Identifying Vitamin D Deficiency & Effect in Very Low Birth Weight (VLBW) Infants

描述（由申请人提供）：K23奖的申请将为Sarah Taylor博士提供5年的保护时间和资金：(1)确定早产儿维生素D的充足性，并确定实现和维持充足性所需的维生素D；(2)通过生物统计学和流行病学以及临床研究伦理方面的培训，发展她在临床研究方面的职业生涯。随着对维生素D最佳状态和已知的维生素D缺乏的严重健康后果的了解的提高，泰勒博士的研究计划将成为解决维生素D缺乏的国家公共卫生问题的研究的前沿。由于孕妇在妊娠期间普遍缺乏维生素D，暴露在紫外线下的时间有限，以及营养和维生素支持方面的问题，早产儿面临维生素D缺乏症的极大风险。Taylor博士开展了第一项研究，评估极低出生体重婴儿人群中维生素D状态与钙稳态、骨骼健康、甲状旁腺功能和免疫反应细胞因子等生物标志物的关系。在确定维生素D的充足状态后，泰勒博士将进行维生素D补充的介入试验，以评估所有早产儿达到和维持充足所需的维生素D摄入量，并避免维生素D缺乏的并发症。泰勒博士在她的共同导师的支持和指导下启动了这个项目，这些导师在维生素D缺乏症及其影响的研究方面已经建立了良好的声誉。她还得到了GCRC和儿科新生儿科的支持。泰勒博士的目标是成为一名独立的学术临床医生，他将在K23奖期间获得临床研究硕士学位。她还将通过协调每周一次的系列研讨会和工作组参与，积极参与促进MUSC的临床研究伦理教育机会。随着泰勒博士完成她的研究和临床研究培训，她将以独立临床研究员的身份扩展研究结果，进一步研究婴儿的营养需求。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This application for the K23 award will provide Dr. Sarah Taylor with five-years protected time and funding to: (1) both define vitamin D sufficiency in preterm infants and identify the vitamin D requirements to achieve and maintain sufficiency and (2) to develop her career in clinical research with training in biostatistics and epidemiology as well as the ethics of clinical research. With improved understanding of optimal vitamin D status and the known serious health consequences of vitamin D deficiency, Dr. Taylor's research plan will be at the forefront of research that addresses the national public health concern of vitamin D deficiency. Premature infants are at great risk of vitamin D deficiency due to the high prevalence of maternal deficiency during gestation, limited exposure to UV light, and problematic nutritional and vitamin support. Dr. Taylor has developed the first study to evaluate vitamin D status in the very low birth weight infant population as related to biomarkers of calcium homeostasis, bone health, parathyroid function, and immune-response cytokines. After identifying the vitamin D status that denotes sufficiency, Dr. Taylor will perform an interventional trial of vitamin D supplementation to assess the vitamin D intake required to achieve and maintain sufficiency and avoid complications of vitamin D deficiency in all preterm infants. Dr. Taylor is initiating this project with the support and guidance of her co-mentors who are well-established in the investigation of vitamin D deficiency and its effects. She also has the support of the GCRC and the Division of Neonatology in the Department of Pediatrics. With the goal to become an independent academic clinician, Dr. Taylor will obtain a Master of Science degree in Clinical Research during the K23 award. She also will be actively involved in promoting clinical research ethics educational opportunities at MUSC through coordination of a weekly seminar series and work group involvement. As Dr. Taylor completes her research study and her training in clinical research afforded by this award, she will expand upon the study results to further investigate nutritional needs of infants as an independent clinical researcher.