Daniel Diaz-Gil, MD

Boston Children’s Hospital

Dr. Daniel Diaz-Gil, a senior pediatric resident and rising pediatric cardiology fellow at Boston Children’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, is being honored with the SPR House Staff Award for his significant contributions to the understanding of Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome (HLHS), particularly through his groundbreaking research on Neuregulin 1 (NRG1) and its role in diastolic dysfunction of the hypoplastic left ventricle. His innovative use of single-nucleus RNA sequencing and RNA scope techniques has illuminated the critical interactions between fibroblasts and cardiomyocytes in HLHS, uncovering a novel fibroblast cluster with increased NRG1 expression linked to severe myocardial dysfunction. This discovery advances our knowledge of the molecular mechanisms driving HLHS and opens new avenues for targeted therapeutic interventions.

Dr. Diaz-Gil’s research is distinguished by its integration of advanced molecular profiling with clinical diagnostics, aiming to develop precision therapies that improve the survival and quality of life of children with severe cardiac malformations. Supported by the Congenital Heart Disease Coalition and the Fred Lovejoy House-staff Research Fund, his work leverages his clinical insights and basic science expertise to drive clinically relevant scientific breakthroughs. This award recognizes his exceptional ability to bridge pioneering research with transformative clinical practice, setting new standards in pediatric cardiology, while still being in residency.

Eleanor Semmes, MD, PhD

Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston Medical Center

Eleanor Semmes, MD PhD, is a second-year pediatric resident in the Boston Combined Residency Program at Boston Children’s Hospital and Boston Medical Center. She completed her MD/PhD at Duke University’s Medical Scientist Training Program. Her PhD work at the Duke Human Vaccine Institute focused on maternal-fetal immunity in congenital CMV infection and was mentored by Sallie Permar, MD PhD. Her doctoral research identified Fc antibody functions including antibody-dependent phagocytosis and cellular cytotoxicity as associated with protection against congenital CMV transmission. Drs. Semmes and Permar have continued to collaborate during her residency training on research related to how CMV shapes neonatal T and NK cell populations in utero.

Her research “Cord blood CD8+ T cells acquire NK-like antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) functions in congenital human cytomegalovirus infection” identified a unique population of CD8+ T cells that upregulate Fc?RIII/CD16 and other NK cell genes/receptors following CMV exposure in utero. These CD8+ T cells undergo transcriptional reprogramming to acquire Fc effector functions that may synergize with maternal IgG to help protect infants against congenital and perinatal infections.

Dr. Semmes will begin her pediatric infectious diseases fellowship at Boston Children’s Hospital in July 2025 and plans to pursue a career as a physician-scientist.

Sarah Z. Wang, MD, MPH

Boston Children’s Hospital

Sarah Wang is currently a Research Fellow in the Department of Surgery at Boston Children’s Hospital/Harvard Medical School. Sarah’s research interests include the development of new therapies for conditions affecting preterm infants, including necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) and NEC-related short bowel syndrome. She is particularly interested in the role of lipids and lipid-like bioactive molecules for the treatment of intestinal failure-related complications including liver disease. She is actively involved in pediatric clinical trials that focus on these areas. Sarah received this award in recognition of her translational work on the role of lipase-mediated fat digestion in reducing intestinal injury in a murine model of necrotizing enterocolitis.

Sarah is a General Surgery resident at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation and intends to pursue a career in pediatric surgery. Sarah gratefully acknowledges the continuous support of her mentor and pediatric surgeon-scientist Dr. Mark Puder, the Vascular Biology Program, and the Department of Surgery at Boston Children’s Hospital.

Marwa Ramsie, BSc

University of Alberta

Marwa Ramsie is a PhD candidate in the Centre for the Studies of Asphyxia and Resuscitation. Under the guidance of Dr. Georg Schmölzer and Dr. Po-yin Cheung, she has been examining various vasopressors and routes of administration during neonatal hypoxia-reoxygenation and asphyxia-induced asystolic cardiac arrest. Marwa is being recognized for her work in examining the systemic and cerebral hemodynamic effects of norepinephrine in neonatal piglets with hypoxia-reoxygenation. This study was established to address the limited information available on the use of norepinephrine in neonates with hypoxia-reoxygenation induced hypotension and cardiogenic shock.

Marwa is passionate about neonatal health and hopes to continue to work on reducing neonatal morbidity and mortality through the investigation of vasopressor therapies.

Paige Riddington, BSc (Hons)

Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Monash University. The Ritchie Centre, Hudson Institute of Medical Research.

Paige Riddington is a PhD student in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at Monash University, Australia and a researcher within the Fetal and Neonatal Health group at The Ritchie Centre, Hudson Institute of Medical Research. Her work focuses on improving health outcomes for infants born with a congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) by optimising early respiratory support strategies to enhance lung aeration and cardiopulmonary function at birth.

Paige’s research employs preclinical newborn sheep and rabbit models of CDH to investigate cardiopulmonary haemodynamics and gas exchange efficiency. As part of a multidisciplinary team of leading perinatal physiologists and physicists, she utilises advanced imaging techniques, including phase contrast X-ray imaging, to study lung aeration in the immediate newborn period.

Her research demonstrates how a small external negative pressure applied during conventional mechanical ventilation improves lung aeration while reducing airway pressures in newborn rabbits with a diaphragmatic hernia.

Sydne Ballengee, BS

Medical Student at Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine; Presenting research out of the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine

I am honored to receive the SPR Medical Student Research Award for my abstract, “Deletion of Gasdermin D Attenuates Cardiovascular Remodeling in Adult Mice Exposed to Neonatal Hyperoxia.” This project aims to expand our understanding of the long-term sequelae of prematurity. Adults born prematurely face an increased risk of cardiovascular complications, yet the mechanisms underlying this dysfunction, particularly in the context of neonatal hyperoxia, remain unclear. Previous research has identified Gasdermin D as a key mediator in inflammasome activation and pyroptosis, a form of programmed cell death. Our findings demonstrate that global Gasdermin D knock-out reduces cardiovascular dysfunction, vascular stiffness, and fibrosis associated with neonatal hyperoxia exposure. These results suggest a potential strategy for preventing the long-term cardiovascular consequences of neonatal hyperoxia in adults born preterm.

I began contributing to this research as an undergraduate student at the University of Miami Division of Neonatology, where I developed a strong foundation in neonatal research under the mentorship of Dr. Merline Benny. Now, as a medical student in Ohio, I remain dedicated to this project and to advancing our understanding of the pathophysiology of prematurity.

Carolyn Cafro, BS

University of Rochester

Carolyn Cafro is being recognized for her contributions to neonatal pulmonary hemodynamics research as part of the larger Comprehensive Real-Time Assisted Deep Learning in ELGANs (CRADLE) study. Under the mentorship of Dr. Irina Prelipcean and in collaboration with a multidisciplinary team, Carolyn’s work focuses on identifying early pulmonary hemodynamic patterns in extremely low gestational age newborns (ELGANs) and defining clinical trajectories that predispose them to later pulmonary hypertension (PH). By leveraging data from a retrospective cohort, she has helped characterize two distinct early PH phenotypes—pressure-mediated and flow-mediated PH—shedding light on critical perinatal risk factors influencing neonatal cardiopulmonary outcomes.

Her research contributes to the broader CRADLE study, which aims to develop real-time clinical decision support (CDS) tools for neonatal clinicians using machine learning. By identifying key predictors—such as maternal hypertensive disorders and intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) for pressure-mediated PH, and prolonged PDA exposure for flow-mediated PH—her work informs the development of data-driven interventions to improve neonatal outcomes. This research not only enhances the understanding of pulmonary hemodynamics in ELGANs but also supports CRADLE’s mission to integrate machine learning into neonatal care to optimize clinical decision-making.

Kate DiNucci

University of Washington

Kate DiNucci is a third-year undergraduate student at the University of Washington, studying Neuroscience and Bioethics with the goal of pursuing an MD-PhD. For the past three years, she has conducted research in the Neonatal Neuroscience Lab under the mentorship of Dr. Tommy Wood, focusing on neuroprotective therapies for neonates.

As a primary author, Kate conducted a secondary analysis of the Preterm Erythropoietin for Neuroprotection Trial (PENUT) to investigate sex-dependent associations of magnesium sulfate on neurodevelopmental outcomes. Her findings indicate no significant sex-specific differences in response to magnesium sulfate across all outcome measures, reaffirming its safety while also highlighting a lack of neuroprotective benefit.

Kate aspires to advance neonatology and pediatric neurology through her research and future work as a physician, aiming to improve long-term patient outcomes and identify effective and accessible neonatal neuroprotectants.

Shalini Indugula

Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center

I am an undergraduate in the Schuh lab at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center. I am involved in a project that aims to examine the effects of the timing of nephrotoxic medication administration on levels of AKI and nephron loss seen during postnatal nephrogenesis. During this project, I performed Immunofluorescence staining and imaging on rabbit kidney samples to visualize and compare injury in epithelium, and tubular regions of the kidney. I conducted a blinded analysis of samples after Periodic Acid Shift (PAS) staining to quantify injury and performed and assisted with molecular techniques such as qPCR, RNA extractions, and cDNA synthesis. Under the guidance and mentorship of Dr. Meredith P. Schuh I attended lab meetings, assisted and conducted various lab protocols, and had the honor to present at the International Neonatal Nephrology Symposium and won the Best Oral Abstract of 2024. I am extremely excited to be a part of this project and hope to continue to contribute to neonatal research.

Yuto Arai, MD, PhD

Division of Child Neurology, Department of Brain and Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, Tottori University

I am an Assistant Professor at Tottori University specializing in Child Neurology, with a focus on improving the quality of life for children with epilepsy and their families. I have previously developed a long-term prognostic model for Infantile Epileptic Spasms Syndrome, identified prognostic factors related to employment outcomes in childhood-onset drug-resistant epilepsy, and conducted studies on the subjective well-being of parents of children with disabilities.

This study is the first to demonstrate that climate change serves as a seizure trigger in children with drug-resistant epilepsy. These findings are expected to enhance the understanding of seizure triggers among patients’ families and healthcare providers, thereby contributing to improvements in epilepsy management.

This recognition underscores my commitment to advancing pediatric neurology and supporting families affected by epilepsy.

Ryo Nishiguchi, MD

NHO Nagasaki Medical Center

Ryo Nishiguchi is a neonatologist at NHO Nagasaki Medical Center in Japan. At the hospital, he is involved in daily neonatal care in the NICU and developmental care in the outpatient setting. His practice and research also focus on the long-term prognosis, including disease and development, of preterm and low-birth-weight infants.

He received his medical degree from Nagasaki University School of Medicine. He trained in neonatal medicine at the NICU of Saitama Medical Center, Saitama Medical University, one of the largest in Japan. He currently works as a neonatologist in his hometown of Nagasaki, where he lives with his wife and two sons.

Hisao Okabe, MD

Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Fukushima Medical University

Over the past decades, our research team at the Department of Pediatrics, Fukushima Medical University has conducted a longitudinal study analyzing amino acid (AA) mutations in the fusion (F) protein of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and their effects on monoclonal antibody (mAb) sensitivity and viral replicative capacity. We analyzed 236 RSV strains isolated from children hospitalized with RSV infections between 2008 and 2023 in Fukushima Prefecture, Japan. Our team identified significant AA mutations in key neutralizing epitopes (sites II, V, and Ø) of the F protein. For instance, we discovered that mutations in site V and Ø influenced antibody sensitivity, without decreasing replicative capacity. Using neutralization assays and replication studies, we demonstrated that RSV in Japan naturally evolved with AA mutations that affect sensitivity to specific antibodies. Our findings highlight the importance of continuous monitoring of AA mutations to better understand their implications for antibody-based treatments and vaccine strategies. This award acknowledges the collective efforts and contributions of our team in advancing the understanding of RSV evolution, antibody resistance, and the clinical implications of these findings, with the hope of contributing to improved outcomes for pediatric patients worldwide.

Vincent Gaertner, MD, BSc

ILMU Hospital Munich

Vincent D. Gaertner, M.D., B.Sc., is a postdoctoral researcher in the neonatal division at the Dr. von Hauner Children’s Hospital in Munich, Germany. He graduated summa cum laude in medicine from the University of Regensburg, Germany, and in psychology from the University of Mannheim, Germany. His research led him to work at the Neonatal Departments of the University Hospital Zurich in Switzerland, and the Royal Women’s Hospital in Melbourne, Australia.

His scientific work focuses on the pathophysiology of fetal-to-neonatal transition, as well as different respiratory support strategies for very preterm infants immediately after birth and in high-risk situations in the neonatal intensive care unit. Now he is heading his own research group where he aims to improve our understanding of the physiology of neonatal transition and to improve respiratory support strategies in the delivery room and on the NICU.

He has received numerous awards including the Adalbert-Czerny medal from the German Society for Pediatrics. Currently, he received the Young Investigator Award of the European Society for Pediatric Research for the EAGLE study where he assessed lung volume changes during the first breaths after birth in healthy term-born infants using electrical impedance tomography. In this study, he described how quickly the newborn lung is aerated, how infants generate functional residual capacity after birth and how air is distributed during this crucial moment in life.

Noor Mehandi, MD

University of Miami Miller School of Medicine

I am a second-year clinical fellow in the Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine Fellowship at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine/Jackson Health System. To deepen my understanding of the pathogenesis of Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), I pursued a basic science research project under Dr. Shu Wu, focusing on the critical roles of inflammasome cascades in hyperoxia-induced lung injuries in neonatal mice.

Under Dr. Wu’s guidance, I spearheaded the investigation into the role of apoptosis associated speck-like protein containing a caspase recruitment domain (ASC) in BPD and the effects of IC100, a humanized anti-ASC antibody in preventing BPD in hyperoxia-induced mouse models. My first objective was to determine if hyperoxia activates ASC speck formation, which is required for inflammasome activation. I exposed ASC-citrine reporter mice, expressing ASC fusion protein with a C-terminal Citrine (fluorescent GFP isoform) to room air (RA) or 85% oxygen (O2) from postnatal day (P) 1 to P14, and then dissected the lung on P14, and prepared tissue sections for examination of ASC specks. I found that O2-exposed lungs had strong signals for ASC specks and BPD-like pathology, suggesting the activation of inflammasomes.

I then conducted experiments to assess the efficacy of IC100 in preventing hyperoxia-induced BPD. I randomized newborn mice to RA with placebo, RA with IC100 intraperitoneal injection, 85% O2 with placebo, and 85% O2 with IC100 intraperitoneal injection. On P14, I dissected the lung from these mice, assessed lung structures by radial alveolar count (RAC), and measured lung inflammation by counting macrophage infiltration in the alveolar airspace. I found that hyperoxia exposure reduced alveolarization and increased lung inflammation; however, IC100 treatment improved alveolarization and reduced lung inflammation in hyperoxia-exposed lungs. These results highlight the critical role of ASC in the pathogenesis of BPD and suggest that IC100 may have the potential to treat preterm infants from developing BPD.

Anusha Mopuri, MBBS, MD

UH Rainbow Babies and Childrens Hospital

Dr. Anusha Mopuri has been recognized for my innovative research in neonatal respiratory medicine, where she developed a novel approach using aerosolized human mesenchymal stem cell–conditioned media to prevent CPAP-induced airway hyperreactivity. Her work bridges basic science and clinical application, aiming to improve long-term respiratory outcomes in preterm infants.

Benjamin Fensterheim, MD, PhD

Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia

Developing new and effective therapies for preterm infants remains challenging, partly due to limited knowledge of how preterm birth alters normal immune system development. During my Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine fellowship, I aimed to precisely characterize how the preterm immune system evolves over time and in response to diseases of prematurity.

To achieve this, I established a pipeline to perform deep immune profiling using whole blood scavenged from the clinical laboratory every two weeks from preterm infants born in the Intensive Care Nursery at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. I identified key immune cells and proteins whose development varied across gestational ages, and pinpointed immune pathways most affected by certain complications of prematurity. Notably, some preterm infants with severe infections had a dramatic shift in their CD8 T-cell composition, which persisted for months, and others with severe bronchopulmonary dysplasia showed progressive increases in CD4+ Th17 T-cell-related immune activity.

This project, which I conceptualized, executed, and analyzed, highlights how comorbidities of prematurity can change normal immune system development. It suggests specific immune mechanisms, such as the Th17 pathway, as potential drivers of disease progression, offering promising avenues for future therapeutic interventions.

Kelly Orgel, MD, PhD

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Dr. Orgel is a physician-scientist in the Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine Fellowship program at the University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill. Dr. Orgel received her MD/PhD from UNC, where she studied T cell and antibody responses in food allergies. Following her PhD and inspired by the premature birth of her daughter at 25 weeks gestation, her love of neonatal physiology, and her passion for caring for families in their most vulnerable moments, she decided to pursue a career in neonatology. Her research, with the mentorship of Dr. Misty Good, focuses on understanding the immunologic mechanisms that underly the development of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), a life-threatening intestinal disease that predominately affects premature infants.

There are major knowledge gaps in our understanding of the pathophysiology of NEC despite decades of research. The Good Lab previously demonstrated that the polyfunctional cytokine interleukin-22 (IL-22) protects against intestinal injury during NEC. However, IL-22 requires tight regulation, as it has the potential to induce a pro-inflammatory response through signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3). Dr. Orgel’s research focuses on the regulation of IL-22 signaling by IL-22 binding protein (IL-22BP), a soluble inhibitory IL-22 receptor that inhibits binding of IL-22 to its receptor. Specifically, she studies the IL-22/IL-22BP signaling axis during intestinal development and NEC-induced inflammation using human intestinal organoids as well as mouse models of the disease. Thus far, her work has shown that recombinant IL-22 induces expression of the gene for IL-22BP (Il22ra2) in the intestine of neonatal mice during homeostasis but not during experimental NEC. Additionally, Il22ra2 is down-regulated during NEC-induced inflammation in the absence of IL-22 administration. Dr. Orgel’s future studies will focus on elucidating the mechanisms behind these findings and their implications for disease pathogenesis.

Jeremy Sandgren, MD, PhD

University of Iowa

Jeremy Sandgren is a 3rd year neonatology fellow at the University of Iowa with an interest in neonatal sepsis. During fellowship, he has studied the role of iron in infections caused by E. coli K1, a common cause of neonatal sepsis and meningitis. His work has built off previous work in the lab demonstrating that neonatal mice, with high iron availability, are more susceptible to E. coli K1 than adults, who have low amounts of available iron. Specifically, he found that knocking out certain secreted iron scavenging compounds, called siderophores, from E. coli K1, it is possible to dramatically reduce mortality caused by E. coli K1 in a mouse model of neonatal early-onset sepsis. These data led him to create a vaccine against one of these siderophores, enterobactin (entF). When this vaccine is administered to adult female mice, their offspring have reduced susceptibility to E. coli K1 infection. These data are exciting because they offer a potential vaccination strategy against E. coli early-onset sepsis. Jeremy is excited to be joining the University of Iowa as faculty in the summer, where he plans to study the long-term effects of early-life inflammation on cardiovascular function as a physician-scientist.

Nina Hill, MD

University of Michigan

Our study team examined HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis dispensing to young adults using a national pharmacy database between 2016 and 2023. We found that both PrEP dispensing and initiation increased in young adults during the study period, but that duration of treatment episodes shortened.  In partnership with my mentor and collaborator, I conceptualized the research question for the study, analyzed and interpreted the results, and drafted the abstract for Pediatric Academic Societies.

Jeanette Van Steyn, MD

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Jeanette Van Steyn is a second-year Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine Fellow at the University of North Carolina and a Master of Public Health student at the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health.  Her research focuses on enhancing neonatal and child health, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), to inform interventions that promote equitable health outcomes for vulnerable populations.  Her current work examines the impact of pre- and postnatal growth on neurodevelopmental outcomes among children of ASPIRIN trial participants in LMICs.

Claire C. Foster, MD MPH

University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences

Claire Foster, MD, MPH is a fellow physician in Developmental Behavioral Pediatrics and Pediatric Critical Care Medicine at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences and Arkansas Children’s Hospital. Her research is focused on identifying potential risk factors for cognitive, developmental, or behavioral sequelae after critical illness and understanding approaches that could improve outcomes after pediatric ICU admission.

Dr. Foster is awarded the 2025 SPR Richard D. Rowe Award in Clinical Research for her study, “Changes in Academic Standardized Testing After Pediatric Critical Illness or Injury,” which will be presented at the 2025 Pediatric Academic Society’s Annual Meeting. This project found that patients admitted to the PICU were less likely to return to school-based standardized testing in the two years following PICU admission compared to matched controls; and in patients that did return to testing, they experienced greater declines in their scores.

Dr. Foster’s dual training in Developmental Behavioral Pediatrics and Pediatric Critical Care Medicine provides a unique perspective to further understand the impacts of critical injury and illness during childhood, and she looks forward to continuing her career as a physician-scientist investigating cognitive and developmental outcomes among PICU survivors.

Paige Nettles, MD

Prisma Health

Prior research has highlighted barriers to scheduling of patients referred to subspecialty pediatric clinics. Existing data have focused on family experiences that may impede access; however, limited data are available on potential barriers embedded within referral processes. Referral processes requiring pre-appointment questionnaires create barriers to developmental evaluation services in populations utilizing public insurance and those living in areas with lower health literacy rates and higher neighborhood disadvantages. Healthcare organizations must assess the impact of social determinants of health on referral workflows to improve access to pediatric subspecialty care.

Joseph Starnes, MD, MPH

Vanderbilt University Medical Center

Joey Starnes is a third-year pediatric cardiology fellow at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. He also completed medical school and pediatrics residency at Vanderbilt. His recent research has focused on inequitable performance of optical medical technologies based on skin color, including pulse oximetry and near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS). His work on pulse oximetry was recently published in The New England Journal of Medicine.

He is receiving the SPR fellows clinical research award for his prospective study quantifying the effect of skin color on the performance of NIRS. He found that NIRS significantly overestimates the mixed venous saturation in patients with darker skin. This may lead to differences in management and contribute to inequities in outcomes. His work has been supported by a T32 grant from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.