Paul S. Kingma, MD, PhD, serves as an attending physician in the Cincinnati Children’s NICU and as neonatal director of the Cincinnati Fetal Center. Dr Kingma leads several basic science and translation research projects that focus on four primary goals.

The first goal is to improve our understanding of pathogenesis of congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH). To this end, Dr. Kingma’s laboratory is developing novel methods for measuring lung injury in CHD infants and he has advanced the use of airway pressure release ventilation as a method of reducing lung injury in infants with CDH. In addition, as part of a collaboration with Dr. Jason Woods, Dr. Kingma is using novel MRI-based methods to measure lung growth and function in CDH infants.

The second goal is to improve our understanding of the formation, repair and prognosis of tracheal esophageal (TE) defects. Dr. Kingma is using novel MRI techniques for evaluating tracheal and esophageal morphology in infants with TE defects. In addition, Dr. Kingma is leading an effort to gather detailed anatomic, genetic and clinical outcome data on a large cohort of patients with TE defects in order enhance diagnosis, predict patients at risk for complications, and ultimately improve treatment.

The third goal is to develop effective clinical management strategies to prevent and treat intestinal dysfunction and feeding intolerance in infants with gastroschisis. Dr. Kingma is currently leading a Gerber Foundation funded study that is using MRI to quantify intestinal factors that lead to enteral feeding intolerance.

The final goal of is to improve our understanding of the molecular pathogenesis of neonatal lung injury. Specifically, Dr. Kingma is evaluating the role of the Surfactant Protein D (SP-D) and the pulmonary innate immune system. In addition, Dr. Kingma is part of a Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center collaboration that is developing SP-D as a therapeutic agent designed to improve surfactant function and reduce lung injury in premature infants.