Harbor-UCLA
Harbor-UCLA

Neonatal-Perinatal Fellowship

Accepting Applications for 2025-2026 Academic Year

LocationLiu Research Center
1124 W Carson Street
RB-3, 2nd Floor, Suite 204
Torrance, CA 90502
Contact Linda Morrison
(323) 457-1902
Paola Gomez (after 8/23/24)
(424) 571-7769
Connie Madrigal
(310) 222-1969
Email
Neonatal-Perinatal Fellowship Inquiries: Linda Morrison
lmorrison@lundquist.org
Paola Gomez (after 8/23/24)
PGomez@dhs.lacounty.gov
General Inquiries:Connie Madrigal
cmadrigal@lundquist.org

Overview

The Neonatal-Perinatal Subspecialty Training Program is an ACGME-accredited three-year fellowship based at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center. The program provides extensive clinical training and scholarly activity. The clinical components of the program are conducted at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center and its affiliated center, Cedars-Sinai Guerin Children’s (CSGC). The NICU at Harbor-UCLA is a designated Regional NICU that offers advanced technologies and provides highly specialized and evidence-based care to the most vulnerable and critically ill newborns in its community. Cedars-Sinai Guerin Children’s NICU is well known for providing excellent care and services to even the most complex neonatal cases.

Both Harbor-UCLA Medical Center and Cedars-Sinai Guerin Children’s share a common mission of providing excellent clinical experience in all fields of neonatal medicine and training fellowship graduates to function as independent neonatologists in community and academic settings.

The program supports the development of clinician-educators as well as physician-scientists. Fellows are responsible for supervising pediatric and family medicine residents, neonatal nurse practitioners, and medical students rotating through the NICU. They participate in numerous educational conferences aimed at reviewing pathophysiology, clinical disease and the latest management options in neonatal practice.

The Division of Neonatology is involved in basic biomedical and patient-based research. In line with ACGME prerequisites, all fellows must complete at least one scholarly activity and one quality improvement/assurance project during their training.

All faculty members have full-time appointments at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA.

Welcome letter to the applicant

Welcome Applicants!

We greatly appreciate your interest in our Neonatal-Perinatal Fellowship Program at  Harbor-UCLA. We hope our website will help you envision what our outstanding training program has to offer.

The fellowship program is based at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, and we are very excited that Cedars-Sinai Guerin Children’s (CSGC) is our affiliated fellowship partner. Our combined program provides extensive clinical experience in all fields of neonatal medicine and in-depth research training in an engaging and supportive environment. We believe that excellent clinical care depends on a broad-based knowledge of pathophysiology, up-to-date learning of basic science, and an understanding of relevant literature. To that end, our faculty is fully committed to developing superb clinician-educators and academic researchers by helping you hone your skills as a physician, educator, researcher, administrator, and policymaker in the field of neonatal medicine.

Since its inception over 40 years ago, the program has graduated numerous clinical and research leaders in the field. A unique strength of our program is the multicultural patient population we serve. This diversity is mirrored in our caregiving team. The fellowship program is very fortunate to have the Lundquist Institute for Biomedical Innovation at Harbor-UCLA in addition to research at CSGC as well. Research activities at both sites are well supported by grants from the NIH and other federal, state, industry, and privately sponsored projects.

Finally, Harbor-UCLA is located in Torrance, California, a culturally diverse and vibrant city with beaches and mountains close by. Los Angeles, a mere 20 miles north of Torrance, boasts a pleasant and temperate climate, lending itself to year-round outdoor activities, and is well known for its world-class restaurants, theaters, entertainment, and sports.

Looking forward to the opportunity of meeting you,

Virender K Rehan, MD

Program Director

Harbor-UCLA Medical Center Neonatal-Perinatal Fellowship Program

Leadership

Virender Rehan, MD, FAAP Professor of Pediatrics Professor of Environmental and Molecular Toxicology David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA Co-Director, Institute of Women’s and Children’s HealthThe Lundquist Institute for Biomedical Innovation Chief, Division of Neonatology Director, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Director, Neonatal-Perinatal Fellowship Training ProgramHarbor-UCLA Medical Center The Lundquist Institute Profile

Dr. Virender Rehan has been caring for the most vulnerable patients in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center since 2000. He is committed not only to providing his patients the highest quality of care, mentoring the next generation of clinicians and scientists, but also to developing new knowledge in the field and rapidly bringing these developments to his patients.

Dr. Rehan is a Principal Investigator at The Lundquist Institute, one of the leading research institutions in the country. Studies from his lab have provided novel insights into the pathogenesis of Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia (BPD), Childhood Asthma, and Chronic Lung Disease and have led to the creation of innovative strategies to prevent/treat these conditions. His research interests include lung development and injury-repair, with a special emphasis on lung injury-repair following perinatal exposure to insults such as hyperoxia, infection, volutrauma, and smoke/nicotine. He also studies the potentially serious impact of perinatal exposure to 1st-, 2nd-, and 3rd-hand smoke on fetal lung development of, not only the exposed pregnant mother’s offspring, but that of the progeny of many subsequent generations. These studies have vastly expanded our current understanding of the impact of perinatal smoke exposure on the epidemiology of chronic lung disease worldwide.

Dr. Rehan is a frequent guest speaker at numerous national and international meetings and is also a frequent Visiting Professor at several medical universities and hospitals in China. In addition to several seminal contributions to the field, Dr. Rehan has co-authored three books on evolutionary biology and has contributed to several book chapters. He has served on several NIH study section panels and is on the editorial boards of a number of peer-reviewed journals.

When he is not in the NICU or his laboratory, Dr. Rehan enjoys spending time with his family.

Rangasamy Ramanathan, MD, FAAP Director, Division of Neonatology Cedars-Sinai Guerin Children’s Associate Program DirectorNeonatal-Perinatal Fellowship Training ProgramCedars-Sinai Guerin Children’s  Associate Clinical Professor of PediatricsDavid Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA 
Katherine Kuniyoshi, MD, FAAP, MPH, IBCLC  Assistant Clinical Professor of Pediatrics David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLAAssociate Program Director Neonatal-Perinatal Fellowship Program Harbor-UCLA Medical CenterDirector, Donor Milk Program Harbor-UCLA Medical Center
Kurlen Payton, MD, FAAP Associate Clinical Professor of Pediatrics David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA Associate Clinical Professor of PediatricsCedars-Sinai Medical Center Director, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Cedars-Sinai Guerin Children’sSite Director, Neonatal-Perinatal Fellowship ProgramCedars-Sinai Guerin Children’s

Faculty

Harbor-UCLA Medical Center

Lynne Smith, MD, FAAP Professor of Pediatrics David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA Chair, Department of Pediatrics Harbor-UCLA Medical Center The Lundquist Institute Profile
Chie Kurihara, MD, FAAP​ Assistant Clinical Professor of Pediatrics David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA Team Leader, NICU Resident EducationHarbor-UCLA Medical Center 
Guadalupe Padilla, MD, FAAP Assistant Clinical Professor of Pediatrics David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA Director of Neonatal Quality Improvement Harbor-UCLA Medical Center 
Dagem Mammo, MD Assistant Clinical Professor of Pediatrics David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLAAttending Neonatologist Harbor-UCLA Medical Center 
Sirisha Perugu, MD, FAAP, HEC-C Attending Neonatologist Harbor-UCLA Medical CenterNeonatal Critical CarePerinatal-Neonatal Bioethics

Cedars-Sinai Medical Center

Manoj Biniwale, MD​ Director, NICU Clinical Research ​Cedars-Sinai Guerin Children’sAssociate Clinical Professor of PediatricsDavid Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA
Yolanda Brown, MD Associate Director, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Cedars-Sinai Guerin Children’s Associate Clinical Professor of Pediatrics David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA Associate Clinical Professor of Pediatrics Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
Sara Dayanim, MD Neonatal Attending Cedars-Sinia Guerin Children’s Clinical Instructor of Pediatrics ​Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
Seth Langston, MD​
 Neonatal Attending ​
Cedars-Sinai Guerin Children’sAssistant Clinical Professor of Pediatrics
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
Caroline Gibson, MD Associate Director, NICU TransportCedars-Sinai Guerin Children’sNeonatal AttendingCedars-Sinai Guerin Children’s​Assistant Clinical Professor of PediatricsCedars-Sinai Medical Center
Deepti Mathur, MD​ Neonatal Attending Cedars-Sinai Guerin Children’s ​Clinical Instructor of Pediatrics Cedars-Sinai Medical Center ​
Xin (Cindy) Ye, MD​ Neonatal AttendingCedars-Sinai Guerin Children’s Assistant Clinical Professor of PediatricsCedars-Sinai Medical Center

Goals and Objectives

The goals of the joint Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine training program at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center and Cedars-Sinai Guerin Children’s are to train subspecialty residents in the clinical care of newborns, provide in-depth research training, and develop their skills as teachers, administrators, and policymakers in the field of newborn medicine. The clinical objectives are to provide the fundamentals of physiology and altered structure and function of the fetus and neonate and acquire the skills and foundation for diagnosis and management. Over eighteen clinical months, the trainees are provided gradually increasing responsibility and independence so they can provide patient care and instruction independently and competently upon completion of their training. Their remaining months are spent working on their research and quality improvement projects.

Clinical Goals: First Year

  • Establish a clear understanding of the feto-neonatal physiologic principles and their application to clinical diagnosis and management.
  • Deepen awareness of the social and environmental needs of parents and ethical issues involved in the care of the highly vulnerable and critically ill infants.
  • Develop acumen in the transport of critically ill neonates from community hospitals.
  • Begin to teach interns/residents and paramedical staff.
  • Provide antenatal consultations and participate in obstetrical discussions.
  • Develop scholarly activity and quality improvement projects.

Clinical Goals: Second Year

  • Augment and refine the skills acquired during their first year and assume increasing responsibility for managing high-risk infants.
  • Orient and teach interns/residents and paramedical staff, supervise transports, and provide intra-operative care for newborns undergoing surgical procedures.
  • Act as a consulting resource for the NICU, intermediate care unit, delivery room, and well-baby nurseries.
  • Provide antenatal consultations and participate in obstetrical discussions.
  • Teach NRP courses.
  • Present scholarly activity and quality improvement data at local and regional conferences.

Clinical Goals: Third Year

  • Assume a more supervisory role for the clinical service as well as some of the teaching activities of a faculty member.
  • Under the supervision of the Attending staff, serve as a “pre-attending” physician depending upon their progress and comfort level.
  • Provide antenatal consultations and participate in obstetrical discussions.
  • Present scholarly activity and quality improvement data at local, regional, and national conferences.

Over the course of their training, the subspecialty residents become experienced in the management of the convalescing neonate and learn to coordinate the care of the high-risk infant after discharge in the High-Risk Infant Follow-up clinic. These experiences enable the fellows to understand the relationship between neonatal illnesses and later health and developmental outcomes and become aware of the socioeconomic impact and psychosocial stress such infants may place on a family.

Excellence in Research

Neonatal fellows are provided with in-depth experience in performing scholarly activities and conducting meaningful research. Over eighteen months of their three-year training is dedicated to research; fellows learn the scientific and ethical basis of clinical and basic science research, including study design, modeling, methodology, statistical concepts, and data collection and analysis. These research objectives are achieved via direct guidance from research mentors, hands-on experience in data generation, presentation of data at research seminars and regional/national scientific meetings, and preparation of reports of research activities. These efforts are evaluated bi-annually by the Scholarly Oversight Committee. The research goal for each fellow at the conclusion of their third year is to complete a primary project and be the first author of a hypothesis-driven work product.

Highlights of Research on Harbor-UCLA and its affiliated Research campus, The Lundquist Institute for Biomedical Innovation

  • There are more than 120 principal investigators and 400 researchers working on over 600 research studies.
  • There are eight institutes within the parent Lundquist Institute based on focused themes.
  • The Institute for Women’s and Children’s Health (IWCH), co-directed by Dr. Virender Rehan, was established in 2020 and is focused on excellence in clinical and translational research related to women’s care, pediatric health, and the impact of pregnancy on health and disease in children and adults.
  • The goal of IWCH is to support, mentor, and collaborate with junior and mid-level investigators so as to “pass the baton” of scientific excellence and achievement to our next generation of investigators. To that end, current Neonatal-Perinatal Fellows are actively involved in performing research in lung development and injury repair, pulmonary hypertension, neonatal infections, sudden infant death syndrome, as well as brain development and developmental outcomes of newborns born at high risk.

Highlights of Research on Cedars-Sinai Guerin Children’s Campus

Cedars-Sinai ranks among the nation’s top non-university hospitals for competitive research funding from the National Institutes of Health and — as of 2022— has more than 1,845 research projects, many led by physician-scientists. Cedars-Sinai is a hub for biomedical research, with discoveries occurring in 26 departments and institutes encompassing the full spectrum of medicine.

As a hub for biomedical research and a training center for future physicians and other healthcare professionals, Cedars-Sinai is a model environment for studying the impact of healthcare challenges.

Neonatology Research:

  • Dr. Rangasamy Ramanathan joined the Division of Neonatology as Division Chief, and Dr. Manoj Biniwale joined as Director of Neonatal Research in the summer of 2024.
  • They will lead growing research opportunities for fellows at Cedars-Sinai Guerin Children’s.
  • Opportunities include:
    • Insulin like growth factor (IGF-1) infusion to prevent bronchopulmonary dysplasia.
    • Surfactant protein D in the prevention of bronchopulmonary dysplasia.
    • T-Piece vs Ventilator delivered PPV in the delivery room.
    • Use of AIMI (Artificial Intelligence Mid Infrared Spectroscope) for assessing Lung maturity.
    • NIRS.
    • Hemodynamics monitoring.
    • Emerging neonatal technologies (biosensors and novel PDA closure devices).
    • Randomized control trial of catheter-based patent ductus arteriosus closure versus non-intervention.
    • Diagnostic yield and utility of rapid genome sequencing in preterm infants.
    • Advanced fMRI and connectivity diagnostic imaging to assess neonatal brain development and response to injury.
    • Statewide multi-center collaborative quality improvement studies and translational research using vignette methodology through California Perinatal Quality Care Collaborative Network NICUs.

Research Laboratories:

With more than 100 research laboratories, Cedars-Sinai offers scientists unparalleled access to cutting-edge technologies, facilities, and resources for conducting research related to an impressive range of diseases and disorders, from cancer, cardiology, and digestive diseases to genetics, genomics, neurosciences, and women’s health.

Research Cores:

Research Cores at Cedars-Sinai are a vital collection of centralized labs and services offering state-of-the-art technology, instruments, and resources to faculty, staff, and other researchers. The facilities provide world-class technical infrastructure and expertise required by medical staff and the extended community, thus helping researchers and scientists achieve their medical discovery and delivery goals.

Conferences & Courses

HUMC/CSMC Combined NICU Fellow Didactics 

Fellow Didactic afternoons are held bimonthly and are mandatory protected time for all Fellows. The board review topics are obtained from the Neonatal-Perinatal Board Specifications and are taught by expert Faculty from all participating institutions as well as alumni. The presentations utilize a hybrid system whereby the majority of the Faculty attend remotely, while Fellows have the ability to gather at the HUMC campus.  In addition to Board topics, Fellows give updates on their Quality Improvement projects as well as present Journal Club (both Clinical and Basic Science).

Required Conferences Additional Conferences Required Courses
NICU Case Conference Pediatric ER Conference NRP Instructor Course 
Clinical Journal Club Pediatric Grand Rounds ECMO Training Courses
Didactic Board Review Pediatric Case Conference
NICU Morbidity & Mortality Schwartz Rounds
Basic Science Journal Club Presidential Lecture Series
Surgical Case Conference Bio-Statistics Course
MFM Case Conference Life After Fellowship
Review of QI Projects
Regional Joint Conference
Scholarly Oversight Conference
Annual Academic Day for Neonatologist of Southern CA

Fellows

Class of 2025

Dr. Christian Canarte Residency: New York-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital​
Research Interests: Maturation of fetal intestinal tissue exposed to Human Milk Oligosaccharides (HMO)
Hobbies: Going to the beach, swimming, biking, making sourdough, coffee and mixology
Dr. Navneet Singh Residency: UCSF Fresno​
Research Interests: Unintended pregnancy among d/Deaf and hard of hearing mothers and its moderating affect on maternal and neonatal outcomes.
Hobbies: Hiking, working out & watching movies

Class of 2026

Dr. Siddarth Amuthan Residency: SUNY Downstate Medical Center​
Research Interests: A combination of the aerosolized PPAR Gamma agonist Pioglitazone and the Synthetic Protein B mimic B-YL prevents hyperoxia-induced lung injury in mice.
Hobbies: Volleyball, basketball, badminton, chess, debate, poetry, swimming, anime
Dr. Lynn Mercer Residency: Naval Medical Center San Diego
Research Interests: Evaluate the exposure of glucocorticoids at off cycle period which will have a positive effect on lung maturation secondary to increased levels of glucocorticoid receptors at off-phasic times.
Hobbies: Travel, dance, theater, language, cooking

Class of 2027

Dr. Kanika Deora Residency: Children’s Hospital of Michigan
Research Interests: AI and medical technology in neonatal medicine.
Hobbies: Travel, aero yoga, dance and professional singer
Dr. Keerthana Srinivasan Residency: St. Josephs University Medical Center
Research Interests: Nutrition/Breastfeeding, NAS/NOWS.
Hobbies: Hiking, beach, furbaby, cooking, family, carnatic singing
Dr. Kinsa Thi Oo Residency: Harlem Hospital, NYC
Research Interests: Respiratory support in resource-limited areas; Neurodevelopmental Outcomes.
Hobbies: Cooking, baking, eating, traveling, and family
Dr. Anusree Unnikrishnan
 Residency: Flushing Hospital Medical Center
Research Interests: BPD, GER, NRP, sedation.
Hobbies: Travel (Visit all national parks: so far 26 down) and classical Indian dance

Fellowship History

Harbor-UCLA Neonatal-Perinatal Fellowship was the first training program in Los Angeles. The program trained Clinical Neonatologists and Academic Researchers with the first graduating class in the mid- 1970’s. Over the past 40 years, the training program has produced more than 200 US and International Neonatologists and PhD Researchers. Our graduates have gone on to work successfully in academic centers and private practice settings throughout the US.

Fellow Alumni

The Harbor-UCLA Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine Fellowship Program has trained numerous clinical and research fellows in neonatology over the past 40 years. Our graduates have gone on to work successfully in academic centers and private practice settings throughout the US.

Fellows Mentored by Dr. Rehan

Class

Current Location
Sanjay Patel, MD 2003 Texas
Daryoush Bassiri, MD 2004 California
Soina Dargan, MD 2005 California
Christine Bixby, MD 2007 California
Sudha Rani Narasinhan, MD 2007 California
Laura Cerny, MD 2008 Missouri
Lavonne Sheng, MD 2008 California
Eddie Chai, MD 2009 California
Nghia Troug, MD 2010 California
Hernan Sierra MD 2011 Illinois
Melissa Kreb MD 2011 Nevada
Sirisha Perugu, MD 2011 California
Edith Morales, MD 2012 Florida
David Paek MD 2013 Texas
Mehtap Yurt MD 2013 Oklahoma
Zeina Kiblawi, MD 2013 Virginia
Armea Botros, MD 2013 California
Francoise Raiola, MD 2014 California
Uchenna Ogbozor, MD 2014 California
Mona Hanouni, MD 2015 California
Nwando Eze, MD 2015 California
Susana Maria Sandoval, MD 2016 Florida
Sneha Taylor, MD 2016 California
Daniel Murphy, MD 2016 Wisconsin
Kamal Gurung, MD 2017 Missouri
Cindy Lee, MD 2018 Nevada
Stella Hwang, MD 2018 California
Elaine Chu, MD 2018 California
Muneesh Mehra, MD 2018 California
Aamir Ansari, MD 2019 California
Himanshu Singh, MD 2019 California
Sreevidya, Sreekantha, MD 2019 India
Sheila Kalyanam, MD 2020 California
Chie Kurihara, MD 2021 California
Monika Martin, MD 2021 Wisconsin
Nina Nosavan, MD 2021 California
Robin Williams, MD 2021 Texas
Shomir Deshpande, MD 2022 Oklahoma
Kar Man Low, MD 2022 Oklahoma
Meghan Moroze, MD 2023 Texas
Dagem Mammo, MD 2024 California
Francesca Le, MD 2024 California
Rashmi P Somu, MD 2024 California

Information for Applicants

Applicant information to the Harbor-UCLA/Cedars-Sinai Guerin Children’s Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine Fellowship

How to Apply

We accept applications from either graduates or upcoming graduates from U.S. ACGME-accredited 3-year pediatric residency programs. Applications are accepted via ERAS (Electronic Residency Application System). We currently sponsor J-1 Visas but not H-1B Visas. Applications will be reviewed starting from mid-July 2024, with interviews via Zoom to commence in mid-August. For additional questions, please contact our Fellowship Coordinator(s) Linda Morrison at lmorrison@lundquist.org or Paola Gomez (after 8/23/24) at pgomez@dhs.lacounty.gov.

Benefits

Our fellowship program offers many important benefits:

  • Competitive salary
  • Comprehensive health and dental insurance
  • Generous allowance for CME travel
  • Generous house allowance
  • Life and disability insurance
  • Reimbursement for DEA registration
  • Excellent work life balance
  • For the latest salary and benefits, visit the Harbor-UCLA GME Page

Wellness

Living in Sunny Southern California

Harbor-UCLA is located in Torrance, California (20 miles south of Los Angeles), and is a culturally diverse and vibrant city with beaches and mountains in close vicinity. Los Angeles boasts of a very pleasant and temperate climate lending itself to outdoor activities year-round. Los Angeles is well known for its world-class restaurants, theaters, entertainment and collegiate and professional sports. Check out this site for the wealth of fun opportunities in Los Angeles, here.

Art and Culture

Art galleries and museums: The Getty, LA County Museum of Art, Huntington Library and Art Museum, Kidspace Children’s Museum, USS Midway Museum, Natural History Museum of LA County, La Brea Tar Pits, The Queen Mary

Theaters: TCL Chinese Theatre, Dolby, Pantages

Historical attractions: Griffith Observatory, Hollywood Bowl, Greek Theater, Walt Disney Concert Hall

Family friendly amusement parks and zoos: Disneyland, Universal Studios Hollywood, Sea World, San Diego, Legoland, Knott’s Berry Farm, Six Flags Magic Mountain, Aquarium of the Pacific

For Foodies: Three wine regions — Paso Robles, Edna Valley, Arroyo Grande, many local microbreweries, unlimited restaurants focusing on the diversity of our population, many farm-to-table restaurants, year round farmers and flower markets

Sports

Home to Los Angeles Dodgers Baseball, Rams and Chargers Football, Lakers and Clipper Basketball, Kings Ice Hockey and Galaxy Soccer as well as many college sports teams

Outdoor Activities

More than 80 miles of pristine beach: Swimming, stand-up paddleboarding, surfing, kayaking, sailing, freshwater and ocean fishing, wildlife preserves

Winter skiing and snowboarding within a 2 hour drive

Hiking, biking, golfing

Parks: Joshua Tree National Park, Balboa Park, Death Valley National Park, Channel Islands National Park, Hearst Castle

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