# Evaluation of a New Method of Bilirubin Screening for Biliary Atresia

> **NIH NIH R03** · BAYLOR COLLEGE OF MEDICINE · 2021 · $120,000

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
An important goal of the NIDDK is to identify infants with biliary atresia (BA) earlier, because treatment before
30-45 days of life correlates with the best chances of avoiding need for liver transplantation. However, early
identification is difficult, because infants often appear asymptomatic in the first weeks of life. One solution to
this problem is screening newborns with serum conjugated bilirubin measurements, which are elevated at birth
in BA; however, this method requires a separate blood draw and individual birth hospitals to interpret and
follow-up abnormal results. Another possible solution is to screen newborns with dried blood spot (DBS) cards
which are already collected from all infants as part of existing state newborn screening programs. This
application’s long, broad-term objective is to assess whether a new method which approximates conjugated
bilirubin levels from DBS cards can potentially be integrated with state newborn screening protocols. In Aim 1,
we will improve the new method by first establishing an experimental system that replicates the analytical
workflow of state laboratories. With this system, the new method’s parameters will be optimized. In Aim 2, we
will test the new method using newborn DBS cards which were previously collected and are stored at the
Texas State Department of Health Services. DBS cards from healthy newborns will be analyzed, to determine
the new method’s positive rate. In addition, DBS cards from newborns with BA will be analyzed, to determine if
the method is as sensitive for BA as serum conjugated bilirubin testing. Results from this study should
determine whether the new method can be used to incorporate BA screening into current state newborn
screening protocols. The findings will help guide the best approach for future prospective screening
implementation studies, with the ultimate goal of identifying BA in the first weeks of life and reducing BA’s
significant pediatric liver transplantation burden.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10194633
- **Project number:** 1R03DK128535-01
- **Recipient organization:** BAYLOR COLLEGE OF MEDICINE
- **Principal Investigator:** SANJIV HARPAVAT
- **Activity code:** R03 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $120,000
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2021-04-01 → 2023-03-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10194633

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10194633, Evaluation of a New Method of Bilirubin Screening for Biliary Atresia (1R03DK128535-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10194633. Licensed CC0.

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