Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine Research Team | Research | Department of Pediatrics | UC Davis Health

Dr. Bautista’s research is focused on impaired gut motility and intestinal adaptation in the setting of prematurity and surgical diseases affecting the small and large intestine of the neonate. She is particularly interested in the role of mechanosensitive cation channel, Piezo1, in gut maturation and regulation of intestinal processes in specific gastrointestinal pathologies affecting the neonate. Dr. Bautista uses a basic/translational approach with conditional and inducible knock-out mouse models and human tissue correlates. Clinical interests include intestinal injury in the extreme premature population, including NEC and SIP, and surgical diseases affecting the neonate including but not limited to short gut syndrome, gastroschisis, intestinal atresias and related disorders.

Publications:

• PubMed

Dr. Cacho's research focuses on the provision of human milk for critically ill and premature infants. Dr. Cacho conducts research to investigate the protective components in both mother's own milk and donor human milk.

Publications:

• PubMed

Dr. Donohue is a neonatologist with a particular interest in improving the care of neonates through simulation-based education of nursing, medical students, residents, and fellows. She also is interested in providing education to clinical staff at hospitals in our surrounding communities to improve their newborn care. Dr. Donohue's research interests focus on the use of simulation and telemedicine in the NICU and delivery room.

Publications:

• PubMed

Dr. Hoffman’s research interests include neuroprotection, telemedicine and simulation.

Publications:

• PubMed

Dr. Riordon is a neonatologist with interest in improving the care of critically ill neonates using technology.

Publications:

• PubMed

Dr. Satyan Lakshminrusimha’s research interests are focused on pulmonary transition at birth and disorders of pulmonary transition such as birth asphyxia and persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn. His current work on optimal oxygenation in neonatal lung injury evaluates ideal concentrations of inspired oxygen to maintain optimal delivery of oxygen to the brain. He is involved in coming up with novel neonatal resuscitation techniques to enhance return of spontaneous circulation and minimizing brain injury. In addition, he is the principal investigator of a multicenter clinical trial evaluating the role of milrinone in congenital diaphragmatic hernia in the NICHD Neonatal Research Network.

Publications:

• PubMed

Dr. McElroy is involved in both basic and clinical research involving injury and repair mechanisms of the developing small intestine. He is specifically interested in how these processes relate to neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis. Dr. McElroy’s laboratory has made seminal discoveries linking Paneth cells and goblet cells to protection of the immature intestinal tract, has developed novel mouse models of necrotizing enterocolitis, and has begun to investigate the link between maternal chorioamnionitis and subsequent intestinal disease of offspring. Clinical interests include neonatal growth and nutrition, intestinal injury including NEC and SIP, and care of ELBW infants with a focus on those at the limits of viability.

Research Laboratory:

• McElroy Lab

Publications:

• PubMed
• Google Scholar

Dr. Poulain research interests revolve around developing better understanding the pathogenesis and prevention of lung diseases of the newborn. After years spent developing animal models of surfactant protein deficiency, Dr. Poulain is now mostly involved in the conduct of multicenter clinical trials testing new therapeutic ideas directed at preventing complications of prematurity. In addition, through the University of California fetal Consortium, Dr. Poulain is participating in studies of infants with gastroschisis to help develop better therapeutic pathways.

Publications:

• PubMed

Dr. Rottkamp’s research includes; neurodevelopmental and behavioral outcomes for premature, critically ill infants and other at-risk newborns in the NICU.

Publications:

• PubMed

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 research on flush volume following umbilical venous epinephrine dose influenced the change in national neonatal resuscitation guidelines in 2021. Her goal is to improve outcomes in all newborn infants, and especially preterm and term infants who require resuscitation at birth. She is currently evaluating the role of early rapid volume resuscitation in neonatal hypovolemic cardiac arrest. Her clinical research interests include cardiovascular effects of prenatal methamphetamine exposure in the newborns, short-term neonatal outcomes after perinatal syphilis infection and prevention of congenital syphilis, and neonatal non-invasive carbon dioxide monitoring.

Publications:

• PubMed
• Google Scholar

Neonatal quality and safety projects/outcomes, care of surgical neonates, and medical education.

Publications:

• PubMed

Dr. Stieren’s research interests include identifying early predictors of neurocognitive disorders and optimizing neurodevelopmental outcomes for premature infants and newborns with critical illness.

Publications:

• PubMed

Dr. Vali’s research Interests include neonatal resuscitation and persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (clinical as well as research in a lamb model).

Publications:

• PubMed