Failure of the microbiome to fully establish itself in a preterm infant’s digestive system precedes the development of a a life-threatening intestinal condition.
News
NICHD issues News Releases and Media Advisories to the news media. Spotlight and Research Feature articles explain NICHD research findings and public health issues to the general public. An Item of Interest is a short announcement of relevant information, such as a notable staff change.
Item of Interest: NIH report recommends strategies for advancing research on necrotizing enterocolitis
NIH issued a new report identifying promising research areas to improve understanding of necrotizing enterocolitis, a gastrointenstinal disease affecting preterm infants that increases the risk for serious illness and death.
Science Update: Blood transfusions for preterm infants not associated with risk for necrotizing enterocolitis, NIH-funded study suggests
Blood transfusions for preterm infants to do not appear to increase the risk of a life-threatening intestinal condition, a new study suggests.
Science Update: Preterm infants fed donor milk had fewer intestinal complications than formula-fed infants
Compared to formula fed infants, extremely preterm infants fed donated human milk had half the rate of necrotizing enterocolitis, a life threatening condition of the intestines. There were no differences in neurological development between those fed donor milk and those fed formula.
Item of Interest: Stanley Cohen, Nobel Winner and Longtime NICHD Grantee, Dies
NICHD funded Cohen’s award-winning work on growth factors for most of his career.
NICHD scientists decipher how group of proteins regulate immune cell development in mice
Immune system proteins called Themis are essential for helping two major types of infection-fighting immune cells mature, according to two studies led by researchers at NICHD.
Getting to Know the New NICHD Director
NICHD Director Dr. Diana Bianchi shares some thoughts about joining NICHD.
Addressing Infants’ Critical Care Needs: A Q&A with Dr. Tonse Raju
A hospital’s neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) provides treatment and care for premature infants and other newborns with severe illnesses, injuries, or conditions. NICUs are specially equipped to address the needs of critically ill infants with medical equipment designed for very small bodies. But often these devices are simply downsized versions of tools created for older patients. There remains a need for new, specially designed tools and devices to better address infants’ unique needs and conditions.
Antibiotic approved for treating infant abdominal infections
The antibiotic meropenem was approved by the U. S. Food and Drug Administration for treating abdominal infections in children less than 3 months of age.
Drug safety for children and pregnant women topic of March NICHD Director’s Podcast
Once the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approves a drug, physicians can use their best judgment to prescribe it to their patients—whether or not their patients are similar to those who took part in the clinical trials. Physicians can also prescribe drugs for diseases or conditions other than those for which they were originally tested.
Scientific Vision: The Next Decade
On December 5, 2012, the NICHD released the Scientific Vision: The Next Decade, the culmination of a collaborative process that began in 2011 to identify the most promising scientific opportunities for the Institute and the research community to pursue over the next decade. The Vision statement was made available during the NICHD’s 50th anniversary colloquium.
NICHD reorganizes extramural program
Alan Guttmacher, M.D., Director of the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) announced a number of changes to streamline the institute’s organizational structure and accelerate the exchange of scientific ideas.
NICHD vision statement now available online
A document charting a research course for the many collaborators who share an interest in promoting the science concerning human development through the life span, child health, women's health, and rehabilitation research is now available online.
Research for a Lifetime: Commemorating the NICHD’s 50th Anniversary
As the Institute marks its golden anniversary, we look back on the NICHD's early years, its scientific accomplishments, and its future.
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