Two Scientists Win March of Dimes Basil O'Connor Grants to Advance Artificial Womb for Preterm Babies, Sickle Cell Screening for Newborns in Sub-Saharan Africa

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ARLINGTON, Va., Oct. 22, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- March of Dimes, the leading organization fighting for the health of all moms and babies, has awarded two physician-scientists the Basil O'Connor Starter Scholar Research Award, the organization's signature grants for up-and-coming scientists embarking on lifelong research paths.  

Dr. Emily Partridge, MD, PhD, MHS, a pediatric and fetal surgeon at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) and an assistant professor of surgery at the University of Pennsylvania, and Dr. Hojun Li, MD, PhD, a pediatric hematologist and assistant professor of pediatrics at the University of California, San Diego, each received $150,000 grants.

Dr. Partridge's work will build upon her existing research to advance the artificial womb, a fluid-filled sac modeled after the uterus made to improve developmental outcomes for extremely preterm babies, those babies born at or before 25 weeks of pregnancy. Her research focuses on adding liquid ventilation to the womb's breathing mechanism. This process uses a special chemical in the baby's lungs to aid breathing, prevent infections and strengthen the lungs in preparation for withdrawal from the artificial womb. Dr. Partridge anticipates that once the baby is out of the artificial womb, they will continue to use the liquid ventilation to further strengthen their lungs before placement on a regular ventilator in the neonatal intensive care unit.

Dr. Li will use his grant to build upon the creation of a simple, portable, and effective test that will identify newborns with sickle cell anemia, a condition that impacts about 1 in 2,000 babies in the US and more acutely impacts people of African descent. Sickle cell disease causes mutant hemoglobin molecules to stretch out red blood cells, making them unable to fit through blood vessels and deliver oxygen, ultimately leading to infections, severe pain, stroke, and other life-threatening conditions. His test will focus on babies born in Sub-Saharan Africa, where 250,000 babies are born each year with the condition, with 95% of those dying in the first five years due to infection and other sickle-cell-related complications.  

The test developed by Dr. Li and then Massachusetts Institute of Technology master's student Amelia Seabold, now at University of Oxford in England, along with others, will use genome editing technology CRISPR to identify the mutated sickle cell gene within minutes from a single drop of blood. Dr. Li's goal is to see the test distributed to health workers in Sub-Saharan Africa who make home visits to postpartum moms. Babies diagnosed with the disease can be given penicillin, which promises to dramatically improve life expectancy and quality of life. 

"Our Basil O'Connor awards have a rich history, with past winners going on to make truly outstanding achievements in the field of maternal and infant health," said March of Dimes Chief Scientific Advisor Dr. Emre Seli. "Drs. Partridge and Li are two shining stars in our field, and we couldn't be prouder to support their work for preterm babies and those with sickle cell disease. Their vital research is poised not only to dramatically change outcomes for moms and babies globally, but to pave new scientific paths for the young physician-scientists who walk in their footsteps to reduce preventable maternal and infant mortality and morbidity."

The Basil O'Connor awards, named for the first March of Dimes chairman and president, are part of March of Dimes' research strategy to address the multi-faceted nature of the maternal and infant health crisis with funding that supports discovery, translational and social science research, and data collection and analysis. 

Find more information about the Basil O'Connor Awards here.

About March of Dimes
March of Dimes leads the fight for the health of all moms and babies. We support research, education, and advocacy, and provide programs and services so that every family can have the best possible start. Since 1938, we've built a successful legacy to support every pregnant person and every family.

Visit marchofdimes.org or nacersano.org for more information. Find us on Facebook and follow us with #marchofdimes and @marchofdimes.

SOURCE March of Dimes Inc.