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BRAINY‑T1D: Advancing Our Understanding of How Early Type 1 Diabetes Shapes the Developing Brain

January 10, 2026
BRAINY-T1D is a nationwide effort aimed at understanding the earliest effects of Type 1 Diabetes in young children. UNC is one of eleven campuses participating in this NIH project. At UNC, the study is led by an interdisciplinary group of investigators whose expertise spans neuroimaging, endocrinology, pediatrics, occupational therapy and...

Moran & Kulis Receive ECBR Grant

January 7, 2026
UNC School of Medicine Office of Research awards pilot funding to Moran and Kulis team for cutting-edge New Approach Methodologies research.

Renowned UNC Pediatric Biochemical Geneticist Leads First Study on a Novel Treatment for Hunter Syndrome

January 5, 2026
Joseph Muenzer, MD, PhD, leads research on groundbreaking therapy that offers hope for patients across the world living with a devastating genetic disorder. Ongoing clinical research at UNC could lead to a first-of-its-kind enzyme replacement therapy for Hunter syndrome, an ultra-rare disorder that causes progressive multisystem disease and neurologic decline.

UNC Awarded Funding To Implement Useful Research Results to Prevent Childhood Obesity

December 18, 2025
UNC has been approved for funding by the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) to implement research findings on early childhood obesity prevention. The project is co-led by Dual Principal Investigators Dr. Kori Flower in the UNC Department of Pediatrics and Dr. Eliana Perrin at The Johns Hopkins University.

Finding Confidence and Opportunity within UNC’s Center for Molecular Medicine

December 17, 2025
The Center for Molecular Medicine (CMM), formerly the UNC Gene Therapy Center, launched a new effort to give potential Einsteins a foot in the door. The newly revamped Center, located in the Thurston Bowles Building, is buzzing with undergraduates and high school students looking to get a head start on...

Stephenson Awarded $700,000 from The Duke Endowment to Expand Statewide Care for Infants and Children with Premature Lung Disease

December 16, 2025
UNC Children’s is proud to announce that The Duke Endowment has awarded $700,000 to launch “Expanding Care for Infants and Children with BPD across North Carolina – an Interdisciplinary Care and Outreach Program”, a new statewide initiative led by Nicole Stephenson, MD, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics in the Division of...

Welcome New Clinical Provider: Mary Clay Federspiel, MSN, CPNP-PC

December 15, 2025
Mary Clay Federspiel, MSN, CPNP-PC, joined the Muenzer MPS center in the Pediatric division of Genetics & Metabolism as an Advanced Practice Practitioner on December 15, 2025. Ms. Federspiel completed a Bachelor of Science at William & Mary in 2006 and a BSN at the University of North Carolina at...

Laughon Leads UNC Study Confirming Early Use of Medications May Lead to Life-Threatening Conditions in Preterm Infants with Heart Defect

December 9, 2025
A clinical trial led by Dr. Matt Laughon, Professor of Pediatrics in the Division of Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine, weighs medications versus ‘wait and see’ approach for treatment of patent ductus arteriosus.

Herrera Promoted to Associate Professor of Pediatrics

December 1, 2025
Adriana Herrera, MD, MPH was promoted to Associate Professor of Pediatrics effective December 1, 2025. Dr. Herrera has been faculty in the division of Hospital Pediatrics since 2021. Congratulations!

Smith Promoted to Associate Professor of Pediatrics

December 1, 2025
Melissa Smith, MD was promoted to Associate Professor of Pediatrics effective December 1, 2025. Dr. Smith has been a faculty member in Pediatric Critical Care Medicine since 2018. Congratulations!