Higano Research Lab

The Higano Lab's research is based in the Center for Pulmonary Imaging Research and in the multidisciplinary Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia Center at Cincinnati Children's, allowing us to weave together expertise from pulmonary medicine, radiology, and pediatrics.

We focus on characterizing structural and functional cardio-respiratory abnormalities in perinatal patients via cutting-edge, quantitative MRI techniques, with the aim of linking early-life MRI biomarkers of lung disease and later disease trajectory in infants born preterm (i.e. bronchopulmonary dysplasia) or with congenital abnormalities (e.g. pulmonary hypoplasia, tracheoesophageal defects).

Our overarching goal is to improve our understanding and clinical care of cardiorespiratory disease for young patients born prematurely or with congenital disorders. We're passionate about using these novel cardiorespiratory MRI methods to personalize clinical treatment by evaluating efficacy of therapeutic interventions in the neonatal intensive care unit.