Research
A toast to BRD4: How acidity changes the immune response
It started with wine. Or more precisely, a conversation about it. “My colleagues and I were talking about how some people think drinking wine may be anti-inflammatory,” recalls Xu Zhou, PhD, from the Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition at Boston Children’s Hospital. “There’s no scientific ground for that, but we know wine is acidic.” ... Read More about A toast to BRD4: How acidity changes the immune response
Patient Stories
The right decision at the right time: Choosing pediatric thyroidectomy
In some ways, siblings Adelaide and Declan couldn’t be more different. Nine-year-old Adelaide is creative, artistic, and nurturing. Declan, 7, is “our little athlete,” says his father, Todd. “Soccer, baseball — he’s always all in.” But the two also have something big in common: they share a rare genetic condition called multiple endocrine neoplasia, type 2. ... Read More about The right decision at the right time: Choosing pediatric thyroidectomy
Research
A safe, pain-specific anesthetic shows preclinical promise
All current local anesthetics block sensory signals — pain — but they also interrupt motor signals, which can be problematic. For example, too much epidural anesthesia can prevent mothers in labor from being able to push. Prolonged local anesthesia after orthopedic surgery can leave patients unable to participate in rehab. Researchers at Boston Children’s Hospital ... Read More about A safe, pain-specific anesthetic shows preclinical promise
Patient Stories
After surgeries to treat HLHS, Carter is healthy and happy at home in Florida
Carter Miller loves action. The 4-year-old Florida resident enjoys riding on golf carts and flying high on swing sets. It’s the kind of fun that make his parents, Andrea and Bo, appreciate where the family is now. Nearly five years ago, they were worried after a prenatal diagnosis showed Carter would be born with a ... Read More about After surgeries to treat HLHS, Carter is healthy and happy at home in Florida
Research
A unique marker for pericytes could help forge a new path for pulmonary hypertension care
Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a rare condition that’s difficult to treat. The hallmarks of the disease — narrowing of the arterioles and capillaries that deliver blood to the lungs — force the heart to work harder. In severe cases, PAH can lead to heart failure. Pericytes support capillary function and may play a role ... Read More about A unique marker for pericytes could help forge a new path for pulmonary hypertension care
Patient Stories
‘We never stopped believing’: Benny’s journey with liver cancer
Earlier this year, 12-year-old Benny helped his dad, Ben, build a deck around his family’s pool. Moving boards, handing each other tools — DIY projects are a rite of passage for many kids and their parents. But the experience was even more meaningful for Benny and Ben. “I got to enjoy that kind of father-son moment ... Read More about ‘We never stopped believing’: Benny’s journey with liver cancer
Research
New research shows caregiver instability affects development
According to some estimates, more than 100 million children around the world experience separations from their caregiver every year. Previous research — much of it derived from the long-running Bucharest Early Intervention Project (BEIP), which followed Romanian orphans from infancy to age 22 — suggests that caregiver disruptions like separations or changes in placement can ... Read More about New research shows caregiver instability affects development
Patient Stories
Adam takes a pause from his active life for non-ossifying fibroma
Adam was 11 in early 2024 when he and his bike slid under a downed tree. Such events aren’t unusual for Adam, who finds plenty of opportunities to test the limits of gravity near his home in Southern Maine. “Adam is the epitome of activity,” says his mother, Jessica. After the bike incident, however, he ... Read More about Adam takes a pause from his active life for non-ossifying fibroma
Research
New research paves the way to a better understanding of telomeres
Much the way the caps on the ends of a shoelace prevent it from fraying, telomeres — regions of repetitive DNA sequences and a protein structure — protect the tips of chromosomes from damage. Every time our cells divide, telomeres lose a bit of that DNA. Eventually, telomeres become so short that they can no ... Read More about New research paves the way to a better understanding of telomeres
Patient Stories
Choosing fetoscopic spina bifida care for Hadley
When Katie and Derek learned in 2024 that their daughter Hadley would be born with spina bifida, they quickly set out to find the best care available. And as so often happens in parenting, their most important decision was to trust their instincts. Doing so led them to be among the first in New England ... Read More about Choosing fetoscopic spina bifida care for Hadley