Neonatology Research

Physicians and scientists from the Division of Neonatology at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia continue to lead basic and clinical research into many conditions affecting newborns and infants. In collaboration with CHOP’s Research Institute, we oversee the work of more than 150 investigators pursuing hundreds of active research projects.

Basic and Translational Research Team

Our current areas of research in neonatology-related topics include

Pulmonary

  • Factors involved in adverse events during tracheal intubation in the NICU
  • Fetal lung development
  • Lung antioxidant defenses
  • Lung disease in premature infants
  • Congenital diaphragmatic hernia and complex lung lesions
  • Role of inflammation in lung disease
  • Pulmonary function testing in the neonate
  • Hormone regulation of fetal lung development
  • Use of inhaled nitric oxide in premature infants
  • Hormone regulation of fetal lung development
  • The role and regulation of heme oxygenase in lung antioxidant defenses

Neurology

  • Effect of inflammation and oxidative stress on the neonatal brain
  • Neuroimaging and neurodevelopmental outcomes
  • Biomarkers and neonatal brain injury
  • Management of myelomeningocele (the most severe form of spina bifida) 
  • Maternal drug use and neonatal neurodevelopmental outcomes

Genetics

  • Circadian gene improvement of cellular bioenergetics; preconditioning for protection against oxidative stress
  • Oxidative stress mediated gene regulation
  • Fetal origins of adult disease
  • Surfactant protein processing and physiology
  • Biological chemistry and molecular mechanisms of action in nitric oxide
  • Intrauterine growth retardation and insulin resistance
  • Effect of maternal obesity on the fetus
  • Mitochondrial biology
  • Biomarkers of neonatal sepsis
  • Serum biomarkers in necrotizing enterocolitis
  • Neonatal pharmacokinetics
  • Cell motility and proliferation; process of inflammation and fibrosis following tissue injury 
  • Surfactant protein processing and physiology 
  • Surfactant clinical trials — booster prophylaxis and rescue therapy 

Cardiac

  • Development of the conotruncal region of the heart

General

  • Neonatal health services research 
  • Impact of neonatal outreach on referral patterns 
  • Multicenter trials to assess safety and efficacy of neonatal therapies 
  • Simulation strategies for neonatal education 
  • Community satisfaction of neonatal Level 4 care
  • Recent publications

Next Steps
Contact Us
Division of Neonatology
15 Locations
Contact Us
215-590-1653
Referrals
215-590-3083
Contact Us Online
You Might Also Like
Marcus Davey, researcher, in the lab

Transforming Care for Extremely Premature Babies

CHOP researchers design a unique womb-like, fluid-filled environment to bridge critical time from mother’s womb to outside world.

Child in hospital laying down

ECMO Research

Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia is advancing extracorporeal life support technologies for the most critically ill children.

Mom holding infant

Support for Short Bowel Syndrome Beyond the N/IICU

This case study highlights the care of an infant with necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) that led to short bowel syndrome (SBS), one of the most devastating complications of prematurity.