# NICHD Neonatal Research Network -- Cincinnati Clinical Center

> **NIH NIH UG1** · CINCINNATI CHILDRENS HOSP MED CTR · 2024 · $344,687

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
The NICHD Neonatal Research Network (NRN) was established to conduct rigorous research in neonatal
medicine, facilitating collaboration among centers to complete studies more rapidly than investigators acting
alone. Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center has been one of the most productive sites in the NRN for
over 30 years. Our site’s strong performance is due to our large, diverse patient population, outstanding
research infrastructure and clinical facilities, strong faculty investigators with expertise in a wide variety of
neonatal research, and experienced research support staff. Our leadership understands the importance of
large, multicenter trials to answer clinical questions in neonatology. Dr. Stephanie Merhar, Principal
Investigator for the Cincinnati site, has led NRN studies and other multicenter trials in Cincinnati for over 7
years. She is joined for this renewal by Dr. Tanya Cahill as Follow-up Principal Investigator and Drs. Vivek
Narendran and Jae Kim as alternate PIs. During this next cycle, Cincinnati will work collaboratively with other
Clinical Centers, outside investigators, and the Data Coordinating Center to develop and implement rigorous
and reproducible common protocols. Due to our exceptional model of regional, population-based care with
more than 1900 annual NICU admissions in our 3 recruiting NICUs, we are able to contribute a large number
of subjects to NRN observational studies and clinical trials. Our well-established regional follow up
infrastructure allows us to maximize retention rates for both 22-26 month and school age follow up. We are
committed to conducting definitive multi-site clinical research through the NRN to improve outcomes for
newborns born preterm and with other serious conditions.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10817908
- **Project number:** 5UG1HD027853-34
- **Recipient organization:** CINCINNATI CHILDRENS HOSP MED CTR
- **Principal Investigator:** STEPHANIE L MERHAR
- **Activity code:** UG1 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $344,687
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 1991-04-01 → 2030-03-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10817908

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10817908, NICHD Neonatal Research Network -- Cincinnati Clinical Center (5UG1HD027853-34). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10817908. Licensed CC0.

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