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Divisions & Programs Medical Education Residency & Fellowships Research Faculty ContactRESEARCH
We are investigating several areas in neonatal research including treatment of neonatal anemia, antenatal and
postnatal use of steroid on developing newborns, prevention or attenuation of eye and lung disease, and neonatal
infection and developmental outcomes.
Close collaboration with the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, the Department of
Ophthalmology, and the
Division of Pediatric Endocrinology is a key element in our neonatal research efforts.
Current projects include:
Irfan Ahamd, M.D.
Health Science Assistant Clinical Professor
Dr. Ahmad's research is currently focused on the following topics:
1. Estimation of body composition in infants by DEXA, quantitative bone ultrasound and B-mode muscle ultrasound. Ongoing project at GCRC, UCI Medical center, NIH funded study.
2. Infant exercise study, GCRC, UCI Medical Center. NIH sponsored study.(Ongoing project at GCRC with Dr Cooper)
3. Spontaneous intestinal perforations in neonates. (Ongoing study with Dr Emil at UCI)
Fayez M. Bany-Mohammed, M.D.
Assistant Clinical Professor, Staff Neonatologist
Dr. Bany-Mohammed's research interest is in Neonatal Hematology and Endocrinology with previous research
experience focused on the role of Erythropoietin as an antioxidant. He presented the data in the National Society
for Pediatric Research Meeting in 1994 and 1995 and later published in 1996 in Pediatric Research. He is currently
planning on replication this research in the human premature infant.
Other areas of interest are Erythropoietin use for neonatal anemia and its impact on transfusion requirements.
He is also currently working on developing local data-drive blood transfusion guidelines in our NICU.
Houchang D. Modanlou, M.D.
Professor, Director of Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine Fellowship Training Program
Dr. Modanlou's research activities involve both basic science laboratory investigations as well as applied
clinical research activities. Recent work involves investigation into the effects of antenatal and postnatal
use of steroids on developing newborn animals. Parameters being investigated are fetal and neonatal growth,
weight and linear growth in animals exposed to antenatal and/or postnatal steroids, effects on growth factors such
as Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF), Insulin-Like Growth Factor (IGF-1), insulin, growth hormone and their
receptors as well as enzyme and their tissue inhibitors that regulate normal structural development of the lung.
Additionally he is exploring both short-term and long-term effects of antenatal and postnatal steroid on
carbohydrate metabolism during the neonatal period and later in life in the laboratory animals. He hopes that his
research will help to better understand both the short-term and long term effects of common but potent drugs, such
as steroids used in humans.
The second area of research involves studying the effects of high concentrations of oxygen on retinas and
other organ systems (lungs) of immature rabbits and rats. He is also exploring the use of specific
drugs such as Dexamethasone and Celecoxib and other Cycloosygenase Inhibitors for possible prevention and/or
attenuation of eye and lung disease as well as exploring the potential side effects of these medications.
Many papers have been presented at national and international research meetings and several manuscripts were published in peer
reviewed journals on both areas of his laboratory research.
The research laboratory is currently located at Memorial Health Services (MHS) Research Facilities in Long
Beach Memorial Center. Memorial Health Services Foundation has been very generous in support of the research
laboratory where the majority of fellows in Neonatology do research under his research associate, Ms. Kay D.
Beharry, and his direct supervision.
A collaborative basic science research project for the study of Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP) utilizing a
rat pups model has been developed with the faculty at the Department of Ophthalmology Research laboratory
facilities located at UCIMC. Both faculty and fellows in training in neonatology and in
ophthalmology will be involved. Collaborative grant application to extramural agencies such as NIH will be done once initial research
efforts are obtained and analyzed.
Cherry C. Uy, M.D.
Assistant Clinical Professor, Staff Neonatologist
Dr. Uy's main area of interest is in the field of neonatal infections and developmental outcomes. Her
research focus is mostly clinical and she is currently the UCI site investigator of a Phase III, multi-center,
placebo controlled, double blind, randomized clinical trial of Veronate®, a donor selected intravenous
immune globulin. This study is to evaluate the potential of Veronate® to prevent infections in low birth
weight premature infants caused by Staphylococcus aureus, CoNs and Candida sp. The study is in the final
stage of completion and data is yet to be analyzed.
Dr. Uy will also be the principal site investigator for a follow-up study to compare the long-term
neurodevelopmental outcome of infants who received Veronate® versus placebo. Patients who were enrolled in
the Phase III clinical trial of Veronate® will be evaluated at 18-24 months of corrected gestational age.
They will be assessed in the five major domains of development (i.e. language, cognition, motor, social, emotional,
and adaptive behavior) and they will likewise be evaluated for the presence of major neurological deficits such
as blindness, hearing deficit, and cerebral palsy.
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