Neonatal jaundice: In vivo bilirubin neurotoxicity in a Ugt1 ko mouse model

75% of hospital readmissions of babies in their first week of life are due to jaundice. Severe jaundice can lead to permanent neurological damage and ultimately death. Limitations in animal and cellular models have narrowed the study of this disease. Thanks to a mutant mouse model that more closely mimics human jaundice, Dr. Guilia Bortolussi is performing molecular, tissue and behavioral analysis to better understand the molecular mechanisms that damage the brain and testing therapies that could improve brain protection.