Ariel Salas, M.D., has received an R34 grant to advance nutrition strategies for preterm infants.A researcher at the University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Pediatrics has received a three-year R34 grant totaling $634,334, pioneering research in optimizing early milk nutrition to improve lung development and reduce respiratory morbidity in preterm infants.
Ariel Salas, M.D., associate professor in the Division of Neonatology, along with his research team, received this funding from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. This award will support an innovative pilot clinical trial focused on improving outcomes for extremely preterm infants, one of the most vulnerable patient populations. These infants face a high risk of bronchopulmonary dysplasia, a serious lung disease associated with long-term health challenges.
Salas and his team will explore whether optimizing early human milk nutrition by enhancing key fatty acids, including docosahexaenoic acid and arachidonic acid, during the first two weeks of life can improve lung development and reduce respiratory morbidity. The study aims to generate critical data that could transform neonatal nutrition practices and improve long-term outcomes for preterm infants.
“R34 awards play a vital role in advancing clinical research by supporting early-stage studies that test feasibility and refine interventions,” Salas said. “This project will help us establish proof of concept and inform the design of a future large-scale trial with the potential to significantly impact neonatal care.”