The Centre for the Studies of Asphyxia and Resuscitation

The Research4Babies team is delighted to welcome three University of Alberta undergraduate students who will be joining our laboratory through the BIOL 499 and PHYSL 468/469 research courses. Each student will contribute to a project addressing an important question in neonatal or pediatric resuscitation research. Prabhnoor Jagdav — BIOL 499 Prabhnoor will investigate VEGFA expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells as a potential biomarker of hypoxic stress during and

Drowning remains a major cause of preventable injury and death in children, particularly among those younger than five years. Yet despite its global importance, remarkably little scientific evidence is available to determine the best way to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation following pediatric drowning. Our latest publication in Resuscitation Plus, “An innovative porcine model of pediatric drowning,” describes a new preclinical model designed to help address this critical

One of the most challenging moments in neonatal resuscitation occurs when a newborn infant requires medications or volume expansion during cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Chest compressions are underway. Ventilation is being optimized. The baby's heart rate remains critically low. Now comes another crucial question: How do we obtain vascular access as quickly and safely as possible? For decades, the umbilical venous catheter (UVC) has been considered the standard approach in t

We are delighted to share that the Research4Babies Laboratory received a Safety Shout-Out from the University of Alberta in recognition of our team’s strong commitment to laboratory safety. For us, safety is much more than a set of policies or a checklist—it is part of our laboratory culture. We live and breathe safety in everything we do, from planning experiments and conducting animal research to handling equipment, collecting data, and training new team members. Our resear

Oxygen is a vital element in the care of preterm infants and has been given more often than any other drug over the past 80 years. Despite this, we know very little about how much or how little oxygen is safe particularly at birth. Preterm birth, or birth before 37 weeks’ gestation, is occurring in 8% of pregnancies in Canada. Preterm birth is associated with many health complications, particularly when the birth happens before 29 weeks’ gestation. At this gestational age, t

The Research4Babies team is delighted to welcome Sahiba Pahwa, who is joining us as a new MSc student at the University of Alberta. Sahiba’s graduate research will focus on three closely connected areas: patient-centred outcomes, Exception from Informed Consent (EFIC) in emergency research, and the Neonatal Outcomes & Accelerating Clinical Trials Network of Canada (NeoCAN). Research conducted during neonatal emergencies presents unique ethical and practical challenges. Parent

The Research4Babies team would like to recognize Dr. Mohamed Sewidan, Neonatal Fellow, for his valuable contribution to our neonatal resuscitation research program. During his time with our team, he worked on a simulation study examining continuous chest compressions with sustained inflation ventilation (CCSV) during neonatal cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Neonatal CPR is a rare but critical event that requires healthcare professionals to coordinate chest compressions and ven

As summer comes to an end, the Research4Babies team is saying farewell—for now—to three outstanding summer students who will soon return to university. Throughout the summer, Angelina Khurram, Riley Suiter, and Aziza Abdurakhmanova became valued members of our research team. Each contributed to an important project aimed at improving neonatal resuscitation and the care of newborn infants. Angelina Khurram worked on a pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic study of epinephrine. H