Affiliation: Oklahoma University Health Sciences Center, Section of Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine

Dr. Chaaban is a neonatologist and physician-scientist at Oklahoma Children’s Hospital. Her lab is working to identifying factors that influence the development and maturation of the small intestine in premature infants; and how they play a role in the pathogenesis of NEC. These include prenatal factors such as maternal demographics/pathologies, neonatal factors such as feeding practices, antibiotic use, and others. Using murine models of NEC, in-vitro culture models (enteroids), and human samples, Dr. Chaaban’s work aims to improve our understanding of NEC, develop reliable biomarkers for early diagnosis of NEC, and develop strategies that prevent this deadly disease.