Research Overview

My research focuses on basic science discoveries that bridge newborn medicine and lung stem cell biology. My work is based in the laboratory of Dr. Carla Kim at the Harvard Stem Cell Institute at Boston Children’s Hospital. My project goals focus on the role of lung stem cells in lung injury and repair. I recently published work showing for the first time using lineage tracing techniques that bronchiolar progenitor cells are capable of contributing to alveolar repair after injury. I am currently investigating the regulation of lung stem cell differentiation in the setting of injury, microenvironmental changes, and the extremes of age. I am also investigating the role of mesenchymal stem cell treatment on bronchioalveolar stem cells (BASCs) after lung injury and repair. For my current research work, I have been honored to receive a NIH K12 Child Research Center Grant, a Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation IM Rosenzweig Young Investigator Award, an Ikaria Advancing Newborn grant and an AMA Foundation SEED grant.

 

Research Background

I was raised in Richmond, Virginia and attended University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. I received my M.D. from University of Virginia and completed my residency in Pediatrics at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. I then completed my Neonatology Fellowship at the Harvard Neonatal-Perinatal Fellowship Program at Boston Children’s Hospital and was honored to serve as Chief Fellow during my last year of training. I am currently a faculty member of the Department of Newborn Medicine at Boston Children’s and a clinical attending physician in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit providing care to critically ill infants. I am also the Director of the Newborn Medicine Basic Science and Translational Research Seminar Series and the Co-Director of the Division of Newborn Medicine Summer Student Research Program.

 

Education

Undergraduate School

University of North Carolina
2002 Chapel Hill NC

Medical School

University of Virginia School of Medicine
2006 Charlottesille VA

Internship

Pediatrics University of North Carolina School of Medicine
2007 Chapel Hill NC

Residency

Pediatrics University of North Carolina Hospital
2009 Chapel Hill NC

Fellowship

Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine Harvard Neonatal Perinatal Medicine Program
2012 Boston MA

Publications

  1. Structured pre-delivery huddles enhance confidence in managing newborns with critical congenital heart disease in the delivery room. J Perinatol. 2024 Dec 10. View Abstract
  2. Liberation from Respiratory Support in Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia. J Pediatr. 2024 Nov 07; 114390. View Abstract
  3. A survey on transparency in clinical work expectations and compensation factors: empowering women in neonatology. J Perinatol. 2024 Jul 17. View Abstract
  4. Neonatal respiratory care practice among level III and IV NICUs in New England. J Perinatol. 2024 Sep; 44(9):1291-1299. View Abstract
  5. Transpyloric feeding is associated with adverse in-hospital outcomes in infants with severe bronchopulmonary dysplasia. J Perinatol. 2024 02; 44(2):307-313. View Abstract
  6. Significant deficiency in mentorship amongst female neonatologists in the United States: a descriptive national survey by women in neonatology. J Perinatol. 2023 04; 43(4):526-528. View Abstract
  7. Tracheostomy in a Preterm Infant with Severe Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia. Neoreviews. 2022 10 01; 23(10):e708-e715. View Abstract
  8. The 21st Century Cures Act: Perspectives of Clinicians in a Level-IV Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Am J Perinatol. 2024 03; 41(4):511-514. View Abstract
  9. A mixed methods study of perceptions of bias among neonatal intensive care unit staff. Pediatr Res. 2023 05; 93(6):1672-1678. View Abstract
  10. Ethical implications of early genetic diagnosis in an infant with Lesch-Nyhan syndrome. J Genet Couns. 2022 12; 31(6):1434-1437. View Abstract
  11. Pathologic Assessment of the Placenta: Evidence Compared With Tradition. Obstet Gynecol. 2022 08 01; 140(2):341-342. View Abstract
  12. Diagnosis and management of pulmonary hypertension in infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia. Semin Fetal Neonatal Med. 2022 08; 27(4):101351. View Abstract
  13. Development and use of an infant resuscitation performance tool (Infa-RePT) to improve team performance. Pediatr Res. 2023 01; 93(1):56-62. View Abstract
  14. Pediatric Advanced Life Support in a Neonatal Context. Neoreviews. 2022 05 01; 23(5):e359-e362. View Abstract
  15. Neonatal platelet transfusions: New evidence and the challenges of translating evidence-based recommendations into clinical practice. J Thromb Haemost. 2022 03; 20(3):556-564. View Abstract
  16. Correction: Essentials of Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine fellowship: an overview. J Perinatol. 2022 Feb; 42(2):291. View Abstract
  17. Reducing Benzodiazepine Exposure by Instituting a Guideline for Dexmedetomidine Usage in the NICU. Pediatrics. 2021 11 01; 148(5). View Abstract
  18. Reducing Benzodiazepine Exposure by Instituting a Guideline for Dexmedetomidine Usage in the NICU. Pediatrics. 2021 11 01; 148(5). View Abstract
  19. Ventilatory Strategies in Infants with Established Severe Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia: A Multicenter Point Prevalence Study. J Pediatr. 2022 Mar; 242:248-252.e1. View Abstract
  20. Reducing Benzodiazepine Exposure by Instituting a Guideline for Dexmedetomidine Usage in the NICU. Pediatrics. 2021 11; 148(5). View Abstract
  21. Mortality in the neonatal intensive care unit: improving the accuracy of death reporting. J Perinatol. 2022 05; 42(5):671-676. View Abstract
  22. Premedication for nonemergent intubations linked to fewer adverse events. J Perinatol. 2021 09; 41(9):2367-2369. View Abstract
  23. Implementation of a neonatal platelet transfusion guideline to reduce non-indicated transfusions using a quality improvement framework. J Perinatol. 2021 06; 41(6):1487-1494. View Abstract
  24. Essentials of Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine fellowship: an overview. J Perinatol. 2022 Feb; 42(2):269-276. View Abstract
  25. COVID-19: neonatal-perinatal perspectives. J Perinatol. 2021 05; 41(5):940-951. View Abstract
  26. Prematurity negatively affects regenerative properties of human amniotic epithelial cells in the context of lung repair. Clin Sci (Lond). 2020 10 30; 134(20):2665-2679. View Abstract
  27. Association of nucleated red blood cell count with mortality among neonatal intensive care unit patients. Pediatr Neonatol. 2020 12; 61(6):592-597. View Abstract
  28. Screening With Reticulocyte Hemoglobin Increased Iron Sufficiency Among NICU Patients. Pediatr Qual Saf. 2020 Mar-Apr; 5(2):e258. View Abstract
  29. Mesenchymal Stem Cells Increase Alveolar Differentiation in Lung Progenitor Organoid Cultures. Sci Rep. 2019 04 23; 9(1):6479. View Abstract
  30. Improving Access to Lactation Consultation and Early Breast Milk Use in an Outborn NICU. Pediatr Qual Saf. 2019 Jan-Feb; 4(1):e130. View Abstract
  31. Imaging of Temporal Bone Trauma: A Clinicoradiologic Perspective. Neuroimaging Clin N Am. 2019 Feb; 29(1):129-143. View Abstract
  32. A Device for the Quantification of Oxygen Consumption and Caloric Expenditure in the Neonatal Range. Anesth Analg. 2018 07; 127(1):95-104. View Abstract
  33. Utility of rapid whole-exome sequencing in the diagnosis of Niemann-Pick disease type C presenting with fetal hydrops and acute liver failure. Cold Spring Harb Mol Case Stud. 2017 Nov; 3(6). View Abstract
  34. Human amnion cells reverse acute and chronic pulmonary damage in experimental neonatal lung injury. Stem Cell Res Ther. 2017 Nov 10; 8(1):257. View Abstract
  35. Percutaneous CT-guided facet joint synovial cyst rupture: Success with refractory cases and technical considerations. Clin Imaging. 2018 May - Jun; 49:7-11. View Abstract
  36. Emergency Radiology "Boot Camp": Educating Emergency Medicine Residents Using E-learning Radiology Modules. AEM Educ Train. 2017 Jan; 1(1):43-47. View Abstract
  37. Sustaining careers of physician-scientists in neonatology and pediatric critical care medicine: formulating supportive departmental policies. Pediatr Res. 2016 11; 80(5):635-640. View Abstract
  38. Bone marrow-derived multipotent stromal cells attenuate inflammation in obliterative airway disease in mouse tracheal allografts. Stem Cells Int. 2014; 2014:468927. View Abstract
  39. Evaluation of a web-based portal to improve resident education by neonatology fellows. Med Educ Online. 2014; 19:24403. View Abstract
  40. Neurotrophin receptor TrkB promotes lung adenocarcinoma metastasis. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2014 Jul 15; 111(28):10299-304. View Abstract
  41. NPHP3 mutations are associated with neonatal onset multiorgan polycystic disease in two siblings. J Perinatol. 2014 May; 34(5):410-1. View Abstract
  42. Lung stem and progenitor cells in tissue homeostasis and disease. Curr Top Dev Biol. 2014; 107:207-233. View Abstract
  43. Evaluation of a web-based portal to improve resident education by neonatology fellows. Med Educ Online. 2014 Jan; 19(1):24403. View Abstract
  44. An update on pharmacologic approaches to bronchopulmonary dysplasia. Semin Perinatol. 2013 Apr; 37(2):115-23. View Abstract
  45. Bronchioalveolar stem cells increase after mesenchymal stromal cell treatment in a mouse model of bronchopulmonary dysplasia. Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol. 2012 May 01; 302(9):L829-37. View Abstract
  46. Current pharmacologic approaches for prevention and treatment of bronchopulmonary dysplasia. Int J Pediatr. 2012; 2012:598606. View Abstract
  47. Frameshifts and deletions during in vitro translesion synthesis past Pt-DNA adducts by DNA polymerases beta and eta. DNA Repair (Amst). 2002 Dec 05; 1(12):1003-16. View Abstract

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