MRI-guided precision care for infants with cleft palate
Official title: Using MRI to Facilitate Precision Medicine for Infants with Cleft Palate
Funded at University of Arizona · NIH-11597958 · Data updated 2026-11-12
We’re exploring how MRI can help tailor early care for babies with cleft palate to support better speech outcomes.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Arizona NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Tucson, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2026 |
| Project end | July 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $201,961 |
| NIH project number | 7R21DC021799-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11597958 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Infants with cleft palate who are scheduled for palate repair around 10 months old and their families.
✕Less likely to help
Infants not undergoing palate repair or outside the 10-month age window may not directly benefit.
What this research studies
This project follows 30 infants approaching palate repair at around 10 months, using MRI data before surgery and after to link anatomy with future speech skills. Researchers will look for pre-operative measurements that predict the surgical choices made for each infant and how these choices relate to later speech outcomes. The study aims to understand which anatomical features influence treatment decisions and how postoperative anatomy corresponds with intelligible speech development. The work could inform timing and planning of interventions to support speech in children with cleft palate.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, results could guide earlier, more personalized treatment to improve speech development for babies with cleft palate.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research shows anatomy can influence surgical decisions and speech outcomes, but this study tests predictive measures in a very young cohort.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Arizona
Tucson, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kotlarek, Katelyn Joy — University of Arizona
- Study coordinator: Kotlarek, Katelyn Joy
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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.