Five years after the first groundbreaking fetoscopic spina bifida repair surgery using an innovative patch pioneered by researchers at UTHealth Houston, the fetal medicine team is celebrating the more than 100 procedures performed by the physicians and the launch of the UTHealth Houston Fetal Institute.
The one-of-a-kind patch, which uses donated cryopreserved umbilical cord to repair a baby’s spine in utero for spina bifida, was researched and tested by a multidisciplinary team led by Ramesha Papanna, MD, MPH, professor and director of the Division of Fetal Intervention in the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences at McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston.
“Fetal medicine and surgery are at an inflection point, shaped by rapid technological advancements,” said Papanna, who is the executive director of the new Fetal Institute. “This evolution calls for innovation to enhance outcomes not only for mother and baby, but also for their family and community. UTHealth Houston Fetal Institute is poised to lead the way, setting new standards in fetal diagnosis and therapy and advancing the field of fetal medicine.”
The university-wide institute, one of the first in the nation, will serve as a multidisciplinary center for research, education, and patient care for fetal intervention, maternal-fetal care, early genetic testing, maternal mental health, fetal diagnosis and therapies, and research discoveries.
“We are excited to see the launch of this new Fetal Institute that combines the strengths of our fetal medicine teams and expertise from several of our schools to create a destination service for life-changing interventions not possible anywhere else,” said Kevin Morano, PhD, senior vice president of Academic and Faculty Affairs at UTHealth Houston; Roger J. Bulger, MD, Distinguished Professor at McGovern Medical School; and board member of the new institute.
Along with McGovern Medical School, the institute includes faculty at Cizik School of Nursing at UTHealth Houston, McWilliams School of Biomedical Informatics at UTHealth Houston, and UTHealth Houston School of Public Health. The institute is also collaborating with Children’s Mercy Research Institute in Kansas City, Missouri.
The Fetal Institute is also supported by the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences at McGovern Medical School.
“We are proud to be part of Dr. Papanna’s vision for the future of fetal therapy,” said Sean Blackwell, MD, vice president of Strategy and Development for Obstetrics and Gynecology; professor and chair of the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences; Memorial Hermann Chair; and Emma Sue Hightower Development Board Professor in Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences. “Being on the cutting edge of research and innovative care is a key part of our mission; it’s why we are here at UTHealth Houston. I’m sincerely appreciative of the support by UTHealth Houston leadership to help make the institute possible.”
The institute builds on the success of the UTHealth Houston Fetal Center, which was founded and is co-directed by KuoJen Tsao, MD, professor and chief of the Division of General and Thoracic Pediatric Surgery at McGovern Medical School, and Anthony Johnson, DO, professor in the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences.
“We are incredibly fortunate to have the faith and trust of so many patients and their families over the years. Entrusting us to care for them during one of the most challenging times of their lives is a privilege. The Fetal Institute, led by Dr. Papanna, will continue to allow us to provide the most advanced care for our patients,” said Tsao, who is The Children’s Fund, Inc. Distinguished Professor in Pediatric Surgery at McGovern Medical School.
“In just over a decade, the Fetal Center has become recognized as an international referral center for the diagnosis and treatment of fetal disorders,” Johnson said. “With the establishment of the Fetal Institute, UTHealth Houston has demonstrated the university’s commitment to critical research and clinical care in the rapidly expanding field of fetal medicine.”
Core leaders of the institute are Papanna; Jerrie Refuerzo, MD; Lovepreet Mann, MBBS; Jimmy Espinoza, MD, MS; Blair Stevens, MS; and Ashley E. Salazar, DNP, APRN, all with the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences.
Morano is also a faculty member at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Houston Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences.
