Monthly Archives :

March 2026

Genome Database Analysis Suggests Cystic Fibrosis is More Globally Distributed Than Previously Believed
Genome Database Analysis Suggests Cystic Fibrosis is More Globally Distributed Than Previously Believed 1024 768 Katie Brind'Amour, PhD, MS, CHES

Despite lower CF incidence in non-European populations, total CF births in Asia, Africa and South America likely equal or surpass those in North America and Europe. Cystic fibrosis (CF) has long been viewed as a disease that primarily affects people of European descent. Even as genetic research expanded and highly effective modulator therapies (HEMT) became…

In Sight: Targeted Muscle Reinnervation
In Sight: Targeted Muscle Reinnervation 150 150 Abbie Miller

Amputation in pediatrics is often a result of traumatic injury or cancers, such as osteosarcoma. At Nationwide Children’s, Thomas Scharschmidt, MD, director of the Orthopedic Oncology Program, is a leader in limb salvage surgery and targeted muscle reinnervation.  Targeted muscle reinnervation (TMR) is a surgical technique that reroutes severed peripheral nerves into nearby muscles, giving…

Hot Topics in Endocrinology: A conversation with Joan Han, MD, Division Chief of Endocrinology at Nationwide Children’s
Hot Topics in Endocrinology: A conversation with Joan Han, MD, Division Chief of Endocrinology at Nationwide Children’s 1024 605 Pam Georgiana
Dr. Joan Han standing in a white coat in a hospital setting

Joan C. Han, MD, became chief of the Division of Endocrinology at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in January 2026. She is a nationally recognized physician-scientist in pediatric obesity and metabolic disease. In this Q&A, Dr. Han discusses the most pressing issues in pediatric endocrinology and her vision for advancing clinical care and research at Nationwide Children’s.…

The Growing Use of Robotics in General Pediatric Surgical Procedures
The Growing Use of Robotics in General Pediatric Surgical Procedures 1024 683 Lauren Dembeck

Pediatric surgeons are increasingly turning to robotic technology for the delivery of safe and enhanced minimally invasive surgical approaches for younger children. Over the past two decades, the use of minimally invasive surgery (MIS) techniques for both laparoscopic and thoracoscopic surgery have been widely adopted for the treatment of children requiring various surgical procedures. This…

Q&A With Cory Criss, MD: Advancing Pediatric Care Through Innovation
Q&A With Cory Criss, MD: Advancing Pediatric Care Through Innovation 150 150 Alaina Doklovic

Cory Criss, MD, is a pediatric surgeon at Nationwide Children’s Hospital and the founder and director of the Innovation Center. He also serves as the chief operating officer and co-principal investigator of the Midwest Pediatric Device Consortium (MPDC), a multi-million-dollar FDA funded initiative accelerating the development and commercialization of pediatric medical devices. Read on to…

From Biology to Bedside: How the Center for Childhood Cancer Research Is Shaping What Comes Next
From Biology to Bedside: How the Center for Childhood Cancer Research Is Shaping What Comes Next 1024 627 Madison Storm
Portrait of Alexander Bishop, DPhil, standing in a hospital lobby and smiling, wearing a navy blazer and light blue shirt.

An interview with Alexander Bishop, DPhil, director of the Center for Childhood Cancer Research, principal investigator and Richard J. Solove Endowed Chair in Cancer Clinical Developmental Therapeutics at Nationwide Children’s Hospital. At Nationwide Children’s Hospital, the mission of the Center for Childhood Cancer Research (CCCR) is to expand the understanding of childhood cancer pathogenesis and…

Tissue Engineered Vascular Grafts: A Breakthrough for Children With Heart Defects
Tissue Engineered Vascular Grafts: A Breakthrough for Children With Heart Defects 968 1024 Abbie Miller
Illustration of a heart showing the Fontan surgery

An innovation 30 years in the making is poised to change the way children with single ventricle disease experience life after a Fontan procedure. Children with single ventricle disease are often described as having “half a heart.” What this really means is that one of their ventricles (either the right or left lower chamber of…

DNA Methylation-Based Diagnostics: Refining Diagnosis for the Most Complex Pediatric Brain Tumors
DNA Methylation-Based Diagnostics: Refining Diagnosis for the Most Complex Pediatric Brain Tumors 1024 783 Lauren Dembeck

Developed at Nationwide Children’s, the MACDADI classifier is compatible with next-generation methylation arrays and quickly delivers more accurate tumor diagnoses, offering a clinically validated alternative to outdated and unregulated methylation classifiers. Diagnosing central nervous system (CNS) tumors in children is among the most challenging problems in pediatric oncology. Many tumor types share overlapping microscopic features,…

One Gene, Big Impact: The Science Behind a New Therapy for Brain and Muscle Health
One Gene, Big Impact: The Science Behind a New Therapy for Brain and Muscle Health 1024 683 Madison Storm
Dr. Zarife Sahenk, MD, PhD

A promising new gene therapy developed at Nationwide Children’s Hospital is offering hope for new patients with neurodegenerative and muscle disorders. Led by Zarife Sahenk, MD, PhD, a neurologist, principal investigator in the Jerry R. Mendell Center for Gene Therapy and director of Clinical and Experimental Neuromuscular Pathology at the Abigail Wexner Research Institute, the…

Startups Update: Where Are They Now?
Startups Update: Where Are They Now? 1024 683 Madison Storm

From cutting-edge gene therapies to transformative medical devices, startups are redefining what’s possible in-patient care and technology. Born from pioneering research and nurtured through strategic collaborations, startups are tackling critical challenges—from neonatal care to oncology and rare genetic disorders—while advancing toward commercialization. Supported by the Office of Technology Commercialization, which facilitates the transfer of breakthrough…

Shorter Antibiotic Courses Appear Safe for Uncomplicated Gram-Negative Bloodstream Infections in the NICU
Shorter Antibiotic Courses Appear Safe for Uncomplicated Gram-Negative Bloodstream Infections in the NICU 1024 602 Pam Georgiana
Newborn baby with nasal canula oxygen support receiving care in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at a hospital, resting while monitored by medical staff.

Neonatology and pediatric pharmacy partner to advance antibiotic stewardship. For years, Pablo J. Sánchez, MD, principal investigator in the Center for Perinatal Research in the Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, observed that approximately 7 days of antibiotic therapy appeared sufficient for selected neonates with uncomplicated gram-negative bloodstream infections that does not involve…