Grant: Operating Grant

Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is a severe gastrointestinal disorder that affects premature neonates. The incidence of NEC varies between 6% and 14% on average in very low birth weight (VLBW) infants in North America. With a mortality rate approaching 20%-50%, NEC is a leading cause of death among patients in the neonatal intensive care unit. The etiology of this inflammatory intestinal disease still remains poorly understood but the immaturity of intestinal functions and an exaggerated immune response are the main recognized candidate factors. The identification and characterization of specific biomarkers for predicting and following the progression of the disease in the premature infant are urgently needed. In this proposal, we will investigate specific strategies in order to characterize intestinal markers associated with epithelial injury in the immature human intestine and test them in infants affected with NEC. The overall goal of this research project for the next 5 years is to characterize biomarkers that can be analyzed by non-invasive methods in order to predict the development of NEC and allow its early diagnosis in premature neonates in the neonatal intensive care unit.