Newborn Intensive Care Unit

CDH and infant follow-up; care of infants with congenital diaphragmatic hernia; follow-up care of premature and term infants with complex medical needs

Biography

Dr. Haberman currently serves as senior medical director for the level IV Newborn Intensive Care Unit at Cincinnati Children's. Her focus is on operations of the NICU, quality improvement and patient safety. She is also the neonatal medical director for the Transport Team. Dr. Haberman’s clinical interests focus on care of babies born with congenital diaphragmatic hernia and post-discharge NICU follow up of neonates and infants with complex medical needs. She attends clinically in the NICU at Cincinnati Children's and in the Cincinnati regional community nurseries.

Fellowship: Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, 1996-1999.

Residency: Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, 1993-1996.

MD: University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, 1993.

Vuletin JF, Lim FY, Cnota J, Kline-Fath B, Salisbury S, Haberman B, Kingma P, Frischer J, Crombleholme T. Prenatal pulmonary hypertension index: novel prenatal predictor of severe postnatal pulmonary artery hypertension in antenatally diagnosed congenital diaphragmatic hernia. J Pediatr Surg. 2010 Apr;45(4):703-8.

Greenberg JM, Donovan EF, Warner BB, Haberman BE, Narendran V, Schibler KR. Neonatal Morbidities of Prenatal and Perinatal Origin. Creasy and Resnik”s Maternal-Fetal Medicine: Principles and Practice. 2008 6th ed. Chapter 58. Elsevier Ltd., Philadelphia, PA.

Castro L, Yolton K, Haberman B, Roberto N, Hansen NI, Ambalavanan N, Vohr BR, Donovan EF. Bias in reported neurodevelopmental outcomes among extremely low birth weight survivors. Pediatrics. 2004 Aug;114(2):404-10.

Faculty / Staff Physicians

Jay H. Dritz, MD Attending Neonatologist, Neonatology and Pulmonary Biology 513-636-4830 jay.dritz@cchmc.org

James M. Greenberg, MD Co-Director, Perinatal Institute 513-636-3149 james.greenberg@cchmc.org

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James M. Greenberg, MD

Co-Director, Perinatal Institute

Director, Division of Neonatology

Academic Affiliations

Professor, UC Department of Pediatrics

Phone 513-636-3149

Fax 513-803-0968

Email james.greenberg@cchmc.org

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Clinical Interests

Neonatal chronic lung disease; late preterm infant

Biography

Dr. Greenberg is a nationally recognized leader in neonatal-perinatal medicine. He serves as director of the Division of Neonatology for Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center leading one of the largest comprehensive clinical and academic programs for newborn care in the United States. Dr. Greenberg has been division director since 2003, and has been an active clinician, researcher and teacher at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center for more than 22 years. In 2009, he was appointed associate director of the Perinatal Institute at Cincinnati Children’s and became co-director in 2011.

His research activities include developmental biology of the lung, neonatal chronic lung disease, neonatal epidemiology, and prevention of preterm birth. Dr. Greenberg partners with Cincinnati Children's faculty and regional leaders to lead community health initiatives to reduce preterm birth and eliminate infant mortality. He has authored more than 30 original research articles; and six book chapters in the textbook of Pediatrics, Maternal-Fetal Medicine, and Pulmonology.

As medical director for Regional Newborn Services and division director, Dr. Greenberg led the dramatic growth of the neonatology clinical program from 12 faculty physicians providing care at two neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) to more than 50 physicians providing newborn care at 13 regional hospitals including the five NICUs. The Division of Neonatology now has over 120,000 patient encounters per year. In addition to caring for all of the Level III and Level II intensive care nursery patients in the region, division physicians also see more than 18,000 normal newborns every year. The Newborn Intensive Care at Cincinnati Children’s represents the hub of the neonatology clinical program. This NICU has over 750 admissions per year and focuses its activities on caring for infants with complex medical and surgical problems. All patients requiring surgery, surgical subspecialty care, complex radiographic imaging, or comprehensive diagnostic services are managed at the Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center NICU.

In addition to the clinical program, the Division of Neonatology has an active research program. The division is one of the 22 NICHD Neonatal Research Network Centers. Extramural grant funding for the division in fiscal year 2015 was in excess of $10 million. Division research programs span basic, translational, and clinical endeavors.

The division also has an active quality improvement program focusing on outcomes in varied clinical settings ranging from improving reliability of delivery room thermal stability to reduction of central-line-associated blood stream infections in the NICU.

MD: University of Illinois College of Medicine, Chicago, IL, 1977-1981.

Pediatric Internship and Residency: University of Minnesota Hospital and Clinic, Minneapolis, MN, 1981-1984. Chief Resident, Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota Hospital and Clinic, Minneapolis, MN, 1984.

Fellowship: Immunology/Neonatology, University of Minnesota Hospital and Clinic, Minneapolis, MN, 1985-1987; 1988-1989; visiting scientist, Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Division of Protein and Nucleic Acid Chemistry, Cambridge, England.

Certification: American Board of Pediatrics, 1988; subspecialty board, Neonatal/Perinatal Medicine, 1989.

Binder S, Hill K, Meinzen-Derr J, Greenberg JM, Narendran V. Increasing VLBW Deliveries at Subspecialty Perinatal Centers via Perinatal Outreach. Pediatrics. 2011 Mar;127(3):487-93.

Kulkarni RM, Herman A, Ikegami M, Greenberg JM, Akeson AL. Lymphatic ontogeny and effect of hypoplasia in developing lung. Mech Dev. 2011 Jan-Feb;128(1-2):29-40.

Kulkarni RM, Greenberg JM, Akeson AL. NFATc1 regulates lymphatic endothelial development. Mech Dev. 2009 May-Jun;126(5-6):350-65.

Mallory BP, Mead TJ, Wiginton DA, Kulkarni RM, Greenberg JM, Akeson AL. Lymphangiogenesis in the developing lung promoted by VEGF-A. Microvasc Res. 2006 Jul-Sep;72(1-2):62-73.

Preciado DA, Rutter MJ, Greenberg JM, Bahado-Singh R, Lambers D, Willging JP. Intrapartum management of severe fetal airway obstruction. J Otolaryngol. 2004 Oct;33(5):283-8.

Akeson AL, Cameron JE, Le Cras TD, Whitsett JA, Greenberg JM. Vascular endothelial growth factor-A induces prenatal neovascularization and alters bronchial development in mice. Pediatr Res. 2005 Jan;57(1):82-8.

Greenberg JM, Thompson FY, Brooks SK, Shannon JM, Akeson AL. Slit and robo expression in the developing mouse lung. Dev Dyn. 2004 Jun;230(2):350-60.

Le Cras TD, Spitzmiller RE, Albertine KH, Greenberg JM, Whitsett JA, Akeson AL. VEGF causes pulmonary hemorrhage, hemosiderosis, and air space enlargement in neonatal mice. Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol. 2004 Jul;287(1):L134-42.

Akeson AL, Greenberg JM, Cameron JE, Thompson FY, Brooks SK, Wiginton D, Whitsett JA. Temporal and spatial regulation of VEGF-A controls vascular patterning in the embryonic lung. Dev Biol. 2003 Dec 15;264(2):443-55.

Greenberg JM, Thompson FY, Brooks SK, Shannon JM, McCormick-Shannon K, Cameron JE, Mallory BP, Akeson AL. Mesenchymal expression of vascular endothelial growth factors D and A defines vascular patterning in developing lung. Dev Dyn. 2002 Jun;224(2):144-53.

Paul S. Kingma, MD, PhD Neonatal Director, Cincinnati Fetal Center 513-636-2995 paul.kingma@cchmc.org

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Paul S. Kingma, MD, PhD

Neonatal Director, Cincinnati Fetal Center

Member, Perinatal Institute
Member, Division of Neonatology
Member, Division of Pulmonary Biology

Academic Affiliations

Associate Professor, UC Department of Pediatrics

Phone 513-636-2995

Fax 513-636-7868

Email paul.kingma@cchmc.org

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Clinical

Neonatology; fetal care; neonatal care of infants with congenital malformations including congenital diaphragmatic hernia, tracheal-esophageal defects and gastroschisi

Research

Innate immune systems; surfactant protein D; Neonatal lung growth; genetic basis of congenital malformations

Biography

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 collaboration that is developing SP-D as a therapeutic agent designed to improve surfactant function and reduce lung injury in premature infants.

BS: Calvin College, MI, 1992.

MD: Vanderbilt University, TN, 2000.

PhD: Vanderbilt University, TN, 2000.

Residency: Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, 2003.

Fellowship: Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, 2005.

Fu T, Kingma PS. Diagnosing Infection in a Neonate Using Whole-Body Screening Magnetic Resonance Imaging. Pediatrics. 2016.

Higano N, Hahn A, Tkach J, Cao X, Walkup L, Thomen R, Merhar S, Kingma P, Fain S, Woods J. Retrospective Respiratory self-gating and removal of bulk motion in pulmonary UTE MRI of neonates and adults. Magnetic Resonance in Medicine. 2016.

Coleman A, Phithakwatchara N, Shaaban A, Keswani S, Kline-Fath B, Kingma P, Haberman B, Lim FY. Fetal lung growth represented by longitudinal changes in MRI-derived fetal lung volume parameters predicts survival in isolated left-sided congenital diaphragmatic hernia. Prenat Diagn. 2015;35(2):160-6.

Lynema S, Marmer D, Hall E, Meinzen-Derr, J, Kingma PS. Neutrophil CD64 as a diagnostic marker of sepsis: impact on neonatal care. Am J Perinatology. 2015;32(4):331-6.

Landis MW, Butler D, Lim FY, Keswani SG, Frischer JS, Haberman BE, Kingma PS. Octreotide for chylous effusions in congenital diaphragmatic hernia. J Pediatr Surg. 2013;48(11):2226-9.

Wetzel EA, Kingma PS. Subgaleal hemorrhage in a neonate with Factor X deficiency following a non-traumatic cesarean section. J Perinatol. 2012;32(4):304-5.

Le LD, Keswani SG, Biesiada J, Lim FY, Kingma PS, Haberman BE, Frischer J, Habli M, Crombleholme TM. The congenital diaphragmatic hernia composite prognostic index correlates with survival in left-sided congenital diaphragmatic hernia. J Pediatr Surg. 2012;47(1):57-62.

King BA, Boyd JT, Kingma PS. Pulmonary maturational arrest and death in a patient with pulmonary interstitial glycogenosis. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2011;46(11):1142-5.

Lee TC, Lim FY, Keswani SG, Frischer JS, Haberman B, Kingma PS, Habli M, Jaekle RK, Sharp G, Kline-Fath B, Rubio EI, Calvo M, Guimaraes C, Crombleholme TM. Late gestation fetal magnetic resonance imaging-derived total lung volume predicts postnatal survival and need for extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support in isolated congenital diaphragmatic hernia. J Pediatr Surg. 2011;46(6):1165-71.

King BA, Kingma PS. Surfactant Protein D deficiency increases lung injury during endotoxemia. Am J Respir Cell Mol Bio. 2011;44(5):709-15.

Kristin R. Melton, MD Associate Program Director, Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine Fellowship 513-803-0022

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Kristin R. Melton, MD

Associate Program Director, Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine Fellowship

Academic Affiliations

Associate Professor, UC Department of Pediatrics

Phone 513-803-0022

Fax 513-636-7868

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Clinical

Congenital malformations

Research

Craniofacial malformations; somitogenesis

Biography

Craniofacial defects are an important cause of morbidity for children worldwide, with craniofacial defects making up one third of all congenital anomalies and occurring in association with over 100 different genetic syndromes. Cranial neural crest cells are multipotent, migratory cells that form most of the bone, cartilage, connective tissue and peripheral nervous system of the head and face. Craniofacial defects are largely attributed to abnormalities in the formation, migration or differentiation of the neural crest. The cranial neural crest is responsive to the tissues that surround it, however, so craniofacial defects may result from a primary defect in neural crest cells, or from a defect in the tissues that signal to neural crest.

Kristin Melton, MD, has an interest in studying the tissues that signal to the neural crest, such as the endothelium and cranial mesoderm, and the signaling pathways utilized by these tissues. Using embryo culture techniques, cell culture and transgenic mouse models, Dr. Melton is investigating the interaction between the endothelium and the neural crest. Microarray has also been used to identify a number of mesoderm-specific genes that may play key roles in craniofacial development.

Dr. Melton is a practicing neonatologist and attends at the RCNIC in Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center. Her clinical interests include newborns with complex congenital anomalies and genetic defects, as well as a focus on family-centered care.

BA: Washington University, St. Louis, MO, 1991.

MD: University of Nebraska, Omaha, NE, 1995.

Residency: Children's Mercy Hospital, Kansas City, MO, 1998.

Fellowship: Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, 2001.

Gibb S, Zagorska A, Melton K, Tenin G, Vacca I, Trainor P, Maroto M, Dale JK. Interfering with Wnt signalling alters the periodicity of the segmentation clock. Dev Biol. 2009 Jun 1;330(1):21-31.

Nesslein LL, Melton KR, Ikegami M, Na CL, Wert SE, Rice WR, Whitsett JA, Weaver TE. Partial SP-B deficiency perturbs lung function and causes air space abnormalities. Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol. 2005 Jun;288(6):L1154-61.

Melton KR, Nesslein LL, Ikegami M, Tichelaar JW, Clark JC, Whitsett JA, Weaver TE. SP-B deficiency causes respiratory failure in adult mice. Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol. 2003 Sep;285(3):L543-9.

Melton K, Akinbi HT. Neonatal jaundice. Strategies to reduce bilirubin-induced complications. Postgrad Med. 1999 Nov;106(6):167-8, 171-4, 177-8.

Stephanie L. Merhar, MD, MS Attending Neonatologist, Neonatology and Pulmonary Biology 513-803-5180 stephanie.merhar@cchmc.org

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Stephanie L. Merhar, MD, MS

Attending Neonatologist, Neonatology and Pulmonary Biology

Research Director, NICU Follow Up Clinic
Follow Up Principal Investigator, Cincinnati site, NICHD Neonatal Research Network

Academic Affiliations

Assistant Professor, UC Department of Pediatrics

Phone 513-803-5180

Email stephanie.merhar@cchmc.org

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Clinical

Infants with perinatal brain injury; neonatal follow up.

Research

Follow-up outcomes; advanced neuroimaging to predict outcomes in infants with brain injury.

Biography

Stephanie L. Merhar, MD, MS, is a neonatologist with a research focus in the field of neuroimaging, developing ways to use advanced imaging techniques to predict and improve the outcomes of term and preterm babies with brain injury.

MD: University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 2005.

Residency: Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, 2005-2008.

Fellowship: Neonatology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, 2008-2011.

Certification: Pediatrics, 2008.

Merhar S. Biomarkers in neonatal posthemorrhagic hydrocephalus. Neonatology. 2011 Jul;101(1):1-7.

Merhar SL, Schibler KR, Sherwin CM, Meinzen-Derr J, Shi J, Balmakund T, Vinks AA. Pharmacokinetics of levetiracetam in neonates with seizures. J Pediatrics. 2011 Jul;159(1):152-154.

Merhar SL, Manning-Courtney P. Two boys with 47 XXY and autism. J Autism Devl Disord. 2007 May;37(5):840-6.

Merhar SL, Gilbert DL. Clinical (video) findings and cerebrospinal fluid neurotransmitters in 2 children with severe chronic bilirubin encephalopathy, including a former preterm infant without marked hyperbilirubinemia. Pediatrics. 2005 Nov;116(5):1226-30.

Levy SE, Mandell DS, Merhar SL, Ittenbach RF, Pinto-Martin JA. Use of complementary and alternative medicine among children recently diagnosed with autistic spectrum disorder. J Dev Behav Ped. 2003 Dec;24(6):418-423.

Nagendra K. Monangi, MD Attending Neonatologist, Neonatology and Pulmonary Biology 513-803-3982 nagendra.monangi@cchmc.org

Ward R. Rice, MD, PhD Medical Director, Newborn Services, St. Elizabeth Medical Center 513-636-3149 ward.rice@cchmc.org

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Ward R. Rice, MD, PhD

Medical Director, Newborn Services, St. Elizabeth Medical Center

Director, Neonatology Fellowship Training Program

Academic Affiliations

Professor, UC Department of Pediatrics

Phone 513-636-3149

Fax 513-636-7868

Email ward.rice@cchmc.org

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Clinical

Hypotension in ELBW infants; EMR

Research

Processing of surfactant protein C

Biography

Ward R. Rice, MD, PhD, is the director of the Neonatology Fellowship Training Program and director of Newborn Services, St. Elizabeth Medical Center.

Dr. Rice received MD and PhD degrees from the University of Chicago and has been on the faculty since 1983. He has been the director of the Neonatology Fellowship Training Program since 1990. During this time, he has supervised the clinical training of more than 100 fellows who currently hold academic appointments across the United States and around the world.

His past NIH supported research accomplishments included identification of novel G-protein coupled receptors on alveolar type II cells and studies of the interaction of the opportunistic pathogen P carinii with alveolar type II cells. He currently works in collaboration with Dr. Timothy Weaver to study biosynthesis of surfactant protein C.

PhD: University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, 1972-76.

PhD: Biochemistry, Thesis Advisor: T.L. Steck, MD, Thesis: "Pyruvate Flux Across The Isolated Human Erythrocyte Membrane."

MD: University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, 1972-78.

Internship: Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, 1978-79.

Residency: Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, 1979-81.

Fellowship Neonatology: University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Children's Hospital Medical Center, 1981-83.

Certification: Pediatrics, 1983; Sub-board Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine, 1983.

Conkright JJ, Apsley KS, Martin EP, Ridsdale R, Rice WR, Na CL, Yang B, Weaver TE. Nedd4-2-mediated ubiquitination facilitates processing of surfactant protein-C. Am J Respir Cell Mol Biol. 2010 Feb;42(2):181-9.

Nesslein LL, Melton KR, Ikegami M, Na CL, Wert SE, Rice WR, Whitsett JA, Weaver TE. Partial SP-B deficiency perturbs lung function and causes air space abnormalities. Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol. 2005 Jun;288(6):L1154-61.

Rice WR, Conkright JJ, Na CL, Ikegami M, Shannon JM, Weaver TE. Maintenance of the mouse type II cell phenotype in vitro. Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol. 2002 Aug;283(2):L256-64.

Huffman Reed JA, Rice WR, Zsengellér ZK, Wert SE, Dranoff G, Whitsett JA. GM-CSF enhances lung growth and causes alveolar type II epithelial cell hyperplasia in transgenic mice. Am J Physiol. 1997 Oct;273(4 Pt 1):L715-25.

Rice W, Shannon JM, Burton F, Fiedeldey D. Expression of a brain-type cannabinoid receptor (CB1) in alveolar Type II cells in the lung: regulation by hydrocortisone. Eur J Pharmacol. 1997 May 30;327(2-3):227-32.

Linke MJ, Burton FM, Fiedeldey DT, Rice WR. Surfactant phospholipid secretion from rat alveolar type II cells: possible role of PKC isozymes. Am J Physiol. 1997 Feb;272(2 Pt 1):L171-7.

Chroneos ZC, Abdolrasulnia R, Whitsett JA, Rice WR, Shepherd VL. Purification of a cell-surface receptor for surfactant protein A. J Biol Chem. 1996 Jul 5;271(27):16375-83.

Haas M, Rice WR. Respiratory distress syndrome for the practicing pediatrician. Pediatr Ann. 1995 Nov;24(11):572-6, 579-80. Review.

Rice WR, Burton FM, Fiedeldey DT. Cloning and expression of the alveolar type II cell P2u-purinergic receptor. Am J Respir Cell Mol Biol. 1995 Jan;12(1):27-32.

Rice WR, Singleton FM, Linke MJ, Walzer PD. Regulation of surfactant phosphatidylcholine secretion from alveolar type II cells during Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia in the rat. JClin Invest. 1993 Dec;92(6):2778-82.

Other Clinical Resources

Dawn Butler, PharmD Clinical Pharmacy Specialist, Newborn Intensive Care Unit (NICU) 513-636-4292 dawn.butler@cchmc.org

Aimee J. Maas, MSW, LISW-S Social Worker III, Division of Social Services 513-636-4044 aimee.maas@cchmc.org

Gina R. Perronie, MSN, CNP Advanced Practice Registered Nurse, Newborn Intensive Care Unit (NICU) 502-593-1972 gina.perronie@cchmc.org

Amy L. Sapsford, RD, CSP, LD, CLE Registered Dietitian, Newborn Intensive Care Unit (NICU) 513-636-3150 amy.sapsford@cchmc.org

Kristi E. Vargo, MSW, LISW-S Social Worker III, Newborn Intensive Care Unit (NICU) 513-636-4043 kristin.vargo@cchmc.org

Sharon Williams, MSW, LISW-S Social Worker III, NICU 513-636-6260 sharon.williams@cchmc.org

For Referring Doctors & Hospitals

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Physician Liaison

Sandra Evans, RN, BSN
Physician Liaison, NICU
513-636-5636
sandra.evans@cchmc.org

Clinical Directors

Rachel Wilson, MSN, CNML
513-636-3146
rachel.wilson@cchmc.org

Clinical Managers

Shelly Hoehn, BSN, RN, NEA-BC
513-803-2407
shelly.hoehn@cchmc.org

Michelle Shinkle, MSN, RN
513-636-1257
michelle.shinkle@cchmc.org

Jessica Hamilton, BSN, RN, RNC-NIC
513-803-7487
jessica.raglin@cchmc.org

Shannon Sarver, MSN, RNC-NIC, NEA-BC
513-803-2406
shannon.sarver@cchmc.org

Mary Ann Twilling, MSN, RN, CLC
513-803-2409
mary-ann.twilling@cchmc.org

Emily Cosgrove, RN
513-517-1094
emily.cosgrove@cchmc.org

Anna Ellis, RN
513-636-4466
anna.ellis@cchmc.org

Anne Campbell, RN
513-636-4466
anne.campbell@cchmc.org

Education Specialists