Deepika Sankaran, M.D., F.A.A.P.
Assistant Professor
To see if Deepika Sankaran is accepting new patients, or for assistance finding a UC Davis doctor, please call 800-2-UCDAVIS (800-282-3284).
Locations and Contact
UC Davis Children's Hospital
UC Davis Children's Hospital
2315 Stockton Blvd.
Sacramento, CA 95817
Philosophy of Care
My philosophy of care is to provide every newborn infant with the best possible care that is evidence-based, which would enable her/him to have a head-start in this world. My approach is to involve the parents of the newborn during daily rounds in the neonatal intensive care unit and empower them to play an active role in the decision making with respect to the overall management of the neonate.
Clinical Interests
Dr. Sankaran is a neonatologist who cares for the most vulnerable extremely premature babies and critically ill term newborns. She has special interest in the field of neonatal resuscitation in which she is currently involved in research. Assuming the role of a team leader, she streamlines the delivery room management of preterm and term newborn infants. She enjoys her role as a teacher/ facilitator of education for neonatal health care providers in the delivery room, during bedside rounds and conferences.
Research/Academic Interests
Dr. Sankaran's laboratory research focuses on neonatal resuscitation including chest compressions, epinephrine and use of oxygen during and after resuscitation in an ovine model. Her goal is to improve outcomes in all newborn infants, and especially the preterm and term infants who require resuscitation at birth. Her clinical research interests include evaluation of cardiovascular effects of prenatal methamphetamine exposure in the newborns. Additionally, she is attempting to estimate the prevalence of perinatal syphilis in the community with an emphasis on evaluation of short-term neonatal outcomes and prevention of congenital syphilis.
Division
Fetal Care and Treatment Center
Neonatology
Center/Program Affiliation
Medical School
M.B.B.S., Madras Medical College, India 2009
Other School
Diploma in Child Health (DCH), Madras Medical College/Institute of Child Health & Hospital for Children, India 2013
Internship
Madras Medical College, Chennai/Tamil Nadu, India 2009-2010
Residency
Pediatrics, Flushing Hospital Medical Center, Queens NY 2013-2016
Residency
Pediatrics, Institute of Child Health and Hospital for Madras Medical College, Chennai/Tamil Nadu, India 2011-2013
Fellowship
Neonatology, University of Buffalo/John R. Oishei Children's Hospital, Buffalo NY 2016-2019
Junior Faculty Diversity in the Workforce Travel Award, ESPR, 2021
American Academy of Pediatrics - Neonatal Resuscitation Program Research Grant, 2021
Editor’s Focus Highlight in September print issue of Pediatric Research, 2021
Canadian Pediatric Society- Neonatal Resuscitation Program Research Grant, 2021
Young Investigator Award, AAP Section on Neonatal Perinatal Medicine, 2020
Junior Faculty Travel Award, WSPR Mead Johnson Nutrition, 2020
Young Investigator Award from Eastern Society of Pediatric Research, 2019
Winner of Fellows Case Competition in Eastern Society of Pediatric Research, 2019
Eastern Society of Pediatric Research Travel Grant Award, 2018, 2019
Pediatric Academic Societies Travel Award for Young Investigator, 2018, 2019
Sankaran D, Lakshminrusimha S, Saugstad OD. Physiology of Neonatal Resuscitation: Giant Strides with Small Breaths. Seminars in Perinatology. (accepted 11/2021, in PRESS).
Sankaran D, Lakshminrusimha S, Manja V. Methamphetamine: burden, mechanism and impact on pregnancy, the fetus, and newborn. J Perinatol. 2021 Nov 16. doi:10.1038/s41372-021-01271-8. Epub ahead of print. PMID:34785765.
Sankaran D, Vali P, Chen P, Lesneski AL, Hardie ME, Alhassen Z, Wedgwood S, Wyckoff MH, Lakshminrusimha S. Randomized trial of oxygen weaning strategies following chest compressions during neonatal resuscitation. Pediatr Res. 2021 Sep;90(3):540-548. doi:10.1038/s41390-021-01551-1. Epub 2021 May 3. PMID:33941864.
Lesneski AL, Vali P, Hardie ME, Lakshminrusimha S, Sankaran D. Randomized Trial of Oxygen Saturation Targets during and after Resuscitation and Reversal of Ductal Flow in an Ovine Model of Meconium Aspiration and Pulmonary Hypertension. Children (Basel). 2021 Jul 14;8(7):594. doi:10.3390/children8070594. PMID:34356574.
Sankaran D, Zeinali L, Iqbal S, Chandrasekharan P, Lakshminrusimha S. Non-invasive carbon dioxide monitoring in neonates: methods, benefits, and pitfalls. J Perinatol. 2021 Jun 19:1–10. doi:10.1038/s41372-021-01134-2. Epub ahead of print. Erratum in: J Perinatol. 2021 Sep 14;: PMID:34148068.
Sankaran D, Vali P, Chandrasekharan P, Chen P, Gugino SF, Koenigsknecht C, Helman J, Nair J, Mathew B, Rawat M, Nielsen L, Lesneski AL, Hardie ME, Alhassen Z, Joudi HM, Giusto EM, Zeinali L, Knych HK, Weiner GM, Lakshminrusimha S. Effect of a Larger Flush Volume on Bioavailability and Efficacy of Umbilical Venous Epinephrine during Neonatal Resuscitation in Ovine Asphyxial Arrest. Children (Basel). 2021 Jun 1;8(6):464. doi:10.3390/children8060464. PMID:34205843.
Sankaran D, Nakra N, Cheema R, Blumberg D, Lakshminrusimha S. Perinatal SARS-CoV-2 Infection and Neonatal COVID-19: A 2021 Update. Neoreviews. 2021 May;22(5):e284-e295. doi:10.1542/neo.22-5-e1001. PMID:33931474.
Nair J, Davidson L, Gugino S, Koenigsknecht C, Helman J, Nielsen L, Sankaran D, Agrawal V, Chandrasekharan P, Rawat M, Berkelhamer SK, Lakshminrusimha S. Sustained Inflation Reduces Pulmonary Blood Flow during Resuscitation with an Intact Cord. Children (Basel). 2021 Apr 29;8(5):353. doi:10.3390/children8050353. PMID:33946658.
Vali P, Weiner GM, Sankaran D, Lakshminrusimha S. What is the optimal initial dose of epinephrine during neonatal resuscitation in the delivery room? J Perinatol. 2021 Mar 12. doi:10.1038/s41372-021-01032-7. Epub ahead of print. PMID:33712718.
Sankaran D, Chandrasekharan PK, Gugino SF, Koenigsknecht C, Helman J, Nair J, Mathew B, Rawat M, Vali P, Nielsen L, Tancredi DJ, Lakshminrusimha S. Randomised trial of epinephrine dose and flush volume in term newborn lambs. Arch Dis Child Fetal Neonatal Ed. 2021 Mar 9:fetalneonatal-2020-321034. doi:10.1136/archdischild-2020-321034. Epub ahead of print. PMID:33687959.