Children’s of Alabama nephrologist Dr. Michael Seifert and his lab are using a novel technique called spatial transcriptomics, or spatial gene expression assays, to develop non-invasive biomarkers reflective of the underlying biology of kidney transplant rejection. In this episode, Seifert explains the work he and his team are doing in the UAB Spatial Core Lab and the difference it can make for patients and physicians.

The independent risk for neurodevelopmental impairments attributed to chorioamnionitis (inflammation of the fetal membranes) in premature infants remains controversial. Children’s of Alabama neonatologist Viral Jain, M.D., has done extensive research on the effects this infection can have on these babies. In this episode he discusses his work and explains what his research shows.

For a closer look at Dr. Jain's work on chorioamnionitis, please check out these links: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35644247/, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40023378/

Last year, Curtis J. Rozzelle, M.D., a pediatric neurosurgeon at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), performed the first deep brain stimulation (DBS) procedure for epilepsy at Children’s of Alabama, offering a new treatment option for pediatric patients who experience drug-resistant seizures. During the procedure, he also implanted the first NeuroPace responsive neurostimulation (RNS) epilepsy treatment device at Children’s. In this episode, Rozzelle describes the procedure and the device, and he explains how they help patients with epilepsy.

Testicular torsion is a serious medical emergency that requires immediate surgical intervention. If not treated promptly, the condition can lead to permanent damage or loss of the affected testicle. Prompt diagnosis is crucial, but challenging. To improve diagnosis, a team at Children’s of Alabama created a testicular torsion model that provides hands-on training for residents to help them determine if the patient is suffering from a torsed testicle. They hope other institutions will be able to use what they created to replicate their own model.

Acquired hypothalamic obesity has long presented a complex challenge in health care, leaving pediatric patients struggling to lose weight. An innovative study involving a medication called setmelanotide aims to address this problem. Hussein Abdul-Latif, M.D., sheds light on this groundbreaking research, offering insights into its origin, mechanism and potential impact.

Childhood and adolescence can be challenging times, especially when children have problems with mood, paying attention or if they face difficulties at home or school. If problems are not treated, children can develop low self-esteem, perform poorly in school, have trouble with relationships or struggle to reach their potential. Children’s of Alabama offers comprehensive behavioral health care that address the specific needs of each patient. In this episode, Brandy Reeve, the senior executive leader of Behavioral Health Services at Children's, explains the breadth of services the hospital offers and how they're helping children cope with difficult times, especially as the mental health crisis progresses.

In this episode, Dr. Matthew Kutny explains the work he's doing in the Pediatric Clinical Trials Office at Children's of Alabama and the difference it's making in the lives of children in Alabama and beyond.

As an endocrinologist who cares for both children and adults at Children's of Alabama and the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), Sajal Patel, M.D., understands the needs of both populations. She uses that expertise to help children transition from pediatric care to adult care through the Children's of Alabama Staging Transition for Every Patient (STEP) Clinic at Children's. In this episode, she talks about the care she provides for patients going through this process.

Lung injury is a common complication in children following cardiac surgery. Mechanical ventilation is often required to support patients for hours to days in the intensive care unit. The severity of lung injury can vary by patient. Being able to predict which patient are at a higher risk of requiring respiratory support due to worse lung injury is crucial. Our heart center is the first in the nation to report the discovery of a novel blood biomarker for lung injury following heart surgery. Using our heart center biorepository we identified and validated the finding of the new biomarker “Proteoglycan 4” and its correlation with lung injury. In order to validate this finding, a large number of patients need to be tested. Funding from the Hope Fund is supporting the costs of these tests. It is anticipated that if the initial results are correct, cardiac intensivists will be able to predict who is at higher risk for lung injury and adjust their management to minimize the injury which can last lifetime.