Specialist receives nearly $2.8 million grant to determine effective treatment for perinatal brain injury

Barbara Stonestreet, MD, a neonatal-perinatal specialist at Women & Infants Hospital of Rhode Island, a Care New England hospital, and professor of pediatrics at The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, has received a five-year, nearly $2.8 million grant from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development for her research into determining the most effective strategies for the treatment of perinatal brain injury in full-term and premature infants. Last month it was announced that Dr. Stonestreet received two two-year grants totaling $881,100 from the National Institutes of Health for this research.

Perinatal brain injury often results in severe developmental disabilities, including neurodevelopmental delay and cerebral palsy. The resulting neurodevelopmental disabilities can place a lifelong burden on parents and society.

Dr. Stonestreet explained, "We are looking at a novel approach to prevent and treat perinatal brain injury by targeting brain blood vessels with antibodies to preserve their function, to protect the brain, and to improve outcomes. This study has significant translational potential to provide new insights into novel therapies to prevent brain injury in the human fetus and/or premature and full-term infant.