Top L to R: Cecelia Hutto, Michael Seifert, Emily Johnston, Jesse Jones, James Odum, Veronica Sanchez and Lece WebbChildren’s of Alabama and the Kaul Pediatric Research Institute (KPRI) are pleased to announce the 2023 awards. The major goal of the KPRI grant program is to allow investigators to obtain data that will advantage applications for additional extramural funding. This will bring new knowledge to the care of children, leverage the investment of the KPRI, and allow projects to be competitive for the very best science on the national stage. A second, but important, goal is to ensure that a dedicated funding source is available to unique segments of the pediatric research, education, and quality improvement enterprise.

This year, two categories of grants were funded: New Investigator Awards, and Established Investigator Awards. All funded applications are directed toward the improvement of child health care. Thank you to all who submitted applications! Congratulations to the following awardees.

Established Investigators

Cecelia Hutto, M.D.
Professor
Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases

Project Title
"CMV Specific T cell Immunity in Hospital Pediatric Patients Undergoing HCT"

Michael Seifert, M.D.
Associate Professor
Division of Pediatric Nephrology 

Project Title
"Spatial Transcriptomics to Discover Mechanisms of PEDiatric Kidney Transplant Endothelial Injury (STAMPEDE)"

New Investigators

Emily Johnston, M.D.
Assistant Professor
Division of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology

Project Title
"Developing Quality Measures for End-of­Life Care for Children with Advanced Heart Disease"

Jesse Jones, M.D.
Assistant Professor
Department of Neurosurgery

Project Title
"Endoluminal Biopsy Illuminates the Genetic Basis of Vein of Galen Aneurysmal Malformation (VGAM) in Children of African Ancestry"

James Odum, M.D.
Assistant Professor
Division of Pediatric Critical Care

Project Title
"A Risk-Stratified Interrogation of Chemokines in Sepsis-Associated AKI"

Veronica Sanchez, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases

Project Title
"HCMV UL 71 Functional Interactions and Trafficking"

Lece Webb, M.D.
Assistant Professor
Division of Pediatric Critical Care

Project Title
"Role of Neighborhood Factors in Bronchiolitis Outcomes in Pediatric Intensive Care"