Federal Grant Award Summary

The National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) awarded $249,000 through the Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research program (CFDA 93.865) to the University of Maryland, Baltimore for a three-year project grant effective February 1, 2026 through January 31, 2029. This K99/R00 career development award supports research investigating neural markers of developmental delays in premature and full-term infants. The research employs electroencephalography (EEG) and functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) neuroimaging techniques to chart longitudinal brain development trajectories across the first two years of life and establish associations between disrupted cerebral blood flow responses and developmental delays.

The project deliverables include longitudinal EEG assessments conducted during well-baby visits at a primary care clinic (at 4, 9, and 12 months) and follow-up laboratory visits (at 24 months) with a target recruitment of 720 participants drawn from an ongoing R01 study examining EEG feasibility in primary care settings. During the R00 phase, the investigator will recruit a new cohort of preterm and full-term infants and employ simultaneous multimethod neuroimaging to identify when disruptions in brain activity emerge and determine their associations with developmental delays. This research addresses an identified public health priority by improving early identification of infants at risk who do not automatically qualify for federally provided health screening and intervention programs.