Physician Stories
Stephen Back, M.D., Ph.D.: Helping premature babies beat the odds
In the United State each year, 60,000 premature babies are born facing a high risk of cerebral palsy. Children with CP face a lifetime of complications that can affect the ability to walk independently, speak, swallow and get adequate nutrition. CP and other developmental disorders have an enormous emotional and economic impact on the child, family and society as a whole.
Stephen Back, M.D., Ph.D., an associate professor of pediatrics in the OHSU School of Medicine, is internationally recognized for his pioneering work in the cellular and molecular causes of brain disorders such as CP in premature infants. In less than 10 years, he and his colleagues at Oregon Health & Science University have forged relationships with scientists from Sydney, Australia to Boston, Massachusetts, leading to a series of exciting discoveries. Their work has had a tremendous impact on the way we understand the brain.
Dr. Back and his team have shown that during human brain development there is a critical time when the cells required to make myelin, an insulating layer that forms around nerves, are easily killed by low blood flow to the brain. The loss of these cells put a child at risk for developmental disorders. This research is especially relevant for premature babies who are at high risk of cerebral palsy.
In 2007 the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke recognized Dr. Back with the prestigious $2.3 million Javits Neuroscience Investigator Award for his research on brain disorders in developing infants. He has received significant funding from the National Institutes of Health, the March of Dimes and other granting organizations. Dr. Back and his colleagues are ideally positioned to develop targeted cellular and molecular therapies for children with brain disorders. These therapies will dramatically improve the quality of life for affected children and their families.
In 2007, Dr. Back was awarded the Clyde and Elda Munson Professorship in Pediatric Research, a prestigious endowed position that will support his research into new treatments. This professorship – like all forms of endowed support for OHSU Doernbecher faculty – will ensure that OHSU always has the resources to recruit and retain exceptional pediatric clinician-researchers like Dr. Back.
