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In this episode of The Incubator Podcast, Daphna is joined by Dr. Pia Wintermark and Dr. Eleanor Molloy for a deep dive into the most impactful neonatal neurology studies of the past year. The discussion begins with a critical look at therapeutic hypothermia for mild hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) and preterm infants, highlighting recent pilot trials that challenge the practice of expanding cooling beyond established guidelines. They dissect key findings from multicenter studies, examining safety, feasibility, and the unintended consequences of “therapeutic creep.”

The conversation then shifts to the importance of precise terminology and standardized data collection in neonatal encephalopathy research. Pia and Eleanor explain why clearer definitions, genetic testing, placental pathology, and harmonized registries are essential for improving outcomes and guiding future clinical trials.

Finally, the team explores new and emerging interventions, including the feasibility of intranasal human milk as a stem cell therapy and the potential neuroprotective role of caffeine in neonatal hypoxia-ischemia models.

This episode offers a concise but comprehensive look at what’s shaping neonatal neurocritical care—from refining existing therapies to exploring innovative approaches that could change practice in the years ahead.

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As always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: [email protected]. You can also contact the show through Instagram or Twitter, @nicupodcast. Or contact Ben and Daphna directly via their Twitter profiles: @drnicu and @doctordaphnamd. The papers discussed in today's episode are listed and timestamped on the webpage linked below.

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In this episode of Rupa’s Fellows Friday on The Incubator Podcast, host Rupa Srirupa welcomes Dr. Ambika Bhatnagar, a third-year neonatology fellow at Yale. Dr. Bhatnagar shares her journey from medical school in India to fellowship in the U.S. and dives into her research focusing on moderate to late preterm infants—an often overlooked but significant portion of the preterm population.

She explains why this group, though not as critically ill as extremely preterm infants, still faces unique morbidities and places a substantial burden on families and the healthcare system. Her study investigates long-term healthcare utilization in these infants over their first two years of life, analyzing not just hospital readmissions but also ER visits, subspecialty consultations, and therapy appointments.

Dr. Bhatnagar discusses her findings, including the role of breastfeeding in reducing healthcare utilization and surprising trends in demographic factors. She also shares insights on mentorship during fellowship, building a research project from scratch, and her involvement with NeoQuest, an educational platform for neonatology fellows.

This conversation highlights the importance of curiosity-driven research and its potential to improve outcomes for a vulnerable but under-researched neonatal population.

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As always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: [email protected]. You can also contact the show through Instagram or Twitter, @nicupodcast. Or contact Ben and Daphna directly via their Twitter profiles: @drnicu and @doctordaphnamd. The papers discussed in today's episode are listed and timestamped on the webpage linked below.

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In this episode, David McCulley and Betsy Crouch interview Dr. Benjamin Fensterheim, a neonatology physician scientist, who shares his journey through medical training, the inspiration behind his immunology research, and the importance of bridging the gap between basic science and clinical neonatology. The conversation delves into the challenges faced by physician scientists, the evolving landscape of neonatal care, and the need for innovative therapies in the NICU. Dr. Fensterheim emphasizes the significance of community and mentorship in supporting early-career researchers and advocates for the value of science in improving healthcare outcomes for infants.

Support the show

As always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: [email protected]. You can also contact the show through Instagram or Twitter, @nicupodcast. Or contact Ben and Daphna directly via their Twitter profiles: @drnicu and @doctordaphnamd. The papers discussed in today's episode are listed and timestamped on the webpage linked below.

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In this week’s Journal Club, Ben and Daphna dive into several impactful neonatal studies shaping today’s clinical decisions. The discussion opens with the MOCA Trial, exploring whether extending caffeine therapy in moderately preterm infants reduces hospital stays and improves outcomes. Despite reducing apnea episodes, the study highlights that extending caffeine treatment does not reduce time to discharge.

Next, the team reviews a randomized trial on late permissive hypercapnia in mechanically ventilated preterm infants, showing that targeting slightly higher CO₂ levels can shorten invasive ventilation time without worsening long-term outcomes.

Midway through the episode, we feature an EBNEO commentary with Dr. Kira McNellis on early full enteral nutrition with fortified milk in very preterm infants. She explains why fat-free mass is an important nutritional marker linked to neurodevelopment and why “negative” nutrition studies still matter for clinical practice.

Other key papers include cumulative neonatal morbidities predicting long-term neurodevelopment, the long-term academic

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As always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: [email protected]. You can also contact the show through Instagram or Twitter, @nicupodcast. Or contact Ben and Daphna directly via their Twitter profiles: @drnicu and @doctordaphnamd. The papers discussed in today's episode are listed and timestamped on the webpage linked below.

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Late Permissive Hypercapnia for Mechanically Ventilated Preterm Infants: A Randomized Trial.

Travers CP, Gentle SJ, Shukla VV, Aban I, Yee AJ, Armstead KM, Benz RL, Laney D, Ambalavanan N, Carlo WA.Pediatr Pulmonol. 2025 Jun;60(6):e71165. doi: 10.1002/ppul.71165.PMID: 40525736 Free PMC article. Clinical Trial.

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As always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: [email protected]. You can also contact the show through Instagram or Twitter, @nicupodcast. Or contact Ben and Daphna directly via their Twitter profiles: @drnicu and @doctordaphnamd. The papers discussed in today's episode are listed and timestamped on the webpage linked below.

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Perinatal Urinary Tract Dilation: Recommendations on Pre-/Postnatal Imaging, Prophylactic Antibiotics, and Follow-up: Clinical Report.

Anthony Herndon CD, Otero HJ, Hains D, Sweeney RM, Lockwood GM; Section on Urology; Section on Nephrology; Section on Radiology; Section on Hospital Medicine.Pediatrics. 2025 Jul 1;156(1):e2025071814. doi: 10.1542/peds.2025-071814.PMID: 40518141 Review.

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As always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: [email protected]. You can also contact the show through Instagram or Twitter, @nicupodcast. Or contact Ben and Daphna directly via their Twitter profiles: @drnicu and @doctordaphnamd. The papers discussed in today's episode are listed and timestamped on the webpage linked below.

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Extended Caffeine for Apnea in Moderately Preterm Infants: The MoCHA Randomized Clinical Trial.

Carlo WA, Eichenwald EC, Carper BA, Bell EF, Keszler M, Patel RM, Sánchez PJ, Goldberg RN, D'Angio CT, Van Meurs KP, Hibbs AM, Ambalavanan N, Cosby SS, Newman NS, Vohr BR, Walsh MC, Das A, Ohls RK, Fuller J, Rysavy MA, Ghavam S, Brion LP, Puopolo KM, Moore R, Baack ML, Colaizy TT, Baserga M, Osman AF, Merhar SL, Poindexter BB, DeMauro SB, Kumar V, Cotten CM; Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Neonatal Research Network.JAMA. 2025 Jun 24;333(24):2154-2163. doi: 10.1001/jama.2025.5791.PMID: 40294395 Clinical Trial.

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As always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: [email protected]. You can also contact the show through Instagram or Twitter, @nicupodcast. Or contact Ben and Daphna directly via their Twitter profiles: @drnicu and @doctordaphnamd. The papers discussed in today's episode are listed and timestamped on the webpage linked below.

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Association of a Count of Inpatient Morbidities with 2-Year Outcomes among Infants Born Extremely Preterm.

Dorner RA, Li L, DeMauro SB, Schmidt B, Zangeneh SZ, Vaucher Y, Wyckoff MH, Hintz S, Carlo WA, Gustafson KE, Das A, Katheria A; Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Neonatal Research Network.J Pediatr. 2025 Mar;278:114428. doi: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2024.114428. Epub 2024 Dec 4.PMID: 39643110

Support the show

As always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: [email protected]. You can also contact the show through Instagram or Twitter, @nicupodcast. Or contact Ben and Daphna directly via their Twitter profiles: @drnicu and @doctordaphnamd. The papers discussed in today's episode are listed and timestamped on the webpage linked below.

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Early full enteral nutrition with fortified milk in very preterm infants: a randomized clinical trial.

Salas AA, Gunawan E, Jeffcoat S, Nguyen K.Am J Clin Nutr. 2025 May;121(5):1117-1123. doi: 10.1016/j.ajcnut.2025.02.019. Epub 2025 Feb 21.PMID: 39986385 Clinical Trial.

Support the show

As always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: [email protected]. You can also contact the show through Instagram or Twitter, @nicupodcast. Or contact Ben and Daphna directly via their Twitter profiles: @drnicu and @doctordaphnamd. The papers discussed in today's episode are listed and timestamped on the webpage linked below.

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School outcomes after HIE: a population-based cohort study.

Rees P, Dronavalli M, Carter B, Bajuk B, Burns L, Dickson M, Eastwood J, Hossain S, Lawler K, Lee E, Munasinghe S, Page A, Uebel H, Dicair L, Green C, Gale C, Oei JL.Arch Dis Child Fetal Neonatal Ed. 2025 Jun 8:fetalneonatal-2024-328346. doi: 10.1136/archdischild-2024-328346. Online ahead of print.PMID: 40484626

Support the show

As always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: [email protected]. You can also contact the show through Instagram or Twitter, @nicupodcast. Or contact Ben and Daphna directly via their Twitter profiles: @drnicu and @doctordaphnamd. The papers discussed in today's episode are listed and timestamped on the webpage linked below.

Enjoy!