Division of Basic Research

The Division of Basic Research is under the direction of Parviz Minoo, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Keck School of Medicine. Dr. Minoo’s primary research focus has been the study of molecular and developmental aspects of neonatal chronic lung disease in preterm infants, and in particular, BPD or Bronchopulmonary dysplasia, a morbid and sometimes lethal disease that affects pre-term babies.

Parviz Minoo, Ph.D. Division Director Phone (323) 226-3813

The mission of the Division of Neonatal Research at the Keck School of Medicine of USC is to eradicate neonatal chronic lung disease through clinical and basic research. The goals of the division can be summarized as:

1. Facilitating basic research for better understanding of the fundamentals of lung disease in the newborn, and
2. Advancement of translational-type of research to devise novel therapeutic strategies for treatment of pulmonary disease in premature children.

Chronic lung disease (CLD) in children who are born prematurely is highly morbid and often lethal. Children suffering from CLD have little opportunity to enjoy childhood and many return to the hospital during flu and cold seasons and may require treatment in an intensive care unit, a very expensive option. In the United States alone, the cost to society of treating such children amounts to billions of dollars annually; the human cost and loss of productivity is tremendous.

The Division of Neonatal Research is currently composed of eight (4 MDs and 4 PhDs) members whose primary interest is in the area of lung development and disease.

The facilities available include approximately 1500 square feet of fully renovated laboratory space located at General Laboratories Building of LAC+USC Medical Center.

The division has access to patients hospitalized at four separate neonatal intensive care units throughout the greater Los Angeles area. These include:

• Women’s & Childrens Hospital of LAC+USC Medical Center
• Childrens Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA)
• The Good Samaritan Hospital
• San Gabriel Valley Medical Center.

Access to such a large group of patients provides a unique and significant opportunity for conducting neonatal research.

Within the last nine years and as a direct consequence of the activities of the Division of Neonatal Research, the overall survival rate for premature infants with respiratory failure, treated at USC-controlled hospitals (please see below) has improved significantly. Approximately 90% of infants born with birth weights of 700 grams are now surviving with excellent outcome. These results in many cases surpass those obtained at leading medical centers around the world.

In addition, the USC Division of Neonatology is unique in providing a State of California-approved high–risk follow-up clinic that provides care up to 6 years of age. This clinic is an essential component of long-term care as a barometer of quality of care delivered in the intensive care units and serves as a model for the State of California Health Care System. The Division of Neonatal Research is fully recognized and funded by grants from the National Institutes of Health.

Federal Research Funding in the Division of Basic Research

NIH, NHLBI
Pulmonary Development: Molecular and cellular analysis $ 1,275,000
RO1, HL 56590, Principal Investigator
August 1, 2000 - September 31, 2004.
NIH, NHLBI
Molecular Basis of Lung Morphogenesis, Injury and Repair $ 357,676
PO1, HL 60231, Core B, Principal Investigator
April 1, 1998 - March 31, 2003
NIH, NHLBI
Positive & Negative Regulators of Lung Development $ 1,406,858
PO1, HL 60231, Project 1, Principal Investigator
April 1, 1998 - March 31, 2003.

Participating Faculty and Fellows

Keck School of Medicine:
Parviz Minoo, Ph.D., USC School of Medicine
Craig Jones, M.D., USC School of Medicine
Kenny Y-C. Kwong, M.D., USC School of Medicine
Chantel Lecart, M.D., USC School of Medicine
Rangasamy Ramanathan, M.D., USC School of Medicine
Martn Blahnik, M.D., USC School of Medicine

Collaborations with other USC Institutions

Charles Shuler, D.M.D., Ph.D., Center for Craniofacial Molecular Biology

Collaborations with other National Centers

Philip Ballard, M.D., Ph.D., Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA
Stephan Glasser, Ph.D., Children’s Hospital, Cincinnati, OH
Stuart Horowitz, Ph.D., Winthrop-University Hospital, Mineola, NY
Jackie Coalson, Ph.D., University of Texas HSC, San Antonio, TX
Shioko Kimura, Ph.D., National Cancer Institute, NIH, Bethesda, MD
Francesco DeMayo, Ph.D., Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
Rik Derynck, Ph.D., University of California, San Francisco, CA
Andrew McMahon, Ph.D., Harvard University, Cambridge, MA