Division of Neonatology Research

The Neonatal-Perinatal Research Institute (NPRI) was created to facilitate multidisciplinary research aimed at understanding the basis of key problems suffered by neonates and to train the next generation of physician-scientists. Founded in 1996 by Dr. Ronald Goldberg, Division Chief of the Duke Neonatal-Perinatal Program with the support of Dr. George Brumley, Jr., the first Director of Neonatology at Duke, the NPRI has grown from concept stage to a successful, multi-million dollar environment for serious multidisciplinary research. The NPRI presently hosts 70 senior investigators, 53 of whom have NIH-funded research supporting four broad areas of investigation:

 

1) Developmental Biology 

2) Developmental Pulmonology

3) Developmental Neurobiology 

4) Clinical Research in conjunction with the NICHD Neonatal Network and the Duke Clinical Research Institute .

 

In addition, there are also several areas of collaborative research within the NPRI. Aside from classical research, the NPRI supports unique programs for the study of genomics as it relates to neonatal diseases, health care policy, medical ethics, medical informatics, and health care finances all within the context of medical research and fellowship training.

 

The NPRI supports a wide range of basic science research initiatives. Investigators from Cell Biology, Neurobiology, INformatics, Pratt School of Engineering, Genetics, Immunology, and Pharmacology collaborate with their colleagues in Cardiology, Neonatology, Neurology, Pediatrics, Anesthesiology, and Pediatric Critical Care to elucidate fundamental mechanisms underlying congenital neural tube and cardiac defects, neonatal chronic lung disease and neonatal brain injury and stroke.

 

A major goal of the NPRI is to exploit the stereotypic features of inflammation, injury and repair, which occur in multiple organ systems during the perinatal and neonatal stages of development. This will permit synergistic experimental approaches, using animal models and encourage investigators with expertise in brain, lung, and cardiovascular injury to cooperate in the development and use of clinically relevant animal models, incorporating inflammation, premature labor, and antenatal brain injury.

 

A second focus of the NPRI is to understand the genetic and cellular etiology of major birth defects, by far the leading cause of infant mortality in the United States. Congenital malformations of the heart and of the neural tube are the most common serious birth defects, and are the subjects of intensive research in the NPRI. Our efforts span basic etiological studies and genetic epidemiology.

In addition, the NPRI’s mission is to reach beyond the basic science laboratory and translate testable hypotheses into clinical investigations actualized by conducting clinical research at Duke and within the NICHD sponsored Neonatal Network, a consortium of academic institutions. This includes long-term follow-up and study of our targeted patients; and exploration of the societal and institutional (Health Care System, Public School System, Financial, etc.) impact of the care of these children and their special care needs.

 

The decision to support studies in Health Care Policy, Medical Ethics, Medical Informatics, and Health Care Finance as well as more traditional studies in basic and clinical research through the NPRI reflects the program's mission to train the next generation of physician-scientists in the responsible and ethical use of scarce health care resources. NPRI researchers have been successful in providing new tools to improve institutional processes involved with health care organizations resulting in the recovery of millions of health care dollars.

 

Division of Neonatology Neonatal-Perinatal Research Institute (NPRI) web site.