Mark A Underwood, M.D., M.A.S.
Specialties
Neonatology
Department
Title
- Chief of Neonatology
- Professor
Reviews
UC Davis Children's Hospital
2315 Stockton Blvd.
Sacramento, CA 95817
Driving Directions
Primary Phone:
800-282-3284
Additional Phone Numbers
Physician Referrals: 800-4-UCDAVIS (800-482-3284)
Philosophy of Care
Caring for a premature or sick newborn requires a team of dedicated professionals. I love working with parents, nurses, pharmacists, respiratory therapists, dietitians, social workers, and specialists to provide the very best care for these fragile little guys.
Clinical Interests
Dr. Underwood's clinical activities are in the care of premature and sick newborn infants. His research interests include necrotizing enterocolitis, development of intestinal innate immunity, and mechanisms of probiotics and prebiotics in pre-term infants.
Research projects include clinical trials of probiotics and prebiotics in premature infants, assessment of Paneth cell antimicrobial expression in infants with necrotizing enterocolitis, and evaluation of Paneth cell expression in newborn rats.
Research/Academic Interests
Dr. Underwood's research is focused on prevention of common health problems of very premature infants, including necrotizing enterocolitis, sepsis, and poor growth after birth.
This includes discovery of the mechanisms by which human milk protects the intestinal tract, and how human milk and probiotics work together to shape the composition of the intestinal microbiota and influence the baby's developing immune system.
Division
Neonatology
Center/Program Affiliation
Education
M.D., University of Texas, Southwestern Medical School, Dallas, Texas, 1987
M.A.S., UC Davis, Davis, California, 2008
B.A., Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah, 1983
Internship: UCLA, Los Angeles, California, 1988
Residency
UCLA, Los Angeles, California, 1990
Fellowships
UC Davis Medical Center, Sacramento, California, 2006
Board Certifications
American Board of Pediatrics, 2004
American Board of Pediatrics, Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine, 2008
Professional Memberships
Fellow, American Academy of Pediatrics
Society for Pediatric Research
Western Society for Pediatric Research
Honors and Awards
Dean's Team Award for Excellence, 2013
Eli Gold Faculty Achievement prize, 2012
Alice Litman Moss Pediatric Resident award, 1990
Karl G Maeser Scholar, 1982
National Merit Scholar, 1977
Brigham Young University Trustee Scholar, 1977
Select Recent Publications
To view a list of Dr. Underwood's publications, please visit his PubMed page here.
Recent Videos
Q&A with Dr. Mark Underwood
Top pediatric specialty care, close to home -- UC Davis Children's Hospital