09/18/2026
Cara L. Slagle, MD, a neonatologist and clinical research scientist at Riley Children’s Health, is using a National Institutes of Health K23 award to study how a novel kidney biomarker can help identify neonates and infants at highest risk for complications from kidney dysfunction and acute kidney injury (AKI).
Focusing on fluid imbalance and AKI in critically ill newborns, Dr. Slagle is investigating the role of urine biomarkers, one of which is olfactomedin 4 (OLFM4), a glycoprotein biomarker in urine that can predict whether a patient may respond to diuretics. Targeted populations for the research include neonates and infants with AKI and babies born with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE).
“The research involves using a combination of clinical information and novel biomarkers, such as OLFM4, as soon as babies are admitted to the NICU to help identify and risk stratify those who could benefit from medical therapy or neonatal dialysis. Additional goals include improving identification of those who may need to be seen by a pediatric nephrologist or require long-term follow-up care due to increased risk for chronic kidney disease,” explained Dr. Slagle, a board member of the Neonatal Kidney Collaborative and a specialist in neonatal kidney disease and neonatal dialysis. “The study is the first step in developing a clinical risk prediction model to help ensure neonates with AKI get both the short- and long-term care they need to thrive.”
At Riley Children’s, Dr. Slagle’s clinical research benefits from a robust neonatal nephrology infrastructure that promotes leading-edge research. Specifically, Dr. Slagle will use Riley’s existing AKI biobank and AKI data repository, built by Riley nephrology physician-scientists Michelle C. Starr, MD, and Danielle E. Soranno, MD, to support this initial research. Follow-up studies, for which she’ll seek additional external funding, will likely draw on data and outcomes measures available through the ICONIIC (Improving CRRT Outcomes in Neonates and Infants through Interdisciplinary Collaboration) Learning Health Network, which Dr. Slagle chairs, with the ultimate goal of a clinical trial of the decision support tool at the bedside.
“Ultimately, this research is about shifting our mindset on AKI from treatment to prevention—how can we go from just treating once the kidneys have failed to preventing them from failing in the first place, and when should we use neonatal dialysis to help achieve the best outcomes,” Dr. Slagle said.
Since joining Riley Children’s in 2023, Dr. Slagle, who previously served as the neonatal co-director of the Center of Acute Care Nephrology at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, has become an integral part of the highly collaborative Riley Children’s pediatric nephrology research team that includes Indiana University School of Medicine/Riley physician-scientists and trainees. In a research collaboration with the Crossroads Pediatric Device Consortium (a partnership between IU School of Medicine, Riley Children’s Health, Purdue University and Cook Medical) and the Indiana CTSI Project Development Teams, Dr. Slagle worked with Dr. Soranno to test a miniaturized dialysis kit, The Brophy Kit, successfully performing ultrafiltration in preclinical models.
“It’s always our goal to publish and share research and evidence, but what really excites me is the potential for clinical impact and translation to the bedside,” said Dr. Slagle. “Making a meaningful difference for patients and families is important.”
Riley Children’s is nationally recognized for expertise in neonatal kidney health. As leaders in international collaborative networks, Riley specialists help shape kidney care standards and advance innovative renal therapies for newborns and infants.
Learn more
Check out the Neonatology and Nephrology sections of the latest Riley Children’s Health annual report for more information about treatment, novel programs and research.
Dr. Slagle is supported by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number K23DK149459. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.
