The Incubator At The Bench

In this engaging conversation, Dr. Emin Maltepe shares his journey as a neonatologist and physician scientist, discussing the serendipitous events that shaped his research interests, particularly in hypoxia and drug development for neonatology. He reflects on the importance of mentorship, the challenges of drug development in pediatrics, and the MD-PhD pathway, providing insights into the complexities of balancing clinical practice with research. In this conversation, Emin Maltepe discusses his journey through the MD-PhD program and how it shaped his career in pediatric drug development. He highlights the significant challenges faced in developing therapeutics for pediatric populations, particularly preterm infants, and the lack of attention and funding in this area. Emin shares insights into his innovative approaches to drug and device development, including collaborations with global organizations and the importance of using appropriate animal models. He emphasizes the need for policy advocacy and business knowledge in the field of pediatric therapeutics, while also reflecting on the personal challenges and rewards of balancing family life with a demanding career.

In this episode of the Incubator "At the Bench," we speak with Dr. Eric Benner, a neonatologist and physician-scientist at Duke University. Dr. Benner shares his path from an MD-PhD student with a background in Parkinson’s research to a passionate neonatologist driven by personal experiences in the NICU after his twin sons were born prematurely. He describes how these experiences inspired him to dedicate his career to studying neurologic outcomes in preterm infants, focusing on neural stem cells and ways to improve outcomes for children like his son who has faced neurologic challenges. Dr. Benner discusses his pioneering research on oxysterols in breast milk, which activate neural pathways, particularly the sonic hedgehog pathway, to promote brain development in preterm infants. His journey includes navigating the patent process, founding a biotech company, and persisting despite initial skepticism from the pharmaceutical industry. He emphasizes the importance of mentorship and collaboration, sharing practical advice for budding physician-scientists. Dr. Benner also highlights the need for palliative care in neonatology, inspired by his wife's work in palliative medicine, as an integral component of compassionate care in the NICU.

In this episode of the Incubator: At the bench, we talk with, Dr. Augusto Zani, a pediatric surgeon scientist who discusses his work on fetal lung regeneration and the use of stem cell derivatives and extracellular vesicles for diagnostics and therapy. He shares his journey from surgical training to becoming a surgeon scientist and the challenges he faced along the way. Dr. Zani also explains his transition from studying necrotizing enterocolitis to congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) and the unanswered questions in lung hypoplasia related to CDH. He highlights the importance of understanding the mechanisms behind these conditions and the potential of extracellular vesicles in promoting lung growth and regeneration. Dr. Augusto Zani discusses his research on congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) and the potential use of extracellular vesicles (EVs) as a therapy. He also discusses the role of inflammation in CDH and how EVs have both regenerative and anti-inflammatory properties. Dr. Zani also mentions the potential use of EVs in other pediatric surgical conditions, such as gastroschisis and spina bifida. He concludes by sharing his excitement about moving his lab to St. Louis Children's Hospital in the U.S.

Dr. Steve McElroy, a neonatologist and physician scientist, discusses his research on injury and repair mechanisms in the immature intestine, specifically focusing on necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) and spontaneous intestinal perforation in premature infants. He shares his journey from initially not wanting to pursue science to becoming a physician scientist, and how mentorship played a crucial role in his career. Dr. McElroy also talks about his pioneering work on Paneth cells and the Paneth cell ablation NEC model. He highlights the importance of listening, asking questions, and being open to new research directions. Finally, he discusses the impact of his leadership role as a division chief on his research and mentorship activities. He emphasizes the importance of mentorship, celebrating small victories, and persisting through challenges. Dr. McElroy also shares insights into his current research on chorioamnionitis and its impact on neonatal health. He highlights the need for creative think time and the value of understanding mechanisms in basic science. The conversation concludes with a discussion on building a supportive and fun lab environment.

In this episode of the Incubator "At the Bench," we talk with Dr. Jill Maron, a neonatologist and physician-scientist at Women and Infants Hospital of Rhode Island and Brown University. Join us as we hear Dr. Maron share her journey from medical school to becoming a leading researcher in neonatology. She discusses how her early drive to provide the best patient care evolved into a commitment to advancing bedside care through research. Inspired by Dr. Diana Bianchi, Dr. Maron pursued a career in salivary diagnostics, focusing on non-invasive prenatal testing and feeding tolerance in premature infants. She highlights the challenges and successes in her research journey, emphasizing the importance of finding the right mentorship and building a research career that addresses significant clinical questions that provide answers to patient care conundrums in the neonatal intensive care unit. Dr. Maron also talks about her experiences with giving a TED talk and the impact it had on her career. We are also fortunate to learn about how Dr. Maron decided to take on her current leadership role, when to say “yes,” and step out of your comfort zone in your personal and professional life. We are excited to have you join us for an insightful look into the life and career journey of an inspiring neonatologist-scientist!

In this episode of the Incubator, At the bench, we talk with Dr. Krithika Lingappan who is a neonatologist and physician-scientist at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and the University of Pennsylvania. Join us as we hear what inspired Dr. Lingappan to build her cutting-edge research program investigating sex-specific differences in preterm lung disease. She explains that every cell in the lung shows sex bias, including epithelial cells, endothelial cells, and immune cells. She explores the role of the X and Y chromosomes in determining susceptibility to lung diseases and the ongoing research to understand the dosage of the X chromosome and genes on the Y chromosome. Dr. Lingappan also discusses the use of multi-omics approaches, such as single-cell RNA sequencing and spatial transcriptomics, to study lung development and disease. We are fortunate to learn from her experiences including finding mentorship, building a research career that addresses a common clinical question, and establishing and then moving a research group. Dr. Lingappan also discusses her work promoting neonatology physician-scientist career development. We are thrilled to bring you this inside look into what it takes to become a neonatology physician-scientist!

In this episode of “At the Bench” in the Incubator podcast family, Dr. Donna Ferrero discusses her work on therapeutic hypothermia and neonatal brain injuries. She explains the development and implementation of therapeutic hypothermia as a treatment for brain injuries in newborns. Dr. Ferrero also explores the signaling pathways and early markers that can help identify patients who will respond well to hypothermia. She discusses the use of erythropoietin (EPO) and the results of the HEAL trial. Additionally, Dr. Ferrero highlights the importance of genetic variants and sex-specific differences in understanding and treating brain injuries. She also emphasizes the need for a multi-omics approach to better comprehend the complexity of brain injuries and develop personalized interventions. We also delve into the future of care for hypoxia ischemia and the importance of collaboration and career development for physician scientists. The value of collaboration with international researchers and the benefits of visiting other institutions and labs are highlighted. Tips for effective collaboration and overcoming challenges in career development are provided, along with insights into the role of leadership in advancing the field.

In this episode of “At the Bench”, we are interviewing one of our show’s co-hosts, Dr. David McCulley. David is a neonatologist and developmental biologist at the University of California, San Diego and in this show he talks about what motivated him to build a research program investigating the genetic and developmental mechanisms responsible for congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH). David directs an NIH-supported study to determine the genetic mechanisms responsible for abnormal lung and pulmonary vascular development in patients with CDH. He describes the mentorship and collaborative research experiences that have shaped his career path. David also talks about the work that he is doing along with the Society for Pediatric Research and the co-hosts of this program, Dr. Misty Good and Dr. Betsy Crouch, to encourage and promote pediatric physician-scientist career development.

In this episode of “At the Bench”, we have the privilege of interviewing one of our hosts, Dr. Misty Good. Dr. Good discusses her amazing career journey from learning to pipette water at the beginning of her neonatology fellowship to becoming a multiple R01-funded investigator. She shares how she is inspired every day to improve the care of preterm infants with necrotizing enterocolitis through her research and how she decided to pursue a career as a physician-scientist due to the desire to improve the lives of all babies. Dr. Good’s story serves as an inspiration to early career faculty and those navigating the challenging but incredibly rewarding career path of a neonatologist-scientist.

This week, we start by interviewing Dr. Elizabeth “Betsy” Crouch, a neonatologist, neuroscientist, and vascular biologist at the University of California, San Francisco. Dr. Crouch’s lab takes a “Vascular-centric” perspective to neurodevelopment and studies how the blood vessels in the developing brain and spinal cord impact the growing neural cells, and vice versa. In part, this approach is inspired by germinal matrix hemorrhage, a devastating condition unfortunately common in the NICU that can cause cerebral palsy, hydrocephalus, and death. Early in Dr. Crouch’s training, a family she cared for in the NICU questioned the status quo in germinal matrix hemorrhage management. They asked why, in this era of modern medicine, their baby had no treatment options for this devastating and common condition. This anecdote highlights what has become a theme in her research: basic and translational science inspired by parents and patients. Her lab now focuses on defining the stages of vascular stem cells in the developing brain and understanding the mechanisms that regulate their functions, applying this knowledge to produce novel technologies and therapeutic strategies for different brain hemorrhages in neonatal and pediatric patients. This episode discusses the challenges and victories in Dr. Crouch’s journey, her mentors and their wisdom, and how we might create a future without germinal matrix hemorrhage for our premies and their families.