndrome a child has as early as possible can help health care practitioners choose the best treatments that cause the least harm. - Nancy Newton Loeb Pediatric Cancer Research Award: John Prensner, MD, PhD
RNA translation as a druggable process in drug-resistant pediatric cancers
I am an early-career pediatric physician-scientist dedicated to growing a laboratory-based career investigating the biology of, and therapeutic options for, pediatric cancers. I will use this University of Michigan Pediatrics Intramural funding opportunity to develop preliminary data that will help to advance new treatment options for children with cancer. My particular focus is to develop a novel treatment angle for high-risk childhood cancers that exploits the biological process of RNA translation, which is a central cancer cell function that converts genetic material into bioactive proteins within the cancer cell. I am studying this process in the context of drug-resistant Ewing sarcoma, neuroblastoma, and medulloblastoma, which represent devastating diseases with little hope for cure. My hope is that this work will directly inform new clinical trials for children with these difficult-to-treat cancers. - Benz Birth Defects Research Award: David Sandberg, PhD
Shared Decision-Making in Rare Congenital Conditions: AI-Assisted Decision Aid Use
The way genital and reproductive organs develop is complicated, and sometimes it does not occur as expected. These rare conditions, present at birth, can affect genital appearance and/or reproductive function. When this happens, parents face many decisions early in a child’s life; for example, gender of rearing, how much genetic testing to do, should genital and gonadal surgery be done, and what to tell others (such as family and friends) about the condition and its treatment. For many of these questions, there exists no single “right” decision that applies to all children and families. Our overall goal is to create interactive, computer-based decision aids (DAs) to help families learn more about decisions they need to make, options they have, and how to include their values, beliefs, and preferences in decision making. As a first step, the specific goals of this project are to (a) identify and (b) make a careful and critical examination of materials (like research reports and ethics statements) to include in creating the interactive decision-making program. - Elizabeth E. Kennedy Children’s Research Award: Huiyuan Wu, PhD
Targeting TTLL polyglutamylases to develop treatment for a rare childhood-onset neurodegenerative disease associated with ciliopathy
Childhood-Onset Neurodegeneration with Cerebellar Atrophy (CONDCA) is a highly lethal disease caused by autosomal recessive mutations of a gene called Agtpb1; it manifests severe symptoms, such as motor neuropathy, abnormal eye movement, muscle atrophy, growth retardation, and ataxia. Half of all patients survive only to the age of 2 years, and the surviving patients suffer from worsening ataxia; unfortunately, no treatment is currently available. Based on my studies of Agtpbp1 mutant mice, I identified possible targets to treat this disease and screened hit compounds (i.e., compounds that display the desired activity on the drug target and reproduce the activity when re-tested) that are potential leads for CONDCA therapy. In this proposal, the efficacy of a promising compound to relieve symptoms of CONDCA will be tested in Agtpbp1 mutant mice. I will also uncover mechanistic insights into how the compounds act on the target, which will provide the basis for the development of more potent drugs to treat CONDCA.
Summer/Fall 2023
- Gorman Scholar Research Award: Elizaveta Bourchtein, PhD
Short- and Long-Term Changes in Subjectively- and Objectively-Assessed Sleep and Related Outcomes in Adolescents with Functional Abdominal Pain Completing the Sleep FAST Program
Functional abdominal pain in adolescents is common and is linked to increased risk for sleep problems. An ongoing study (Sleep in Functional Abdominal pain Study of Treatment, or Sleep FAST) at Michigan Medicine is evaluating the short-term effects of a brief behavioral (non-medication) sleep treatment in adolescents with functional abdominal pain. The proposed study outlined in this application will look at whether the sleep treatment improves sleep by using a device called an actigraph (like a FitBit) to track adolescents’ sleep before and after the treatment. We also propose to follow up with the adolescents 3 months later to look at whether the sleep treatment leads to lasting positive changes in their sleep. - Janette Ferrantino Investigator Award: Joshua Meisner, MD, PhD
Delineating the Mechanisms of Hypertrophy Progression and Fibrosis in Early Onset MYBPC3 Related Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is a heart condition that can lead to sudden death in adolescents and impacts 1 in 500 adults. The most common cause is a mutation in the MYBPC3 gene. Although treatments are being developed or approved, their effectiveness depends on the timing of their delivery during the disease’s progression. To better understand the disease’s progression, we have created the first mouse model that closely mimics the disease found in patients. This study aims to understand why and how the disease progresses during heart growth and development. The findings will also help to better understand when treatments may be most effective during childhood and adolescence and may guide future studies, including clinical trials.
Winter/Spring 2023
- Charles Woodson Collaborative Research Award: Jessica Turnier, M.D., M.S.
Defining mechanisms of endothelial dysfunction in juvenile dermatomyositis to improve treatment targeting and implementation of nailfold capillaroscopy.
Juvenile dermatomyositis (JDM) is a rare pediatric autoimmune disease that can affect the small blood vessels in multiple organs, although predominantly the muscles and skin. We can visualize changes to the blood vessels in the skin below the nails through use of a tool called nailfold capillaroscopy in clinic. Most children with JDM do not respond to initial treatment and need to try multiple other treatments, leading to a chronic disease course. In this project, we study differences in how easily JDM cells in the blood can transition into blood vessel cells and also how JDM blood affects the ability of cells to form blood vessels. We also measure proteins that originate from or impact blood vessel cells in JDM blood samples and determine if the levels of these proteins are associated with the severity of the disease and nailfold vessel changes. It is possible that better understanding of the reasons the small blood vessels are dysregulated in JDM could lead to development of more targeted treatments and better ways to monitor the disease to determine patients who will be more likely to respond to initial standard treatments. - Amendt-Heller Award for Newborn Research: John Barks, M.D.
Accelerating Progress in Neonatal Neuroprotection Using Adaptive Design.
The goal of our laboratory is to find better ways to treat a serious brain injury in newborns that results from interrupted oxygen delivery to the baby around the time of birth. This “hypoxic-ischemic” injury can result in death or lifelong limitations, and the only proven treatment, hypothermia, does not help all babies reach a normal outcome. Recognizing that limitation, many labs around the world (including ours) have used rodent brain injury models to identify drug treatments that add to the benefit from hypothermia. Each lab tends to test a different drug, and unfortunately, two drugs from that “pipeline” were tested in human trials but did not improve on the benefit of hypothermia. Three years ago, our lab started a whole new approach that other labs have not tried, by comparing multiple promising drugs head-to-head in rodent brain injury models to select “winners” suitable for advancement to human studies. As a next step, we will develop an innovative strategy to efficiently compare multiple drug combinations (as is common in cancer therapy, but not for brain injury) in a head-to-head competition. - Janette Ferrantino Investigator Award: Sharon Singh, M.D.
Metabolomic analysis of erythropoiesis in Diamond Blackfan Anemia.
The goal of this project is to study Diamond Blackfan Anemia, which is an inherited disease that affects the bone marrow’s ability to make red blood cells and leads to various birth defects and an increased risk of cancer. Many patients with this disorder need chronic red blood cell transfusions due to severe anemia, while others have spontaneous resolution of anemia for unclear reasons. Our work has established a mouse model of this disorder with a similar pattern of variable anemia, and preliminary studies have revealed differences in the genes involved in metabolic pathways in developing red blood cells. This proposal will directly measure metabolic pathways in young red blood cells in our disease model and test whether these cells are more sensitive to oxidative stress. - Pediatric DEI Research Award: Eric Scott, Ph.D.
Vestibular Dysfunction, Falls, Hearing Loss, and Pain in Children with Sickle Cell Disease.
100,000 Americans currently have Sickle Cell disease (SCD), which changes how an individual’s body carries oxygen to the body. One recent discovery is how Sickle Cell disease pain crises can lead to hearing loss and problems with balance because of poor circulation to the inner ear (part of the body that helps individuals hear sound) and the brain. Our study is the first of its kind to see if the same hearing and balance problems also happen for young people with SCD and just how early in life this may happen. With information from this project, we hope to also learn how to intervene at the earliest possible time to prevent hearing loss and balance problems from starting in the first place. - Charles Woodson Pilot Research Award: Erin Neil, D.O.
PediaTrac: Tracking Developmental Trajectories in Infants with Spinal Muscular Atrophy.
Once a progressive and often deadly disease of childhood, spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is now a treatable condition. However, there is still limited information about the developmental trajectories of treated patients, and clinicians need practical tools to monitor outcomes for individual patients. In this study, researchers will use an online tool called PediaTrac to gather more information about development in patients with treated SMA. In the future, this information will be helpful for detecting changes in these patients and making decisions about their health care needs.
Summer/Fall 2022
- Charles Woodson Collaborative Research Award: Jeremy Adler, MD, MSc
Targeted therapy for pediatric Crohn’s disease: Tissue levels of medications and cytokines.
Children with Crohn’s disease, despite treatment with immune-suppressive medications, can develop severe complications throughout their intestine, leading to complications and potentially surgery. Therapeutic drug monitoring has been used to target medication levels in the blood to improve the patient’s responses, but this does not work for everyone. What is unknown is if these medications are delivered to the intestines at the same levels for all children, and if differences in medication delivery to the bowel can explain why some children still develop complications from Crohn’s disease despite adequate levels of medications in the blood. In this study, tissue levels of medications and other markers of the immune system will be measured from biopsy samples routinely obtained from pediatric patients with Crohn’s disease. The tissue drug levels and immune markers will then be compared to the blood drug levels to better understand why some children do not respond adequately to standard medical therapy. - Amendt-Heller Award for Newborn Research: Nadia Saadat, PhD
Social and Environmental Exposures and Risk of Preterm Birth for Black Babies.
Black babies are more likely to born before completing 37 weeks of pregnancy (preterm birth, or PTB) compared to non-Hispanic white babies. This inequity in PTB is not fully explained by low socioeconomic status or poor physical health. Black mothers are exposed to social and environmental stressors leading to adverse birth outcomes, and research is needed to elucidate the biological mechanisms related to higher PTB rate for black babies. Our hypothesis is that changes in metabolism and inflammation status due to maternal social and environmental exposures is one of the pathways responsible for preterm birth in black babies. We propose to examine: 1) whether maternal exposures are related to PTB, 2) whether this relationship is associated with differences in metabolism or inflammation markers, and 3) whether there are any patterns of association of maternal social environment, exposures, perceived stress, and biological factors with omics data and PTB. Our preliminary data indicate there are differences in lipid metabolites in PTB versus term birth. We will utilize innovative high-dimensional analyses and multivariate modeling to identify lipid metabolites and inflammation markers of maternal exposures and PTB. Findings from this line of inquiry will have strong clinical implications, as they may inform pathways for interventions including nutritional supplementation and other individual and community-based intervention strategies to prevent the negative effects of exposures, adverse metabolic profile, and PTB among Black babies. - Charles Woodson Pilot Research Award: Ramkumar Mohan, PhD
Investigating sex hormone mediated programming of adipose tissue macrophage lipid and mitochondrial metabolism.
At present, in the United States, 1 in 5 children has obesity. Childhood obesity prevalence has almost doubled over the last few decades. Lifestyle changes are believed to an important contributor, but it is not the sole reason for disease risk. Children who are obese now have increased risk to become obese later in their adulthood, which puts them at a greater risk for metabolic comorbidity. Given alarming rates, there is a need to intervene and break the link in this vicious cycle before it is too late for the next generation to have a choice of healthy living. The proposed study is focused on establishing the role of an important sex hormone pathway (androgen signaling) in immune and metabolic responses. - Pediatric DEI Research Award: Cassie Ross, PsyD
Examining Relationships between Identity/Diversity and Patient and Caregiver Experiences with the Inpatient Pediatric Psychology Consultation-Liaison Services at C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital.
This project will explore the impact of personal identity/diversity on pediatric patients’ and caregivers’ experiences with inpatient pediatric psychology consultations. Currently, little is known about patient and caregiver perceptions and experience on the role of personal identity/diversity on the referral process, the informed consent/assent process, and direct inpatient pediatric psychology services. Research has shown that individuals who experience systemic racism, oppression, and discrimination are more likely to have negative hospital outcomes and are at higher risk for mental health concerns. Thus, it is crucial to consider DEIJ factors in patient and caregiver perceptions and experiences of pediatric psychology consultations and whether current practices may be contributing to negative experiences and mental health concerns. - Janette Ferrantino Investigator Award: Tiffany Munzer, MD
How Mobile Devices Affect Positive Caregiving Interactions and Infant Development.
Nearly everyone uses a mobile device in their day-to-day life, yet mobile devices may disrupt our in-person connections and interactions. Positive connections and interactions with caregivers are critical during infancy, shaping every aspect of children’s development. This research project focuses on how mobile devices affect positive caregiving interactions and infant development. - Janette Ferrantino Investigator Award: Julie Ziobro, MD
Underlying Mechanisms of, and the Use of Gene-Directed Therapy with, PCDH19-Clustering Epilepsy (PCE).
Girls with alterations in the PCDH19-gene develop seizures and developmental delays in infancy. Mice with PCDH19-clustering epilepsy (PCE) are susceptible to seizures and their brain cells are organized in a unique way. This project aims to evaluate the underlying mechanisms of PCE and use gene-directed therapy to potentially correct the disorder.
Winter/Spring 2022
- Pediatric DEI Research Award: Sarah Reeves, PhD, MPH (Susan B Meister Child Evaluation and Research (CHEAR) Center)
Predicting Risk of Negative Outcomes Related to Pain for Children with Sickle Cell Disease
Lay Summary: Sickle cell disease is a rare genetic condition which predominately affects racial and ethnic minorities in the US. The goal of this project is to predict which children with sickle cell disease are at highest risk for negative outcomes related to pain, one of the most common complications experienced by these children. To achieve this goal, we will collect multiple types of data (i.e., genetic, clinical, imaging, patient-reported, social determinants of health) to build a data repository. We will develop and pilot test a computational algorithm that identifies and predicts what patients have the highest risk for negative outcomes related to pain. Based upon this information, new ways to improve pain management in SCD can be identified, such as early adoption of pain management interventions and considerations of more intensive interventions such as new medications, chronic red cell transfusions, gene therapy or bone marrow transplant. - Amendt-Heller for Newborn Research Award: Vasantha Padmanabhan, PhD (Pediatrics, Endocrinology)
Integrative omics analysis of the effect of maternal PFAS exposure on gestational tissues and their correlation with neonate birth weight, an indicator of childhood and adult metabolic disorders.
Lay Summary: Pregnancy is a critical and sensitive phase in health of mother and developing child. Any stress, including exposure to everyday chemicals has the potential to have long-term effects on health of the child. Birth weight is the most important surrogate measure of new-born health. In this study, we examine the effect of PFAS, a class of commonly found environmental chemical, on newborn weight. By exploring the changes in methylation and gene expression from placenta and cord blood tissue - which are representative of baby’s growth condition, we aim to understand the basic mechanism by which PFAS affects new-born health.
Summer/Fall 2021
- Charles Woodson Collaborative Research Award: Durga Singer, MD (Pediatrics, Endocrinology) & Benjamin Singer, MD, PhD (IM Pulmonary & Critical Care Medicine)
Steatohepatitis in obese pneumo-sepsis survivors: The spark that lights the flame.
Lay Summary: Obesity is a significant problem now facing many children and adolescents. Unfortunately, children and adolescents are now at greater risk for diseases like type 2 diabetes and fatty liver disease and, in many cases, much more severe illness than what is seen in adults. This proposal seeks to understand if infection in obese children increases risk for severe liver inflammation and, specifically, if strategies can alter this risk. This proposal is a collaboration between a Pediatric Endocrinologist and a Pulmonary Critical Care Physician uniquely poised to investigate the intersection of childhood obesity and liver disease after infection.
- Charles Woodson Collaborative Research Award: Erin Carlton, MD, MSc (Pediatrics Critical Care Medicine) & Nora Becker, MD, PhD (IM General Medicine)
The impact of critical illness on family financial health.
Lay Summary: Pediatric chronic illnesses such as asthma and cancer are known to exert a financial toll on families. Wehypothesi ze that pediatric critical illness hospitalization may cause acute financial stress on families, but data on the financial impact of acute hospitalization are lacking. To fill this gap, we will create a novel linkage of pediatric hospitalization data to caregiver credit reports. We will evaluate caregiver’s financial status at the time of their child’s intensive care unit hospitalization and identify family and community level characteristics associated with worse financial health. This novel linkage and baseline credit data will support a larger grant to understand the impact of pediatric critical illness on longitudinal family financial health.
- Charles Woodson Pilot Research Award: Stephen M. Gorga, MD, MSc (Pediatrics Critical Care Medicine)
Investigating Factors Impacting Clinician Prescription of Intravenous Fluids (RxIV).
Lay Summary: Giving children fluids and electrolytes in an IV while they are sick is a common practice in the hospital but some children may get too much fluid for too long, which is harmful to the critically ill. Many factors influence the decision to prescribe IV fluids and when to stop them. A better understanding of these influences will allow healthcare teams and researchers to discover the best way to guide clinicians in the most critically ill children and lead to safer care.
- Elizabeth E. Kennedy (Children’s Research) Award: Julie Ziobro, MD/PhD (Pediatrics Neurology)
Interneuron development in a mouse model of Pcdh19-clustering epilepsy.
Lay Summary: PCHD19-clustering epilepsy (PCE) is a severe developmental and epileptic encephalopathy characterized by intractable seizure clusters with onset in the first year of life, cognitive impairment, and neuropsychiatric features. It is caused by pathogenic variants in the X-linked PCDH19 gene and predominantly affects females, while male carriers are unaffected. We have developed a mouse model of PCE which shows a lowered seizure threshold when exposed to hyperthermia, in addition to a unique cell segregation pattern in several brain areas. In addition, preliminary studies have found decreased parvalbumin inhibitory interneurons in the hippocampus of PCE mice compared to controls. Decreased interneuron density has been implicated in other neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders including autism, schizophrenia, and other forms of epilepsy. This study aims to understand the mechanisms by which PCE mice have a decreased density of parvalbumin interneurons by examining interneuron proliferation, migration, and cell death in our PCE model.
- Pediatric DEI Research Award: Sharnita Harris, PhD (Pediatric Psychology)
Developing a Parent-Informed Provider Toolkit to Reduce Behavioral Health Disparities.
Lay Summary: Behavioral health problems in children and adolescents often go undetected and untreated particularly among youth from underserved backgrounds. Behavioral health disparities have been exacerbated by the global pandemic putting children who are already disadvantaged at highest risk. Integrated behavioral health is one approach to increasing access to services; however, utilization rates are low in urban clinics suggesting there is a pressing need for ongoing improvement in enhancing access and utilization. The proposed study aims to reduce behavioral health disparities by developing a multi-level toolkit to increase access to services informed by parent identified barriers and facilitators to care. The pilot data from this project will be used for a future implementation study to evaluate the impact of the toolkit on patient access to behavioral health services within urban clinics.
- Charles Woodson Biostatics Award: Mark W Russell, MD (Pediatric Cardiology)
Genetic determinants of ventricular function, and exercise performance in patients with single ventricle heart defects who have had a Fontan procedure
Anticipated Results and Implications: We anticipate that identification of genetic determinants of critical clinical outcomes like ventricular function and exercise performance will allow better identification of individual patients at high risk for adverse outcomes after the Fontan procedure and allow for the development and implementation of individualized treatment approaches to optimize health and quality of life. Furthermore, the biologic pathways identified by this effort may provide novel therapeutic targets in the effort to improve clinical outcomes in this high-risk patient population.
- Department of Pediatrics Nephrotic Syndrome Pilot Research Award: Eloise Salmon, M.D. (Pediatric Nephrology)
COVID-19 and Pediatric Glomerular Disease – Healthcare Utilization, Vaccine Uptake, and Vaccine-Associated Relapse
Lay Summary: The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted children and adolescents in many ways. This study focuses specifically on individuals with NS and how their interactions with the health care system changed because of the COVID19 pandemic. This study also will explore whether urinary protein increases after COVID vaccination in children in adolescents with NS.
Winter/Spring 2021
- Gorman Scholar Research Award: Suzanne Dawid, MD, PhD (Pediatrics Infectious Diseases)
Bacterial conversations in a crowd: spatiotemporal assessment of two critical quorum sensing systems in Streptococcus pneumoniae biofilms.
Lay Summary: Streptococcus pneumonaie is a bacterium that resides in the human nose often without causing symptoms. In times of stress, the bacterium can overcome natural barriers to cause significant disease including ear infections, sinusitis, meningitis and pneumonia. While residing on human surfaces, S. pneumoniae communicates information about its numbers and local environment through the secretion of small protein messages. This proposal is designed to better understand how these conversations play out in complex bacterial communities by using a combination of molecular methods, microscopy and computational analysis.
- Pediatric DEI Research Award: Sowmya Balasubramanian, MD (Pediatrics Cardiology)
Understanding the Role of the Home Monitoring Program in Reducing Disparities in Interstage Mortality and Other Morbidities for Infants with Single Ventricle Heart Disease.
Lay Summary: Despite significant advancement in surgical and post-operative care for patients with congenital heart disease, overall mortality in patients with single ventricle heart disease continues to be impacted by racial and socioeconomic factors. Newer strategies for home monitoring of patients with a multidisciplinary team has been shown to reduce overall mortality. This study aims to understand if these newer strategies also narrow the gap in social determinants that contribute to disparate outcomes. Identification of any such factors can be extended to centers across the country, reallocate resources and increase awareness so that we achieve greater equity in health outcomes.
- Charles Woodson Pilot Research Award: Teryn Bruni, PhD (Pediatrics Psychology)
Health Utilization and Health Outcomes Associated with Adolescent Depression Screening in the US.
Lay Summary: Depression is prevalent among adolescents. Primary care provides an important opportunity for screening and effective dissemination of evidence-based mental health treatments, however before effective implementation strategies can be identified, we need a careful assessment of the current trends, outcomes, and practices. The proposed study aims to fill an important gap in our understanding of adolescent depression symptoms over time and also identify factors that impact outcomes and primary care screening and treatment practices. Information from this study will inform future implementation research and provide recommendations for primary care screening practices and clinical care.
Summer/Fall 2020
- Charles Woodson Collaborative Research Award: Antonia Popova, MD (Pediatrics Pulmonary Medicine) & Christine Freeman, PhD (Internal Medicine)
Neonatal Hyperoxia Augments Prenatal Cigarette Smoke Exposure-induced Mucus Metaplasia and Pulmonary Inflammation: Implications for Chronic Lung Disease and Asthma Development.
Lay Summary: Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is a chronic lung disease that develops in preterm infants that were treated with supplemental oxygen. Maternal smoking increases the odds of developing BPD, but the mechanism for this is not known. We have developed a murine model that combines maternal cigarette smoke (CS) with exposure of offspring to hyperoxic conditions. We found that these offspring had increased cellular infiltration and evidence of mucus production in their lungs compared to offspring exposed to either CS or hyperoxia alone. In mice, both prenatal exposure to CS and postnatal hyperoxic exposure have been shown to induce pro-inflammatory activation of dendritic cells (DC), a type of white blood cell that is known for its ability to coordinate immune responses. This proposal will test the hypothesis that DCs are contributing to CS-enhanced BPD and will seek to identify targets for BPD prevention and treatment.
- Charles Woodson Collaborative Research Award: Mark Schultz, PhD (Pathology) & Louis Dang, MD/PhD (Pediatrics Neurology)
Cell type-specific differences in Niemann-Pick type C disease.
Lay Summary: Niemann-Pick C is a fatal childhood genetic disease with no FDA-approved therapeutics. Affected children have an abnormal accumulation of cholesterol which causes progressive cognitive impairment, seizures, liver failure, and premature death. While most research has focused on the brain, we are interested in understanding Niemann-Pick C in both the brain and liver. We hope to use this information to create a single brain and liver corrective therapeutic.
- Charles Woodson Pilot Research Award: Joseph G. Kohne, MD (Pediatrics Critical Care Medicine)
FOCI: Following Outcomes after Critical Illness.
Lay Summary: Pediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome (PARDS) is a sudden life-threatening lung failure, but the impacts of the disease beyond the intensive care unit are largely unknown for survivors. This project will follow children who survive PARDS to understand who is most at risk for having difficulty after discharge. A better understanding of what happens after the hospital will allow healthcare teams and researchers to discover ways to better support children and their families after a serious illness.
- Nancy Newton Loeb Pediatric Cancer Research Award: Andrea Franson, MD, MS (Pediatrics Hematology/Oncology)
Pre-Clinical CNS Pharmacokinetic Studies of Promising Agents in the Treatment of Posterior Fossa Ependymomas.
Lay Summary: Many types of childhood cancers are readily cured with combinations of surgery, radiation therapy and/or chemotherapy. However, when tumors recur after initial treatment, they are much less likely to be cured. Posterior fossa Group A ependymomas (PFA ependymomas) are a type of brain tumor that most commonly occurs in an infant age group. Although some children are cured with surgery and radiation therapy alone, many others will have recurrent tumor that has no standard therapies to date. The work of Dr. Venneti’s laboratory has shown that a drug used in diabetes management (metformin) leads to anti-tumor activity in PFA ependymomas, and this anti-tumor activity is increased when another class of compound (called HDAC inhibitors) is added. Here, we aim to use both of these types of drugs in a mouse model to determine how much of each drug actually makes it into the brain (a typically “protected” part of the body where drugs do not easily enter). This work will be used to design a clinical trial in the future for these children with recurrent PFA ependymoma tumors to make sure we pick the right drugs and doses to have the best chance of helping these children.
Winter/Spring 2020
- Charles Woodson Collaborative Research Award: Angela C. Weyand, MD (Peds Hematology/Oncology); Kate D. Fitzgerald, MD (Psychiatry); Elizabeth H. Quint, MD (Ob-Gyn)
Evaluating mental health in adolescents with heavy menstrual bleeding using patient reported outcomes and ecological momentary assessment.
Lay Summary. Heavy menstrual bleeding is a common complaint in adolescent girls and is associated with significant morbidity. In addition to physical morbidity, quality of life is adversely affected. Preliminary retrospective data suggests that anxiety and depression are increased in this population. We aim to evaluate the prevalence of anxiety and depression prospectively using patient reported outcome measures and identify contributing factors (e.g. severity of symptoms, treatment used and response to treatment). To further enrich this data, we will utilize digital health capabilities through the use of wearable sensors and smartphone applications, and increase our understanding of how heavy menstrual bleeding affects the day to day experience of adolescent females.
- Charles Woodson Collaborative Research Award: Mark W. Russell, MD (Peds Cardiology) & Lars Fritsche, PhD (Biostatistics, SPH)
Genetic determinants of hemodynamic instability and survival in infants undergoing surgical repair of critical congenital cardiac defects.
Lay Summary: Children born with a critical congenital cardiac defect face numerous challenges. Survival rates have improved but progress has slowed and there continues to be significant mortality for the most severe defects, despite implementation of best practices. In this study, we will pair genetic data and with a rich clinical database collected by the Pediatric Critical Care Consortium to identify genetic reasons that some children have better results after their heart surgery than others. We anticipate that we will identify biologic pathways that are more resilient in some patients than others. Identification of these pathways will allow better individualization of patient care and the development of targeted treatments for patients at risk for a poor outcome. With the ongoing studies from this dataset, the continued recruitment of subjects into PHN-supported studies and continued growth of the biorepository, and the anticipated R01 application, we anticipate that this project will provide the foundation for an ongoing collaborative relationship between the two PIs.
- Amendt-Heller Award for Newborn Research: Rebecca Vartanian, MD (Peds Neonatal/Perinatal Med); Cargri Besirli, MD (Pediatric Ophthalmology)
Quantitative Analysis of VEGF in Infant Tears as a Biomarker for ROP.
Lay Summary: Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP) is an eye disorder that occurs exclusively in premature infants and is caused in part by conditions in which high oxygen levels paradoxically damage the retina (the “light sensor” of the eye). ROP remains among the leading causes of preventable blindness in children and early identification and treatment is critical in preventing permanent vision loss. Currently ROP must be screened for and managed by eye doctors using examination methods that are uncomfortable for infants, including holding the eyelids open with a metal retractor and shining a bright light in the eye for several minutes. Our research project has the potential to create a reliable, technically simple, low-cost, readily available, and non-invasive method to screen for ROP and to monitor treatment response and disease activity. If funded, our research could greatly reduce the number of ophthalmologic examinations required by premature infants, which currently range from every one to three weeks, and may lead to earlier identification and treatment of ROP, thus reducing the incidence of blindness in premature infants.
Summer/Fall 2019
- Gorman Scholar Award: Kao-Ping Chua, MD, PhD (CHEAR)
Naloxone Prescribing and Dispensing Among Adolescents and Young Adults at High Risk of Opioid Overdose. In 2016, 2,985 adolescents and young adults aged 15-24 years died of an overdose related to prescription or illicit opioids, representing a rate of 1 death every 11 minutes.1 To mitigate the risk of these overdose deaths, it is crucial to ensure that adolescents and young adults at high risk of opioid overdose have access to naloxone, a medication that can save lives by rapidly reversing overdose. However, it is unknown how frequently these patients are prescribed naloxone, how often naloxone prescriptions for these patients are dispensed at pharmacies, and whether out-of-pocket costs are a barrier to naloxone dispensing. In this proposal, I will use insurance claims databases and national prescription data to assess naloxone prescribing and dispensing among high-risk adolescents and young adults and to evaluate whether out-of-pocket costs deter naloxone dispensing. The results from this study will inform the design and implementation of interventions to increase naloxone use and reduce overdose deaths among high-risk adolescents and young adults. Additionally, results will also inform whether insurers should eliminate out-of-pocket costs for naloxone. - Janette Ferrantino Investigator Award: Louis Dang MD, PhD (Pediatrics Neurology).
Targeting upstream open reading frames to amplify haploinsufficient SCN1A expression. Dravet Syndrome (DS) is a devastating disease affecting children who suffer from severe seizures, developmental regression and a high risk of premature death. DS is caused by a mutation in the SCN1A gene, resulting in decreased levels of its protein product, Nav1.1. It is observed that the normal SCN1A gene has multiple “false” protein synthesis start sites which would result in decreased efficiency of Nav1.1 protein synthesis. An antisense oligonucleotide that targets and blocks the “false” start sites and may result in increased production of the crucial Nav1.1 protein. We intend to use a human stem cell model of DS to determine whether targeting the “false” protein synthesis start sites in the SCN1A gene with antisense oligonucleotides can result in increased production of the Nav1.1 protein. This therapeutic strategy has the potential of preventing or halting the progression of seizures and cognitive impairment in patients with DS as it addresses the underlying cause. - Ravitz Advancement Award: Suzanne Dawid, MD, PhD (Pediatrics Infectious Diseases).
The role of competitive pneumococcal loci in invasion of the airway microbiome: Streptococcus pneumoniae is a common cause of middle ear infections, pneumonia and meningitis primarily affecting young children and the elderly population. The bacteria reside in the nasal cavity, and from there passes from person to person, typically causing no symptoms until there is a breach in host barriers. The nasal cavity is filled with a diverse and varied community of bacteria that all compete to survive in each human host. These competitive interactions are vital for persistance of this pathogen but are very poorly understood. This research focuses on creating a new model that uses human saliva to establish a complex bacterial community that we can use to study the competitive interactions that allow Streptococcus pneumoniae to continue to be a serious cause of human disease. - Elizabeth E. Kennedy Children’s Research Award: Zubin J. Modi, MD (Pediatrics Nephrology).
Identification of pediatric chronic kidney disease and health services use in a national cohort. Kidney disease in children is a devastating, lifelong condition. It is thought that childhood kidney disease is a rare problem Using data from insurance claims can help us better understand how many children have kidney disease. Unfortunately, we currently have many ways to identify these children, but do not know which way is best. This study will start to answer the question of what method of using insurance claim data for pediatric kidney disease research is best. We will compare the way different methods capture children with kidney disease to estimate how many US children have kidney disease, what health services they use, and if we can track worsening kidney disease over time. - Charles Woodson Biostatistics Award. Jenny Radesky, MD (Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics)
Understanding Early Childhood Media Use Profiles. Young children’s access to modern digital media, such as smartphones and tablets with interactive applications, has been increasing rapidly over the past 10 years. Past research has looked at children’s media use behaviors in isolation; for example, testing whether total ‘screen time’ duration is linked with developmental delays. However, children’s modern media usage is far more complex than a single ‘screen time’ concept; therefore, research needs to take into account the multiple layers of media use in a child’s environment, such as the design of the apps they use, how much media parents use, and family rules and engagement around media in the home. This study proposes to use statistical modeling to define preschoolers’ Media Profiles – a novel concept that captures the multitude of ways media is used by families – and examine how these profiles correlate over time and with family characteristics.
Winter/Spring 2019
- Charles Woodson Collaborative Research Award: Catherine Keegan, MD, PhD (Pediatrics Genetics) and Stephen Parker, PhD (Computational Medicine and Bioinformatics).
Single-cell resolution developmental regulatory mapping of caudal structural birth defects. Birth defects are the leading causes of infant mortality in the United States accounting for 1 in 5 infant deaths. Affected children who do survive often endure numerous corrective surgeries causing emotional and financial stresses to many families. Birth defects involving the caudal, or lower half of the body, affect the reproductive organs, kidneys, spine, stomach, intestines, and the lower limbs. Caudal birth defects are well recognized clinically, though the biological processes behind them are currently not well understood. This research project integrates the use of mice carrying specific genetic changes to model caudal birth defects and cutting-edge genomic technologies to learn how individual cells behave in normal and abnormal development. The results of our studies will translate into increased knowledge of normal human development and allow for better counseling, diagnosis, and treatment for patients and families affected by this class of birth defects. - Amendt-Heller Award for Newborn Research. John Charpie, MD, PhD (Pediatrics Cardiology)
Nicorandil attenuates cardiomyocyte injury and ventricular dysfunction after cardiopulmonary bypass. Early cardiac failure after open heart surgery in children is a relatively common phenomenon that is associated with major complications and death. The precise causes for cardiac failure are incompletely understood, but the heart-lung bypass machine and relatively brief period of interrupted blood flow to the heart muscle that are necessary for surgical repair clearly contribute. Nicorandil, a drug approved for use in adults with chest pain, appears to have protective effects against early cardiac failure in adult animal models. We plan to evaluate the potentially beneficial effect of nicorandil in a young animal model of open heart surgery in preparation for a clinical trial in human infants. - Benz Birth Defects Research Award. Shane Quinonez, MD (Pediatrics Genetics).
Agricultural Pesticide Exposure and the Risk of Neural Tube Defects in Rural Ethiopia. Birth defects and genetic diseases are increasing in importance as causes of lifelong disability and mortality in low- and middle-income countries. A well-known and preventable cause of birth defects is the exposure of pregnant women to agricultural pesticides and other environmental toxins. In areas surrounding flower farms in rural Ethiopia, local health care providers have reported an increased occurrence of a serious birth defect affecting the central nervous system known as neural tube defects. In this research proposal, we aim to use a mobile application called the MiGene Family History App to study if there is an association between occupational and/or residential exposure to flower farming pesticides and neural tube defects. This study has important implications for the rural population of Ethiopia and will bring increased attention to the care of underserved populations. - Charles Woodson Pilot Research Award. Prachi E. Shah, MD, MS (Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics).
Parent and Teacher Antecedents of Curiosity, Associations with Academic Achievement at Kindergarten. In the young child, curiosity, combined with a strong drive to master new information, provides a solid foundation for early learning, but the expression and promotion of curiosity may vary with the quality of early experiences, which may contribute to disparities in academic achievement. Our previous work has identified that higher curiosity in early childhood is associated with higher academic achievement in kindergarten, and can potentially close the achievement gap associated with poverty. To date, little is known about the conditions in the home and early learning environments which can foster early childhood curiosity, especially for children in poverty. This application will identify the types of early experiences at home and at kindergarten which can foster curiosity and academic achievement in young children, with special attention to the role of these experiences for children with socioeconomic disadvantage. This work can lead to the development of interventions, policies and practices to promote the expression of curiosity in young children, to potentially mitigate the achievement gap associated with poverty. - Charles Woodson Biostatistics Award. Lindsay Ellsworth, MD and Brigid Gregg, MD (Pediatrics Endocrinology).
Infant Metabolism and Gestational Endocrinopathies (IMAGE) StudyInfant Metabolism and Gestational Endocrinopathies (IMAGE) Study. Maternal metabolic diseases are becoming increasingly common during pregnancy which can impact maternal and infant health. This research study is being done to look at levels of nutrients, hormones and bioactive factors in breast milk from mothers with obesity, diabetes and polycystic ovary syndrome as well as maternal urine, infant stool and infant saliva. Our goal is to better understand the many factors that impact how mother’s health influences infant’s health during the lactation period.
FOR RESIDENTS and FELLOWS
Resident and Fellow Research Grant Program:
Fall 2024 deadline = October 4, 2024
The Department of Pediatrics Resident and Fellow Research Grant Program is intended to support the research career development of residents and fellows in the Department of Pediatrics. The Department will accept funding requests on a biannual basis. Review of proposals will be coordinated by the Associate Chair for Education, in collaboration with the Associate Director of Fellowship Programs, Residency Program Director, and Associate Chair for Research.
Eligibility: House Officers with Primary Appointments in the Department of Pediatrics proposing a pediatric-focused research topic. Eligible trainees include:
- Pediatric Residents
- Pediatric Genetic Residents
- Internal Medicine-Pediatric Residents
- Pediatric Neurology Residents
- Pediatric Subspecialty Fellows
- Pediatric Psychology Fellows
Funding: Up to $1,000 for residents; Up to $5,000 for fellows
Funding Restrictions:
- Unless otherwise stated, funds may be used for University of Michigan research personnel salary support, research supplies, and research equipment. Award funds may not be used to support any U-M faculty member, cost overruns or retroactive funding, publications, grant preparation costs, travel, hosting, annual membership dues, renovations, office equipment, GSRA tuition, external collaborator or consultant salaries, or indirect (facilities and administration) costs (F&A).
- Funds for research proposals that require IRB or IACUC approval will not be released until documentation of IRB or IACUC approval is provided to the Pediatric Research Office, along with any substantial changes to the proposed research required by the IRB or IACUC. *NOTE: IRB and/or IACUC approval(s) must be finalized within 3 months of the award notification in order to remain eligible for receiving award funding*.
- All funds must be used within 24 months of disbursal or before the completion of the training program (whichever comes first).
Reporting: The project must be submitted for presentation at the Pediatric Department Research Symposium within 24 months of funding or before the completion of the training program (whichever comes first).
*All applications must also be accompanied by a letter of support from a faculty sponsor with a primary appointment in the Department of Pediatrics, Program Director or Division Director within the Department of Pediatrics.
Applications will be accepted twice yearly, once in the Spring and once in the Fall. Applications should be submitted by email to [email protected] and are due by 11:59 p.m. on the specified dates. The deadline for Fall 2024 applications is Friday, October 4, 2024.
Contact/Questions:
Steffenie Merillat: [email protected]
PRO Office, Intramural Team: [email protected]
Pediatric Research Office: [email protected] (734-615-1740)
Download application guidelines here.
Funded Projects
Spring 2024
- Maria Pliakas, M.D. (Fellow, Pediatric Critical Care) Sedation practices in the pediatric postoperative liver transplant population utilizing linked databases
- Sarah Pollick, M.D. (Fellow, Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics) Qualitative and Quantitative Analysis of Hearing Care Pathways of Children with Autism and Hearing Loss
- Aditi Hindka, M.D. (Resident, General Pediatrics) Locking Up Safety: Free Gun-Locks in a Pediatric Emergency Department
- Annika Lee, M.D. (Resident, Pediatrics Internal Medicine) Immunogenic response to pneumococcal vaccination with PCV20 in patients with sickle cell anemia
Fall 2023
- Adrienne Bruder, M.D. (Fellow, Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine) Human milk hormones and their impact on eating behaviors and growth during infancy
- Cecilia Gállego Suárez, M.D. (Fellow, Pediatric Critical Care) The effect of obesity in complications and outcomes in adolescents and young adults supported with Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) for COVID-19 respiratory failure
- Kiri Sunde, M.D. (Fellow, Pediatric Genetics) Healthcare needs assessment and implementation of home medical visits for the Amish communities of Branch and Hillsdale County, Michigan
Spring 2023
- Christopher Connolly, M.D., MBA, M.S. (Peds & Med Genetics HO; Advisor: Mohamed Farhat, MD ) Creation and Assessment of 3D Printed Teaching Materials to Teach Pediatric Chest Tube
Placement and Pulmonary Dynamics - Amanda Crandall, Ph.D. (Peds Fellow, Developmental Behavioral; Advisor: Julie Lumeng, MD) The Impact of Pre-Pregnancy Weight Loss on Infant Sucking Behavior
- Deanna Pennewitt, M.D. (Peds Fellow, Developmental Behavioral; Advisor: Tiffany Munzer, MD) How are Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder Using Digital Media? A Qualitative Study of Families’ Lived Experiences
- Carly Schmidt, M.D. (Peds Fellow, Critical Care; Advisor: Erin Carlton, MD) Characteristics, Risk Factors, and Causes of Readmission After Pediatric Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest
Fall 2022
- Kelly Burke, MD (Med/Peds HO; Advisor: Jesse Hansen, MD) Validity of Wearable Fitness Tracker Heart Rate Detection in Fontan Patients.
- Jacqueline Fisher, MD (Med/Peds HO, Endocrinology; Advisors: Ken Kozloff, PhD; Kanakadurga Singer, MD) The relationship between adiponectin levels in collegiate cross-country athletes and bone mineral density.
- Daniel Kashima, MD (Med/Peds HO, Neurology; Rachel Gottlieb-Smith, MD) Neuronal and synaptic consequences of epilepsy patient-derived SCN1B-R89C variant through brain development.
- Errin Mitchell, MD (Med/Peds HO, Critical Care; Advisor: Erica Andrist, MD) Relationship of Medicaid Expansion to Clinical Outcomes in Hospitalized Children with Asthma.
Spring 2022
- Marianne Kerski, MD (Med/Peds HO; Advisor: Jessica Turnier, MD) Defining Plasma Proteomic Signatures in Juvenile Dermatomyositis.
- Seth Iskowitz, MD (Pediatrics Fellow, Gastroenterology; Advisor: Jeremy Adler, MD, MS). IgG4-Associated Inflammation of the ileal J-pouch among pediatric patients with ulcerative colitis status-post colectomy.
Fall 2021
- Yi Tak (Daisy) Tsang, PhD (Pediatric Fellow, Psychology; Advisor: Kris Kullgren, PhD). Parents’ Perception of Universal Trauma Screening in Pediatric Medical Settings.
- Ashlee Smith, MD (HO2 Pediatrics; Advisor: Sara Koenig McLaughlin, MD, PhD). Putting a face to a vaccine-preventable disease: an approach to counter vaccine hesitancy in parents of infants.
Spring 2021
- Elizaveta Bourchtein, PhD (Pediatric Fellow, Psychology; Advisor: M. James Lopez, MD, PhD). Evaluating the efficacy of a brief sleep intervention in pediatric patients with inflammatory bowel disease.
Fall 2020
- Kavita Warrier, MD (Pediatric Fellow, Infectious Diseases; Advisor: Alison Tribble, MD). Trends in use of oseltamivir in pediatric patients hospitalized with influenza between 2010 and 2020.
- Natalia Painter, MD (HO 2, Medicine Pediatrics; Advisor: Thomas Saba, MD). Assessment of a procedural curriculum using 3D printed airways to teach pediatric flexible bronchoscopy.
Spring 2020
- Richard Birnbaum, PhD (Pediatric Psychology Fellow; Advisor: Andrew Cook, PhD). Revising and Validating the Parent Acceptance of Pediatric Integrated Care Survey (PAPICS). Revising and Validating the Parent Acceptance of Pediatric Integrated Care Survey (PAPICS).
Fall 2019
- Jennifer Lai Yee, MD, MPH, PhD (Pediatric Nephrology Fellow; Advisor: Rebecca Lombel, MD). Functionally resolving WT1 variants of uncertain significant in Nephrotic Syndrome.
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Stephani K. Zakutansky, MD (Medicine-Pediatrics HO-3; Advisor: Erin Carlton, MD). Analyze mortality outcomes in patients with severe sepsis admitted to PICUs versus MICUs using a single database.