Dr. Carolyn McGann is a global health neonatologist focusing on prevention of sepsis in neonates worldwide. She currently collaborates with teams at University of Botswana focusing on identifying transmission of and ways to interrupt infections with Klebsiella and Acinetobacter, the two key pathogens causing sepsis in hospitalized neonates in Botswana. With funding from Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and CDC, they are evaluating chlorhexidine bathing, family led infection prevention, and kangaroo care as well as other targets for sepsis prevention. She also works with colleagues at Korle Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra, Ghana to validate the newly implemented electronic medical record with the hopes of improving neonatal clinical care and using it for research focusing on neonatal mortality and morbidity. Carolyn is part of the point-of-care ultrasound team at CHOP and is interested in how we can use ultrasound to augment neonatal care in all practice settings.
MD - George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, DC
Pediatrics - Yale New Haven Hospital, New Haven, CT
Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine - Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA
Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine – American Board of PediatricsPediatrics – American Board of Pediatrics
Attending Neonatologist
Instructor, Division of Neonatology, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania
J Dowling, T Arscott-Mills, O Bayani, M Boustany, B Moorad, M Richard-Greenblatt, N Tlhako, M Zalot, AP Steenhoff, AM Gezmu, B Nakstad, J Strysko, SE Coffin, C McGann. Antibiotic Use for Sepsis in Hospitalized Neonates in Botswana: Factors Associated with Guideline-Divergent Prescribing. Microorganisms. 2023 Oct 27;11(11):2641. doi: 10.3390/microorganisms11112641.
R Chin, C McGann, M Peña. Netter’s Pediatrics, Second Edition: Chapter 92 Assessment of the Acutely Ill Neonate, 2023. Elsevier.
J Strysko, M Vurayai, K Kgomanyane, O Bayani, M Mokomane, T Machiya, T Arscott-Mills, D Goldfarb, A Steenhoff, C McGann, B Nakstad, A Gezmu, M Richard-Greenblatt, S Coffin. (2021). Characterizing the ESBL-Producing Enterobacterales Bioburden in a Neonatal Unit Using Chromogenic Culture Media: A Feasible and Efficient Environmental Sampling Method. Antimicrobial Resistance & Infection Control. 2021 July doi: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-770166/v1.
Vesel T, O'Connor M, Vesel L, Beveridge C, McGann C, Jullien S, Nishizawa Y. Pediatric Palliative Care Education Model in Low Resource Settings: A Mixed-Methods Evaluation. J Pain Symptom Manage. 2021 Aug 17:S0885-3924(21)00477-2. doi: 10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2021.07.024. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 34411661.
McGann C, Coggins SA, Dysart K. Does a lower interventional glucose threshold affect neurodevelopment in at-risk neonates? J Perinatol. 2021 May;41(5):1180-1183. doi: 10.1038/s41372-021-00921-1. Epub 2021 Feb 5. PMID: 33547409.
Nishizawa, Y., Sonam, S., Mize, C.M., & Vesel, T. (2017). Maternal Hypovitaminosis D as a cause of neonatal seizure. Bhutan Health Journal, 3(2), 11–14. https://doi.org/10.47811/bhj.47
C McGann “Using the microbiome to study neonatal sepsis in Botswana” CHOP Research Institute Scientific Symposium, May 2023.
C McGann & J Strysko. “Antimicrobial Resistance in the NICU: Highlighting a global epidemic and team-based approach in Botswana” Neonatology Research Conference, April 20, 2023.
C McGann, J Strysko, W Hu, J Sistrunk, C Tanes, O Bayani, N Ngwako, M Vurayai, A Gezmu, B Nakstad, M Richard-Greenblatt, T Arscott-Mills, T Machiya, T Thela, A Steenhoff, P Planet, K Bittinger, S Coffin. “The influence of maternal HIV status on the early neonatal microbiome” European Congress of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen, Denmark, April 2023
D C Murosko, J Radack, B Formanowski, M Passarella, E G Salazar, D Montoya-Williams, C McGann, K Paul, M Peña, H H Burris MD, S C Handley, S A Lorch. The Maternal Vulnerability Index is Associated with Infant Mortality in the United States. Eastern Society for Pediatric Research 2022
E G Salazar, D Montoya-Williams, M Passarella, C McGann, K Paul, D Murosko, M Peña MD, R Ortiz, S A Lorch, H H Burris, S C Handley. The Association between the Maternal Vulnerability Index and Preterm Birth in the US. Eastern Society for Pediatric Research 2022
J Strysko, T Machiya, K Lechiile, M Jamieson, M Vurayai, K Kgomanyane, O Bayani, M Mokomane, T Arscott-Mills, DM Goldfarb, AP Steenhoff, C McGann, B Nakstad, A Gezmu, M Richard-Greenblatt, R Luckett, SE Coffin. Carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii at a tertiary hospital in Botswana: Focus on perinatal environmental exposures. Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America 2022.
N Tlhako, J Moorad, C McGann, B Nakstad, S Coffin, A Steenhoff, J Strysko. “Process for Tracking Infant HIV PCR Results: A Research Perspective and Call for Action” Botswana International HIV Conference, November 2022
N Ngwako, N Tlhako, J Moorad, C Sefelani, B Nakstad, S Coffin, A Steenhoff, J Strysko, C McGann. “Neonatal Health in Botswana: A Snapshot from Princess Marina Hospital” Botswana National Health Research Symposium, Gaborone, Botswana, November 2022
K Gibbs, J Coldren, K Bordner, T O’Connor, A Neppach,A Bustin, S Gattoline, J Serio, T Nelin, S Coggins, M Duran, J Bock, E Carrigan, C Franciscovich, E Gallagher, M Devine, A Lowe, C McGann, R Ebbert, M Padula, MC Harris, K Chiotos, L Srinivasan. Decreasing Antibiotic Exposure in Late Onset Sepsis Evaluations in the N/IICU. Children’s Hospitals Neonatal Consortium, Poster Presentation, Oct 2022
C McGann, J Strysko, O Bayani, A Gezmu, B Nakstad, L Gianchetti, T Thela, N Ngwako, M Kelly, M Richard-Greenblatt, T Arscott-Mills, R Luckett, J Hofmeyr, A Steenhoff, S E Coffin. “Characterizing the Epidemiology of Late-Onset Sepsis among Hospitalized Neonates in Botswana: Is maternal HIV infection protective?” Pediatric Academic Societies. April 2022; Denver, Colorado.
Handley SC, Montoya-Williams D, Passarella M, McGann C, Salazar BG, Paul K, Murosko DC, Peña MM, Ortiz R, Burris HH, Lorch SA. “Deconstructing the Maternal Vulnerability Index: Examining Associations of the 6 Themes with Preterm Birth.” Pediatric Academic Societies. April 2022; Denver, Colorado.
Salazar BG, Montoya-Williams D, Passarella M, McGann C, Paul K, Murosko DC, Peña MM, Ortiz R, Lorch SA, Burris HH, Handley SC. “The Association between the Maternal Vulnerability Index and Preterm Birth in the United States.” Pediatric Academic Societies. April 2022; Denver, Colorado.
Murosko DC, Radack J, Formanowski B, Passarella M, Salazar BG, Montoya-Williams D, McGann C, Paul K, Peña MM, Burris HH, Handley SC, Lorch SA. “The Maternal Vulnerability Index is associated with infant mortality in the United States.” Pediatric Academic Societies. April 2022; Denver, Colorado.
J Strysko, M Vurayai, K Kgomanyane, O Bayani, M Mokomane, T Machiya, T Arscott-Mills, DM Goldfarb, AP Steenhoff, C McGann, B Nakstad, A Gezmu, M Richard-Greenblatt, SE Coffin. Characterizing the Extended-Spectrum Beta-Lactamase-Producing Enterobacterales Bioburden in a Neonatal Unit Using Chromogenic Culture Media: A Feasible and Efficient Environmental Sampling Method, International Conference on Emerging Infectious Diseases (ICEID) 2022; Atlanta, GA
C McGann, M Vurayai, J Strysko, O Bayani on behalf of Neonatal Infections & Microbiome Working Group, S Coffin.. “Characterizing the bioburden of ESBL-Producing Enterobacterales in a Neonatal Unit in Botswana: A Feasible and efficient environmental sampling method using chromogenic culture media” International Conference on Prevention & Infection Control, Virtual Platform Presentation, September 2021.
C McGann, O Bayani,, J Strysko, M Vurayai, A Gezmu, B Nakstad, L Gianchetti, T Machiya, T Thela, A Steenhoff, S E Coffin. “Characterizing the Epidemiology and Microbiology of Neonatal Sepsis and the Interaction with Microbial Colonization Responses in Gaborone, Botswana.” Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia Global Health Conference 2021; Philadelphia, PA
C McGann. “Lung Ultrasound in the NICU: Using POCUS to guide care and predict outcomes” Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital, Johannesburg, South Africa. November 2023.
C McGann. “Point-of-care Ultrasound in Resource-Limited Settings” Neonatal and Critical Care Medicine Bedside Ultrasound Course, Philadelphia, PA. November 2023.
C McGann. “Basics of Bubble CPAP” CHOP Global Health Conference, Global Health Bootcamp, Philadelphia, PA. September 2023.
C McGann. “Helping Babies Survive: The Red Zone” CHOP Global Health Conference, Philadelphia, PA. September 2023.
C McGann. “Frontiers in neonatal sepsis: Using the microbiome to study neonatal sepsis” CHOP Global Health Conference, Philadelphia, PA. October 2022.
C McGann. “Lung Ultrasound in the NICU” Department of Pediatrics teaching conference, University of Botswana, Gaborone, Botswana. September 2022.
C McGann. “Using the microbiome to understand neonatal sepsis” Department of Pediatrics teaching conference, University of Botswana, Gaborone, Botswana. September 2022.
C McGann. “Point of Care Ultrasound in the NICU: Case Presentation” Pediatric Emergency Pocus Educational Collaborative, Connecticut Children’s Hospital, Hartford, CT. April 2022.
C McGann. “Basics of Intrauterine Growth Restriction”, Department of Pediatrics teaching conference, University of Botswana, Gaborone, Botswana. July 2021.
C McGann. “Shoulder Dystocia: Risk Factors and Outcomes”, Department of Pediatrics teaching conference, University of Botswana, Gaborone, Botswana. July 2021.
2023, Early Career Faculty Honor Roll, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
2021, Fellow Teaching Award, CHOP Division of Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine
2020, Eastern Society for Pediatric Research Travel Award
2016, Bridgeport Hospital Platinum Quality Award
2012, Gold Humanism Honor Society
2011, Tauber Holocaust Memorial Scholarship
2010, Richard Hewitt Summer Scholar
2009, Phi Beta Kappa
2009, The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences Early
2009, summa cum laude, The George Washington University
2005-2009, Presidential Academic Scholarship, The George Washington University
2013-present, American Academy of Pediatrics
- 2018-present,Section on Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine
- 2015-present, Section on Global Health (International Child Health)