NEWS R W J M S Study Indicates Better Test for Jaundice A $5M Grant for the Child Health Institute of New Jersey accurately determine the new study published risk of neurotoxicity, as in the Journal of unbound bilirubin is capaPediatrics by researchers in ble of crossing the bloodthe Department of Pediatrics brain barrier and inducing indicates that there is a brain toxicity. more accurate In addition, test for jaundice, the researchers a common disorfound that the der in newborns. ability to metabJaundice in preolize the free fatterm infants is ty acids and the caused by the eleresulting amount vation of biliruof unbound bin, an orangeThomas Hegyi, MD bilirubin are yellow substance highly variable among prein the blood that is not mature newborns. The properly processed by the standard test for total infant’s immature liver. serum bilirubin, therefore, The problem also occurs in cannot be utilized to predict full-term infants. If not the unbound bilirubin level treated effectively, excess and potential for neurologbilirubin can cause severe ical impairment. I neurological damage, even death. The study was led by Thomas Hegyi, MD, professor of pediatrics and Match Day principal investigator, and funded by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National total of 134 students Institute of Child Health participated in the and Human Development. medical school’s Match Day In preterm infants who ceremony on March 17, show signs of jaundice, it when it was revealed where is standard practice to test members of the Class of for total serum bilirubin, 2017 would begin their resone of two types of biliruidencies. Ninety-four perbin, in order to plan a cent of the class matched to course of treatment. Aca program of their choice, cording to the researchtying the national match ers, however, measuring rate. Twenty-four of the solely for the level of the students matched to prosecond type, unbound grams in New Jersey, 15 of bilirubin, would more whom matched to categoriJOHN EMERSON T he Child Health Institute of New Jersey was awarded a four-year, $5 million grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The funding, secured with the help of the Rutgers University Foundation, will expand and enhance the core mission of the Child Health Institute of New Jersey and allow for continued growth of its basic science mission, along with the opportunity to expand research endeavors by recruiting accomplished scientists who focus on the development of therapeutic tools and the prevention of pediatric disorders. Arnold Rabson, MD, Laura Gallagher Endowed Chair of Developmental Biology and director of the institute, indicated that new investigators will likely be recruited in two areas. One of the goals is to expand research in inflammation and immunity and expand its studies of neurodevelopmental disorders, including childhood autism. The Child Health Institute also will utilize the grant to strengthen its translational research program, which employs findings from laboratory investigations in the development of treatment and prevention methods, improving the care provided to children. I A STEVE HOCKSTEIN cal or advanced programs of Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences (RBHS) and four of whom matched to a preliminary program at RBHS. Fifty-four of the students matched to a primary Above: Students celebrate with Dean Sherine E. Gabriel, MD, MSc, at Match Day. care program (family medicine, internal medicine, pediatrics, or obstetrics/ gynecology). I Robert Wood Johnson I MEDICINE 33