The NICUnet Network
Given the rarity of neonatal deaths in NICUs, they can only be studied thanks to a large collaborating network of neonatologists. To enable the growth of our network, we have streamlined the logistics of enrolling participants, submitting samples and data, and returning results to parents. We hope you will consider joining the NICUnet no matter where your institution is based.
Participating Locations
.webp)
Meet our network leaders
We are a collaborative research group of neonatologists and scientists across at 10+ academic and medical institutions. We are eager to welcome new collaborators to build a cross-sectional research network large enough to study rare events and discover new genetic etiologies of neonatal fatality.
Kate Tauber
Albany Medical Center
Albany Medical College
Jillian Connors
Montefiore Medical Center
Albert Einstein College of Medicine
Thomas Hays
New York-Presbyterian Hospital Irving Medical Center
Columbia University
Weili Chang
ECU Health Medical Center
East Carolina University
Felix Richter
Mindich Child Health and Development Institute
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
Jay Kothadia
Novant Health Presbyterian Medical Center
Pediatrix
Preethi Srinivasakumar
Novant Health Presbyterian Medical Center
Pediatrix
Rebecca Burke
Penn State Health Children's Hospital
Pennsylvania State University
Surabhi Aggarwal
Stony Brook Children's Hospital
Stony Brook University
Shanthy Sridhar
Stony Brook Children's Hospital
Stony Brook University
Anne Marie Reynolds
Oishei Children's Hospital
University of Buffalo
Peter Giannone
Kentucky Children's Hospital
University of Kentucky
Divya Khattar
Kentucky Children's Hospital
University of Kentucky
Laurie Steiner
Golisano Children's Hospital
University of Rochester
Jonathan R. Swanson
UVA Children’s Hospital
University of Virginia School of Medicine
Matthew Smith-Raska
Weill Cornell Medical Center
Weill Cornell Medicine
Liana Senaldi
Weill Cornell Medical Center
Weill Cornell Medicine
Mark Polak
WVU Medicine Children's
West Virginia University
"I think the study enrollment went really well. It was the perfect family for it as they wanted answers but an autopsy seemed too invasive. I think it will be easier to enroll than we had expected now that I actually did it. It provides a very appealing option to get answers that is not invasive which I think many families will be eager to pursue."
Vanessa Eddy-Abrams, MD
NICU Fellow, Mount Sinai Hospital
How it Works
We value making participation in the network as easy and streamlined as possible. To that end, NICUnet provides collaborating neonatologists with NICUpacks that contain everything needed for enrollment.
The NICUpack
Each NICUpack contains:
• Informed consent forms in English and Spanish
• Information pamphlet for parents
• Labeled EDTA blood tubes for sample collection and spare labels
• Prepaid return envelope
Consent Parents
Describe the study to the parents and obtain informed consent to participate.
Collect and Send Biological Specimens
The biological specimens of the proband and optionally from the father and mother are labeled with the provided Sample ID stickers and are shipped to the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai with no identifying information.
.webp)
Submit Health Records Online
Submit data from the newborn’s health record to a HIPAA-compliant server using an online web application.
Share Findings with Parents
Any positive findings are compiled into a report by GeneDx and returned to the parents to help inform future family planning decisions.
Pursue Scientific Research
Work collaboratively on research publications with the other members of the network.
