The Department of Pediatrics at Brigham and Women’s Hospital is committed to improving the lives of infants, children, and their families through clinical and translational research as well as basic science investigation to advance care for these most vulnerable patients. We conduct research in both laboratories and clinical spaces, including the newborn nursery, neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), and Center for Child Development. Investigators in the Department have a broad range of interests, including the following major areas of focus:
Neonatal Cardiovascular, Pulmonary, and Integrated Biology
Several laboratories carry out basic and translational science related to pulmonary and cardiac disorders, including bronchopulmonary dysplasia, neonatal sepsis, and pulmonary hypertension.
Faculty investigators:
- Sule Cataltepe, MD
- Helen Christou, MD
- Saila Ghanta, MD
- Xiaoli Liu, MD, PhD
- Mark Perella, MD
- Foti Spyropoulos, MD
Learn more about Neonatal Cardiovascular, Pulmonary, and Integrated Biology research.
Pediatric, Newborn, and Fetal Developmental Neuroscience (Brigham Infant Brain Studies, BIBS)
Work by this group of investigators encompasses multimodal monitoring of the newborn brain, assessing and optimizing early neurosensory exposures, neuroprotective strategies and therapies, imaging the fetal and newborn brain, and assessing neurodevelopmental outcomes in high-risk infants throughout early childhood.
Faculty investigators:
- Mohamed El-Dib, MD
- Carmina Erdei, MD
Learn more about Pediatric, Newborn and Fetal Developmental Neuroscience research.
Parent Mental Health and Child Development
Investigators in this group focus on the psychosocial experiences of families, including the assessment of psychosocial risk and protective factors that affect both parent mental health and child developmental outcomes.
Faculty investigators:
- Carmina Erdei, MD
- Cindy Liu, PhD
Learn more about Parent Mental Health and Child Development research.
Global Advancement of Infant and Maternal Health
This research group conducts studies to improve the survival, health and potential of mothers and infants globally.
Faculty investigators:
- Anne “CC” Lee, MD, MPH (Director, Global AIM)
- Krysten North, MD, MPH (Co-director, Global AIM)
Learn more about the Global AIM Lab.
Newborn Genomic Medicine
This program focuses on investigation and implementation of genomic approaches to diagnosis and screening of genetic disorders in the newborn with a goal to integrate genomic information into newborn care for the optimization of therapy and outcome.
Faculty investigators:
- Arindam (Andy) Bhattacharjee, PhD (Senior Investigator and Lab Director)
- Richard Parad, MD, MPH (Program Director)
Learn more about Newborn Genomic Medicine.
Nutrition for Mothers and Infants
Investigators in this group lead studies investigating how maternal and infant diet impact subsequent health and developmental outcomes of the newborn, infant, and child. This group has major interests in obesity during pregnancy and lactation, the composition of human milk and breastfeeding, diet-based interventions, and nutritional assessment.
Faculty investigators:
- Katherine Bell, MD
- Paige Berger, RD, PhD
- Mandy Brown Belfort, MD, MPH
- Carmen Monthé-Drèze, MD
- Margaret Ong, MD, MPH
Learn more about Nutrition for Mothers and Infants research.
