News

Duke-UNC Tobacco Treatment Specialist Training Program

The Duke-UNC Tobacco Treatment Specialist Training Program will be hosting a 4-day training session March 16-19, 2020 at the Emerge Center in Durham, NC. The aim of the program is to provide evidence-based treatment for tobacco use and dependence for health professionals. The TTS Program consists of on-site training and combines findings from the most … Continued

NIH Awards $7.5 million to ramp up clinical trials for rare, genetic airway diseases

To continue the push toward clinical trial readiness for individuals with rare diseases, the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, in partnership with other NIH institutes and centers, announced its continued support of the Rare Disease Clinical Research Network, including $7.5 million over the next five years for the Genetic Disorders of Mucociliary Clearance Consortium (GDMCC), led … Continued

Genomic Medicine for Ill Neonates and Infants (GEMINI Study)

Andrea Trembath, MD, MPH of the Division of Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine is leading UNC-Chapel Hill’s involvement in the GEMINI Study. This multi-center, prospective clinical trial is designed to evaluate the clinical and economic utility of performing rapid whole genomic sequencing (vs. targeted genomic sequencing panels) in neonates and infants with suspected genetic disorders. As costs and … Continued

NIAID Calls for Commitment to STI Research to Surmount Growing Health Crisis

In 2017, the CDC reported 2.3 million new cases of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in the United States. A. Fauci, MD, Director of the NIAID, addressed this growing health crisis in a perspective piece in The Journal of Infectious Diseases, highlighting the need for innovative research for diagnostics, therapeutics, and vaccines to address the rising … Continued

Jaspers Comments on Vaping Injuries and Safety Concerns in The Conversation

In a new piece written for the website The Conversation, Ilona Jaspers, PhD, speaks to the recent rise in cases of vaping-associated lung injury–and why vaping should not be considered a safe alternative to cigarettes. Dr. Jaspers, an inhalation toxicologist, studies how pollutants, inhaled chemicals and other particles affect human health. “When e-cigarettes first came to … Continued

Hernandez and Carpenter Awarded Grant by the National Science Foundation

Young adults often monitor their health with wearable devices, which could also be used to improve their ability to detect worsening asthma symptoms. UNC-Chapel Hill and NCSU researchers, including Michelle Hernandez, MD, and Delesha Carpenter, PhD, MSPH, have been awarded an NSF grant to study early asthma exacerbation detection through wearables developed by NCSU. Hernandez … Continued

New Peanut Allergy Treatment Passes Phase 2 Trial, Shows Effectiveness and Safety

People allergic to peanuts may have a new way to protect themselves from severe allergic reactions to accidental peanut exposure. It’s called sublingual immunotherapy – or SLIT – and it involves putting a minuscule amount of liquefied peanut protein under the tongue, where it is absorbed immediately into the blood stream to desensitize the immune … Continued

Save the Date: CEHS Pilot Project Symposium

The Center for Environmental Health and Susceptibility is hosting a symposium to highlight current research on emerging issues that advance understanding about how pollutants and other environmental exposures affect public health and health inequities. The symposium will feature the work of several UNC researchers recently funded through CEHS pilot project awards. The event will also … Continued

July 2019 Update

Activities Update: Happy summer! We will be taking the month of July off from our seminar series, but will resume our regular schedule in August. Our speakers for the rest of 2019 have been lined up and are listed below, but you can also check out more information about our upcoming seminars here. August 13: … Continued

June 2019 Update

In addition to our regular CRI Activities Update, this month’s Research Focus highlights the research and work of Thomas Alexander, MD, MPH, Assistant Professor of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology, and Co-Director of the Pediatric Oncology Developmental Therapeutics and Pharmacology Program Activities Update: Congratulations to Toni Darville, MD, for her recent award from the National Institute of Allergy … Continued

May 2019 Update

Reminder: The Children’s Research Institute and the Center for Environmental Health and Susceptibility will be cohosting this month’s luncheon seminar on Tuesday, May 14, from 12:15-1:30pm in Bioinformatics 1131. Michael O’Shea, MD, MPH and Rebecca Fry, PhD, will be presenting “Epigenetics, Neurodevelopment and Health of Children Born Extremely Preterm.” You can read more about collaborative … Continued

Treatment Brings Hope to Children Facing Spinal Muscular Atrophy, a Disabling, Often Fatal Disease

This story highlights the importance of medical innovation and research, while also reminding us of the power of care beyond medical treatments as families struggle through illnesses.

New Interdisciplinary Nutrition Sciences Symposium Announcement

UNC’s Gillings School of Global Public Health is excited to initiate a new annual translational nutrition science conference, the Interdisciplinary Nutrition Sciences Symposium. This year’s symposium will be held July 24-25, 2019 in Chapel Hill and the theme will be “Synergizing Animal and Human Obesity Research.” This is a new translational nutrition science conference that … Continued

Study Finds Mucus Build-Up, Not Infections Triggers CF Lung Damage

A new cross-sectional cohort study has found that mucus build-up and not infections can trigger cystic fibrosis (CF) lung damage. Investigators believe their research suggests doctors might be able to delay the onset of lung disease in young children born with CF and possibly allow them to live significantly longer if they are able to … Continued

Powell Joins Board of American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics

Cynthia M. Powell, MD, has been named to the board of the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics. The announcement was made April 1st at the 2019 ACMG Annual Clinical Genetics Meeting in Seattle. Dr. Powell is a Professor of Pediatrics and Genetics at UNC Children’s. “Every two years we have the opportunity to … Continued

April 2019 Update

In addition to our regular CRI Activities Update, this month’s Research Focus highlights the research and work of Steven Joffe, MD, MPH, the Founders Professor of Medical Ethics and Health Policy and Division Chief of Medical Ethics at the Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania. Activities Update: The UNC Science Expo will be held … Continued

March 2019 Update

In addition to our regular CRI Activities Update, this month’s Research Focus highlights the research and work of Scott T. Magness, PhD, Associate Professor of Medicine and Cell Biology and Physiology as well as UNC’s and NC State University’s joint Department of Biomedical Engineering. Activities Update: We are busy preparing for the UNC Science Expo. … Continued

February 28 is Rare Disease Day

Rare Disease Day is an international movement that started over 10 years ago as a way to increase awareness of the 7,000 rare diseases (those affecting ≤ 1 in 1,000 people) amongst the general public as well as policy-makers. Taken together, it is estimated that 25-30 million (or about 1 in 10) Americans have a … Continued

February 2019 Update

In addition to our regular CRI Activities Update, this month’s Research Focus highlights the research and work of Stephen Hooper, PhD, the Associate Dean of Allied Health Sciences, Chair of the Department of Allied Health Sciences and Professor of Psychiatry, Psychology, Pediatrics, and Education at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Dr. Hooper … Continued

New Study Examines Relationship Between Length of Stay in Hospital and the Time of Discharge in Pediatric Patients

Does a Discharge Before Noon affect length of hospital stay? Perhaps. A common strategy used by hospitals to reduce overcrowding of inpatient units may not produce consistent results, a new study suggests. Discharges Before Noon, or DCBNs, are thought to mitigate overcrowding and improve patient outcomes by allowing for earlier emergency department admissions; however, studies … Continued

January 2019 Update

In addition to our regular CRI Activities Update, this month’s Research Focus highlights the research and work of James S. Hagood, MD, Director of the newly developing Program for Rare and Interstitial Lung Disease and Professor of Pediatrics. Activities Update: We are thrilled to announce our seminar schedule for Spring 2019. You can browse upcoming … Continued

December 2018 Update

Reminder: Michael O’Shea, MD, MPH and Rebecca Fry, PhD, will be presenting “Epigenetics, Neurodevelopment and Health of Children Born Extremely Preterm” at our next CRI luncheon seminar series. This event will be held on Tuesday, December 11, from 12:15-1:30pm in MacNider 321 (**Room Change**). Please mark your calendars. We look forward to seeing you there. … Continued

New NC-Based Study to Advance Research Through Free and Expanded Newborn Screening

Cynthia M. Powell, MD, professor of pediatrics and genetics in the UNC School of Medicine, is Early Check Lead Investigator for the team from UNC. Early Check, a new research study, led by RTI International and a group of distinguished partners, is now available for newborn babies in North Carolina. Early Check is a free screening study … Continued

FPG Child Development Institute 2018-2019 Lecture Series

UNC’s Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute is pleased to announce their 2018-2019 lecture series, “Child Development in a Global Context: Integrating Developmental Science and Implementation Science to Enhance Child Wellbeing.” Read more >>

Preliminary Data From Groundbreaking Genome Editing Clinical Trial Encouraging

Preliminary safety and efficacy data from the first-ever trial studying an in vivo genome editing therapy have been presented by Joseph Muenzer, MD, PhD, at the 2019 Annual Symposium of the Society for the Study of Inborn Errors of Metabolism this week in Athens, Greece. Muenzer, a Professor of Pediatric Genetics and Metabolism and a principal investigator … Continued

UNC School of Medicine Study Shows Surprise Low-level Ozone Impact on Asthma Patients

Michelle Hernandez, MD, associate medical director of the N.C. Children’s Allergy & Asthma Center, led a study that followed 23 asthma patients in North Carolina to show that even with optimized treatment for persistent asthma, patients experienced respiratory and systemic effects from exposure to low levels of ozone. Read more >>

Jaspers Featured on NIEHS Podcast About E-Cigarettes and Teen Health

Ilona Jaspers, PhD, was recently interviewed by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences for their podcast, “Environmental Health Chat” about e-cigarettes, their popularity among teenagers and why researchers and health professionals are concerned. This podcast is part of an ongoing series by the NIEHS, “Partnerships for Environmental Public Health,” that explores how environmental exposures … Continued

Research Symposium in Child Environmental Health

Save the date! The Center for Environmental Health and Sustainability and the Children’s Research Institute will be co-hosting a symposium, “Kids Matter! Research to Action in Children’s Environmental Health” on October 12, 2018. Read more >>

September 2018 Update

In addition to our regular CRI Activities Update, this month’s Research Focus highlights the research and work of Haiyan FU, PhD, Research Associate Professor of Pediatrics in the division of Genetics and Metabolism. Activities Update: We are excited to welcome James Hagood, MD to UNC! Dr. Hagood comes from Rady Children’s in University of California … Continued

Early research indicates vaping impairs lung immune function

Lung cell impairment can occur with exposure to e-cigarettes, but other short and long-term effects of vaping remain unknown. The use of electronic cigarettes, or e-cigarettes, is becoming increasingly popular in the United States, especially amongst teenagers. An e-cigarette is a device that produces an aerosol by heating a liquid, allowing users to inhale the … Continued

New trans-NIH consortium aims to advance pediatric research on a global level

The National Institutes of Health has formed the Trans-NIH Pediatric Research Consortium to coordinate pediatric research programs across its institutes and centers. Nearly all of the 27 NIH institutes and centers fund some aspects of child health research. In fiscal year 2017, this support totaled more than $4 billion. The new consortium aims to harmonize … Continued

August 2018 Update

In addition to our regular CRI Activities Update, this month’s Research Focus highlights the research and work of Kimon Divaris, DDS, PhD, Associate Professor of Pediatric Dentistry. Activities Update: July 23rd marked the arrival of our new Department of Pediatrics Chair, Stephanie D. Davis, MD. Dr. Davis’ research interests focus on improving the understanding of the … Continued

Conference on Clinical Research for Rare Diseases Open for Registration and Abstract Submission

The Rare Diseases Clinical Research Network’s Conference on Clinical Research for Rare Diseases will be held on Monday, November 19, 2018. New investigators, trainees, junior faculty, and others interested in rare disease research methodology are invited to attend. Read more >>

Things We Do For No Reason – Blood Cultures in Children with Skin Infections

The majority of blood cultures performed on children with common skin and soft tissue infections are unnecessary, according to a new article by researchers in the Department of Pediatrics. The article, “Blood Cultures for Uncomplicated Skin and Soft Tissue Infections of Children” was written as part of the journal’s ongoing series, “Things We Do For … Continued

Kappelman to Serve as Lead Scientific PI in PCORI Funded Study

The Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) Board of Governors today approved more than $20 million for studies that will use PCORnet, the National Patient-Centered Clinical Research Network, to test ways to improve care for people with arthritis, blood pressure, depression and irritable bowel disease. Read more >>

Jaspers, Clapp featured in NY Times for e-cigarette research

Researchers in the lab of Ilona Jaspers, PhD, found that the common food additive cinnamaldehyde impaired cilia–the hair-like structures on lung cells crucial for proper respiratory function. Read more >>

Willis Selected as IHQI Improvement Scholar

The UNC Institute for Healthcare Quality Improvement (IHQI) has selected six projects that will be supported through the Improvement Scholars Program, including one led by Zachary Willis, MD, MPH. Read more >>

Getting to the Heart of Congenital Cardiac Defects

UNC researchers led by Frank Conlon, PhD, shed light on how gene defects lead to congenital heart malformations. Dr. Conlon’s study includes research conducted in collaboration with the lab of Ian Davis, MD, PhD. Read more >>

June 2018 Update

In addition to our regular CRI Activities Update, this month’s Research Focus highlights collaborative work from the team led by Matthew Laughon, MD, MPH, Professor of Pediatrics in the division of Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine. Activities Update:  The latest news announcement on the Mary Ellen Jones building renovation can be found here. The renovation schedule remains on track for labs … Continued

May 2018 Update

In preparation for the May seminar, please take our quick survey on your knowledge, perception and clinical experience with e-cigarettes. Participation in the survey is not required to attend the seminar. In addition to our regular CRI Activities Update, this month’s Research Focus highlights collaborative work from the team led by Ilona Jaspers, PhD; Professor of Pediatrics, Microbiology/Immunology and … Continued

ELGAN-ECHO Study Seeks to Understand Increase in Premature Birth Rate

North Carolina has been ranked by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) as having the 12th highest premature birth rate in the country (I). According to data from the CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics, more than 10% of births in 2016 in North Carolina occurred prior to 37 weeks of gestation (compared to 9.85% … Continued

April 2018 Update

In addition to our regular CRI Activities Update, this month’s Research Focus highlights collaborative work from the team led by Joseph Piven, MD; Professor of Psychiatry; Director of the Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities (CIDD); and Thomas E. Castelloe Distinguished Professor of Psychiatry, Pediatrics, and Psychology. Activities Update: In the spirit of increasing collaborations and broadening attendance, … Continued

UNC Pediatrics Delivers Investigational Genome Editing Therapy in Clinical Trial for the Rare Hunter Syndrome

This week, a 40-year-old patient was treated at UNC’s Clinical and Translational Research Center (CTRC) with SB-913, an investigational genome editing therapy for individuals with mucopolysaccharidosis type II (MPS II), a rare lysosomal storage disorder also known as Hunter syndrome. Read more >>

Could a Pill Help with Peanut Allergies?

Dr. Wesley Burks was featured in an ABC News story about peanut immunotherapy after the publication of a recent study he co-authored in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology: In Practice. Read more >>

March 2018 Update

In addition to our regular CRI Activities Update, this month’s Research Focus highlights collaborative work from the team led by Aravinda de Silva, PhD, MPH, Professor of Microbiology and Immunology and a member of the UNC Institute for Global Health and Infectious Diseases. Activities Update: We held our Medical Foundation Board of Visitors meeting on February … Continued

January 2018 Update

In addition to our regular CRI Activities Update, this month’s Research Focus highlights collaborative work from the team led by Joseph Muenzer, MD, PhD, Professor of Pediatric and Genetics. Activities Update: This past month we have been busy with research grants. We had a Creativity Hub submission to the UNC Office of the Vice Chancellor for … Continued

Cystic Fibrosis Discovery: Bacterial Burden Begins During First Years of Life

UNC School of Medicine scientists show that therapies to break up mucus in toddlers might offer the best route to a longer life for CF patients. Read more >>

Willis, Johnson Win CFTK Research Grants

After careful review by our primary and secondary reviewers on our Review Committee, we are excited to announce that Zachary Willis, MD, MPH was recommended and received approval for the CFTK Faculty Award, and Jacob Johnson, MD was recommended and received approval for the CFTK Fellows Award.

November 2017 Update

In addition to our regular CRI Activities Update, this month’s Research Focus highlights collaborative work from David B. Peden, MD, MS Andrews Distinguished Professor of Pediatrics, Professor of Medicine and Microbiology/Immunology and Toxicology, Division Chief of Pediatric Allergy, Immunology and Rheumatology, Interim Director of the Institute for the Environment. Activities Update: We hired a new Infectious … Continued

October 2017 Update

In addition to our regular CRI Activities Update, this month’s Research Focus highlights collaborative work from the team led by Wesley Burks, MD, Executive Dean for the UNC School of Medicine and Curnen Distinguished Professor of Pediatrics. Activities Update: We have been working with the Medical Foundation to develop our CRI website and we are … Continued

September 2017 Update

In addition to our regular CRI Activities Update, this month’s Research Focus highlights collaborative work from the team led by Michelle Hernandez, MD, Associate Professor of Pediatrics, UNC Children’s, Associate Medical Director, N.C. Children’s Allergy & Asthma Center. Activities Update: This month we formed the Pediatric Scholars Program (PSP), a new pediatric Junior Faculty working … Continued

August 2017 Update

In addition to our regular CRI Activities Update, this month’s Research Focus highlights collaborative work from the team of Mike O’Shea, MD, MPH, Chief of the Division of Neonatal and Perinatal Medicine and Rebecca Fry, Ph.D. Professor, Environmental Sciences and Engineering. Activities Update: This past month, Kevin Kelly, MD, Toni Darville, MD, Leslie Nelson, and … Continued

A personal mission in the battle against superbugs

For parents, it’s hard to imagine a scarier scenario than a child with an illness that won’t respond to medicine. So when a parent reads news reports about an increase in infections from “superbugs” – bacteria that have evolved to resist antibiotics – it’s easy to understand why a simple earache may have parents fearing … Continued

June 2017 Update

This issue includes updates on CRI activities, as well as the first in what will be a regularly occurring focus on a pediatric researcher, highlighting the many connections we have throughout the university to build upon in our Children’s Research Institute (CRI). Activities Update: On June 2, we shared our CRI vision and needs for … Continued