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UW Pediatrics

Brain Research Advancement In Neonatology

Brain Research Advancement in Neonatology Logo

Mission

To improve neonatal neurodevelopmental outcomes through neuroprotection-focused research and clinical application.

Vision

To provide evidence-based national leadership in neonatal neurologic care and scholarship.

Specific Aims

  • Improve neonatal neurodevelopmental outcomes through evidence-based research
  • Investigate new neuroprotective therapies
  • Support clinical evaluation and application of evidence-based therapeutics
  • Promote advancement of research and educational scholarship for junior faculty and the next generation of neonatal care providers
  • Explore mechanisms to reduce disparities in neurodevelopmental outcomes within the U.S. and globally

Funding

  • University of Washington Neonatology Bioresearch Fund
  • University of Washington Neonatology Division Faculty Start-up Funds

Peer-reviewed publication 2021-2023

  1. Puia-Dumitrescu M, Comstock BA, Li S, Heagerty PJ, Perez KM, Law JB, Wood TR, Gogcu S, Mayock SE, Juul SE. Assessment of 2-year neurodevelopmental outcomes in extremely preterm infants managed with opioids and benzodiazepines. JAMA Netw Open. 2021 Jul 1;4(7):e2115998. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.15998. PMID: 34232302.

  2. Wood TR, Parikh P, Comstock BA, Law JB, Bammler TK, Kuban KC, Mayock DE, Heagerty PJ, Juul S. Early Biomarkers of Hypoxia and Inflammation and Two-Year Neurodevelopmental Outcomes in the Preterm Erythropoietin Neuroprotection (PENUT) Trial. EBioMedicine. 2021 Oct 4;72:103605. doi: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2021.103605. PMID: 34619638.

  3. Law JB, Comstock BA, Richards TL, Traudt CM, Wood TR, Mayock DE, Heagerty PJ, Juul SE. Diffusion Tensor Imaging Changes Do Not Affect Long-Term Neurodevelopment following Early Erythropoietin among Extremely Preterm Infants in the Preterm Erythropoietin Neuroprotection Trial. Brain Sci. 2021 Oct 16;11(10):1360. doi: 10.3390/brainsci11101360. PMID: 34679424.

  4. Law JB, Wood TR, Gogcu S, Comstock BA, Dighe M, Perez K, Puia-Dumitrescu M, Mayock DE, Heagerty PJ, Juul SE. Intracranial Hemorrhage and 2-Year Neurodevelopmental Outcomes in Infants Born Extremely Preterm. J Pediatr. 2021 Nov;238:124-134.e10. doi: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2021.06.071. PMID: 34217769.

  5. Mayock DE, Gogcu S, Puia-Dumitrescu M, Shaw DWW, Wright JN, Comstock BA, Heagerty PJ, Juul SE; Preterm Erythropoietin Neuroprotection (PENUT) Trial Consortium. Association between Term Equivalent Brain Magnetic Resonance Imaging and 2-Year Outcomes in Extremely Preterm  Infants: A Report from the Preterm Erythropoietin Neuroprotection Trial Cohort. J Pediatr. 2021 Dec;239:117-125.e6. doi: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2021.08.040. Epub 2021 Aug 26. PMID: 34454953; PMCID: PMC9052881.

  6. Juul SE, Wood TR, Comstock BA, Perez K, Gogcu S, Puia-Dumitrescu M, Berkelhamer S, Heagerty PJ; PENUT Consortium. Deaths in a Modern Cohort of Extremely Preterm Infants From the Preterm Erythropoietin Neuroprotection Trial. JAMA Netw Open. 2022 Feb 1;5(2):e2146404. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.46404. PMID: 35129596; PMCID: PMC8822378.

  7. Puia-Dumitrescu M, Wood TR, Comstock BA, Law JB, German K, Perez KM, Gogcu S, Mayock SE, Heagerty PJ, Juul SE. Dexamethasone, Prednisolone, and Methylprednisolone Use and 2-Year Neurodevelopmental Outcomes in Extremely Preterm Infants. JAMA Netw Open. 2022 Mar 1;5(3):e221947. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.1947. PMID: 35275165.

  8. Valentine GC, Perez KM, Wood TR, Mayock DE, Comstock BA, Puia-Dumitrescu M, Heagerty PJ, Juul SE. Postnatal maximal weight loss, fluid administration, and outcomes in extremely preterm newborns. J Perinatol. 2022 Aug;42(8):1008-1016. doi: 10.1038/s41372-022-01369-7. Epub 2022 Mar 25. PMID: 35338252.

  9. Juul S, Wood TR, German K, Law JB, Kolnik S, Puia-Dumitrescu M, Mietzsch U, Gogcu S, Comstock B, Li S, Mayock D, Heagerty PJ. Predicting 2-year Neurodevelopmental Outcomes in Extremely Premature Infants Using Graphical Network and Machine Learning Approaches. EClinicalMedicine. 2022 Dec 26;56:101782. doi: 10.1016/j.eclinm.2022.101782. PMID: 36618896.

  10. Mietzsch U, Flibotte JF, Law JB, Puia-Dumitrescu M, Juul SE, Wood TR. Temperature dysregulation during the first 6 hours of therapeutic hypothermia predicts long-term outcome in neonates with HIE. J Cereb Blood Flow Metab. 2023 Mar 8:271678X231162174. doi: 10.1177/0271678X231162174. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 36883364.

  11. Kolnik SE, Marquard R, Brandon O, Puia-Dumitrescu M, Valentine G, Law JB, Wood TR, Natarajan N, Manjiri D, Mourad PD, Mietzsch U. Preterm Infants Variability in Cerebral Near-Infrared Spectroscopy Measurements in the First 72-hours After Birth. Pediatric Search. - 2023 May 3. doi: 10.1038/s41390-023-02618-x. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 37138026.

  12. Lenahan A, Mietzsch U, Wood TR, Callahan KP, Weiss EM, Miller DE, German K, Natarajan N, Puia-Dumitrescu M, Esposito V, Kolnik S, Law JB. Characteristics, Genetic Testing, and Diagnoses of Infants with Neonatal Encephalopathy Not Due to Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy: A Cohort Study. J Pediatr. 2023 Jun 1;260:113533. doi: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2023.113533. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 37269901.

Outreach

Follow the BRAIN Team on X (formerly Twitter) @brain_uw

For more information about the BRAIN Team, send us an email: neobrain@uw.edu

BRAIN Faculty

 

Janessa Law, MD

Associate Professor Director – BRAIN Team

Thomas Ragnar Wood, BM, BCh, PhD

Associate Professor Director, Preclinical Research Director, IDDRC Animal Behavior Core

Mihai Puia-Dumitrescu, MD, MPH

Associate Professor Associate Medical Director, NICU, Seattle Children’s Hospital Director of Clinical Research, Division of Neonatology

Sarah Kolnik, MD, MBA

Assistant Professor Associate Medical Director, University of Wasington Medical Center NICU

Kendell R German, MD

Associate Professor Director of Research, Infant Development Follow‐Up Clinic Associate Program Director, Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine Fellowship

Ulrike Mietzsch, MD

Clinical Professor Medical Director, Neuro‐NICU, Seattle Children’s Hospital