Iowa Infant Brain Consortium

The leading cause of post-neonatal mortality in the U.S. is sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Despite safe sleep practices, the rates remain unchanged. Addressing this health crisis requires understanding the biological vulnerabilities and molecular pathways leading to biomarkers and preventive interventions. Research suggests that serotonergic abnormalities and neuroinflammation may play key roles. The establishment of the Iowa Infant Brain Consortium will allow researchers at the University of Iowa to work in partnership with those at Havard to quantify inflammatory mediators in SIDS brains, map gene expression profiles in brainstem tissue, and assess the interaction of hypoxia and infection on physiological readouts. This research aims to develop life-saving interventions by understanding the mechanistic links between risk factors and postmortem pathology in SIDS cases.