PALISI Newsletter February 2026
- Lexie Goertzen
- 3 minutes ago
- 9 min read
In this issue:
Important Spring 2026 Salt Lake City Meeting Information
Pack your bags and join us in Salt Lake City, Utah — March 4–7, 2026 for the PALISI Network Spring Meeting at the beautiful Hilton Salt Lake City Center. Connect with colleagues, share research, and enjoy stunning mountain views as we come together for another inspiring PALISI event.
Spring Agenda 2026 Posted!!
The Final Draft Agenda is now posted on the PALISI website. Please note that the agenda is subject to change to meet PALISI member needs. Spring 2026 Agenda
Meeting Registration: Deadline February 11th, 2026
Now is the time to double check that you have sufficient credits in your institutional Morweb account (www.palisi.org -> click on “Member Portal") to cover all the attendees at your institution, in-person or virtual, trainees or faculty or others. The Spring meeting will be your last chance to use your 2025-26 credits. Early registration ensures we are able to address any complications, allows our administrative organization to function optimally and enables us to produce the best meeting possible. Let us know if you have any issues with registration, payments, invoices, or membership management for new or old members at admin@palisi.org
Registration:
Registration is now open through the PALISI Membership Portal. https://palisimembers.morwebcms.com/ Deadline: February 11, 2026
Primary Lodging Accommodations and Conference Location:
Hilton Salt Lake City Center
255 South West Temple Salt Lake City, Utah 84101
New Hotel Room Block Update – Spring 2026 Meeting at Kimpton:
PALISI has secured a limited additional room block at the Kimpton Hotel Monaco Salt Lake City, located on the same block as the conference hotel and approximately a 4-minute walk away. Reservations can be made using the booking link below:
Kimpton Hotel Monaco
Salt Lake City15 W 200 S,
Salt Lake City, UT 84101
(801) 595-0000
Room Cut-Off Date: February 17, 2026
Rate: $269 per night, plus taxes and fees.
If you have questions related to hotel accommodations, please contact anyssa.queen@palisi.org.
IRB Office Hours at Spring Meeting
At our spring meeting, we are again offering: IRB Office Hours with Dr. Katherine Biagas, Professor of Pediatrics, Director of Pediatric Critical Care at Stony brook Children’s Hospital and Chair of the Stony Brook University IRB. Please come with (or email Dr. Biagas in advance) any IRB feedback or review you have received, or any IRB protocol prepared for submission – along with your questions. Dr. Biagas can also answer general IRB questions as well. She can be reached at: katherine.biagas@stonybrookmedicine.edu
Spring 2026 Clinical Research Course- Register Today
Attention investigators! Are you interested in developing your research skills with personalized training sessions from leading scientists in the field of pediatric critical care? If so, please join us for PALISI’s Clinical Research Course! Check-in and welcome reception will be on the evening of Tuesday March 3, and the course will be held on Wednesday, March 4, 2025, from 8:00am - 5:30pm. This intensive workshop is designed to expose junior investigators to key components of a research career and build connections in the PALISI community. Topics will include strategies for developing your research program, cultivating collaborations, reviewing specific aims, strategies for your professional success and more!
You can register for one of two tracks: Collaborative Clinician-Researcher or Independent Clinician-Scientist. Please note for the Independent Clinician-Scientist track, you must submit a Specific Aims page for review by February 18, 2026. We will close registration for the ICS track on February 25th at 5pm EST
Please note that repeat course participation is encouraged, especially if you've participated in the past and now have better-defined specific aims that you would like to have reviewed!
Lee Polikoff – Lee.Polikoff@Brownhealth.org
Aline Maddux – Aline.Maddux@Childrenscolorado.org
Office Hours at the Spring PALISI Meeting
Office Hours will once again be offered during the Spring PALISI Meeting, providing attendees with dedicated time for one-on-one guidance and support.
NICHD Virtual Office Hours with Dr. Robert Tamburro
An opportunity to ask questions and receive guidance related to NICHD priorities, processes, and engagement.
IRB Office Hours with Dr. Katherine Biagas
Dr. Biagas is a Professor of Pediatrics, Director of Pediatric Critical Care at Stony Brook Children’s Hospital, and Chair of the Stony Brook University IRB. Attendees are encouraged to come prepared with any IRB feedback or reviews received, IRB protocols prepared for submission, and specific questions. General IRB questions are also welcome. Materials may be shared electronically, and questions may be emailed in advance to katherine.biagas@stonybrookmedicine.edu.
Administrative Office Hours with Anyssa Queen
Support is available for general PALISI inquiries, Member Portal assistance, subgroup website support, and special administrative requests.
More details and sign-up information will be shared the week of the meeting.
Membership Advisory Board – Call for Volunteers
PALISI leadership is establishing a Membership Advisory Board (MAB) to expand upon the current role of the Venue Subcommittee. The Executive Committee and leadership recognize that member needs extend beyond meeting locations and venues, and we seek broader input to better serve our membership.
We invite PALISI members to volunteer to serve on the Membership Advisory Board.
The MAB will function as an advisory body to the PALISI Executive Committee, with responsibilities that may include (but are not limited to):
Providing recommendations on meeting venues and locations
Advising on membership benefits and costs
Contributing to organizational strategic planning
Serving as a “membership temperature check” or common-sense review for Executive Committee decisions
Identifying unmet needs among PALISI members
The Membership Advisory Board will meet virtually at least quarterly (four times per year), with additional asynchronous communication via email as needed.
Board membership will be determined by the Executive Committee, with an emphasis on diversity and inclusiveness across career stages (junior, mid-career, senior) and disciplines. Eligibility requires active PALISI membership and in-person attendance at a minimum of three PALISI meetings within the past three years.
If you are interested, please submit your application here Member Advisory Board | PALISI Network by March 31, 2026.
If the link does not work, please go to PALISI website (www.palisi.org) and hover “About US” on the top menu row.
We encourage members from all backgrounds and career stages to apply and look forward to your participation.
PICU Connect International Research Network Nominations
Dear PALISI members,
As we described in the Spring and Fall 2025 PALISI meetings, PALISI is represented at the international “Network of PICU Research Networks” now known as PICU Connect. To date, Drs. Agus. Napolitano and Flori have represented us at PICU Connect. This summer, Dr. Flori would like to step down as a PALISI PICU Connect representative as she assumes the role of PALISI Chair. We are currently looking for nominations for a PALISI member to replace her.
Nominees should:
Have been a member of PALISI for at least 5 years.
Have attended (and will plan to attend if chosen) at least 75% of PALISI members over the last 5 years (in person or virtually)
Have experience participating in, and preferably leading, multi-center clinical research investigations.
Have experience participating in clinical research with an international focus.
You may nominate yourself or another PALISI member but if you are nominating another PALISI member, please do so after confirming with that member that they would accept the nomination.
All nominees will be asked for a CV and letter describing their qualifications for representing PALISI at PICU Connect.
PALISI Bylaws Updates Posted to Website - Key Updates
After an extensive review, the PALISI Bylaws have been updated and are posted on the website. Please review and share any questions you may have during our operations meeting on the final day of the Spring Meeting.
Bylaws Update Highlights
Reaffirmed our Code of Conduct
We continue to emphasize a professional environment grounded in confidentiality and free from discrimination and bias.
Clearer Executive Committee structure
The bylaws now clarify that the Executive Committee is composed of 11 total members. We clarified Research Coordinator Subgroup representative is an Executive Committee member
Updated guidance on dues
Rules regarding institutional and individual membership dues have been clarified for greater transparency.
Treasurer role clearly defined
The Treasurer’s responsibilities and scope of work are now more explicitly outlined.
Scientific Committee leadership clarified
The Vice Chair of the Scientific Committee, elected as an at-large SC member, will assume the role of Scientific Committee Chair.
International member of the Scientific Committee clarified
We clarified the Scientific Committee international member selection process for greater transparency.
Administrative roles better defined
The roles and responsibilities of the Administrative Director and Administrative Coordinator have been clarified to improve operational efficiency.
NIH Notice of Temporary Extension ESI Eligibility
Dear all, we wanted to be sure everyone was aware of the NIH Notice of Temporary Extension ESI Eligibility recently released. You can find the language here.
Survey: Sedation Practices in the Care of Severe Pediatric Traumatic Brain Injury
Dear colleagues,
You are being asked to take part in a research study. The purpose of the study is to investigate the practices regarding long-term sedation and pain management of mechanically ventilated children following moderate-severe traumatic brain injury in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU). Currently, per the most recent guidelines on the management of pediatric traumatic brain injury (TBI) patients, there is no recommendation on analgesia and sedation for the management of increased intracranial pressure in patients with TBI and routine PICU care 1.
The goal of our study is to collect information to inform subsequent investigation of analgesia and sedation in pre-clinical studies and to provide information on the most commonly used sedatives for the safety and optimal management of pediatric patients following TBI in clinical research and in practice.
We invite clinicians who routinely care for patients with moderate-severe TBI patients and who prescribe or give recommendations on analgesia and sedative regimens to participate. This survey should take approximately 5-10 minutes to complete. There is no direct benefit to you from being in this study. Participation is voluntary and anonymous. Should you choose to participate, selecting the link below will entail your consent. This survey was reviewed and given exempt status by the IRB at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. If you have any questions about this study, please feel free to contact the Principal Investigator, Courtney Robertson, at crober48@jhmi.edu.
The IRB can help you if you have questions about your rights as a research participant or if you have other questions, concerns or complaints about this research study. You may contact the IRB at 410-502-2092 or jhmeirb@jhmi.edu.
Thank you for your time and participation.
Alexis Thompson, MD
Clinical Instructor of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine
Courtney Robertson, MD
Associate Professor of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine
Johns Hopkins University SOM
Baltimore, MD
References:
Kochanek PM, Tasker RC, Carney N, Totten AM, Adelson PD, Selden NR, Davis-O'Reilly C, Hart EL, Bell MJ, Bratton SL, Grant GA, Kissoon N, Reuter-Rice KE, Vavilala MS, Wainwright MS. Guidelines for the Management of Pediatric Severe Traumatic Brain Injury, Third Edition: Update of the Brain Trauma Foundation Guidelines, Executive Summary. Neurosurgery. 2019 Jun 1;84(6):1169-1178. doi: 10.1093/neuros/nyz051. PMID: 30822776.
Reminder - Submit Final Draft Manuscripts to Scientific Steering Committee
Dear members, we want to remind you that all draft manuscripts that are sourced from PALISI subgroups, projects, etc., MUST be submitted and reviewed by the Scientific Steering Committee prior to submission for publication. You can submit your publication (or questions!) here https://www.palisi.org/research/ssc.
Save the Dates – Fall 2026 PALISI meeting: Minneapolis, MN
Save the Date! The Fall 2026 meeting will be held in Minneapolis, MN at The Marquette Minneapolis September 9-12, 2026
Important Information for you Administrators!
As we gear up for the PALISI Spring 2026 Meeting, now is the perfect time to make sure your Site Administrator has everything they need to register your team and keep your site in good standing.
Check out this PALISI Site Administrators Spring 2026 Prep Guide!
Visit https://www.palisi.org/join-renew-membership to access key administrative resources — including the PALISI Administrative Briefing Video, step-by-step guides for navigating the Member Portal, financial tools, and more.
A well-prepared site means a smooth registration process and full participation at the Spring Meeting — help your Site Administrator help you today!
Finally, PALISI has a month by month guide for site administrators - please share with your administrative team.
Please try to access the PALISI Website FIRST for Updated Information
The PALISI team has been hard at work updating our website, www.palisi.org - check it out for upcoming meetings, the latest newsletters, membership and payment information and more.
Please check the website prior to emailing the staff to expedite your access to information as much as possible! You can contact us for general questions here https://www.palisi.org/contact.
General PALISI Communication Reminders
Don't forget to follow us on social media!
Bluesky: PALISInet.bsky.soc
&
X (formerly Twitter): @PALISINet
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Do you have any information that you would like to share in the monthly digest?
Make sure to submit it to Ann-Marie Brown (ann-marie.brown@emory.edu) by the 1st day of the month at https://www.palisi.org/communications This is also the place for questions for the Executive Committee or administrative team anytime!