Launch of a pilot study for extensive consented newborn screening in the New York State

A team of researcher led by Pediatric genetic expert Dr. Melissa Wasserstein has been awarded $3.2 million from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to conduct the most expansive consented pilot newborn screening study in the country, known as ScreenPlus. Newborn babies are currently screened for between 30 to 50 disorders depending on their state. the team will offer parents at eight New York hospitals the option to have their babies screened for an additional 13 disorders. the objective is for samples from approximately 150,000 ethnically diverse babies across New York State to be screened at the Wadsworth Center, New York State’s public health laboratory.