Research

• Pankaj Agrawal, MD: Genetic and molecular basis of various orphan diseases and prematurity-related disorders such as BPD, ROP, NEC
• Eduardo Bancalari, MD: Neonatal respiratory physiology, respiratory control, respiratory support, lung injury, bronchopulmonary dysplasia
• Emmalee S Bandstra, MD: Neurodevelopmental complications of in utero drug exposures; neonatal abstinence syndrome
• Merline Benny, MD: Developmental origins of vascular morbidities in preterm infants
• Laura Chavez, MD: Neurodevelopmental outcomes of preterm infants
• Nelson R Claure, PhD: Neonatal respiratory physiology, effects of different strategies of respiratory support on neonatal respiratory outcome, respiratory and oxygenation instability in the premature infant
• Teresa Del-Moral, MD: Nutrition of premature infant, necrotizing enterocolitis, probiotics
• Jo Duara, MD: Molecular mechanisms of neonatal acute kidney injury
• Shahnaz Duara, MD: Clinical trials, infection control
• Tania Fontanez Nieves, MD: Quality improvement
• Cristina Navarrete, MD: Infant nutrition and growth; developmental follow-up
• Augusto Schmidt, MD: Antenatal corticosteroids, inflammation, fetal lung maturation, interaction between lung and brain injury, bioinformatics
• Ilene Sosenko, MD: Patent ductus arteriosus and bronchopulmonary dysplasia
• April Tan, MD: Antenatal inflammation and lung development
• Jose Tolosa, MD: Body composition analysis of the LGA/Macrosomic infant and childhood obesity; nutrition
• Shu Wu, MD: Mechanisms of neonatal lung development, injury and repair, lung injury associated brain injury
• Karen C Young, MD: Bronchopulmonary dysplasia, pulmonary hypertension, stem cells, preeclampsia

Neonatal Developmental Biology Laboratory

Established in 1973, the Neonatal Development Biology Laboratory (NDBL) has become a global leader in developmental and neonatal research. This laboratory has remained at the forefront in addressing the critical health problems faced by preterm infants. Through basic science and translational research projects in the NBDL, we elucidate the core mechanisms and pathways of organ injury of premature infants in order to provide a realistic approach to developing clinical therapies. This program also provides training for the next-generation of physician-scientists, instilling the strong science foundation necessary for developing the health care innovations of the future. In the NDBL, we work tirelessly toward our mission of fully understanding why premature infants are prone to injury to their lung, cardiovasculature, and brain. Our aim is to discover novel therapies that will transform medical practice and improve short and long-term outcomes of premature infants.

Neonatal Genomic and Multi-omic Center

Established in 2023, the Neonatal Genomic and Multiomic Center, under the directorship of Dr. Pankaj Agrawal, houses a state of the art facility that focuses on implementing genomics in neonatal care. This involves utilizing whole exome and genome sequencing for DNA sequencing, interpretation and communication of the genetic findings, and other multiomic approaches including transcriptomics, proteomics and epigenomics to understand the genetic and molecular basis of various rare diseases presenting during infancy and the basis of various prematurity-related conditions such as BPD, NEC and ROP.

Neonatal Pulmonary Physiology Laboratory

The Neonatal Pulmonary Physiology Laboratory is the base for most of the clinical research projects in the Division of Neonatology. This facility is adjacent to the NICU at Holtz Children’s Hospital and has the capability to perform comprehensive physiologic measurements and respiratory function testing in the laboratory or at the bedside in the NICU. The laboratory also serves as a base for the activities of clinical trials and observational studies conducted in the NICU. The research staff working in the laboratory includes two respiratory therapists and two neonatal nurses who provide study coordination and support research activities in the NICU. This laboratory provides the structure necessary to support the mentorship of neonatal clinical and research fellows during the planning and conducting of their research projects.

The activities of this laboratory are directed by Dr. Nelson Claure in close collaboration with Dr. Eduardo Bancalari. The publications originating from this facility have contributed to the better understanding of neonatal respiratory physiology and the development and testing of new strategies of respiratory support with the goal of improving neonatal outcomes. Studies out of this laboratory have focused on understanding the mechanisms leading to respiratory failure and bronchopulmonary dysplasia, oxygenation instability and the consequences of intermittent hypoxemia and hyperoxemia, as well as a better understanding of the factors that can affect the development of the control of the breathing system in the premature infant, the interaction between respiratory and hemodynamic function and including the impact of respiratory problems on brain function and oxygenation. An important contribution of this laboratory has been the development of advanced modes of neonatal respiratory support and their evaluation in bench studies and in clinical trials to determine their efficacy and safety. 

More recently, participation of Drs. Teresa del Moral and Jose Tolosa has expanded the research areas of the laboratory into advancement of the respiratory care in the delivery room and neonatal body composition and metabolism.

The research activities of the investigators of the Neonatal Pulmonary Physiology Laboratory have received continuous support from Project New Born and the Micah Batchelor Foundation as well as from extramural funding from the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute of the NIH, research foundations such as the Gerber Foundation, Bank of America Charitable Foundation and biomedical industry.

Perinatal-Neonatal Research Database

The Division of Neonatology maintains a comprehensive perinatal-neonatal research database. This database contains detailed information from all premature infants admitted to the NICU during the last 20 years and all infants involved in clinical research studies. The research database contains detailed, prospectively collected maternal and neonatal information along with daily therapeutic and morbidity information until discharge. This database is also used for Q/I projects, for internal monitoring of morbidity and mortality, to examine the role of different risk factors and interventions on neonatal outcomes and for pilot studies and hypothesis generation.