Stanford SOAP for PRS Receives Innovation Seed Grant

Dr. HyeRan Choo has been awarded an Innovation Seed Grant from the Department of Surgery to support the development of the next-generation Stanford Orthodontic Airway Plate (SOAP) for neonates and infants with Pierre Robin Sequence (PRS).

Building on Dr. Choo’s manual SOAP creation method using CT imaging and Visual Treatment Objectives (VTO), this project leverages 3D virtual modeling and design technologies to create a streamlined, replicable SOAP workflow. The goal? To enable local hospitals across the country to offer this life-changing treatment—without requiring a NICU-to-NICU transfer to Stanford.

“Currently, the only way babies with PRS can receive SOAP treatment in the U.S. is by traveling to Stanford—either by air ambulance or with their families. This is a logistical and financial burden that many cannot overcome,” said Dr. Choo. “Our project aims to remove those barriers and bring care closer to home.”

With this funding, Dr. Choo and her team will recruit medical image processing experts and begin building and testing the new digital workflow.

As the inaugural director of the Stanford Orthodontic Airway Plate Treatment Program, launched in 2019, Dr. Choo has led the nation’s first non-surgical airway management program for infants with PRS. This next step in the SOAP journey promises to extend its reach far beyond Stanford.