Faculty

Krithika Lingappan, MBBS, PhD, MS

Associate Professor of Pediatrics (Neonatology & Newborn Services)

Department: Pediatrics

Graduate Group Affiliations

Contact information

Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
Division of Neonatology
3401 Civic Center Boulevard
Philadelphia, PA 19014

Email:
krithika.lingappan@pennmedicine.upenn.edu

Education:
MBBS (Medicine)
Kilpauk Medical College, MGR Medical University, India, 2002.
MS (Clinical Scientist Training Program)
Baylor College of Medicine, 2012.
PhD (Clinical Scientist Training Program)
Baylor College of Medicine Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, 2018.

Links
Lab Website

Permanent link

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Description of Clinical Expertise

I take particular interest in evidence-based medicine (EBM) and have led several EBM initiatives. We are also interested in translational research projects related to long-term outcomes (pulmonary and cardiovascular) after preterm birth. I have leadership experience at national and regional organizations. As the leader of several national-level groups, I have created a unique niche for herself as a leader in the neonatology subspecialty with my involvement in the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), Section of neonatal-perinatal medicine (SONPM), NIH-funded lung basic-science research, evidence-based clinical neonatology practice, and trainee engagement and education.

Description of Research Expertise

My research focuses on reducing long-term morbidities such as chronic lung disease (bronchopulmonary dysplasia) in premature babies. Specifically, our research focuses on elucidating the mechanisms behind sex-specific differences in the incidence of BPD. In the future, this research should lead to therapeutic lung-protective strategies. There is a great need for such therapeutic strategies to improve outcomes in premature babies, given that the incidence of BPD in premature neonates has been reported to be as high as 50%. The long-term goal of this research is to develop new translational strategies, both therapeutic and diagnostic in the field of neonatal lung injury.

Selected Publications

Lee A, Weitkamp JH, Tune A, Couto J, Lingappan K.: Success and opportunities of the American Academy of Pediatrics Marshall Klaus research grant program in neonatal-perinatal medicine. Journal of Perinatology Page: doi: 10.1038, May 2025 Notes: epub ahead of print.

Lingappan K, Matthay MA: Unlocking the Therapeutic Code of Mesenchymal Stromal Cells. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 211(3): 313-315, Mar 2025.

Wiener S, Zhang H, Lingappan K, Callaway D.: Acquired Lobar Emphysema in Severe BPD: Who, Why, and What can we do about it? Poster Presentation, Pediatric Academic Societies Meeting, Honolulu, HI 2025.

Lingappan K, Feng R, Keller R, Pryhuber G, Davis S, Ronis S, Hamvas A, Poindexter B, Greenberg J, Moore P, Ryan R. : PROP Revisited: What NICU exposures contribute to BPD? Poster Presentation, Pediatric Academic Societies Meeting, Honolulu, HI 2025.

Savani R, Blanco C, Lingappan K: CD44 is critical for TLR4-mediated NLRP3 inflammasome activation and the development of Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia. Poster Presentation, Pediatric Academic Societies Annual Meeting, Honolulu, HI 2025.

Vyas-Read S, Day R, Cua C, Siddaiah R, McKinney R, Levy P, Austin E, Lingappan K, Gibbs K, Abman S, Bhombal S: Echocardiographic Detection of Pulmonary Hypertension and Right Ventricular Failure in Infants with Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia: An International Survey of the BPD Collaborative. Poster Presentation, Pediatric Academic Societies Meeting, Honolulu, HI 2025.

Fensterheim B, Mathew D, McKeague M , Lingappan K, Greenplate A, Wherry J.: "Development of the Preterm Infant Immune System is Shaped by Clinical Events", Pediatric Academic Societies Meeting, Hawaii. Poster Presentation, Pediatric Academic Societies Annual Meeting, Honolulu, HI 2025.

A.A. Colborg, J.J. Rojas-Quintero, A.R. Waich, S. Oschner, N. Cortes-Santiago, M.C. Gazzaneo, J. Sucre, N.M. Villafranco, K. Lingappan, and F. Polverino.: Spatial Transcriptomics Resolve Surfactant and Ciliary Deficits in Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2011: A4591, 2025.

K. Lingappan, S. Han, D. Taha, K. Nilan, and K. Gibbs.: The Lymphatic Dysfunction Phenotype in Infants With Severe Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia (BPD): A Distinct, Rare Endophenotype. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 211: A1263, 2025.

Machut KZ, Owens L, Gadek L, Kataria-Hale J, Lingappan K, Savich R, Kushnir A, Hubbard D, Dammann CEL: Perspectives and needs of neonatology division directors regarding gender equity. Journal of Perinatology Page: 10.1038/s41372-024-02126-8, Oct 2024 Notes: epub.