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Natalie Wilson

Growing Clinical Research at Nationwide Children’s With Cynthia Gerhardt, PhD
 Growing Clinical Research at Nationwide Children’s With Cynthia Gerhardt, PhD 1024 683 Natalie Wilson
By: Cynthia Gerhardt, PhD and Natalie Wilson

Dr. Gerhardt was appointed Chief Clinical Research Officer at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in April 2023. With integrating clinical care and research at the heart of the hospital’s strategic plan, she has big plans for ensuring our clinical research infrastructure continues to grow and evolve to support the best bench-to-bedside-and-back science for best outcomes. Learn more…

Literature Review: Coping Through Narrative Medicine
 Literature Review: Coping Through Narrative Medicine 1024 555 Natalie Wilson
By: Natalie Wilson

Engaging with others’ stories helps prevent burnout among pediatric residents. A recent publication in Annals of Medicine shows pediatric residents practicing narrative medicine reported sustained improvements in their perceived levels of stress, self-compassion, empathy, mindfulness, burnout and resilience. This marks the first study to demonstrate the value of a narrative medicine intervention in promoting lasting…

Creatine Supplements and the Youth Athlete
 Creatine Supplements and the Youth Athlete 945 825 Natalie Wilson
By: Natalie Wilson

Researchers at Nationwide Children’s Hospital found there is insufficient evidence that creatine supplementation is effective for consistently improving athletic performance in adolescents. They also identified a gap in knowledge of the long-term effects of creatine supplementation in this population. Creatine is naturally found in skeletal muscle and acts as an energy source during muscle activation.…

Advancing Genomics-Driven Precision Medicine in the NICU
 Advancing Genomics-Driven Precision Medicine in the NICU 1024 683 Natalie Wilson
By: Natalie Wilson

According to the Children’s Hospitals Neonatal Consortium, as many as half of newborns hospitalized in level IV neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) due to critical illness have an underlying genetic condition. Most don’t get their diagnosis for months or even years. However, clinical assays, new testing modalities and clinical trials are improving their care. Advanced…

The Role of a Children’s Hospital in Central Ohio’s Biotech Boom
 The Role of a Children’s Hospital in Central Ohio’s Biotech Boom 480 346 Natalie Wilson
By: Lauren Dembeck and Natalie Wilson

Nationwide Children’s Hospital is at the front of the pack among top National Institutes of Health (NIH) funded children’s hospitals when it comes to developing novel gene therapies and commercializing intellectual property. Achieving this level of commercial activity is a testament to the organization’s groundbreaking investments in infrastructure, unique approaches to engaging with industry and…

Featured Researcher — Linda Baker, MD
 Featured Researcher — Linda Baker, MD 150 150 Natalie Wilson
By: Natalie Wilson

Linda Baker, MD, a renowned expert in prune belly syndrome (PBS), joined Nationwide Children’s as a research director and principal investigator in the Kidney and Urinary Tract Center and The Ohio State University as a clinical professor of Urology at the end of 2022. Dr. Baker has met, evaluated and cared for over 180 children…

Using Hormone Therapy First Drives Earlier Remission From Infantile Epileptic Spasms Syndrome
 Using Hormone Therapy First Drives Earlier Remission From Infantile Epileptic Spasms Syndrome 1024 575 Natalie Wilson
By: Natalie Wilson

Recent research conducted at Nationwide Children’s Hospital demonstrated standardizing hormone therapy as the first treatment for infantile spasms improved rates of early remission. Infantile epileptic spasms syndrome (IESS) is an uncommon epilepsy syndrome characterized by seizures called infantile spasms that begin between 1 and 24 months of age (with a peak age of onset at…

Understanding Pediatric Critical COVID-19 Disease Around the World
 Understanding Pediatric Critical COVID-19 Disease Around the World 150 150 Natalie Wilson
By: Natalie Wilson

A large, multinational study found more children hospitalized with critical COVID-19 died than was indicated by previous studies.   Children under 18 represent around 22% of the population in the United States. Yet, just 15% of over 75 million U.S. COVID-19 cases reported to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and fewer than 0.2% of over…

Featured Researcher — Ashley Jackson, PhD
 Featured Researcher — Ashley Jackson, PhD 150 150 Natalie Wilson
By: Natalie Wilson

Ashley Jackson, PhD, is a principal investigator in The Kidney and Urinary Tract Center at Nationwide Children’s studying renal urothelium, the special surface tissue that lines most of the urinary tract, or the drainage system of the kidneys, to slow kidney disease progression in children with urinary tract obstruction (UTO), or a blockage that prevents…

When Every Week Matters: Advancing a Treatment to the Clinic
 When Every Week Matters: Advancing a Treatment to the Clinic 1024 491 Natalie Wilson
By: Natalie Wilson
Illustrations of clock faces at different times and angles

Researchers and regulatory experts bring a potential new therapy for a deadly neurodegenerative disease from IND application to clinical trial enrollment in a matter of weeks, setting a new standard in translating therapies from bench to bedside. In October 2021, the Office of Research Regulatory Affairs (ORRA) at Nationwide Children’s Hospital submitted an Investigational New…

Featured Researcher — Scott Harper, PhD
 Featured Researcher — Scott Harper, PhD 150 150 Natalie Wilson
By: Natalie Wilson

Scott Harper, PhD, is a principal investigator in the Center for Gene Therapy at the Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital and a professor of Pediatrics at the Ohio State University College of Medicine. Dr. Harper’s primary research focus at Nationwide Children’s has been developing adeno-associated virus (AAV) based gene therapies to treat…

Learning in Real Time to Overcome COVID-19 and MIS-C
 Learning in Real Time to Overcome COVID-19 and MIS-C 1024 491 Natalie Wilson
By: Natalie Wilson
Illustrations of clock faces at different times and angles

When multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) emerged in May 2020, the new condition made headlines. Although rare, MIS-C can appear in kids about a month after they’ve recovered from infections with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19 — even if they haven’t felt sick at all. “We don’t know why some children develop MIS-C,”…

Impulsivity, Not Inattention, Predicts Externalizing Disorders
 Impulsivity, Not Inattention, Predicts Externalizing Disorders 1024 683 Natalie Wilson
By: Natalie Wilson
Black and white image of five smiling kids/adolescents

Without early intervention, children with hyperactive-impulsive symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder may be vulnerable to developing other externalizing behavior disorders. Contributing to a small but growing body of litera­ture evaluating trait impulsivity theory, a team of researchers led by Mary A. Fristad, PhD, ABPP, director of Academic Affairs and Research Development in the Division of Child…

Featured Researcher — Rodney Britt, PhD
 Featured Researcher — Rodney Britt, PhD 150 150 Natalie Wilson
By: Natalie Wilson

Rodney D. Britt Jr., PhD, is a principal investigator in the Center for Perinatal Research at the Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital and an assistant professor of Pediatrics at The Ohio State University. Dr. Britt earned his bachelor’s degree in Chemistry from North Carolina A&T State University and his doctorate degree in…

The Impact of Genomic Medicine: Carter’s Story
 The Impact of Genomic Medicine: Carter’s Story 1024 685 Natalie Wilson
By: Natalie Wilson

In 2013, at just 1 year old, Carter Daggett was diagnosed with a rare brain tumor. Now, in 2021, at 8 years old, he celebrated three years cancer free — thanks to his clinical teams and cutting-edge research by the team at the Steve and Cindy Rasmussen Institute for Genomic Medicine at Nationwide Children’s Hospital.…

Featured Researcher — Jennifer Muszynski, MD, MPH, FCCM
 Featured Researcher — Jennifer Muszynski, MD, MPH, FCCM 150 150 Natalie Wilson
By: Natalie Wilson

Jennifer Muszynski, MD, MPH, FCCM, a physician in the Division of Critical Care Medicine at Nationwide Children’s Hospital and an associate director of its fellowship program, is a principal investigator in the Center for Clinical and Translational Research in the Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s. Dr. Muszynski’s research focuses on understanding how receiving…

When Dismantling Bacterial Biofilms, the First Line of Defense Comes From Within
 When Dismantling Bacterial Biofilms, the First Line of Defense Comes From Within 1024 575 Natalie Wilson
By: Natalie Wilson
Illustration showing the precise pattern of a biofilm - a perfect, 3D matrix

Researchers identified the mechanism behind the anti-biofilm properties of a protein found in all vertebrates. Too little of this protein allows disease-causing bacteria protected by biofilms to spread, while too much can lead to septic shock. Could a molecule of this protein be engineered to destroy biofilms without negative effects on the body? A team…

Featured Researcher — Leena Nahata, MD
 Featured Researcher — Leena Nahata, MD 150 150 Natalie Wilson
By: Natalie Wilson

Pediatric endocrinologist Leena Nahata, MD, is the founder and medical director of the Fertility and Reproductive Health Program at Nationwide Children’s Hospital and a principal investigator in the Center for Biobehavioral Health at the Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s. Although fertility-related decisions can seem far away for children, adolescents and their families, many…

Improving Suicide Prevention by Examining Characteristics and Precipitating Circumstances Among Children Aged 5 to 11 Years
 Improving Suicide Prevention by Examining Characteristics and Precipitating Circumstances Among Children Aged 5 to 11 Years 150 150 Natalie Wilson
By: Natalie Wilson

Suicides among children aged 11 or younger are on the rise. In response to this trend and a call to action by the National Institute of Mental Health task force on child suicide research, researchers have identified common themes across coroner’s and police reports on suicide deaths in this age group to identify warning signs…

Unique Approach Helps Child Neurology Residents Improve Communication Skills
 Unique Approach Helps Child Neurology Residents Improve Communication Skills 150 150 Natalie Wilson
By: Natalie Wilson

More than 75% of residents said the opportunity to receive direct feedback from standardized patients, faculty and peers during simulated patient encounters was a valuable addition to their medical education. Teaching residents how to be sensitive, supportive, clear and thorough as they communicate complex information to patients and families is an essential part of medical…

Featured Researcher — Genevieve Kendall, PhD
 Featured Researcher — Genevieve Kendall, PhD 150 150 Natalie Wilson
By: Natalie Wilson

Genevieve Kendall, PhD, is a principal investigator in the Center for Childhood Cancer and Blood Diseases and an assistant professor of Pediatrics at The Ohio State University College of Medicine. Dr. Kendall and her lab focus on developing basic and translational models of pediatric sarcomas—devastating and aggressive solid tumors with limited treatment options. Specifically, they…

Understanding the Social Neural Network
 Understanding the Social Neural Network 1024 575 Natalie Wilson
By: Natalie Wilson
Young boy turned sideways in front of a dark background, with dark lighting and an illustration of his brain appearing in front of the side of his head

Neuroimaging of participants with and without epilepsy allows researchers to explore the neural networks associated with social skills. Epilepsy is a chronic brain disease characterized by neural network dysfunction and seizures. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), 470,000 children in the United States had active epilepsy in 2015. These children are more likely…

Featured Researcher — Mingtao Zhao, DVM, PhD
 Featured Researcher — Mingtao Zhao, DVM, PhD 150 150 Natalie Wilson
By: Natalie Wilson

Mingtao Zhao, DVM, PhD, is a principal investigator in the Center for Cardiovascular Research at the Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital. He is also an assistant professor of Pediatrics at The Ohio State University College of Medicine. Dr. Zhao’s research aims to understand heart development and pioneer novel treatments for congenital heart…

Leaving No Stone Unturned: Nationwide Children’s Joins Children’s Oncology Group Pediatric Early Phase Clinical Trial Network
 Leaving No Stone Unturned: Nationwide Children’s Joins Children’s Oncology Group Pediatric Early Phase Clinical Trial Network 1024 683 Natalie Wilson
By: Natalie Wilson

The Children’s Oncology Group (COG), the world’s largest and most recognized pediatric cancer research collaborative, recently selected Nationwide Children’s Hospital to join its Pediatric Early Phase Clinical Trial Network (PEP-CTN) through a peer review process. The COG PEP-CTN is a re-iteration of the COG Phase 1/Pilot Consortium and is comprised of 21 core member sites…

Featured Researcher — Susan Creary, MD, MSc
 Featured Researcher — Susan Creary, MD, MSc 150 150 Natalie Wilson
By: Natalie Wilson

Susan Creary, MD, MSc, is a principal investigator in the Center for Child Health Equity and Outcomes Research at the Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, a physician in the Hematology, Oncology and Blood and Marrow Transplant (BMT) Clinic at Nationwide Children’s, and an associate professor of Pediatrics at The Ohio State University.…

Unraveling Intractable Functional Constipation: Manometries Are Still the Gold Standard
 Unraveling Intractable Functional Constipation: Manometries Are Still the Gold Standard 1024 680 Natalie Wilson
By: Natalie Wilson
Close up color photo of little boy holding hands on his belly

Cine-MRI recordings can’t replace colonic manometries when assessing motility among children with functional constipation, but they may offer additional information. And conducting both MRIs and manometries simultaneously is feasible. While functional constipation (FC) is common in childhood, and most children who experience it respond well to behavioral interventions or treatment with laxatives, some children continue…

How Can We Make Child Health Equitable?
 How Can We Make Child Health Equitable? 550 350 Natalie Wilson
By: Jeb Phillips, Abbie Miller and Natalie Wilson

Researchers in the Center for Child Health Equity and Outcomes Research at Nationwide Children’s Hospital are tackling this question by identifying health disparities and uncovering exactly how social drivers of health impact outcomes. “Health equity means that everyone has a fair and just opportunity to be as healthy as possible.” That’s how the Robert Wood…

Featured Researcher — Tendy Chiang, MD, FACS
 Featured Researcher — Tendy Chiang, MD, FACS 150 150 Natalie Wilson
By: Natalie Wilson

​​​​​​​Tendy Chiang, MD, FACS is a principal investigator in the Center for Regenerative Medicine at the Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital. His work focuses on understanding how airway tissue repairs and regenerates itself and using that information to design tissue-engineered trachea. Tissue engineering is the process of seeding cells on a biodegradable scaffold or support…

Investigating Youth Suicides Among Children Involved With the Welfare System
 Investigating Youth Suicides Among Children Involved With the Welfare System 1024 683 Natalie Wilson
By: Natalie Wilson
silhouette girl portrait

Youth with child welfare involvement are at an elevated risk for suicide but may benefit from suicide prevention interventions targeting health care settings and family-preservation. Suicide is the second leading cause of death among youth aged 5 to 21 years in the United States. Between 2010 and 2019, suicide rates among this group increased 40%.…

Featured Researcher — Jingzhen Ginger Yang, PhD, MPH
 Featured Researcher — Jingzhen Ginger Yang, PhD, MPH 150 150 Natalie Wilson
By: Natalie Wilson

Dr. Jingzhen (Ginger) Yang, a principal investigator in the Center for Injury Research and Policy at the Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, has a national and international reputation as a leader in pediatric injury prevention research. Currently, Dr. Yang is directing three NIH-funded R01 studies, and her research focuses on two areas: improving sports-related concussion recovery among children and…

Inverse Relationship Between Age and Dose of Blood Thinners for Children
 Inverse Relationship Between Age and Dose of Blood Thinners for Children 1024 495 Natalie Wilson
By: Natalie Wilson
blood cells

Infants and young children require higher doses of enoxaparin to treat blood clots than do older children. A blood clot, or thrombosis, isn’t a common problem in children, but it can be a dangerous one. Without proper treatment, a thrombosis can cause a host of long-term problems up to and including permanent damage to patients’…

Can Smartphone Apps Keep AYA Oncology Patients Plugged in to Their Medication Routines?
 Can Smartphone Apps Keep AYA Oncology Patients Plugged in to Their Medication Routines? 1024 684 Natalie Wilson
By: Natalie Wilson
teen girl using cell phone

Studies show that suboptimal medication adherence may be a barrier to increased survival rates among adolescents and young adults with cancer. Anthony Audino, MD, explores the utility of medication adherence apps to meet the unique needs of these patients. The incidence of cancer among adolescents and young adults (AYA), or those 15-39 years old, has…

Fatty Acid Supplements May Improve Social and Emotional Wellbeing Even in Toddlers
 Fatty Acid Supplements May Improve Social and Emotional Wellbeing Even in Toddlers 150 150 Natalie Wilson
By: Natalie Wilson

Children who were given supplements of Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), an omega-3 fatty acid that serves as an important building block in babies’ developing brains, were less likely to meet the threshold on a test that determines whether they should be further evaluated for Autism Spectrum Disorder. When children are born prematurely, they miss the opportunity…

Improving Guidelines for Pediatric Hypertension Diagnosis
 Improving Guidelines for Pediatric Hypertension Diagnosis 1024 683 Natalie Wilson
By: Natalie Wilson

It is vital to accurately recognize and diagnose hypertension in children to avoid long term morbidity and allow for appropriate treatment. A recent pilot study highlights additional diagnostic criteria for clinicians to consider. Pediatric hypertension, or high blood pressure (BP), has become increasingly common and now affects over 3% of children and adolescents. Untreated, hypertension…

New Newborn Screening Approach Allows for Earlier Detection of Menkes Disease
 New Newborn Screening Approach Allows for Earlier Detection of Menkes Disease 1024 575 Natalie Wilson
By: Natalie Wilson

Targeted next generation DNA sequencing can enable improved clinical outcomes for any genetic disorder not detectable through other biochemical newborn screening methods. Menkes disease is a rare, X-linked recessive pediatric disease caused by gene mutations of the copper transporter gene, ATP7A, leading to low levels of copper in infants’ blood and brain, as well as abnormal…

How Do Parents and Surgeons Evaluate Treatment Options for Uncomplicated Appendicitis?
 How Do Parents and Surgeons Evaluate Treatment Options for Uncomplicated Appendicitis? 1024 575 Natalie Wilson
By: Natalie Wilson
Parent and provider at child's hospital bed

The most recent in a series of publications on management of uncomplicated appendicitis showed patients and families cited the same concerns when electing either surgery or nonoperative treatment. Antibiotics alone have been shown to successfully treat uncomplicated appendicitis in children. But patients, families and surgeons may differently evaluate risks and benefits of this treatment option.…

Midwest Pediatric Surgery Consortium Finds Antibiotics Alone Successfully Treat Uncomplicated Appendicitis in Children
 Midwest Pediatric Surgery Consortium Finds Antibiotics Alone Successfully Treat Uncomplicated Appendicitis in Children 1024 822 Natalie Wilson
By: Natalie Wilson

New research expands on a 2015 pilot study to demonstrate that nonoperative management of uncomplicated appendicitis is a safe and effective option in a variety of healthcare systems. Appendicitis is the most common cause for emergency abdominal surgery in childhood, affecting 80,000 children in the United States each year, but nonoperative treatment options are viable.…

Collaborative Study Seeks to Understand Gene Expression Changes During Acute Events in Patients With SCD
 Collaborative Study Seeks to Understand Gene Expression Changes During Acute Events in Patients With SCD 1024 575 Natalie Wilson
By: Natalie Wilson

Researchers explore gene responses among SCD patients hospitalized for acute complications to inform understandings of the under-studied disease. Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a chronic, genetic disorder characterized by structural changes in circulating red blood cells. According to the CDC, SCD affects approximately 100,000 individuals in the United States alone and accounts for 3,000 births…