The Incubator

Send us a textIn this episode of At-the-Bench, hosts David McCulley and Misty Good interview Dr. Jennifer Wambach, a neonatologist and researcher specializing in rare neonatal lung diseases. Dr. Wambach shares her journey into neonatology, her research on genetic lung diseases, and the importance of mentorship in developing future physician-scientists. The conversation also covers the Undiagnosed Diseases Network, current research on genetic lung diseases including ABCA3 deficiency, and the challenges faced in rare disease research. Dr. Wambach emphasizes the need for resilience and adaptability in scientific careers, offering valuable advice for early-career investigators.Support the showAs always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@gmail.com. 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!

Send us a textIn this episode of The Incubator Podcast, we sit down with Dr. David Askenazi, Dr. Heidi Steflik, and Dr. Kimmy Vuong to explore the latest research and practice shifts in neonatal nephrology. The discussion begins with the often-overlooked role of the kidney in the NICU and why kidney health has direct implications for outcomes far beyond discharge.The group reviews three recent high-impact papers. The first, a secondary analysis of the PENUT trial, examines whether PDA treatment in extremely low gestational age infants influences two-year kidney outcomes, raising questions about long-term renal risks and benefits of medical and surgical interventions. The second paper presents a consensus statement on kidney health monitoring for NICU graduates, offering structured recommendations on risk stratification and follow-up for preterm, critically ill, and cardiac infants. Finally, we highlight a quality improvement initiative that used the “Can You PLOTS” bundle to reduce ventilator days by addressing fluid overload systematically, underscoring the importance of early, proactive kidney-focused care.This conversation emphasizes kidney disease as a critical factor in neonatal medicine, the growing pathways for neonatal nephrology training, and practical steps teams can take now to better integrate kidney health into NICU care.Support the showAs always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@gmail.com. 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!

Send us a textReducing NICU ventilator days by preventing fluid overload with the CAN-U-P-LOTS standardized bundle.Askenazi DJ, Gordon L, Griffin R, Collins M, Black A, Ambalavanan N, Webb T, Mathis M, Short K, Umberger A, Travers C.Pediatr Res. 2025 Jul 11. doi: 10.1038/s41390-025-04078-x. Online ahead of print.PMID: 40646283Support the showAs always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@gmail.com. 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!

Send us a textKidney Health Monitoring in Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Graduates: A Modified Delphi Consensus Statement.Starr MC, Harer MW, Steflik HJ, Gorga S, Ambalavanan N, Beck TM, Chaudhry PM, Chmielewski JL, Defreitas MJ, Fuhrman DY, Hanna M, Joseph C, Kwiatkowski DM, Krawczeski CD, Liberio BM, Menon S, Mohamed TH, Rumpel JA, Sanderson KR, Schuh MP, Segar JL, Slagle CL, Soranno DE, Vuong KT, Charlton JR, Gist KM, Askenazi DJ, Selewski DT; Neonatal Kidney Health Consensus Workshop.JAMA Netw Open. 2024 Sep 3;7(9):e2435043. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.35043.PMID: 39269711 Free article.Support the showAs always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@gmail.com. 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!

Send us a textAssociation of patent ductus arteriosus treatment in extremely low gestational age neonates with two year kidney outcomes: a secondary analysis of the preterm erythropoietin neuroprotection trial (PENUT).Condit PE, Guillet R, Kaluarachchi D, Griffin RL, Menon S, Askenazi DJ, Harer MW.BMC Nephrol. 2025 Mar 19;26(1):138. doi: 10.1186/s12882-025-04065-8.PMID: 40108500 Free PMC article. Clinical Trial.Support the showAs always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@gmail.com. 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!

Send us a textIn this episode, I had the pleasure of speaking with Dr Tim Van Hasselt, who is now a NIHR Academic Clinical Lecturer and Neonatal Subspeciality Registrar (fellow-equivalent) at the University of Leicester, UK.. Tim describes his training in the UK, his pathway to doing his PhD in investigating the impact of preterm birth on readmissions to the PICU. We talk about how he went about finding his mentor and how the project came about. He used two national databases and investigated his research question, where he ultimately found that the odds of unplanned admissions to PICU were greater in the most preterm and those with significant neonatal morbidity. With this data, he, along with his team were able to create infographics that could help educate parents of NICU graduates. (https://timms.le.ac.uk/preterm-birth-and-paediatric-intensive-care/)He also describes his experience interacting with parents who provided valuable feedback for the infographics and for his project. Dr Van Hasselt has successfully published his data in the Archives of Disease in Childhood. Paediatric intensive care admissions of preterm children born | ADC Fetal & Neonatal EditionHe also has several publications related to this topic and has presented his work in several National conferences.  Support the showAs always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@gmail.com. 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!

Send us a textIn this week's episode of Beyond the Beeps, Leah and Lina explore the often-overlooked but critical role of communication in neonatal intensive care.The discussion focuses on how clinicians can bridge the gap between technical expertise and human connection. They reflect on practical strategies for listening actively, explaining medical information clearly, and adjusting communication styles to meet the needs of parents and families in high-stress situations. Drawing on real experiences, they highlight the importance of empathy, collaboration, and presence at the bedside, while also addressing the challenges that arise when communication breaks down.The episode also examines the impact of communication on team dynamics within the NICU, from how providers share updates to how they align on care goals. Lina and Leah underscore that effective communication is not just a soft skill—it's a core component of safe and compassionate care.This conversation offers concrete takeaways for neonatal professionals seeking to strengthen how they connect with both families and colleagues. Whether you are a bedside nurse, physician, or allied health provider, the insights shared here will resonate with your daily practice.Support the showAs always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@gmail.com. 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!

Send us a textThis week on Journal Club, we review five important studies with direct implications for your work in the NICU. First, we examine the newly released third-generation Fenton growth charts—how do they differ from previous versions, and what do they reveal about how we may have underestimated early growth trajectories in preterm infants? Next, we evaluate the association between retinopathy of prematurity and structural brain abnormalities on term-equivalent MRI—can ROP severity serve as a marker for broader neurologic vulnerability? We also look at a randomized trial assessing the safety and effectiveness of using 100% oxygen during deferred cord clamping in extremely preterm infants. Does this strategy safely reduce early hypoxemia without increasing the risk of hyperoxia? Then, we explore early neurodevelopmental outcomes following autologous cord blood stem cell infusions in preterm infants—what signals are emerging, and how close are we to bedside applications? Finally, we unpack two diaphragm-focused investigations: one challenging the long-held practice of using rib counts on chest radiographs to estimate lung volumes, and another showing how even short-term sedation can induce measurable diaphragmatic dysfunction. These studies raise important questions—how should we adapt our practice in light of this data? Support the showAs always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@gmail.com. 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!

Send us a textImpact of Sedation on Ventilator-Induced Diaphragmatic Dysfunction in Extremely Preterm Infants.Hoshino Y, Arai J, Hirono K, Maruo K, Miura-Fuchino R, Yukitake Y, Kajikawa D, Kamakura T, Hinata A, Okada Y, Sato Y.Pediatr Pulmonol. 2025 May;60(5):e71126. doi: 10.1002/ppul.71126.PMID: 40365938Support the showAs always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@gmail.com. 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!

Send us a textDiaphragm Position on Chest Radiograph to Estimate Lung Volume in Neonates.Dahm SI, Sett A, Gunn EF, Ramanauskas F, Hall R, Stewart D, Koeppenkastrop S, McKenna K, Gardiner RE, Rao P, Tingay DG.JAMA Pediatr. 2025 Jul 21:e252108. doi: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2025.2108. Online ahead of print.PMID: 40690243 Free PMC article.Support the showAs always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@gmail.com. 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!

Send us a textEarly Neurodevelopment of Extremely Preterm Infants Administered Autologous Cord Blood Cell Therapy: Secondary Analysis of a Nonrandomized Clinical Trial.Zhou L, Razak A, McDonald CA, Yawno T, McHugh DT, Whiteley G, Connelly K, Sackett V, Miller SL, Jenkin G, Novak I, Hunt RW, Malhotra A.JAMA Netw Open. 2025 Jul 1;8(7):e2521158. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2025.21158.PMID: 40608334 Free PMC article. Clinical Trial.Support the showAs always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@gmail.com. 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!

Send us a textDeferred Cord Clamping With High Oxygen in Extremely Preterm Infants: A Randomized Clinical Trial.Katheria AC, Ines F, Lee HC, Sollinger C, Vali P, Morales A, Sanjay S, Dorner R, Koo J, Gollin Y, Das A, Poeltler D, Steinhorn R, Finer N, Lakshminrusimha S.JAMA Pediatr. 2025 Jul 21:e252128. doi: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2025.2128. Online ahead of print.PMID: 40690234Support the showAs always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@gmail.com. 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!

Send us a textRetinopathy of Prematurity and Risk of Structural Brain Abnormalities on Magnetic Resonance Imaging at Term Among Infants Born at Less Than or Equal to 32 Weeks of Gestation.Roy S, Peterson L, Kline-Fath B, Parikh NA; Cincinnati Infant Neurodevelopment Early Prediction Study (CINEPS) Investigators.J Pediatr. 2025 Jun 27;286:114711. doi: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2025.114711. Online ahead of print.PMID: 40582695 Free article.Support the showAs always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@gmail.com. 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!

Send us a textFenton Third-Generation Growth Charts of Preterm Infants Without Abnormal Fetal Growth: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Fenton TR, Elmrayed S, Alshaikh BN.Paediatr Perinat Epidemiol. 2025 Jun 19. doi: 10.1111/ppe.70035. Online ahead of print.PMID: 40534585 Review.Birth weight and head circumference for 22-29 weeks gestation neonates from an international cohort.Fenton TR, Alshaikh B, Kusuda S, Helenius K, Modi N, Norman M, Lui K, Lehtonen L, Battin M, Klinger G, Vento M, Lastrucci V, Gagliardi L, Adams M, Marba STM, Isayama T, Hakansson S, Bassler D, Shah PS; International Network for Evaluation of Outcomes (iNeo) of Neonates Investigators.Arch Dis Child Fetal Neonatal Ed. 2025 Jun 19;110(4):401-408. doi: 10.1136/archdischild-2024-327845.PMID: 39762001Support the showAs always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@gmail.com. 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!

Send us a textWhole-Body Hypothermia for Neonatal Encephalopathy in Preterm Infants 33 to 35 Weeks' Gestation: A Randomized Clinical Trial.Faix RG, Laptook AR, Shankaran S, Eggleston B, Chowdhury D, Heyne RJ, Das A, Pedroza C, Tyson JE, Wusthoff C, Bonifacio SL, Sánchez PJ, Yoder BA, Laughon MM, Vasil DM, Van Meurs KP, Crawford MM, Higgins RD, Poindexter BB, Colaizy TT, Hamrick SEG, Chalak LF, Ohls RK, Hartley-McAndrew ME, Dysart K, D'Angio CT, Guillet R, Kicklighter SD, Carlo WA, Sokol GM, DeMauro SB, Hibbs AM, Cotten CM, Merhar SL, Bapat RV, Harmon HM, Sewell E, Winter S, Natarajan G, Mosquera R, Hintz SR, Maitre NL, Benninger KL, Peralta-Carcelen M, Hines AC, Duncan AF, Wilson-Costello DE, Trembath A, Malcolm WF, Walsh MC; Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Neonatal Research Network.JAMA Pediatr. 2025 Apr 1;179(4):396-406. doi: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2024.6613.PMID: 39992674 Free PMC article. Clinical Trial.EBNEO Commentary: Is Therapeutic Hypothermia Beneficial to Infants Born Between 33 and 35 Weeks Gestation?Spahic H, Zoubovsky SP, Dietz RM.Acta Paediatr. 2025 Jul;114(7):1742-1743. doi: 10.1111/apa.70098. Epub 2025 Apr 18.PMID: 40251839 No abstract available.Support the showAs always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@gmail.com. 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!

Send us a textIn this episode, Mbozu interviews Dr. Olufunke Bolaji, consultant pediatrician and neonatologist at the Federal Teaching Hospital Ido-Ekiti, shares her journey into neonatology, driven by mentorship, a love for children, and global learning experiences in Nigeria and the UK. She describes leading a high-performing neonatal unit in a rural Nigerian setting that has achieved Level 3 care, supported by strong hospital administration and collaborations. Her research focuses on preterm births, neonatal sepsis, respiratory support, and newborn metrics, with emphasis on data-driven quality improvement. As a leader in the African Neonatal Association, she champions collaboration, advocacy, and “decolonizing” neonatal research by centering African-led priorities and implementation. She highlights the importance of teamwork, mentorship, data, and partnerships in merging clinical care with impactful research.Support the showAs always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@gmail.com. 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!

Send us a textPicture this: You're caring for a 22-week infant, uncertain whether survival is even possible—and yet you remember that someone like Dr. Ed Bell has been quietly tracking cases just like this for decades.In this episode of The Incubator Podcast, we welcome Dr. Edward Bell, Professor of Pediatrics and Associate Vice Chair for Faculty Development in Neonatology at the University of Iowa. A leader in the care of extremely preterm infants, Dr. Bell shares the origins of the Tiniest Babies Registry, his views on how viability has shifted over the decades, and why institutional culture—not just technical capability—makes all the difference in outcomes for the smallest patients.We talk through the evolution of care for infants born at the edge of viability, what defines success at 21–22 weeks, the growing segmentation of neonatology into subspecialties, and how consistency in care delivery plays a vital role. The episode closes with practical advice for young neonatologists entering the field today.A grounded, no-nonsense conversation with someone who has shaped—and continues to influence—the trajectory of neonatal medicine.Listen on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Support the showAs always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@gmail.com. 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!

Send us a textIn this Tech Tuesday episode, Dr. Donna Brezinski, founder and CEO of Little Sparrows Technologies, joins the show to talk about the BiliHut — a portable, high-intensity phototherapy device designed to treat neonatal jaundice with both clinical effectiveness and practical usability in mind.A neonatologist by training, Dr. Brezinski explains how her clinical experiences led to the development of the BiliHut, which delivers uniform phototherapy across the baby's body while solving key issues like positioning errors, thermal regulation, and access for breastfeeding. Unlike traditional overhead lights or fiber-optic pads, the BiliHut is engineered for both hospital and home use, with versions adaptable to low-resource settings and unreliable power grids.The conversation covers the physics behind its design, recent clinical data on treatment time, and deployment strategies from rural U.S. areas to clinics in Mongolia and Burundi. Dr. Brezinski also outlines how clinicians and families in the U.S. can access the device through durable medical equipment providers, visiting nurse agencies, or hospital DME programs.More information about the BiliHut and its availability can be found at littlesparrowstech.com. Support the showAs always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@gmail.com. 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!

Send us a textIn this episode, we sit down with Dr. Garabet Yeretssian, PhD, Senior Program Manager at the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI), to discuss how collaborative infrastructure and emerging technologies are reshaping research into necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC). Garabet shares how his background in GI inflammation and rare diseases led him to focus on cross-disciplinary research support, including CZI's Rare As One Network and its emphasis on patient-led science.We explore how tools like single-cell transcriptomics, organoid modeling, and AI-driven biomarker discovery are helping scientists better understand NEC pathophysiology — and potentially identify early risk markers. Garabet also talks about the growing effort to bridge the gap between adult GI research and neonatal care, and how aligning researchers, clinicians, and families can accelerate progress in diagnosis, prevention, and treatment.The episode highlights CZI's funding approach, which requires genuine collaboration with patient organizations, and outlines strategies for researchers and clinicians to engage with private funders. For those attending the NEXT Symposium, Garabet previews his role in sessions focused on inflammation, translational science, and scalable technologies.Listeners can learn more and register for the 2025 NEXT Symposium at nextsociety.org using promo code incubator for 10% off. Support the showAs always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@gmail.com. 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!

Send us a textIn this special collaboration with the NEC Society, Dr. Mark Underwood joins the podcast to discuss the evolving science and clinical approach to necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC). A long-time leader in neonatal nutrition and NEC prevention, Dr. Underwood shares his perspective on why prevention remains the most effective lever in tackling this devastating disease — from the irreplaceable role of maternal milk to the complex regulatory barriers around probiotics.The conversation covers his recent articles unpacking the risks and benefits of formula, donor milk, and the current probiotic landscape in U.S. NICUs. Dr. Underwood also previews highlights from the upcoming NEC Symposium and shares his hopes for the future of NEC care, including earlier biomarker-driven interventions and smarter pasteurization of donor milk.Whether you're a clinician, researcher, or parent advocate, this episode offers pragmatic insights into the current NEC landscape and the road ahead.Listeners can register for the 2025 NEC Symposium at NECSociety.org and use promo code incubator for 10% off.  Support the showAs always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@gmail.com. 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!

Send us a textIn this episode of Beyond the Beeps, siblings of NICU babies share their personal experiences and insights on navigating life with a sibling in the NICU. They discuss the challenges, emotions, and responsibilities they faced, as well as the lessons learned about patience, awareness, and resilience. The conversation emphasizes the importance of support from parents and healthcare providers, and the need for open communication about the realities of having a sibling in the NICU. The siblings also reflect on their hopes for the future and the unique skills they have developed through their experiences.Support the showAs always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@gmail.com. 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!

Send us a textIn 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. Support the showAs always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@gmail.com. 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!

Send us a textIn 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. Support the showAs always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@gmail.com. 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!

Send us a textIn 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 showAs always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@gmail.com. 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!

Send us a textIn 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 Support the showAs always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@gmail.com. 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!

Send us a textLate 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.Support the showAs always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@gmail.com. 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!

Send us a textPerinatal 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.Support the showAs always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@gmail.com. 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!

Send us a textExtended 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.Support the showAs always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@gmail.com. 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!

Send us a textAssociation 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: 39643110Support the showAs always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@gmail.com. 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!

Send us a textEarly 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 showAs always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@gmail.com. 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!

Send us a textSchool 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: 40484626Support the showAs always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@gmail.com. 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!

Send us a textPatient-Specific In Vivo Gene Editing to Treat a Rare Genetic Disease.Musunuru K, Grandinette SA, Wang X, Hudson TR, Briseno K, Berry AM, Hacker JL, Hsu A, Silverstein RA, Hille LT, Ogul AN, Robinson-Garvin NA, Small JC, McCague S, Burke SM, Wright CM, Bick S, Indurthi V, Sharma S, Jepperson M, Vakulskas CA, Collingwood M, Keogh K, Jacobi A, Sturgeon M, Brommel C, Schmaljohn E, Kurgan G, Osborne T, Zhang H, Kinney K, Rettig G, Barbosa CJ, Semple SC, Tam YK, Lutz C, George LA, Kleinstiver BP, Liu DR, Ng K, Kassim SH, Giannikopoulos P, Alameh MG, Urnov FD, Ahrens-Nicklas RC.N Engl J Med. 2025 Jun 12;392(22):2235-2243. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa2504747. Epub 2025 May 15.PMID: 40373211Support the showAs always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@gmail.com. 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!

Send us a textIn this episode, Shelly-Ann interviews Professor Karen Walker and Edith Gicheha about the importance of specialized training in neonatal nursing, the challenges faced in low and middle-income contexts, and the role of COIN (Council of International Neonatal Nurses) in advocating for improved neonatal care globally. They discuss the significance of continuous education, the establishment of the Community of Nursing Practice, and the impact of NEST 360 in providing essential solutions and training for neonatal care. The conversation highlights inspiring stories of nurses making a difference in their communities and the importance of collaboration in improving neonatal health outcomes. Link to episode on youtube: https://youtu.be/qaY7g3tR-h8Support the showAs always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@gmail.com. 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!

Send us a textIn this episode of The Incubator Podcast, Ben and Daphna are joined by Fabiana Bacchini, Dr. Tiffany Gladdis, and Bianka Gallina to discuss the development and launch of Neopedia, a free, multilingual online platform designed to support families navigating the NICU and beyond.The team explains how Neopedia was created by an international group of parent advocates and medical experts to bridge the information gap many families face during and after neonatal hospitalization. They walk through the site's structure—including tabs on pregnancy, NICU life, going home, and long-term outcomes—and explain how content was written to be accurate, accessible, and supportive without being overwhelming.The conversation also explores how Neopedia addresses mental health, the importance of family-centered education, and how the platform is intended for both parents and clinicians. The episode highlights why this resource fills a critical need: empowering parents to ask better questions, understand what's happening, and advocate for their children across different stages and settings.Visit neopedia.org to explore the site. Available in English, French, German, Spanish, and Italian. Support the showAs always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@gmail.com. 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!

Send us a textIn this episode of The Incubator Podcast, Ben and Daphna sit down with certified birth doula and lactation counselor Latoya Southwell for a wide-ranging conversation about the role doulas play in supporting families before, during, and after birth. LaToya shares her personal and professional path into birth work, and how her experiences shaped a culturally sensitive, trauma-informed approach to supporting laboring people—particularly those from historically marginalized communities.The conversation covers what doulas do (and don't do), how they differ from midwives, and how they advocate for safe, informed, and emotionally grounded birth experiences. LaToya talks candidly about how she prepares clients for unexpected outcomes, including C-sections and NICU admissions, and how doulas can collaborate with healthcare teams rather than be in conflict with them.She also introduces the Baby Café initiative—an informal peer support network she co-founded to reduce isolation and provide postpartum support for new mothers—and explains why preparing families for postpartum is just as critical as planning for labor.This episode is a practical introduction to the real work of birth doulas—and an invitation to rethink how care teams can work together to improve outcomes and experiences for parents and babies alike. Support the showAs always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@gmail.com. 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!

Send us a textIn this episode of From the Heart, Dr. Nim Goldshtrom and Dr. Adrianne Bischoff walk through a complex neonatal case involving sudden decompensation shortly after birth. With few early clues and no clear diagnosis, the team discusses how to approach circulatory shock, differentiate pulmonary hypertension from congenital heart disease, and manage critically ill neonates before imaging is available.Using this case as a reverse journal club, the hosts break down relevant literature and decision-making pathways: when to start prostaglandin, when epinephrine makes sense even without low blood pressure, and why relying only on numbers like MAP can be misleading. They also examine the role of therapeutic hypothermia in unstable infants and the potential cardiovascular consequences of cooling.Later, the conversation focuses on left ventricular dysfunction, balancing systemic and pulmonary circulation via the ductus, and using bedside markers like lactate and perfusion to guide treatment when echo isn't immediately available. The episode closes with thoughts on autoregulation, cerebral protection, and the evolving role of emerging technologies in neonatal hemodynamics.A real-world deep dive into diagnostic uncertainty, evolving physiology, and decision-making under pressure in the NICU. Support the showAs always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@gmail.com. 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!

Send us a textThis week on Tech Tuesday, Ben and Daphna speak with Dr. Zina Yudina, founder and CEO of BabyLat, a Swiss startup building a novel device to help hospitals create fortifier directly from a mother's own milk!Zina shares how the idea began as a way to support working mothers with limited maternity leave, but quickly evolved into a system for concentrating and fortifying human milk for preterm and very low birth weight infants. The BabyLat device uses pressure-driven ultrafiltration to preserve the natural components of human milk while boosting its nutritional value, all in a compact unit designed for hospital use.The conversation covers how hospitals might implement the tool, how much time is currently spent fortifying feeds manually, and how BabyLat fits into the larger movement toward 100% human milk-based nutrition. Zina also discusses the challenges of raising support for neonatal innovations, and how clinical teams can get involved in early research and pilot use.It's a practical look at the future of personalized milk preparation—and what it might take to make it a new standard of care. Support the showAs always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@gmail.com. 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!

Send us a textIn this week's Journal Club, Ben and Daphna unpack a series of recent studies exploring outcomes in neonatology—from long-term mortality after severe neonatal morbidity to short-term feeding strategies in preterm infants.They open with a large population-based Swedish study showing that infants who experience severe neonatal morbidities face elevated mortality risks well into adolescence—especially those with neurological complications. The discussion highlights how early-life diagnoses carry weight far beyond the NICU, and how long-term support systems may not be fully equipped to manage that risk.Next, the hosts examine a small German crossover trial on prone positioning, revealing that even simple changes in posture may cut hypoxemic episodes in half. They follow this with a randomized trial comparing dopamine and norepinephrine for neonatal septic shock, a data-heavy look at the nuanced physiology behind first-line interventions.The episode rounds out with studies on cold milk for feeding dysphagia, late-onset sepsis risk with hydrocortisone, the impact of tele-neonatology on cooling time in HIE, and a new meta-analysis on kangaroo care's role in reducing infection.It's a pragmatic, fast-paced overview of recent literature shaping how we care for vulnerable newborns. As always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@gmail.com. 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!

Send us a textAll-cause mortality and infection-related outcomes of hospital-initiated kangaroo care versus conventional neonatal care for low-birthweight infants: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Minotti C, Jost K, Aghlmandi S, Schlaeppi C, Sieswerda E, van Werkhoven CH, Schulzke SM, Bielicki JA.Lancet Child Adolesc Health. 2025 Jul;9(7):470-483. doi: 10.1016/S2352-4642(25)00130-0. Epub 2025 May 26.PMID: 40441171 Free article.As always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@gmail.com. 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!

Send us a textNorepinephrine versus Dopamine for Septic Shock in Neonates: A Randomized Controlled Trial.Mazhari MYA, Priyadarshi M, Singh P, Chaurasia S, Basu S.J Pediatr. 2025 Jul;282:114599. doi: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2025.114599. Epub 2025 Apr 17.PMID: 40252959 Clinical Trial.As always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@gmail.com. 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!

Send us a textFrom Warm to Cold: Feeding Cold Milk to Preterm Infants with Uncoordinated Oral Feeding Patterns.Ferrara-Gonzalez L, Kamity R, Htun Z, Dumpa V, Islam S, Hanna N.Nutrients. 2025 Apr 26;17(9):1457. doi: 10.3390/nu17091457.PMID: 40362766 Free PMC article. Clinical Trial.As always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@gmail.com. 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!

Send us a textImpact of teleneonatology on time to goal temperature in outborn neonates with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy requiring therapeutic hypothermia.Kaczor M, Hentz R, Youssef PE, Fine A, Fang J.J Perinatol. 2025 May 29. doi: 10.1038/s41372-025-02324-y. Online ahead of print.PMID: 40442292As always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@gmail.com. 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!

Send us a textProphylactic hydrocortisone and the risk of sepsis in neonates born extremely preterm.Baud O, Lehert P; PREMILOC study group.Eur J Pediatr. 2025 Jun 14;184(7):419. doi: 10.1007/s00431-025-06248-9.PMID: 40515786 Clinical Trial.As always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@gmail.com. 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!

Send us a textProne Positioning Was Associated With Less Hypoxemic Events and Improved Feeding Tolerance in Preterm Infants.Bohnhorst B, Lutz E, Pirr S, Peter C, Böhne C.Acta Paediatr. 2025 May 26. doi: 10.1111/apa.70153. Online ahead of print.PMID: 40418109As always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@gmail.com. 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!

Send us a textSevere Neonatal Morbidity and All-Cause and Cause-Specific Mortality Through Infancy and Late Adolescence.Graham H, Johansson K, Persson M, Norman M, Razaz N.JAMA Pediatr. 2025 Jun 10:e251873. doi: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2025.1873. Online ahead of print.PMID: 40493844As always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@gmail.com. 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!

Send us a textIn this episode of Neo News, journalist and New York Times critic-at-large Amanda Hess joins host Dr. Eli Adashi to revisit the story behind her viral essay, “My Son Has a Rare Syndrome, So I Turned to the Internet.” Amanda shares the disorienting experience of receiving her son's diagnosis of Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome during a routine third-trimester ultrasound and the digital spiral that followed.As a new parent navigating the NICU and early medical complexities, she reflects on the paradox of modern care: how high-tech diagnostics coexist with emotional disconnection—and how often the only available companion is the search bar. The conversation explores the reality of caregiving with limited context, the emotional fallout of confronting diagnosis alone, and the unpredictable role of the internet and social media in shaping parental perception.Drawing from her upcoming book Second Life: Having a Child in the Digital Age, Amanda brings a clear-eyed perspective on the information gaps, algorithmic noise, and the human need for clarity when the stakes are impossibly high.Listen in for a raw and thoughtful look at what happens between the scan, the screen, and the real child in your arms. As always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@gmail.com. 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!

Send us a textIn this episode of At the Bench, Drs. Misty Good and Betsy Crouch welcome Dr. Amélie Collins, an R01-funded neonatologist and associate professor at Cincinnati Children's. A classically trained immunologist turned hematopoietic stem cell biologist, Dr. Collins shares her journey from philosophy major at the University of Chicago to leading a research program focused on fetal myelopoiesis in the context of maternal inflammation.She discusses her training path through MD/PhD at NYU, her formative time in the labs of Dan Littman and Emmanuelle Passegué, and the critical mentorship moments that shaped her career. Dr. Collins offers an honest look at the challenges and joys of long training, pivoting research directions, and starting an independent lab. She reflects on the intersection of science and clinical care, grant writing as a creative exercise, and the importance of celebrating effort and submission, not just success.We also dive into her Cell paper on the extrinsic regulation of emergency myelopoiesis in the fetus, the role of maternal IL-10, and how her lab is exploring how hematopoietic stem cells mature and retain memory of early-life exposures.Dr. Collins leaves listeners with powerful advice: “Do it because you love it. This career demands a lot, including your time, energy, and weekends. But if you love it, it's worth it.”As always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@gmail.com. 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!

Send us a textIn this episode, we speak with neonatal nurse scientists Dr. Marliese Nist and Dr. Kathy Dudding to explore the evolving understanding of neonatal pain and stress in the NICU. Together, we look at how outdated assumptions about infant pain still influence clinical care, and what providers can do to better recognize and respond to the signs of stress in fragile newborns.Our guests discuss how even routine care can be a source of stress for preterm infants, and why thoughtful, individualized approaches—such as comfort touch and parental involvement—can make a meaningful difference. They also highlight the lack of standardization in pain protocols across NICUs and the limitations of existing assessment tools.This conversation offers practical takeaways for clinicians at the bedside and makes the case for system-wide change in how we approach pain management and developmental care. The episode is part of our collaboration with the National Association of Neonatal Nurses (NANN), and underscores the vital role of interdisciplinary teamwork in improving neonatal outcomes. As always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@gmail.com. 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!

Send us a textIn this episode, I had the pleasure of speaking with Dr Erin Von Klien, who is now a third year Neonatology fellow at Monroe Carell Children's Hospital/Vanderbilt University, Nashville. Erin described her research project on exploring association between caregiver employment decisions and having a preterm infant. Erin describes her project which was also recently published in JAMA pediatrics (Preterm Birth and Caregiver Employment Decisions | Reproductive Health | JAMA Pediatrics | JAMA Network) where she investigated the impact of prematurity in parental employment decisions. She describes how she got interested in this impactful topic and how she found her mentor. She is a 2024 recipient of the AAP Marshall Klaus Award in Health Services Research and a participant in the Vanderbilt Patient/ Practice Outcomes Research in Effectiveness and Systems Science (PROgRESS) T32 Program. In this episode she describes her experience in grant writing and winning the AAP Marshall Klaus award. She also provides valuable advice to incoming fellows who are interested in the physician scientist pathway in health services research. As always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@gmail.com. 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!

Send us a textIn this episode, Leah and Ashley O'Neil discuss the profound experiences of navigating the NICU as both a parent and a medical professional. Ashley shares her journey with her son Colin, who was born prematurely, and the emotional and practical challenges she faced. The conversation explores themes of grief, the balance between professional knowledge and parental instincts, and the importance of communication with medical teams. Ashley also highlights the need for resources to support NICU families, including her upcoming journal designed to help parents navigate their NICU experience. In this conversation, Ashley O'Neil shares her experiences as a mother navigating the complexities of having a child in the NICU and dealing with the challenges of medical systems. She discusses the importance of advocacy for children's needs, the emotional journey of grief after losing loved ones, and how she finds hope and purpose in her son's resilience. The conversation emphasizes the need for community support and the ongoing battle against systemic failures in healthcare.As always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@gmail.com. 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!

Send us a textIn this special “advocacy roundup” episode, Dr. Shetal Shah and Stephanie Glier return to break down the latest developments in federal healthcare policy and their real-world consequences for neonatologists and the families they serve. With sweeping budget legislation threatening to cut Medicaid funding by nearly 10%, they explain how these changes could destabilize the financial foundations of neonatal care, reduce access to critical services, and deepen existing health disparities. From threats to NICU funding and children's hospitals to the ripple effects of limiting postpartum and parental coverage, they connect the dots between Washington decisions and bedside realities. Listeners also get a pragmatic guide on how clinicians—without needing to be policy experts—can engage effectively with lawmakers to protect Medicaid's role in children's healthcare. If you work in neonatal care or advocate for health equity, this is an essential listen that explains what's on the line and what you can do about it—now. As always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@gmail.com. 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!