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In this special episode of the Incubator Podcast, hosts Ben and Daphna are joined by Dr. Alex Stevenson, a neonatologist from Zimbabwe who serves as the president of the African Neonatal Association (ANA) and principal investigator for the African Neonatal Network. Dr. Stevenson shares his journey into neonatology and highlights the stark differences in neonatal care and outcomes between well-resourced private hospitals and less well-resourced public hospitals in Africa.

The discussion focuses on the objectives and accomplishments of the ANA, which aims to improve neonatal mortality, morbidity, quality of care, education, collaboration, and advocacy across the continent. Dr. Stevenson emphasizes the importance of unifying African neonatologists, nurses, and parents to advocate for better resources and care for newborns. He also touches on the ethical considerations of conducting research in low and middle-income countries, stressing the need for research to directly benefit the communities involved.

Throughout the episode, Dr. Stevenson expresses hope for the future of neonatal care in Africa, citing advancements like the African Neonatal Network and the potential for African-led innovations in care. The conversation concludes with a call for greater collaboration and support between high-income and low-income countries to address the global burden of neonatal mortality and morbidity.

As always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@gmail.com. You can also contact the show through Instagram or Twitter, @nicupodcast. Or contact Ben and Daphna directly via their Twitter profiles: @drnicu and @doctordaphnamd. The papers discussed in today's episode are listed and timestamped on the webpage linked below.

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In this episode of the Incubator, At the bench, we talk with Dr. Krithika Lingappan who is a neonatologist and physician-scientist at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and the University of Pennsylvania. Join us as we hear what inspired Dr. Lingappan to build her cutting-edge research program investigating sex-specific differences in preterm lung disease. She explains that every cell in the lung shows sex bias, including epithelial cells, endothelial cells, and immune cells. She explores the role of the X and Y chromosomes in determining susceptibility to lung diseases and the ongoing research to understand the dosage of the X chromosome and genes on the Y chromosome. Dr. Lingappan also discusses the use of multi-omics approaches, such as single-cell RNA sequencing and spatial transcriptomics, to study lung development and disease. We are fortunate to learn from her experiences including finding mentorship, building a research career that addresses a common clinical question, and establishing and then moving a research group. Dr. Lingappan also discusses her work promoting neonatology physician-scientist career development. We are thrilled to bring you this inside look into what it takes to become a neonatology physician-scientist!

As always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@gmail.com. You can also contact the show through Instagram or Twitter, @nicupodcast. Or contact Ben and Daphna directly via their Twitter profiles: @drnicu and @doctordaphnamd. The papers discussed in today's episode are listed and timestamped on the webpage linked below.

Enjoy!

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In this episode, hosts Ben and Daphna discuss several recent neonatology studies. First, they examine an algorithm developed by Shah et al. for the timely detection of hypothyroidism in preterm infants based on gestational age and TSH levels. Next, Daphna reviews a study by Halling et al. comparing initial endotracheal versus intravenous epinephrine administration during neonatal resuscitation. While endotracheal epinephrine was given faster, IV epinephrine achieved return of spontaneous circulation more quickly.

They also discuss studies on the feasibility of using intranasal human milk as stem cell therapy for intraventricular hemorrhage, the association between relaxation interventions and human milk outcomes, and the timing of red blood cell transfusions in relation to necrotizing enterocolitis risk. Finally, Daphna highlights a one-year follow-up of the WISER intervention, showing sustained reductions in burnout and depression among NICU healthcare workers.

Throughout the discussion, Ben and Daphna provide thoughtful analysis and identify areas needing further research. They conclude by reminding listeners about a survey with prize giveaways in honor of The Incubator's 3-year anniversary. This informative and engaging episode provides a helpful overview of some of the latest neonatology research.

As always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@gmail.com. You can also contact the show through Instagram or Twitter, @nicupodcast. Or contact Ben and Daphna directly via their Twitter profiles: @drnicu and @doctordaphnamd. The papers discussed in today's episode are listed and timestamped on the webpage linked below.

Enjoy!