Eunice Kennedy Shriver?National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)

An NICHD-funded report from The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) offers crucial insights on the importance of including pregnant & lactating people in clinical research. Traditionally excluded because of safety concerns, this population can benefit from research that considers individuals’ unique needs. The report outlines strategic approaches to address ethical, regulatory, and safety concerns to improve health outcomes for maternal/infant health. Learn more about this NICHD-funded work at https://go.nih.gov/7bq2mEr. #MaternalHealthNICHD

This year, The National Institutes of Health announced the final winners of its Connecting the Community for Maternal Health Challenge. The competition sought to empower nonprofit organizations to enhance their capabilities to conduct impactful, community-focused maternal health research.? ? Check out a recent webinar to learn how community-based organizations in the Challenge sought to address health disparities and improve outcomes among populations most affected by maternal health complications at https://go.nih.gov/tQP0o4n.? #NIH_IMPROVE? ? For more information about all the winners, check out the ?? in the first comment.?

This year, The National Institutes of Health announced the final winners of its Connecting the Community for Maternal Health Challenge. The competition sought to empower nonprofit organizations to enhance their capabilities to conduct impactful, community-focused maternal health research. Check out a recent webinar to learn how community-based organizations in the Challenge sought to address health disparities and improve outcomes among populations most affected by maternal health complications at https://go.nih.gov/tQP0o4n. #NIH_IMPROVE For more information about all the winners, check out the ?? in the first comment.

Are you planning to apply to RFA-MD-24-010 to reduce environmental health disparities and advance environmental justice research among local communities experiencing health disparities? Join the upcoming technical assistance webinar to learn more: https://bit.ly/491ueus

Are you a graduate student or mentor? Attend the NICHD F99/K00 Individual Predoctoral to Postdoctoral Fellow Transition Award virtual information session on December 9 from 1 to 2 p.m. ET. The session will include general information about the mechanism and time for questions. Register at https://bit.ly/3NIBAtf. #FundingMechanisms #Predoctoral #Postdoctoral

Can maternal age influence a baby’s DNA? NICHD research suggests it can. Changes in gene expression linked to maternal age might explain some health risks for children. Discover more about this finding at https://go.nih.gov/JX5ILW1. #NICHDimpact

Failure of the microbiome to fully establish itself in an infant’s digestive system precedes the development of a subtype of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), a life-threatening illness that disproportionately affects preterm infants, according to a study funded by NICHD. Learn more at https://go.nih.gov/fxTwoun. #NICHDimpact #PretermInfants

Growing up as an identical twin sparked Dr. Todd Macfarlan’s interest in how genes contribute to development, yet don’t tell the whole story. In the latest Get to Know NICHD profile, he describes how his lab studies epigenetics through the lens of evolution, explains the importance of work-life balance, and reflects on the joys and challenges of mentorship. Check out the full interview at?https://go.nih.gov/wZerFJb.

Sepsis, an extreme response to infection, is a leading cause of pregnancy-related deaths worldwide. Current tools can help detect sepsis, but new NICHD research found significant variations in the performance of these tools during and after pregnancy. Researchers adjusted these tools for changes in heart rate and other factors that occur during pregnancy to improve detection results. Learn more at https://go.nih.gov/OjbqlBP. #NICHDimpact #MaternalHealthNICHD

33 years ago, Dr. Peter Basser, head of NICHD’s Section on Quantitative Imaging and Tissue Sciences, conceived of diffusion tensor magnetic resonance imaging (also called DT-MRI or DTI) by chance at an NIH Research Festival. Today, Dr. Basser describes the invention as a “happy accident” that continues to inspire new adaptations and applications. Check out the full article from the NIH Record at https://go.nih.gov/m97qtPP. National Institutes of Health (NIH): Intramural Research Program (IRP)