Matthew Harer awarded Meriter Foundation grant to develop non-invasive method of detecting of newborn heart anomaly

Matthew W. Harer, MD
Matthew Harer, MD

Matthew Harer, MD, associate professor, Division of Neonatology and Newborn Nursery, has been awarded a grant for $69,438 from the Meriter Foundation for a project titled “Use of Renal NIRS Monitoring to Identify Neonatal Coarctation of the Aorta.” The project grant covers the period from January 1, 2023, to December 31, 2023. Harer as principal investigator will be joined by his co-investigators, Shardha Srinivasan, MD, associate professor, Division of Cardiology; Elizabeth Goetz, MD, MPH, associate professor, Division of Neonatology and Newborn Nursery; and Paige Condit, MD, clinical instructor, Division of Neonatology and Newborn Nursery. The aim of the project is to improve the detection of clinically significant coarctation of the aorta in newborns by near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) technology. Harer has already used this non-invasive technology to identify acute kidney injury in newborns. This new endeavor is an opportunity to apply this promising technology to diagnose other conditions in newborns as well. The project’s goals are to establish the feasibility, safety, and parental and nursing satisfaction of employing NIRS technology. The research team will evaluate data trends comparing infants with coarctation of the aorta with those without the condition.