Neonatology

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Suhas G. Kallapur, MD

Appointment

Associate Professor of Pediatrics

Email

suhas.kallapur@cchmc.org

Phone

513-636-3879

Fax

513-636-7868

Credentials

MBBS: University of Bombay, India, 1984.

DCH: College of Physicians and Surgeons, Bombay, 1986

MD, Pediatrics: University of Bombay, India, 1986

Residency: Pediatrics, University of Bombay, India, 1984-87

Residency: Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Michigan, Detroit, Michigan, 1988-90.

Fellowship: Neonatology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, 1990-1993.

Awards and Honors

National Merit Scholorship Government of India, 1976-78

Best Resident K.E.M. Hospital, Bombay, India, 1987

Sanford Cohen Award (Best Pediatric Resident) Children's Hospital of Michigan, Detroit, Mich., 1989-90

William C. Procter Scholarship Univeristy of Cincinnati, 1993-95

Member Society of Pediatric Research

Research

Antenatal infections and inflammation is the commonest cause of preterm labor and delivery. Preterm infants are at high risk for mortality and morbidity. My laboratory is interested in how antenatal inflammation causes lung injury, modulates lung development and is an antecedent to brochopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). My laboratory works closely with Dr. Alan Jobe, Cindy Bachurski, Machiko Ikegami in Cincinnati and our collaborators in Western Australia. Our animal model is preterm lambs exposed to intra-amniotic (lA) injection of pro-inflammatory agents such as E. Coli endotoxin or recombinant lL-1. We find that in this model endotoxin causes inflammation in chorio-amnion and lung. We have recenly developed a preterm sheep model of ureaplasma chorioamnionitis mimicking the human disease.

Our present efforts are directed in understanding the molecular mechanisms and pathways involved in lung maturation and lung injury, particularly vascular injury in the lung in this model. We employ a variety of molecular biology techniques such as cloning new genes, making libraries, express recombinant protein and others in our research work. Recently, we have made some novel and interesting observations regarding endotoxin tolerance, in both systemic granulocytes and as well as the lung in preterm sheep. Thus, study of innate immunity as relevant to the pathogenesis of BPD is also an area of increasing interest in the laboratory. The animal work and physiology is done in Western Australia and the molecular, biochemical and cell biology work is done in Cincinnati.

Research Grants and Contracts

NIH-K08 HL70711-01 Principal Investigator, Mechanisms of Vascular Injury in the Preterm Lung (PI)

NIH-NHLBI R01-HL 65397 Co-Investigator, New mediators of lung maturation (PI: AH Jobe)

NIH-NICHD R01-HD 12714-22A1 Co-investigator, Antecedents to lung injury in the preterm (PI: AH Jobe)

MERCK (MSG ID#28268) Principal Investigator, Pharmacokinetics of Montelukast in very low birth weight (VLBW) infants

Publications, Most Recent

Ikegami M, Kallapur SG, and Jobe AH. Initial Responses to Ventilation of Premature Lambs Exposed to Intra-amniotic Endotoxin 4d before Delivery.Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol, 286: L573-L579:2004

Kallapur SG, Bachurski CJ, LeCras TD, Joshi, SN, Ikegami M and Jobe AH. Vascular changes following intra-amniotic endotoxin in the preterm lamb lungs.Am J Physiol Lung Mol Physiol 287:1178-1185:2004

Kallapur, SG, Nitsos I, Moss TJM, Newnham JP, Kramer, BW, Ikegami M and Jobe AH. Chronic endotoxin exposure does not cause sustained structural abnormalities in the fetal sheep lungs.Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol, 288:L966-974:2005

Jobe AH, Kallapur SG. Antenatal Factors that influence postnatal lung development and injuryFetal and Neonatal physiology - 3rd edition - Eds, Polin, Fox and Abman- W.B. Saunders and Co. Philadelphia, PA (2003)

Kallapur SG, Ikegami M (2005) Physiological consequences of intra-uterine insults - Pediatric Respiratory reviews (In press)

Kallapur S.G. and Alan H. Jobe - The contribution of inflammation to lung injury and developmentArch Dis Child (In press)

Professional Organization Memberships

  • Member Society for Pediatric research (2001)
  • Member American Academy of Pediatrics (1995)

Teaching

Dr. Kallapur is the Director of Continuing Medical Education (CME) program in Neonatology and established CME category I activities in the Division in 1997. Dr. Kallapur has coordinated Neonatology's weekly Grand Rounds since its inception as a category I CME activity. He has also chaired the NeoFest conference since its inception in 1998. This regional half-day conference is devoted to a chosen theme and the faculty who present at this conference are leading experts, nationally and internationally renowned in the subject area. Dr. Kallapur also serves as a member of the planning committee for the two-day Midwest Critical care symposium for neonatologists and allied health care workers.

Special Interests

Mediators of lung maturation; antecedents to lung injury in preterm infants; lung injury and ventilation styles