Co-Division Director
Professor
Edwin M. Dixon Endowed Chair in Neonatology
Division of Neonatology
Additional Titles
Director, Chronic Lung Disease Prevention Program, Home Readiness Program, Early Developmental Intervention Program
Education
Undergraduate
Bachelor of Science
University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez, Puerto Rico
Medical School
University of Puerto Rico Medical Sciences Campus, San Juan, Puerto Rico
Pediatric Internship and Residency
University Children's Hospital, Puerto Rico Medical Center, Puerto Rico Chief Resident in Pediatrics
Neonatology Fellowship
Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital, OH;
Interests
My main research interest is in clinical research including the design, implementation, data analysis, and reporting of neonatal and childhood research performed in developing countries and in the US, including single center trials and multicenter trials such as the First Breath Trial, the BRAIN-HIT Trial, and the SUPPORT Trial. I lead the UAB sites of the NIH-funded networks including the Global Network for Women’s and Children’s Health Research and the Neonatal Research Network. I have successfully implemented two large scale multicenter studies in 6 developing countries that enrolled over 190,000 babies and resulted in large and significant reduction in neonatal and perinatal mortality. I developed innovative devices including a high frequency ventilator, a flow interrupter to perform pulmonary function testing, and a low-cost oxygen air blender. I am focused on reducing mortality and major morbidities during early childhood in the US and developing countries funded by the NIH.