Close
Enter your
text here

Research

Gene and Cell Therapy at Nationwide Children’s: Leading Discovery, Driving Care
 Gene and Cell Therapy at Nationwide Children’s: Leading Discovery, Driving Care 1024 572 Nationwide Children's
By: Nationwide Children's
artistic illustration of adenovirus on a dark purplish background

Nationwide Children’s has been a pioneer in gene and cell therapy for more than 30 years. Since our first clinical trial in 1999, our team has only accelerated the pace of innovation, discovery and patient-centered care. On this page, you’ll find a collection of stories featuring our advances and our researchers. Because behind every breakthrough…

Beyond Modulators: Ensuring All Patients With Cystic Fibrosis Benefit From the Next Wave of Therapy
 Beyond Modulators: Ensuring All Patients With Cystic Fibrosis Benefit From the Next Wave of Therapy 1024 618 Lauren Dembeck
By: Lauren Dembeck
Two smiling young children sit side by side indoors, facing the camera, with a colorful blurred artwork in the background.

Before CFTR modulators transformed care, cystic fibrosis (CF) was defined by relentless daily treatment and progressive lung disease. Children grew up with thick airway secretions, chronic cough, recurrent pulmonary infections, and frequent hospitalizations. Maintaining weight was a constant struggle, and lung function typically declined year after year despite aggressive airway clearance, antibiotics and nutritional support.…

From Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia to Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: A Developmental Continuum
 From Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia to Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: A Developmental Continuum 1024 774 Yan Hu, PhD
By: Yan Hu, PhD
Blue-toned illustration showing lungs beside silhouettes of people across the lifespan, from a crawling baby and toddler to a child, adult, and older adult with a cane.

A Prolonged Window of Vulnerability Lung development is a highly orchestrated process that begins early in gestation and continues well into postnatal life. Following airway branching during the embryonic and pseudoglandular stages, distal lung maturation, including small airway and alveolar formation, extends through infancy and early childhood. This prolonged developmental window renders the lung particularly…

Sickle Cell Lung Disease: Opportunities to Advance Care and Research
 Sickle Cell Lung Disease: Opportunities to Advance Care and Research 1024 575 Pam Georgiana
By: Pam Georgiana
A close-up medical illustration of blood vessels showing normal round red blood cells flowing through the vessel, with a cluster of rigid, crescent-shaped sickle cells causing a blockage. White blood cells are also visible against the dark background.

A series of studies aims to close gaps by integrating immunology, microbiology and environmental health into clinical research.  For children with sickle cell disease, lung complications remain among the most serious and least predictable drivers of morbidity and mortality. Despite advances in supportive care and disease-modifying therapies, clinicians still lack reliable tools to predict which…

Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia Research: Innovating on All Fronts
 Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia Research: Innovating on All Fronts 1024 509 JoAnna Pendergrass, DVM
By: JoAnna Pendergrass, DVM
Newborn with bronchopulmonary dysplasia sleeping in a NICU crib, wrapped in a hospital blanket and receiving oxygen through a nasal cannula.

From understanding the disease at a molecular level to improving strategies for oxygen support after discharge, researchers are tackling bronchopulmonary dysplasia from all angles. The doctors in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Nationwide Children’s Hospital care for more babies with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) than any other institution in the country. Their Comprehensive Center for …

How Diabetes Rewires the Heart’s Smallest Vessels
 How Diabetes Rewires the Heart’s Smallest Vessels 1024 597 Lauren Dembeck
By: Lauren Dembeck
Microscopy image of a mouse heart sample colored with red and green fluorescent dye, and marked for single-cell sampling.

A landmark study uncovers how diabetes alters the heart at the cellular level. Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in type 2 diabetes. While its effects on large arteries are well recognized, growing evidence suggests the earliest cardiovascular injury occurs in the heart’s smallest vessels. Coronary microvascular disease (CMD), marked by impaired endothelial…

New Health Challenges in the Post-CFTR Modulator Era
 New Health Challenges in the Post-CFTR Modulator Era 1024 576 Lauren Dembeck
By: Lauren Dembeck

The remarkable progress in CF care has also revealed new challenges. As individuals with CF live longer, clinicians are seeing higher frequencies of complications and other down- stream health concerns that rarely emerged in the past and are now focused on aging-related diseases and maintaining their overall health. Karen McCoy, MD, pediatric pulmonologist and renowned…

Precision Medicine Brings Clarity to Preterm Infant Reflux
 Precision Medicine Brings Clarity to Preterm Infant Reflux 1024 492 Alaina Doklovic
By: Alaina Doklovic
Newborn baby in an NICU bed with a nasogastric tube.

Sudarshan Jadcherla, MD, and team aim to distinguish normal reflux from GERD in preterm infants. Gastroesophageal reflux (GER) is common in preterm infants regardless of whether they are being fed formula or breast milk, often presenting as irritability, coughing or feeding difficulties. These symptoms often lead clinicians to suspect gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), prompting interventions…

Decoding Pediatric Asthma: From Cells to Care
 Decoding Pediatric Asthma: From Cells to Care 1024 448 Madison Storm
By: Madison Storm
simple cartoon illustration of lungs

How clinician-scientist teams are mapping the molecular drivers of wheezing and asthma to guide smarter, faster and more personalized treatment. Asthma is one of the most common reasons children visit the Emergency Department (ED) at Nationwide Children’s Hospital. While frontline clinicians work quickly to stabilize breathing, researchers across the hospital are probing deeper: What’s happening…

Effectiveness and Adoption of a Mental Health Crisis App
 Effectiveness and Adoption of a Mental Health Crisis App 1024 683 JoAnna Pendergrass, DVM
By: JoAnna Pendergrass, DVM
Upset confused Black woman holding cellphone having problem with mobile phone, frustrated angry mixed race girl reading bad news in message looking at smartphone annoyed by spam or missed call

Youth who used a statewide mental health crisis app in Utah reported significant declines in the intensity of their presenting concerns and were generally satisfied with the app. Youth who used SafeUT, a statewide crisis app in Utah, reported experiencing significant decreases in the intensity of their presenting concerns, according to a study led by…

Lowering Thrombin Levels Offers a Double Benefit in Glomerular Disease Model
 Lowering Thrombin Levels Offers a Double Benefit in Glomerular Disease Model 1024 410 Katie Brind'Amour, PhD, MS, CHES
By: Katie Brind'Amour, PhD, MS, CHES
microscopy image of podocytes, a type of cell found in the kidney, stained with blue and fluorescent yellow. small red dots mark the cell

Preclinical studies suggest that reducing levels of the clotting enzyme may simultaneously reduce kidney damage and lower risk of blood clots. Preclinical research in an in vivo model now confirms what Bryce Kerlin, MD, and his team first proposed in a publication 8 years ago: excess thrombin directly injures podocytes, and high levels in the…

Meeting the Challenge of Clinical Trial Recruitment and Retention
 Meeting the Challenge of Clinical Trial Recruitment and Retention 1024 483 Lynn Dosky
By: Lynn Dosky
Illustration of research and healthcare symbols, including gears, a clipboard with a checklist and medical cross, a magnifying glass, a lab flask, and green icons with a check mark, an X, and a question mark.

Participant recruitment and retention strategies are crucial features of any successful clinical study design. In fact, an article published in the Journal of Clinical and Translational Science noted, “up to 85% of clinical trials fail to recruit or retain a sufficient sample size, leading to failures to meet accrual targets in four out of every…

Speeding Up Science With Patient-Derived Xenografts
 Speeding Up Science With Patient-Derived Xenografts 1024 483 Katie Brind'Amour, PhD, MS, CHES
By: Katie Brind'Amour, PhD, MS, CHES
cropped microscopy image of lungs tissue with tumors

A perfect storm of advanced technologies and scientific collaboration opens doors to rapid progress in pediatric oncology research. The world of pediatric cancer research faces the challenges of small patient numbers, increased ethical considerations, limited funding and poorly classified diseases. In some ways, these challenges reflect the field’s successes over the past half century, which…

Genetic Evaluation Practices for Neonates With Congenital Heart Disease
 Genetic Evaluation Practices for Neonates With Congenital Heart Disease 1024 614 Pam Georgiana
By: Pam Georgiana
abstract art of magnifying glass over DNA strand

Multi-institutional survey reveals wide variation in cardiac testing and care. Advances in genomic medicine have significantly improved the understanding of congenital heart disease etiology. However, the integration of genetic evaluation into neonatal cardiac critical care remains inconsistent. A recent multi-institutional study, led by Amee M. Bigelow, MD, and Vidu Garg, MD, both from Nationwide Children’s…

Finding the Unexpected: Pulmonary Sclerosing Pneumocytoma in a Pediatric Patient
 Finding the Unexpected: Pulmonary Sclerosing Pneumocytoma in a Pediatric Patient 1024 575 Pam Georgiana
By: Pam Georgiana

A case study demonstrates the need for a structured evaluation and consideration of genetic risk factors in rare pediatric tumors. Primary lung tumors in children are rare and present diagnostic uncertainty. A recent case study published in Pediatric Pulmonology highlights the evaluation and management of an unusual benign lung nodule in a school-age child. This…

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
By: 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…

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

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
By: 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
By: 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
By: 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,…

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
By: 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…

Understanding the Rising Suicide Risk Among Black Youth
 Understanding the Rising Suicide Risk Among Black Youth 1024 576 Alaina Doklovic
By: Alaina Doklovic

A new large-scale Medicaid study sheds light on complex factors driving risk and the protective factors that may help save lives. Suicide rates among Black youth (children, adolescents and young adults) have risen sharply in recent years, surpassing those of other racial and ethnic groups. In 2023, it was the third leading cause of death…

Registry Data Provide Insight Into Ultra-Rare Pediatric Tenosynovial Giant Cell Tumors
 Registry Data Provide Insight Into Ultra-Rare Pediatric Tenosynovial Giant Cell Tumors 1024 473 Katie Brind'Amour, PhD, MS, CHES
By: Katie Brind'Amour, PhD, MS, CHES

At A Glance Tenosynovial giant cell tumor (TGCT) is a rare condition that affects joints, mostly in adults but sometimes in children. New research using an international patient registry shows that children often wait more than a year for the correct diagnosis because symptoms such as pain and swelling can look like sports injuries or…

Filling a Critical Gap in Relapsed Sarcoma Treatment
 Filling a Critical Gap in Relapsed Sarcoma Treatment 1024 683 Pam Georgiana
By: Pam Georgiana
Blood Sample in test tube

A first-in-sarcoma trial at Nationwide Children’s Hospital tests universal-donor NK cells with chemotherapy to address poor survival rates.   The five-year overall survival rate for children and young adults with relapsed bone or soft tissue sarcomas is between 17 and 26%. For Bhuvana A. Setty, MD, pediatric hematologist and oncologist at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, that reality is not acceptable. …

Nationwide Children’s Hospital Completes One of the World’s First Prenatal Treatments for Spinal Muscular Atrophy
 Nationwide Children’s Hospital Completes One of the World’s First Prenatal Treatments for Spinal Muscular Atrophy 1024 600 Katie Brind'Amour, PhD, MS, CHES
By: Katie Brind'Amour, PhD, MS, CHES
Baby Bryson laughing at a check up following treatment for SMA.

Investigational third-trimester, transplacental “bridging” therapy with risdiplam — followed by rapid postnatal treatment — aims to protect motor neurons during a critical window before and immediately after birth.  When Stacy Auker found out she was pregnant with her third child, she knew a diagnosis of spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) was a possibility.  “We have relatives who have been affected, so I…

Selective Steroid Use After Kasai Portoenterostomy Improves Outcomes in Biliary Atresia
 Selective Steroid Use After Kasai Portoenterostomy Improves Outcomes in Biliary Atresia 1024 683 Pam Georgiana
By: Pam Georgiana

Postoperative protocol is associated with improved bile drainage and higher native liver survival without increased short-term risk. A new study published in the Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition provides evidence that a selective, marker-guided approach to postoperative steroid use improves outcomes for infants with biliary atresia following Kasai portoenterostomy. Led by Jaimie D. Nathan,…

Study Shows Younger Children Experience Persistent Symptoms Following Concussion
 Study Shows Younger Children Experience Persistent Symptoms Following Concussion 1024 540 Abbie Miller and Katelyn Scott
By: Abbie Miller and Katelyn Scott

Nearly 30% of children younger than 6 years who had a concussion during the study had prolonged symptoms, which can affect learning and behavior later in childhood. When people typically think of concussion, the first type of patient that comes to mind is a youth athlete. However, concussion is also common in early childhood, due…

A New Candidate Therapeutic Target and Biomarker for Idiopathic Nephrotic Syndrome
 A New Candidate Therapeutic Target and Biomarker for Idiopathic Nephrotic Syndrome 1024 561 Abbie Miller
By: Abbie Miller
artistic representation of a kidney cross section

New data provides evidence for the role of endothelium in idiopathic nephrotic syndrome pathogenesis.

Behavioral Intervention Program for Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder Undergoing Epilepsy Evaluation: Increasing Phase 1 Monitoring Rates
 Behavioral Intervention Program for Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder Undergoing Epilepsy Evaluation: Increasing Phase 1 Monitoring Rates 1024 683 JoAnna Pendergrass, DVM
By: JoAnna Pendergrass, DVM

A behavioral intervention program that started as a quality improvement project evolved to a new standard of care — increasing access and compliance with Phase 1 monitoring for children with intractable epilepsy and autism spectrum disorder. A recent study led by Mary Wojnaroski, PhD, a psychologist at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, reported a sustained, multi-year increase…

Cardiometabolic Screening Gaps in Pediatric Congenital Heart Disease
 Cardiometabolic Screening Gaps in Pediatric Congenital Heart Disease 1024 683 Pam Georgiana
By: Pam Georgiana

Retrospective review reveals inconsistent HbA1c screening in eligible patients. Pediatric cardiology has achieved remarkable gains in survival for children with congenital heart disease. However, as more patients reach adolescence and adulthood, they are at risk for experiencing acquired cardiovascular and cardiometabolic conditions such as hypertension and diabetes. Little is known about how consistently clinicians identify…

Advancing Surgical Care for Pediatric Hip Dysplasia
 Advancing Surgical Care for Pediatric Hip Dysplasia 1024 575 Pam Georgiana
By: Pam Georgiana

A novel technique demonstrates safety, stability and reduced casting needs. For children with developmental dysplasia of the hip, open reduction surgery reliably restores the hip to the socket. However, recurrent instability, iatrogenic complications, residual dysplasia and prolonged casting can limit favorable outcomes. To improve these results, orthopedic surgeons at Nationwide Children’s Hospital have developed a…

Long-Term Kidney Complications Are Common Among Pediatric and Young Adult Cancer Survivors
 Long-Term Kidney Complications Are Common Among Pediatric and Young Adult Cancer Survivors 1024 683 Pam Georgiana
By: Pam Georgiana

Study reveals the need for improved surveillance and updated survivorship guidelines. As pediatric cancer survival rates continue to climb, focus is shifting to enhancing the long-term health of survivors. While treatments have become more precise, their delayed effects are not yet fully understood. A new study led by Diana Zepeda-Orozco, MD, principal investigator in the…

Watchful Waiting: The New Recommendation for Most Preterm Infants With PDA
 Watchful Waiting: The New Recommendation for Most Preterm Infants With PDA 1024 683 Abbie Miller
By: Abbie Miller

A study published in JAMA found that treating patent ductus arteriosus with medication did not help with disease management but was associated with higher mortality.   A new study from the Neonatal Research Network, published in JAMA, found that treating patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) in preterm infants with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) or acetaminophen at…

Setting the Stage the Next Era of Gene Therapy for Ultrarare Disease
 Setting the Stage the Next Era of Gene Therapy for Ultrarare Disease 1024 576 Abbie Miller
By: Abbie Miller

Researchers at Nationwide Children’s Hospital recently administered a novel gene therapy targeting SLC6A1, advancing precision medicine for children who previously could not be treated. Maxwell, age 8, made history this fall, when he received a bespoke gene therapy targeting his ultrarare disease. This wasn’t the first time he worked with the team at Nationwide Children’s…

Expanding the Evidence for Cannabidiol in Focal Epilepsy
 Expanding the Evidence for Cannabidiol in Focal Epilepsy 1024 575 Pam Georgiana
By: Pam Georgiana
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

A multicenter study led by Nationwide Children’s Hospital demonstrates long-term efficacy and safety of Epidiolex® for treatment-resistant seizures. As global use of cannabidiol for seizure management increases, most research has targeted generalized epilepsy. This leaves a major evidence gap for patients with focal seizures and epilepsy. Anup D. Patel, MD, FAAN, FAES, FCNS, neurologist and…

As Suicide Increases in Preteens, Investigators Expand Research into Causes and Prevention
 As Suicide Increases in Preteens, Investigators Expand Research into Causes and Prevention 1024 576 Katie Brind'Amour, PhD, MS, CHES
By: Katie Brind'Amour, PhD, MS, CHES

By tracking trends in suicide over time, researchers identify critical new directions for suicide prevention work. Last year, a study published in JAMA Network Open by researchers at Nationwide Children’s Hospital and collaborating institutions reported that suicide among preteens (children ages 8-12) had increased 8.2% annually from 2008 to 2022. “This has become a critical…

Rethinking Neonatal HSV Management: A Less Aggressive, Evidence-Informed Approach
 Rethinking Neonatal HSV Management: A Less Aggressive, Evidence-Informed Approach 1024 593 Alaina Doklovic
By: Alaina Doklovic

An alternative approach to neonatal HSV management helps keep mom and baby together during the nursery stay.  Neonatal herpes simplex virus infection (HSV) is a rare but often fatal disease when not treated correctly or in a timely manner. This makes diagnosis and preventive strategies extremely important when expectant mothers have active genital HSV infection when they deliver.   Neonatal HSV is a result of vertical transmission from mother to newborn and most…

Kids With GPA Often Show Lung Signs — But Few See Pulmonologists
 Kids With GPA Often Show Lung Signs — But Few See Pulmonologists 1024 683 Jessica Nye, PhD
By: Jessica Nye, PhD

Most patients with pediatric granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA) have respiratory manifestations, but fewer than half are evaluated by a pulmonologist within 6 months of diagnosis, finds a study published in Pediatric Pulmonology.   “Pediatric GPA is a very rare autoimmune rheumatologic disorder that can have significant impact on the lungs. But nobody has really described the…

Prematurity Increases Morbidity and Mortality Risk in Preterm Neonates with Down Syndrome in the NICU
 Prematurity Increases Morbidity and Mortality Risk in Preterm Neonates with Down Syndrome in the NICU 1024 624 JoAnna Pendergrass, DVM
By: JoAnna Pendergrass, DVM

  Premature neonates with Down syndrome who are admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit experience higher rates of health complications and an increased mortality risk.   A retrospective study led by Emily Messick, DO, at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, reported the increased risk of adverse health outcomes in preterm neonates with Down syndrome in the…

Rethinking Routine Kidney Ultrasounds in Children With Mild Anorectal Malformations
 Rethinking Routine Kidney Ultrasounds in Children With Mild Anorectal Malformations 1024 683 Lauren Dembeck
By: Lauren Dembeck
Molly Fuchs, MD

  Annual scans rarely identify new kidney concerns in symptom-free children. Children born with anorectal malformations (ARMs), a group of congenital conditions affecting the anus and rectum, are routinely screened for kidney abnormalities because of the association between ARM and urinary tract anomalies. The likelihood of urologic complications  increases with the complexity of the malformation.…

Challenges in Medication Titration in Children with Heart Failure
 Challenges in Medication Titration in Children with Heart Failure 1024 537 Pam Georgiana
By: Pam Georgiana

Beyond the guidelines: implementing consensus-based care for complex patients. Pediatric heart failure is a complex clinical diagnosis, with a growing body of evidence to suggest there are critical differences between pediatric and adult heart failure. In a recent review published in JHLT Open, Jessie Yester, MD, PhD and Deipanjan Nandi, MD highlight the unique challenges…

Defining Urinary Tract Infection: Why Standardization Matters for Research and Care
 Defining Urinary Tract Infection: Why Standardization Matters for Research and Care 1024 683 Pam Georgiana
By: Pam Georgiana

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are one of the most common bacterial infections worldwide, affecting an estimated 150 million people annually and costing more than $5 billion in the United States alone. However, despite their prevalence, there is still no universally accepted definition of what constitutes a UTI. This lack of clarity complicates both research and…

Nationwide Children’s Team Builds Award-Winning AI Tool to Drive Mental Health Research
 Nationwide Children’s Team Builds Award-Winning AI Tool to Drive Mental Health Research 1024 502 Abbie Miller
By: Abbie Miller

DREAM project wins the 2025 Gartner Eye on Innovation Mid-Size Enterprise Award in the Americas region. In recognition of its innovative application of technology to address critical health care challenges, the Office of Data Sciences was selected as the winner for the prestigious 2025 Gartner Eye on Innovation Awards, Mid-Size Enterprise, Americas.  This international honor…

Food-Based Tube Feeding: Balancing Parental Demand With Pediatric Nutrition Science
 Food-Based Tube Feeding: Balancing Parental Demand With Pediatric Nutrition Science 1024 575 Pam Georgiana
By: Pam Georgiana
Color image of enteral complete liquid nutritional products of several brands

New research from Nationwide Children’s reveals significant differences in nutrient adequacy across commercial food-based formulas. In the last two decades, enteral nutrition has undergone a significant transformation. Fifteen to 20 years ago, pediatric patients requiring gastrostomy tube feeding had only one option: synthetic, cow milk-based formulas designed to meet caloric and macronutrient needs but containing…

Parents’ Perceptions Highlight Gaps in Supporting Children with Epilepsy in School
 Parents’ Perceptions Highlight Gaps in Supporting Children with Epilepsy in School 1024 579 JoAnna Pendergrass, DVM
By: JoAnna Pendergrass, DVM

Discussions with parents of children with epilepsy revealed concerning gaps in school-based seizure education and care, underscoring the need for better lines of communication between medical teams, school personnel, and the children’s families.   A qualitative study led by Mary Kay Irwin, EdD, and Anup Patel, MD, FAAN, FAES, FCNS, at Nationwide Children’s Hospital reported…

Closing the Treatment Gap: Opioid Use Disorder Medications in Adolescents and Young Adults
 Closing the Treatment Gap: Opioid Use Disorder Medications in Adolescents and Young Adults 1024 683 Pam Georgiana
By: Pam Georgiana
silhouette girl portrait

Findings from the PROUD trial highlight the need for youth-centered prescription strategies in primary care. Adolescents and young adults are far less likely than older adults to receive evidence-based medications for opioid use disorder (OUD), even though buprenorphine and extended-release naltrexone are recommended treatments. Despite their effectiveness, these therapies remain consistently underutilized in youth. To…

Virtual Reality Training Model Aims to Transform Workplace Safety in Health Care
 Virtual Reality Training Model Aims to Transform Workplace Safety in Health Care 1024 683 Madison Storm
By: Madison Storm

A virtual reality (VR) training module developed at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, called DEFUSE, which stands for De-escalate Effectively, Foster Understanding, Safeguard Environments, is setting a new standard for workplace violence prevention in health care settings. Funded by the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation, the project equips health care professionals with critical skills in situational awareness,…

Post-Ictal Rhythmic Thalamic Activity in the Central Media Nucleus May Play a Role in Seizure Termination in Drug-Resistant Epilepsy
 Post-Ictal Rhythmic Thalamic Activity in the Central Media Nucleus May Play a Role in Seizure Termination in Drug-Resistant Epilepsy 1024 677 Jessica Nye, PhD
By: Jessica Nye, PhD

Investigators from Nationwide Children’s Hospital are the first to describe post-ictal rhythmic thalamic activity (PIRTA) in the central media nucleus (CMN) during focal onset seizure. “When this paper was published, it was a period where understanding the role of the center of the thalamus and seizures was a novel thing,” says senior author Ammar Shaikhouni,…

Norms, Needs and New Frontiers in Pediatric Mental Health
 Norms, Needs and New Frontiers in Pediatric Mental Health 1024 683 Madison Storm
By: Madison Storm

An interview with Eric Youngstrom, PhD, director of the Institute for Mental and Behavioral Health Research at the Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital.   At Nationwide Children’s Hospital, the Institute for Mental and Behavioral Research (IMBHR) is driving discovery through improved assessments, effective treatments and digging deep to answer the ‘why’ behind…

Enhanced IV Line Clamp: A New Spin on a Classic
 Enhanced IV Line Clamp: A New Spin on a Classic 1024 683 Madison Storm
By: Madison Storm
Close-up of newly designed IV line clamps that improve patient safety and usability in hospitals by providing secure, easy-to-adjust flow control for intravenous therapy.

Revolutionizing patient care through human-centered design The IV line clamp is a long-standing technology used to deliver intravenous medications and fluids. For over 90 years, the simplistic, gravity-based design has remained unchanged, despite the growing complexity of patient care and significant advancements in medical technology. Enter Jenna Merandi, PharmD, MS, CCPS, medication safety officer, and…