Stool Guide, Mobile App to Speed up Diagnoses of Life-Threatening Liver Condition in Newborns

PI: Douglas Mogul, MD, MPH; Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition

Preview/headline: Dr. Mogul’s success with the BEAD Core supported his growth from a junior faculty member to an independent investigator.

Story: The BEAD Core believes it is highly important to focus on helping faculty in their professional development. One BEAD Core project of note is our work with Dr. Douglas Mogul’s phone application, “PoopMD” that accurately identifies infant acholic stools. Dr. Douglas Mogul, assistant professor of pediatric gastroenterology and nutrition, was instrumental in creating a poop color chart that Procter & Gamble Baby Care distributes to birthing centers nationwide. The goal of the chart is to help parents recognize abnormalities in their baby’s stool to catch biliary atresia, which is the leading cause of liver failure and primary reason for liver transplantation in children. In addition, Dr. Mogul’s team developed a free mobile app, aptly named “Poop-MD”, which uses color recognition software to allow parents to snap photos of their baby’s stool and receive feedback within seconds. Simple interventions, like Dr. Douglas Mogul’s mobile app, can greatly enhance recognition of abnormal stool and even make the difference between life and death in some cases of biliary atresia. As Dr. Mogul himself states, “Harnessing this simple and free app to help educate people of childbearing age on matters of newborn health is not only logical, it’s essential.”

With BEAD Core assistance, Dr. Mogul obtained a nearly perfect K-score, an accepted abstract presentation and a manuscript publication for his work with biliary atresia interventions. Dr. Mogul’s success with the BEAD Core supported his growth from a junior faculty member to an independent investigator.

To read more about the project, click here.