Federal Grant Award Summary

The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston received a $689,884 Project Grant from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) under the Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research program (CFDA 93.865), effective June 1, 2026, through February 28, 2031. This award funds the Humidity in Incubators for Tiny Infants (HUMIDITI) Trial, a multicenter randomized controlled trial designed to establish evidence-based clinical management practices for extremely premature infants born at 22-24 weeks' gestation. The research addresses a critical knowledge gap by investigating optimal humidity levels in heated, humidified incubators used in neonatal intensive care units, with the goal of reducing mortality and morbidity in this vulnerable patient population, which accounts for approximately one-fifth of all U.S. infant deaths annually.

The trial leverages the Tiny Baby Collaborative, an established network of institutions supporting evidence generation and dissemination in neonatal care. By conducting this innovative point-of-care trial, the research aims to provide essential clinical guidance for managing humidity in incubators—a universal intervention currently lacking rigorous evidence—thereby potentially reducing the significant healthcare burden (exceeding $500,000 per survivor and $2 billion annually) associated with caring for extremely premature infants. The award supports the infrastructure, personnel, and operational costs necessary to execute this multicenter randomized controlled trial at the Houston site.