Neonatal brain health: using a new NIRS approach to guide cooling therapy in newborns with HIE
Official title: Neonatal Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy: Potential of Innovative NIRS to Optimize Hypothermia
Funded at Boston Children's Hospital · NIH-11327649 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A new NIH-funded approach aims to use bedside brain oxygen and blood flow measurements to personalize cooling therapy for babies with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy.
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 | June 1, 2014 |
| Project end | May 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $758,929 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HD076258-10 |
| Project ID | NIH-11327649 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Newborns with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy being treated with therapeutic hypothermia.
✕Less likely to help
Newborns without HIE or those not receiving cooling therapy may not benefit from this specific approach.
What this research studies
This project focuses on newborns who have suffered brain injury from oxygen and blood flow problems around birth. By using innovative near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) techniques to monitor brain oxygen use and blood flow in real time, clinicians may tailor cooling therapy to each baby’s needs. The goal is to prevent further brain damage and improve long-term cognitive outcomes after birth. The research leverages prior work to translate brain physiology measurements into a practical bedside tool for guiding treatment. If successful, the approach could help identify which infants benefit most from therapy and when to adjust care at the bedside.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: This could lead to personalized cooling strategies that reduce brain injury and improve developmental outcomes for affected infants.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies showed feasibility of bedside brain measurements, but larger trials are needed to confirm clinical benefit, making this a promising but still evolving strategy.
Where this research is happening
-
Boston Children's Hospital
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Grant, Patricia Ellen — Boston Children's Hospital
- Study coordinator: Grant, Patricia Ellen
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Brain support cells in newborn brain injury after birth asphyxia
This grant studies how brain-supporting cells called pericytes affect brain damage after a newborn experiences a lack of oxygen at birth, with potential to guide new treatments.
-
Brain-derived exosomes to detect and track newborn oxygen-related brain injury
This project looks for tiny brain-derived particles in newborns who had low oxygen at birth to help predict how they'll recover and whether cooling will help.
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Personalized care for newborns with oxygen-related brain injury (HIE)
We are creating a combined MRI and clinical tool to better predict long-term outcomes for newborns who had low oxygen to the brain (neonatal HIE).
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Understanding the Link Between Maternal Infection and Brain Injury in Newborns
This project aims to better understand how infections during pregnancy might affect a newborn's brain and lead to conditions like hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE).
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Improving Cooling Treatment for Newborn Brain Injury
This project looks for better ways to guide cooling treatment for newborns who have experienced brain injury due to lack of oxygen.
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A wearable device to monitor brain health in newborns with oxygen deprivation
This study is testing a new, affordable wearable device that helps doctors keep an eye on the brain health of newborns with a condition called hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) by measuring important markers in real-time, so they can act quickly to help these babies.
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.