The National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) awarded Duke University a $154,862 Project Grant under the Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research program (CFDA 93.865). The grant will support a mentored patient-oriented research career development project led by Dr. Angelique Boutzoukas to characterize the pharmacokinetics and safety of short-course empiric ampicillin in preterm infants. The research aims to identify methods to safely limit unnecessary antibiotic exposures in this vulnerable population, which is an urgent unmet need in neonatal antibiotic stewardship. The project will include population pharmacokinetic modeling, dosing simulations, and a pilot clinical trial to confirm that short-course ampicillin regimens provide the intended antibiotic exposures. The work is expected to advance understanding of post-discontinuation drug exposures and develop a novel endpoint to assess both the benefits and harms of antibiotic therapy in neonates. This research aligns with the NICHD program's focus on supporting laboratory, clinical, and population-based studies to explore health processes related to growth, development, and pediatric medical conditions.
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