A new feeding tube to improve nutrition for premature babies in the NICU
Official title: A Novel Orogastric/Nasogastric Feeding Tube for Optimizing Nutritional Administration in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Population
Funded at Theranova, LLC · NIH-10437792 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is testing a new feeding tube for premature and sick babies in the NICU to make sure it goes in the right place every time, helping them get the nutrition they need to grow and thrive.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Sbir 2 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Theranova, LLC NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (San Francisco, United States) |
| Project start | April 1, 2019 |
| Project end | July 31, 2025 |
| Funding year | 2022 |
| Award (this year) | $575,818 |
| NIH project number | 5R44HD098938-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-10437792 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are premature infants or neonates in the NICU who require enteral nutrition.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who are not in the NICU or do not require enteral nutrition will likely not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research focuses on developing an innovative feeding tube designed specifically for use in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). The new tube aims to enhance the accuracy of placement, reducing the risk of complications associated with misplacement. By utilizing advanced technology, the feeding tube will provide real-time feedback to ensure proper gastric placement and optimize nutritional administration tailored to each infant's needs. This approach seeks to improve growth and development outcomes for vulnerable neonates requiring enteral nutrition.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could significantly reduce complications from feeding tube misplacement and improve nutritional outcomes for premature infants.
How similar studies have gone: While there has been limited innovation in feeding tube technology, this approach is novel and aims to address significant challenges faced in current practices.
Where this research is happening
-
Theranova, LLC
San Francisco, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Burnett, Daniel Rogers — Theranova, LLC
- Study coordinator: Burnett, Daniel Rogers
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.