Motion-robust measurement of brain iron in newborns with advanced 3D MRI
Official title: Motion-Robust Iron Quantification of Newborn Brains using Radial MRI
Funded at Boston Children's Hospital · NIH-11400031 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project tests a faster, motion-tolerant MRI method to measure brain iron in newborns and young adults to better understand iron's role in brain development.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Boston Children's Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2025 |
| Project end | May 31, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $571,403 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HD119407-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11400031 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates include newborns (especially preterm infants) and healthy adults who can undergo MRI without contraindications.
✕Less likely to help
Patients unable to have MRI or who have conditions precluding imaging may not benefit from this study.
What this research studies
Newborns, especially those born preterm, may have iron deficiency that affects brain development. The study develops a 3D, motion-robust MRI technique to quantify iron levels in the developing brain using QSM and R2* imaging. By addressing motion sensitivity and separating iron from myelin signals, this work aims to provide reliable, non-invasive measurements that could guide early nutrition and intervention decisions. The research will involve infants and adults to validate the imaging methods and improve accuracy in clinical settings.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the method could enable earlier detection of brain iron deficiency and better-guided treatment to support neurodevelopment.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work shows that advanced MRI techniques can measure iron in the brain, but robust infant imaging remains challenging and this project aims to overcome those hurdles.
Where this research is happening
-
Boston Children's Hospital
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Wang, Xiaoqing — Boston Children's Hospital
- Study coordinator: Wang, Xiaoqing
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Adaptive e-learning and smartphones to improve newborn and child care in Tanzania
A new program uses smart devices and tailored online learning to help frontline health workers in Mwanza, Tanzania provide better care for newborns and young children.
-
NoviGuide for Newborn Care in Pakistan
A small NIH grant to test a pocket-sized decision support tool for nurses and doctors to improve newborn care in Pakistan.
-
Newborn screening: using gene and metabolite data to refine true vs false positives
A study using genetic and metabolomic data from newborn blood spots to better distinguish real metabolic disorders from false alarms.
-
Evidence-based practices for managing neonatal hypothermia in newborn nurseries
A doctor-led project will study how common newborn hypothermia affects babies in US nurseries and develop trusted guidelines to improve care.
-
Agricultural livelihoods to improve health for pregnant women with HIV in Kenya
A pregnancy-starting program in Kenya tests whether helping families grow food and earn income can improve the health and nutrition of mothers and their babies, especially for women living with HIV.
-
Agricultural livelihood support for pregnant women and newborns in Kenya
Compares agricultural livelihood support to usual care to help pregnant women in Kenya—including those living with HIV—have better nutrition and healthier newborns.
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.