Julia Charlton

MBBS, PhD

Investigator, BC Children's Hospital
Neonatologist and NICU Medical Director, BC Women’s Hospital and Health Centre

I conduct research in the Newborn Intensive Care Unit on the impact on the brain for babies born with birth defects such as heart, lung or bowel problems. I am interested to work out the best way for doctors, nurses and allied health staff to protect the growing brain from potential harm from essential medications that are used to prevent and treat pain and distress while receiving surgery and intensive care.

Academic Affiliations

  • Clinical Associate Professor, Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia
  • Research Theme: Brain, Behaviour & Development
  • Research Group(s): Pain and Stress

Contact Information

Assistant

Lisa-Marie Candeias

lcandeias@phsa.ca

Location

4500 Oak Street, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, V6H 3N1

Care of neonates following in-utero growth restriction: A prospective cohort study exploring neonatal morbidity

Journal of Perinatology

Alda, M.G. and Wood, A.G. and MacDonald, T. and Charlton, J.K.

DOI: 10.1038/s41372-025-02397-9

Intensive care nurses desire in expanding scope of practice: a local perspective

Intensive and Critical Care Nursing

Jeston, S. and Charlton, J. and Zannino, D. and Cheung, M. and Hickey, L.

DOI: 10.1016/j.iccn.2025.104214

Cerebral blood flow in neonatal encephalopathy: biomarker or potential target?

Pediatric Research

Charlton, J.K. and Kanwal, K.

DOI: 10.1038/s41390-024-03684-5

Commentary on "reliability and Convergent Validity of the CAMSA in Children With a Critical Congenital Heart Defect"

Pediatric Physical Therapy

Long, S.H. and Charlton, J.K.

DOI: 10.1097/PEP.0000000000001214

Factors that impact second attempt success for neonatal intubation following first attempt failure: A report from the National Emergency Airway Registry for Neonates

Archives of Disease in Childhood: Fetal and Neonatal Edition

Johnson, M.D. and Tingay, D.G. and Perkins, E.J. and Sett, A. and Devsam, B. and Douglas, E. and Charlton, J.K. and Wildenhain, P. and Rumpel, J. and Wagner, M. and Nadkarni, V. and Johnston, L. and Herrick, H.M. and Hartman, T. and Glass, K. and Jung, P. and Demeo, S.D. and Shay, R. and Kim, J.H. and Unrau, J. and Moussa, A. and Nishisaki, A. and Foglia, E.E.

DOI: 10.1136/archdischild-2023-326501

Neonatal past catches up when COVID-19 comes to town

Pediatric Research

Dowse, G. and Tingay, D.G. and Charlton, J.

DOI: 10.1038/s41390-024-03237-w

Intellectual Functioning of Children With Isolated PRS, PRS-Plus, and Syndromic PRS

Cleft Palate Craniofacial Journal

Malarbi, S. and Chisholm, A.K. and Gunn-Charlton, J.K. and Burnett, A.C. and Tan, T.Y. and Cheng, S.S.W. and Pellicano, A. and Shand, J. and Heggie, A. and Hunt, R.W.

DOI: 10.1177/10556656221115596

Small for gestational age at preterm birth identifies adverse neonatal outcomes more reliably than antenatal suspicion of fetal growth restriction

Journal of Maternal-Fetal and Neonatal Medicine

Alda, M.G. and Holberton, J. and MacDonald, T.M. and Charlton, J.K.

DOI: 10.1080/14767058.2023.2279017

Functional Measures on Pedi are Associated with Bsid-3 Scales at 2 Years, Following Neonatal Surgery

SSRN

VanHaltren, K. and Armstrong, R.K. and Gunn-Charlton, J.K.

DOI: 10.2139/ssrn.4294860

Impact of Comorbid Prematurity and Congenital Anomalies: A Review

Frontiers in Physiology

Gunn-Charlton, J.K.

DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2022.880891

Estimation of neonatal body fat percentage predicts neonatal hypothermia better than birthweight centile

The Journal of Maternal-Fetal & Neonatal Medicine

DOI: 10.1080/14767058.2022.2032634

Cognitive, academic, and behavioral functioning in school-aged children born with esophageal atresia

Journal of Pediatric Surgery

Alice C. Burnett and Julia K. Gunn-Charlton and Stephanie Malarbi and Esther Hutchinson and Tiong Yang Tan and Warwick J. Teague and Sebastian K. King and Rod W. Hunt

DOI: 10.1016/j.jpedsurg.2021.01.014

10 / 2021

Commentary on "Motor Developmental Delay After Cardiac Surgery in Children With a Critical Congenital Heart Defect: A Systematic Literature Review and Meta-analysis"

Pediatric Physical Therapy

DOI: 10.1097/PEP.0000000000000839

Neonatal neuroimaging after repair of congenital diaphragmatic hernia and long-term neurodevelopmental outcome

World Journal of Pediatric Surgery

Julia Kate Gunn-Charlton and Alice C Burnett and Stephanie Malarbi and Margaret M Moran and Esther A Hutchinson and Susan Greaves and Rod W Hunt

DOI: 10.1136/wjps-2019-000037

08 / 2019

Associations of Neonatal Noncardiac Surgery with Brain Structure and Neurodevelopment: A Prospective Case-Control Study

The Journal of Pediatrics

DOI: 10.1016/J.JPEDS.2019.05.050

Outcome of vein of Galen malformation presenting in the neonatal period

Archives of Disease in Childhood

DOI: 10.1136/ARCHDISCHILD-2018-316495

Surgery and magnetic resonance imaging increase the risk of hypothermia in infants

Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health

Joel M Don Paul and Elizabeth J Perkins and Prue M Pereira-Fantini and Asha Suka and Olivia Farrell and Julia K Gunn and Anushi E Rajapaksa and David G Tingay

DOI: 10.1111/jpc.13824

04 / 2018

Cognition and behaviour in children with congenital abdominal wall defects

Early Human Development

DOI: 10.1016/J.EARLHUMDEV.2017.11.002

Amplitude-Integrated Electroencephalography Following Infant Cardiac Surgery: a Window to the Brain or a Crystal Ball?

The Journal of Pediatrics

Julia K. Gunn and Rodney W. Hunt

DOI: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2016.07.043

11 / 2016

Relationship between Social-Emotional and Neurodevelopment of 2-Year-Old Children with Congenital Heart Disease

Congenital Heart Disease

DOI: 10.1111/CHD.12320

Perioperative risk factors for impaired neurodevelopment after cardiac surgery in early infancy

Archives of Disease in Childhood

DOI: 10.1136/ARCHDISCHILD-2015-309449

NEUROIMAGING AFTER REPAIR OF CONGENITAL DIAPHRAGMATIC HERNIA IDENTIFIES CHILDREN AT RISK OF MEDIUM-TERM BUT NOT LONG-TERM NEURODEVELOPMENTAL IMPAIRMENT

European Journal of Pediatrics

Subdural Hemorrhage and Hypoxia in Infants With Congenital Heart Disease

Pediatrics

DOI: 10.1542/PEDS.2013-3903

TWO YEAR NEURODEVELOPMENTAL OUTCOME FOLLOWING NEONATAL REPAIR OF CONGENITAL DIAPHRAGMATIC HERNIA

Intensive Care Medicine

New White Matter Brain Injury After Infant Heart Surgery Is Associated With Diagnostic Group and the Use of Circulatory Arrest

Circulation

DOI: 10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.112.001089

Usefulness of Routine Head Ultrasound Scans Before Surgery for Congenital Heart Disease

Pediatrics

DOI: 10.1542/PEDS.2012-3734

TWO YEAR NEURODEVELOPMENTAL OUTCOME FOLLOWING NEONATAL REPAIR OF OESOPHAGEAL ATRESIA

Intensive Care Medicine

Amplitude-Integrated Electroencephalography and Brain Injury in Infants Undergoing Norwood-Type Operations

The Annals of Thoracic Surgery

DOI: 10.1016/J.ATHORACSUR.2011.08.014

Perioperative amplitude-integrated EEG and neurodevelopment in infants with congenital heart disease

Intensive Care Medicine

DOI: 10.1007/S00134-012-2608-Y

A Systematic Review of Motor and Cognitive Outcomes After Early Surgery for Congenital Heart Disease

Pediatrics

DOI: 10.1542/PEDS.2009-1959

Pre-Operative Brain Injury in Newborn Infants With Transposition of the Great Arteries Occurs at Rates Similar to Other Complex Congenital Heart Disease and Is Not Related to Balloon Atrial Septostomy

JACC: Journal of the American College of Cardiology

DOI: 10.1016/J.JACC.2009.01.061

Pre-Operative Brain Injury in Newborn Infants with Transposition of the Great Arteries Occurs at Similar Rates to other Complex Congenital Heart Disease, and is not Related to Balloon Atrial Septostomy

Circulation

Current Projects

I am building a new research program exploring a balanced approach to pain and sedation management in the NICU with the goal of optimizing brain development. Previous research has taught us that exposure to pain and distress in the newborn period can have long-term impacts on brain development, such than non-pharmacologic and medication strategies are an essential part of the everyday care of sick neonates in intensive care. Emerging research also suggests that the pharmacologic agents we use routinely are themselves potentially injurious to the developing brain. I am building a translational program which aims to integrate the skills of scientists, nurses, occupational therapists, brain imaging experts, pharmacists and doctors to define pathways of best practice care for vulnerable neonates, specifically targeting medications with the most potential for effect without harm.

Grants

Australian NHMRC Ideas Grant (Co-investigator): Designing novel blood and MRI-based predictive tools to understand disease mechanisms, improve recovery and guide targeted interventions following neonatal arterial ischaemic stroke

Australian MRFF Grant (Associate investigator): CHD LIFE and family-centred care models supporting long-term neurodevelopment

Australian MRFF Grant (Associate investigator): Targeted surveillance of developmental delay and impairments for young children born very preterm

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