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Hala Chaaban, MD
Pediatrics

​Hala Chaaban, MD

Associate Professor
Adjunct Professor of Nutrition Sciences
Director of Translational Research, Section of Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine


1200 North Everett Drive; ETNP 7504
Oklahoma City, OK 73104

405-271-5215

Hala-Chaaban@ouhsc.edu


Clinical/Research/Academic Interests:
Necrotizing Enterocolitis, preterm intestinal development, antibiotics use in the neonatal ICU. 


Languages Spoken: English, Arabic


MyNCBI Publications


Fun Fact: "I raid the swear jar at my home to buy coffee."


Academic Section(s):

Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine


Education:

MD: Beirut Arab University Medical School - 2001 
Pediatric Residency: American University of Beirut Medical Center, Beirut, Lebanon - 2004 
Fellowship: Neonatology, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon - 2006 
Perinatal-Neonatal Fellowship: Women and Infants Hospital of RI/Brown University, Providence, RI - 2009
Pediatric Residency: University of Maryland Medical Center, Baltimore, MD - 2011 


Board Certification(s):

American Board of Pediatrics
American Board of Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine


Clinical/Research Interests:

Dr. Chaaban is a neonatologist and physician-scientist in the Dept of Pediatrics with a clinical and research interest in Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC). She is a recipient of a K08 Mentored Clinical Scientist Research Career Development Award and currently the PI of a Lead Project for an NIGMS P20 COBRE grant with the Department of Immunology and Microbiology. Dr. Chaaban currently serves as a Council member for the Necrotizing Enterocolitis Society among 11 other leaders in the field. Her laboratory focuses on identifying strategies that promote postnatal maturation and barrier function in infants at risk of this devastating disease. These factors include maternal demographics/pathologies, neonatal feeding practices, antibiotic use, and others. Her most recent work involves human milk bioactive components, specifically hyaluronan, one of four glycosaminoglycans in human milk. 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.


Select Honors & Accomplishments:

2020: Geoffrey Altshuler Founder’s Award, Children Hospital Foundation
2017: Mentor Award, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Department of Pediatric Research Day 
2017: Young Faculty Award, Southern Society of Pediatric Research
2016: Mentor Award, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Department of Pediatric Research Day
2016: Young Faculty Award, Southern Society of Pediatric Research
2015: Mentor Award, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Department of Pediatric Research Day
2015: Young Faculty Award, Southern Society of Pediatric Research
2014: Outstanding Pediatric Faculty Award, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center
2013: Young Faculty Award, Southern Society of Pediatric Research,
2011: Best Pediatric Resident, Mercy Medical Center
2008: Clinical Research Award, Chatham Perinatal/Neonatal New England Conference
2008: NCE Section on Perinatal Pediatrics Fellows Program, American Academy of Pediatrics, Perinatal Section,
2007: Clinical Research Award, Chatham Perinatal/Neonatal New England Conference
2007: Travel Award, American Academy of Pediatrics, Perinatal Section
2005: Best Pediatric Resident Award, American University of Beirut


Select Publications:

  • Chaaban, H., Patel, M. M., Burge, K. Y., Eckert, J. V., Lupu, C., Keshari, R. (2022). Early Antibiotic Exposure Alters Intestinal Development and Increases Susceptibility to Necrotizing Enterocolitis: A Mechanistic Study. Microorganisms, 10(3), 519. DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10030519
  • Burge, K. Y., Wilson, A., Chaaban, H. (2022). In Vitro Apical-Out Enteroid Model of Necrotizing Enterocolitis. Journal of visualized experiments : JoVE(184). PMID: 35758712. DOI: 10.3791/64003
  • Chaaban, H., Burge, K. Y., Eckert, J. V., Trammell, M., Dyer, D. W., Keshari, R. S., Silasi, R., Regmi, G., Lupu, C., Good, M., McElroy, S. J., Lupu, F. (2021). Acceleration of Small Intestine Development and Remodeling of the Microbiome Following Hyaluronan 35 kDa Treatment in Neonatal Mice. Nutrients, 13(6). PMID: 34204790. DOI: 10.3390/nu13062030