The UTHealth Houston Fetal Institute team is a globally recognized group of physicians, clinicians, and researchers who have received numerous grants and awards for their work in fetal medicine and innovative, translational research in fetal therapy. Their achievements include awards and collaborations with organizations such as the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the North American Fetal Therapy Network (NAFTNet). A core principle of the Fetal Institute is fostering multi-center and multidisciplinary collaboration to drive cutting-edge research aimed at improving patient outcomes.
Current Awards and Projects
| Principal Investigator | Funding Agency | Award Type | # of Funding Years | Dates | Title of Project |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ramesha Papanna | National Institutes of Health (NIH) | Federal (R01) | 5 | 2021-2026 | Human umbilical cord as a regenerative meningeal patch to prevent tethering and improve neurological function following in-utero spina bifida repair |
| Ramesha Papanna | McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston | Dean's Office Investigator Award | 5 | 2022 - 2027 | |
| Lovepreet Mann | North American Fetal Therapy Network (NAFTNet) | Seed Grant | 1 | 2024-2025 | Advancing fetoscopic repair: precision prediction via morphometrics and amniotic fluid cell multiomics in spina bifida lesions |
| Ramesha Papanna | UTHealth Houston | Internal Award | 1 | 2024 -2025 | STARS |
| Ramesha Papanna | Men of Distinction | Seed Grant | 1 | 2024 -2025 | Helping children with spina bifida walk sooner: using umbilical cord tissue for in-womb repair |
| Ramesha Papanna | UTHealth Houston | President's Office Award | 5 | 2024-2029 | UTHealth Houston Fetal Institute |
| Blair Stevens | National Society of Genetic Counselors | Seed Grant | 1 | 2024 -2025 | Assessing patient and provider communication surrounding abortion in reproductive genetic counseling |
Collaborative Projects
| Co-Investigator | Funding Agency | Award Type | # of Funding Years | Dates | Title of Project |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ramesha Papanna | University of Michigan via NIH | Sub-Award | 3 | 2021-2024 | Sleep-disordered breathing in infants with myelomeningocele |
| Anthony Johnson | John Hopkins University via NIH | Sub-Award | 5 | 2020-2025 | The renal anhydramnios fetal therapy (RAFT) trial |
| Anthony Johnson | Medical College of Wisconsin via NIH | Sub-Award | 5 | 2022-2027 | Gastroschisis outcomes of delivery (GOOD) study |