Federal research funding allows researchers to pursue novel scientific questions that explain and ultimately defend children against major threats to their health in new and unique ways,” said Matthew M. Davis, MD, MAPP, Executive Vice-President, Enterprise Physician-in-Chief and Chief Scientific Officer, Nemours Children’s Health. “This year, Nemours researchers will share up-to-date developments in high-caliber research that has the potential to improve clinical practice, impact survival rates, and create brighter, healthier futures for children.
BOSTON, Massachusetts (April 20, 2026) — Researchers from Nemours Children’s Health will present more than 60 studies and posters, showcasing innovations that are reshaping how clinicians save lives and improve outcomes for children across the nation and around the globe, at the 2026 Pediatric Academic Societies (PAS) Meeting, April 24-27 in Boston. Their scientific advances reflect Nemours’ commitment to addressing major threats to child health.
Among the research presented this year, Nemours researchers will present significant studies funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), which is a powerful driver of practice-changing scientific research.
“Federal research funding allows researchers to pursue novel scientific questions that explain and ultimately defend children against major threats to their health in new and unique ways,” said Matthew M. Davis, MD, MAPP, Executive Vice-President, Enterprise Physician-in-Chief and Chief Scientific Officer, Nemours Children’s Health. “This year, Nemours researchers will share up-to-date developments in high-caliber research that has the potential to improve clinical practice, impact survival rates, and create brighter, healthier futures for children.”
Nemours researchers will present the following NIH-funded studies:
Umbilical Cord Milking Versus Early Cord Clamping in Late Pre-term and Term Neonates Who Are Non-vigorous at Birth: A Cluster-Randomized Controlled Trial (CORDMILK trial)
Babies born with no spontaneous breathing, poor muscle tone, or pale color may benefit from receiving additional blood from the mother’s placenta. Through umbilical cord milking, blood from the cord is gently squeezed into the newborn’s body right after childbirth. Zubair Aghai, MD, FAAP, Neonatologist, Nemours Children’s Health, Delaware Valley, will present results of a large international clinical trial that examined whether umbilical cord milking improved survival and reduced the risk of moderate to severe brain injury compared with the more established practice of early cord clamping.
From Tradition to Physiology: A Targeted, Scientific Approach to Infant Oral Feeding
As survival rates of very premature babies have increased, so has the prevalence of feeding difficulties. That’s because many very premature newborns face early developmental or physiological challenges. Sreekanth Viswanathan, MD, MS, Neonatologist, Nemours Children’s Hospital, Florida, will describe some of the most common feeding challenges and discuss ways to tailor interventions to meet the specific needs of each baby. Targeted efforts may increase the safety and efficacy of feeding, leading to improved long-term growth and development.
Sepsis: A Clinical Trial, Plus Timely Discussions on Improving Care
Scott Weiss, MD, MSCE, Division Chief, Critical Care Medicine, and Vice-Chair for Research, Department of Pediatrics, Nemours Children’s Hospital, Delaware, recently co-authored a study that showed that sepsis is associated with 1 in every 5 pediatric hospital deaths. At PAS, he will participate in multiple sessions exploring this life-threatening condition, which is one of the 10 leading causes of mortality among children in the United States.
As co-principal investigator of the PRoMPT BOLUS trial, a large, international trial that examined whether balanced fluids were superior to 0.9% saline in treating pediatric sepsis patients, Dr. Weiss will present results at PAS. Also, as lead author for the recently released 2026 Surviving Sepsis Campaign guidelines for children, Dr. Weiss will debate the role for pediatric sepsis screening at a session titled Controversies in Infectious Diseases for General Pediatrics: Debates That May Change Your Practice.
In all, posters and presentations from Nemours Children’s Health physicians and researchers will span a diverse range of topics from emergency medicine to oncology to pediatric hypertension. To see the full list of Nemours presentations, please see the presenter guide.
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About Nemours Children's Health
Nemours Children’s Health is one of the nation’s largest multistate pediatric health systems, which includes two freestanding children's hospitals and a network of more than 70 primary and specialty care practices. Nemours Children's seeks to transform the health of children by adopting a holistic health model that utilizes innovative, safe, and high-quality care, while also addressing children’s needs well beyond medicine. In producing the highly acclaimed, award-winning pediatric medicine podcast Well Beyond Medicine, Nemours underscores that commitment by featuring the people, programs and partnerships addressing Whole Child Health. Nemours Children's also powers the world’s most-visited children’s health information website with health information written for parents, kids and teens, Nemours KidsHealth.
The Nemours Foundation, established through the legacy and philanthropy of Alfred I. duPont, provides pediatric clinical care, research, education, advocacy, and prevention programs to the children, families and communities it serves. For more information, visit Nemours.org.
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