Our Neonatal-Perinatal section has opportunities for scholarship in all of the traditional and non-traditional tracks, providing a diverse selection for our fellows and preparing them for a competitive career. Our largest resources are in the areas of clinical and epidemiological research and quality improvement science, but we also have faculty conducting scholarship in medical education, the basic sciences, global health, and translational research. 

In order to optimize the success of our trainees, our Core Curriculum includes didactic sessions on study design, data analysis, grant development and manuscript preparation. Monthly research conferences promote collaboration amongst the different members of our section. Through these educational opportunities and with individual guidance by a primary mentor and Scholarship Oversight Committee, fellows complete projects and prepare the results for presentation at national meetings and/or publication.

Here are the areas that our faculty focus on in their scholarly activities:

  • Acute kidney injury
  • Premature neonatal neurodevelopmental outcomes
  • Neonatal encephalopathy and hypoxemic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE)
  • Neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) i.e. neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome (NOWS)
  • Bronchopulmonary dysplasia
  • Nutritional and gastrointestinal clinical trials
  • Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS)
  • Neonatal effects of maternal disease using large animal models
  • Breastmilk analysis and supplementation
  • Palliative care and improved parent experience both pre- and postnatally
  • Undergraduate and graduate medical education
  • Simulation-based education

Global Opportunities

Modupeola Akinola, MD participates in efforts to decrease infant mortality by working with Kybele, a non-profit humanitarian organization dedicated to improving childbirth conditions worldwide through medical education partnerships. Fellows who are interested in Kybele and other global opportunities should speak to their faculty mentor for more information.

There are two funds offered by the WFSM Office of Global Health that provides financial assistance for global health experiences. Fellows may apply to the funds one time every 12 months.

Master's in Science Program

The Department of Public Health Sciences is nationally regarded for its leadership in clinical, epidemiological and health outcomes research. Fellows in our program are eligible to apply to the Department of Public Health Sciences for admission to the Master’s Program in Science – Clinical and Population Translational Science (CPTS). The fellowship and the coursework for the master’s degree can take place simultaneously, allowing completion of both programs in three to four years.

In addition, the Office of Research regularly offers workshops on manuscript writing and presentations.

Recent Publications

  1. Johnson C, Shen E, Winn K, Digiacobbe G, Akinola M. Neonatal resuscitation: a blended learning curriculum for medical and physician assistant students. MedEdPORTAL. 2020;16:10921. 
  2. Juul SE, Comstock BA, Wadhawan R, Mayock DE, Courtney SE, Robinson T, Ahmad KA, Bendel-Stenzel E, Baserga M, LaGamma EF, Downey LC, Rao R, Fahim N, Lampland A, Frantz Iii ID, Khan JY, Weiss M, Gilmore MM, Ohls RK, Srinivasan N, Perez JE, McKay V, Vu PT, Lowe J, Kuban K, O'Shea TM, Hartman AL, Heagerty PJ. PENUT trial consortium: a randomized trial of erythropoietin for neuroprotection in preterm infants. N Engl J Med. 2020 Jan 16;382(3):233-243. 
  3. Everson T, Marsit C, O'Shea TM, Burt A, Hermetz K, Carter B, Helderman J, Hofheimer J, McGowan E, Neal C, Pastyrnak S, Smith LM, Soliman A, DellaGrotta S, Dansereau L, Padbury J, Lester B. Epigenome-wide analysis identifies genes and pathways linked to neurobehavioral variation in preterm infants. Sci Rep. 2019 Apr 19;9(1):6322. 
  4. Hofheimer JA, Smith LM, McGowan EC, O’Shea TM, Carter BS, Neal CR, Helderman JB, Pastyrnak SL, Soliman A, Dansereau LM, DellaGrotta SA, Lester BM. Psychosocial and medical adversity associated with neonatal neurobehavior in infants born before 30 weeks gestation. Pediatr Res. 2019 Oct 10. 
  5. McGowan EC, Hofheimer TJA, O’Shea TM, Carter, BS, Helderman J, Neal, CR, Pastyrnak S, Smith LM, Soliman A, Dansereau LM, DellaGrotta SA, Lester BM. Sociodemographic and medical influences on neurobehavioral patterns in preterm infants: a multi-center study. Early Hum Dev. 2020 Mar;142:104954 
  6. Schelonka RL, Carlo WA, Bauer CR, Peralta-Carcelen M, Phillips V, Helderman J, Navarrete CT, Moorman JR, Lake DE, Kattwinkel J, Fairchild KD, O'Shea TM.  Mortality and neurodevelopmental outcomes in the heart rate characteristics monitoring randomized controlled trial.  J Pediatr. 2020 Apr;219:48-53. 
  7. Ferguson C,  Perry C, Subramanian M, Gilliette C, Ayers A, Welch C. Mixed oil based fat emulsions vs soybean oil based fat emulsions on incidence and severity of intestinal failure associated liver disease in a neonatal intensive care unit. J Parenter Enter Nutr 2020, Apr.  
  8. Check J, Jensen ET, Skelton JA, Ambrosius WT, O’Shea TM. Early growth outcomes in very low birth weight infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia or fetal growth restriction. Pediatr Res. 2020 Feb. 
  9. Gogcu S, Washburn LK, O’Shea TM. Treatment for hypotension in the first 24 postnatal hours and the risk of hearing loss among extremely low birth weight infants. J Perinatol 40: 774-780, 2020.  
  10. Davis JM, Pilon AL, Shenberger JS, Breeze JL, Terrin N, Mazela J, Gulczynska E, Lauterbach R, and R Parad. The role of recombinant human CC10 in the prevention of chronic pulmonary insufficiency of prematurity. Pediatr Res, 2019; 86:254-260.
  11. Czynski AJ, Davis JM, Dansereau LM, Engelhardt B, Marro P, Bogen DL, Hudak ML, Shenberger JS, Wachman EM, Oliveira EL, Lester BM. Neurodevelopmental outcomes of neonates randomized to morphine or methadone for treatment of neonatal abstinence syndrome.  J Pediatr, 2020, 219:146-151.
  12. Singh, R, Rothstein R, Ricci K, Visintainer P, Shenberger JS, Attwood E, Friedmann P. Partnering with mothers to improve outcomes for substance exposed newborns – a pilot program.  J Perinatol, 2020, 40:1041-1049.
  13. Michaels AM. Contributor. Gomella’s Neonatology: Management, Procedures, On-Call Problems, Diseases, and Drugs. New York: McGraw-Hill Medical. 2020.
  14. Koo HY, El-Baz LM, House S, Cilvik SN, Dorry SJ, Shoukry NM, Salem ML, Hafez HS, Dulin NO, Ornitz DM, Guzy RD. Fibroblast growth factor 2 decreases bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis and inhibits fibroblast collagen production and myofibroblast differentiation. J Pathol. 2018;246(1):54-66.
  15. Cilvik SN, Wang JI, Lavine KJ, et al. Fibroblast growth factor receptor 1 signaling in adult cardiomyocytes increases contractility and results in a hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. PLoS One. 2013;8(12):e82979. 2013 Dec 11.