Using MRI to improve treatment for infants with cleft palate
Official title: Using MRI to Facilitate Precision Medicine for Infants with Cleft Palate
Funded at University of Wyoming · NIH-10878089 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how MRI scans can help doctors choose the best treatments for babies with cleft palate by understanding their throat structure before surgery, so they can improve speech development as the babies grow.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Wyoming NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Laramie, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2024 |
| Project end | July 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $183,817 |
| NIH project number | 1R21DC021799-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-10878089 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are infants diagnosed with cleft palate who are scheduled for surgical repair.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who do not have a diagnosis of cleft palate or are older than 11 years may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates how MRI can help tailor medical treatments for infants with cleft palate, a common birth defect. By analyzing the anatomical features of the velopharynx before surgical repair, the study aims to predict which infants will benefit most from specific surgical interventions. The research will follow 30 infants from pre-operative assessments at 10 months through their speech development at 16 months, providing insights into the relationship between anatomy and speech outcomes. This approach seeks to enhance the timing and effectiveness of treatments for better speech production.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to more effective surgical and therapeutic interventions for infants with cleft palate, improving their speech development.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown that anatomical assessments can inform treatment decisions in similar populations, suggesting a promising avenue for this approach.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Wyoming
Laramie, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kotlarek, Katelyn Joy — University of Wyoming
- Study coordinator: Kotlarek, Katelyn Joy
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Studying how aging and Alzheimer’s affect the front part of the brain using real-time imaging and computer models
Researchers will combine live brain imaging in animals with computer simulations to understand how aging and Alzheimer’s disease change the prefrontal cortex and relate to memory and thinking problems.
-
Remote AI-guided speech cues to help people with Parkinson’s speak more clearly
A remote AI-based tool uses a web camera to give personalized speech cues to adults with Parkinson’s to improve how clearly they talk.
-
Unlocking biased GPCR signaling to guide safer, smarter drugs
A research program from the University of Wyoming aims to understand how different beta-arrestin proteins shape GPCR signaling to help design drugs with better therapeutic effects and fewer side effects.
-
Ribosomal proteins and pseudogenes in stress-affected neurons
This project looks at how stress changes the proteins that make up ribosomes in brain cells, which could reveal new ways stress affects nervous system health.
-
Impact of early overfeeding on brain hunger neurons and energy balance
This grant looks at how early-life overnutrition may change brain circuits that control hunger and energy use, with potential implications for preventing obesity-related diseases.
-
Exercise timing to reset the brain’s body clock in breast cancer care
A study tests whether exercising at specific times can reset the brain’s circadian clock and potentially improve well-being for people coping with breast cancer.
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.