Heidi E. Karpen, M.D. Assistant Professor of Pediatrics—Neonatology

The Front Line

Research: bench to bedside

Research is a core value in the mission at Baylor College of Medicine. Our physician-scientists aim to bridge the gap from basic science research to affecting outcomes of clinical diseases—bench-to-bedside research.

Successful embryonic development depends on the correct orchestration and regulation of a series of genetic pathways, which result in the transformation of the single cell to the multi-organ system fetus.

Dr. Heidi Karpen is focused on characterizing the molecular mechanisms that regulate some of the earliest events in embryonic development. The main focus of the laboratory has been characterizing the genetic regulation of a fundamental signaling cascade, the Hedgehog pathway, which is critical for appropriate embryonic patterning of nearly every organ system in the developing fetus.

The overall goal of this research is to better understand mechanisms of aberrant embryonic development so that targets for intervention may be identified. These studies blend well with her clinical interests on the faculty of the Section of Neonatology at Texas Children's Hospital. These basic science studies contribute to our understanding of critical events in fetal development and may be used in the future to develop new diagnostic approaches and successful treatment paradigms.

Such translation of basic science research into clinical practice is possible because of the collaborative relationships between Baylor College of Medicine and its affiliated hospitals and clinical care facilities, including Texas Children's Hospital. For more information about the medical research being conducted at Baylor's Section of Neonatology, visit our Web site.