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The Colorado Child Health Research Institute (CCHRI) at Children’s Hospital Colorado awarded the next group of early-career investigators with funding to research everything from heart disease to bone marrow transplants. These awards, known as the Research and Innovation Scholar Awards (RISA), help support their early career development by providing up to $100,000 in direct costs per year for up to two years. CCHRI also announced Bridge Funding Supplement Awards to support full-time faculty members with funding while they re-apply for additional support.
Jessica Bloom, MD, MSCS: Research and Innovation Scholar Award (first year)
“ANCA-Associated Vasculitis in Children: Risk Factors for Poor Outcomes and Variation in Care and Outcomes Across the United States”
Dr. Bloom’s research focuses on better understanding anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis (AAV), a disease where the immune system attacks its own blood vessels, resulting in chronic disease, potential organ damage or death. There are few studies on children with AAV, so providers typically base clinical decisions on studies with adult patients. Dr. Bloom’s work will focus on identifying the sociodemographic risk factors for poor outcomes for children with AAV and identifying how clinical care and patient outcomes vary across the United States.
Dustin Nash, MD: Research and Innovation Scholar Award (first year)
“Explainable AI-ECG in Patients with Fontan Circulation: FactorECG-Enabled Analysis of ECG Morphology Distributions and Association with Arrhythmias”
Dr. Nash’s research will focus on patients who have had the Fontan procedure, a heart surgery for children with a single ventricle heart defect. The research will use an artificial intelligence-based algorithm, FactorECG, to look for small changes in electrocardiograms of patients who have had the procedure. These patients are more likely to develop dangerous heart rhythms, and Dr. Nash’s goal is to detect early warning signs before serious problems arise. This research can lead to better care and improved health for people living with complex heart conditions.
Katherine Lind, MD: Research and Innovation Scholar Award (first year)
“Addressing Social Determinants of Health in Pediatric Bone Marrow Transplant”
Every year, nearly 2,000 children in the U.S. undergo bone marrow transplants to treat life-threatening illnesses like cancer, but children from lower-income families face higher risks of complications and lower survival rates. This research seeks to understand how poverty-related stress affects these patients by examining self-reported financial hardships, immune system changes in blood tests and overall transplant outcomes. By uncovering the connections between poverty, immune function and survival, Dr. Lind and the team aim to identify key factors contributing to these disparities. If confirmed, this knowledge could lead to targeted interventions — such as medications or support programs — to improve outcomes and ensure every child has the best chance at recovery, regardless of their financial situation.
Natalie Nokoff, MD, PhD: Bridge Funding Supplement Award
“Maintaining Continuity in Pediatric Endocrine Research”
Dr. Nokoff’s work focuses on sex and gender minority youth for those with differences or disorders of sex development (DSD) or who are transgender. This research focuses on evaluating the mental and physical health effects of puberty blockers and hormone therapy as well as evaluating surgical and psychosocial outcomes.
Shanlee Davis, MD, PhD: Bridge Funding Supplement Award
“Comparative Effectiveness of Hormone Replacement Treatments for Rare Disorders Associated with Primary Ovarian Insufficiency: HEARD-POI”
Dr. Davis’ research focuses on biological and clinical contributors to phenotypic variability in individuals with sex chromosome aneuploidies (SCAs), especially Klinefelter syndrome (47,XXY) and Turner syndrome (45,X). Through clinical trials, mechanistic studies and large-scale database analyses, Dr. Davis aims to identify modifiable factors that improve outcomes.
Ryan Kammeyer, MD, MSE: Research and Innovation Scholar Award (second year)
“Early Identification and Mechanisms of Cognitive Dysfunction in Pediatric-Onset Systemic Lupus Erythematosus”
Dr. Kammeyer was awarded a second year RISA award to continue his research on adolescents with systemic lupus erythematosus. He is exploring ways to identify cognitive difficulties earlier for patients, so they can start treatments or interventions earlier in hopes of improving quality of life. You can read more about his research here.
