Research

Fellows have opportunities to learn and get involved in both clinical and basic science research. They can do research with the faculty inside and outside of the division of neonatology. The research interests of the faculty vary from basic science research in infection/ immunology to cerebral circulation and physiology. Varied clinical science projects are also underway, and we have been part of several multicenter trials.

The NICU also has a database for the past 30 years which makes it easy for faculty and fellows to obtain background information for clinical projects.

Division of Neonatology Recent Publications

1. Laptook AR, Czynski A, Chahine R, Talati A, et al; ACT NOW Collaborative. Accelerated Weaning of Opioids to Reduce Pharmacologic Exposure for Neonatal Opioid Withdrawal Syndrome: A Randomized Clinical Trial. J Pediatr. Published online January 17, 2026.
2. McCullagh KA, Wojcik MH, Davidson J, et al. Where We Overlap: Examining the Collaborative Practice of Neonatology and Palliative Care. Pediatrics Open Science. 2025;1(4):1-12. doi:10.1542/pedsos.2025-000818.
3. Sakaria RP, Rana D, Harsono M, Cohen HL, Pourcyrous M. Head Ultrasound Findings in Infants With Birth Weight >1,500 g and Gestational Age >32 Weeks Exposed to Prenatal Opioids. Am J Perinatol. Published online March 29, 2025. doi:10.1055/a-2552-0715.
4. Rana D, DeBaer L, Pourcyrous M. Mothers With Concurrent Opioid and Cocaine Use and Neonatal Opioid Withdrawal Syndrome. Children (Basel). 2025 July 11;12(7):916. doi:10.3390/children12070916.
5. Rana D, DeBaer L, Pourcyrous M. Frequency of Fentanyl-Adulterated Street Drugs Consumed by Mothers With Substance Use: The Value of Umbilical Cord Testing. Am J Perinatol. Published online June 24, 2025. doi:10.1055/a-2624-3880.
6. Salas AA, Chetta K, Lach L, Elabiad MT, et al. Race as Social Determinant of Growth and Body Composition Among Infants Born Very Preterm. Pediatr Res. 2025 Feb;97(3):1085-1089. doi:10.1038/s41390-024-03406-x. Published online 2024 July 21.
7. Isennock S, Elabiad M. Association Between Hypochromic Microcytic Anemia in Pregnancy and Cord Blood Levels of Cadmium, Lead, Manganese, Mercury, and Selenium. Biol Trace Elem Res. 2025. doi:10.1007/s12011-025-04742-7.
8. Fly JH, Lee KR, Arnold SR, Bagga B, Talati AJ, Stultz JS. A Comparison of Sequelae After a Practice Change From Vancomycin to Ampicillin-Containing Antibiotic Regimens for Necrotizing Enterocolitis. Clin Pediatr (Phila). 2025 Mar;64(3):401-407. doi:10.1177/00099228241271938. Published online 2024 August 14.
9. Blanco C, Chang W, Bhatt AJ, Talati A, et al. Essential Fatty Acid Deficiency, Olive Oil-Based Intravenous Lipid Emulsion, and Genetic Polymorphisms: A Pediatric Randomized Controlled Trial. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr. 2025 Aug;81(2):314-323. doi:10.1002/jpn3.70072. Published online 2025 May 25.
10. Martin I, Silverberg M, Abdelgawad A, Talati A, et al. The Fungal Microbiota Modulate Neonatal Oxygen-Induced Lung Injury. Microbiome. 2025 January 27;13(1):24. doi:10.1186/s40168-025-02032-x.
11. Sobolic M, Park Y, Gowda SH, Weems MF, et al; CHNC ECMO Focus Group. Early Use Experience of the Crescent Right Atrial Cannula for Neonatal Veno-Venous Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation. ASAIO J. 2025 August 1;71(8):660-666. doi:10.1097/MAT.0000000000002371. Published online 2025 January 16.
12. Christensen ML, Abbruzese L, Herrera O, Weems MF. Safety of Short-Term Parenteral Nutrition Administration Through Umbilical Artery Catheters in Neonates While in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. J Pediatr Pharmacol Ther. 2024 Dec;29(6):610-613. doi:10.5863/1551-6776-29.6.610. Published online 2024 December 9.
13. Wilson K, Jagadesan B, Browder K, Davidson JM, Rose J, Peña MM. Fostering Breastfeeding Equity in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Neoreviews. 2025 Mar;26(3):e207-e214. doi:10.1542/neo.26-3-026.
14. Rana D, Gaston KP, DeBaer L, Pourcyrous M. Illicit Fentanyl in the Prenatal Period: A Significant Emerging Risk for Neonatal Opioid Withdrawal Syndrome. Am J Perinatol. 2025 May;42(7):891-898. doi:10.1055/a-2437-0828. Published online 2024 October 29.
15. Weems MF, Ball MK, Zaniletti I, et al; CHNC Cardiac Focus Group. Management of the Patent Ductus Arteriosus Among Infants Born at 23 to 32 Weeks' Gestation Between 2011 and 2022: A Report From the Children's Hospital Neonatal Consortium. J Perinatol. Published online March 15, 2025. doi:10.1038/s41372-025-02257-6.
16. Campbell C, Singh K, Weems M, Philip R. Pulmonary Hypertension in Infancy: A Reversible Cause. BMJ Case Rep. 2025;18(1):e263731. doi:10.1136/bcr-2024-263731.
17. Gowda S, Philip R, Weems MF. Obstacles to the Early Diagnosis and Management of Patent Ductus Arteriosus. Res Rep Neonatol. 2024;14:43-57. doi:10.2147/RRN.S409744.
18. Coley C, Sakaria R, Philip R, Sathanandam S, Weems MF. Changes in Cardiorespiratory Status After Transcatheter Patent Ductus Arteriosus Closure. J Perinatol. Published online June 16, 2025. doi:10.1038/s41372-025-02329-7.
19. Reimers R, Bailey M, Brown C, Talati A, et al; BeginNGS Consortium. Clinical Utility and Cost-Effectiveness of BeginNGS Newborn Screening by Genome Sequencing and Standard Newborn Screening for Severe Childhood Genetic Diseases: An Adaptive, International, and Comparative Clinical Trial. BMJ Open. 2025;15(11):e098609. doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2024-098609.
20. Neu J, Singh R, Demetrian M, et al; Connection Study Group. Clinical Characteristics of Necrotizing Enterocolitis Diagnosed by Independent Adjudication of Abdominal Radiographs, Laparotomy, or Autopsy in Preterm Infants in the "Connection Trial". Am J Perinatol. 2025;42(2):268-280. Published online July 10, 2024. doi:10.1055/s-0044-1788275.
21. Fly J, Lee K, Arnold S, Bagga B, Talati A, Stultz J. A Comparison of Sequelae After a Practice Change From Vancomycin to Ampicillin-Containing Antibiotic Regimens for Necrotizing Enterocolitis. Clin Pediatr (Phila). Accepted for publication June 2024.
22. Sloan P, Johng S, Weems MF, et al. A Clinical Consensus Guideline for Nutrition in Infants With Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia From Birth Through Discharge. J Perinatol. 2024;44(5):694-701. doi:10.1038/s41372-024-01965-9.
23. Jain M, Meshram P, Bang A, Chauhan V, Datta V, Dhanireddy R. Implementation of a Quality Improvement Initiative for Standardising Essential Newborn Care in a Teaching Public Hospital in Rural Central India. BMJ Open Qual. 2024 April 16;13(Suppl 1):e001869. doi:10.1136/bmjoq-2022-001869.
24. House M, Lagoski M, DiGeronimo R, Weems MF, et al. Interdisciplinary Clinical Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia Programs: Development, Evolution, and Maturation. J Perinatol. Published online July 17, 2024. doi:10.1038/s41372-024-02049-4.
25. Vallarino DA, Rana D, Biswas SS, Talati AJ, Cohen HL. Neonatal Hepatic Elastography for Assessment of Intestinal Failure-Associated Liver Disease: A Feasibility Study and Review of Literature. Chin J Acad Radiol. 2024. doi:10.1007/s42058-024-00161-0.
26. Rumpel JA, Perazzo S, Bona J, Harsono M, et al. ADVANCE: A Biomedical Informatics Approach to Investigate Acute Kidney Injury in Infants. Pediatr Res. Published online August 9, 2024. doi:10.1038/s41390-024-03436-5.
27. Davidson J, Torres C, Talati AJ. Implementation of a Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Program at a Free-Standing Children's Hospital Level IV Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. J Perinatol. Provisionally accepted August 2024.
28. Christensen ML, Abbruzese L, Herrera O, Weems MF. Safety of Short-Term Parenteral Nutrition Administration Through Umbilical Artery Catheters in Neonates While in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. J Pediatr Pharmacol Ther. 2024 Dec;29(6):610-613. doi:10.5863/1551-6776-29.6.610. Published online 2024 December 9.