Biography

Dr. Amir Khan was named the 2018 Dr. James “Red” Duke, Jr., Physician Leadership Award recipient. Dr. Khan is the current Medical Director of Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital’s NICU, co-chair of the Neonatology CPC and Professor of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatology at McGovern Medical School at UTHealth.

The Dr. James “Red” Duke, Jr., Physician Leadership Award honors the life and legacy of iconic surgeon and educator, Dr. Duke, and his contributions, dedication and service to health care that have made a lasting impact on medicine, education and the medical community. The award is given to a physician who is part of the Memorial Hermann Clinical Integration and/or currently serves as a board member on any of the Memorial Hermann boards and committees, demonstrates strong leadership skills, strong business acumen and work with other Memorial Hermann entities to find innovative ways to improve the health of the people we serve.

Many of the successes Memorial Hermann has experienced in neonatology have been possible due to Dr. Khan’s incredible leadership. Under Dr. Khan’s leadership, a higher quality of care for neonates has resulted in shorter hospital stays, decreased infections and complications, as well as better serving the needs of new patients.

Education

Graduate School
Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan, 1989
Pediatric Residency
University of Texas-Houston Medical School, Houston, Texas, 1991-1994
Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine Fellowship
University of Texas-Houston Medical School, Houston, Texas, 1994-1998

Areas of Interest

Research Interests

  • Lung inflammation in meconium aspiration syndrome
  • Gene-environment interactions and development of childhood asthma
  • GERD and chronic lung disease
  • Ventilatory strategies in neonatal lung diseases
  • Use of ECMO in neonatal and pediatric respiratory failure

Publications

Complete List of Published Work

  • LF Holzapfel, CM Meyer, J Alvarez, M Deckinga, M Naik, M Rouse, B Reyes Rodriguez, A Yazdani, AM Khan, 490 – Classification of early necrotizing enterocolitis in premature infants, The American Journal of the Medical Sciences, Volume 367, Supplement 1, 2024, Pages S294-S295, ISSN 0002-9629, https://doi.org/10.1016/S0002-9629(24)00543-3.
  • Johnson MG, Suchting R, Scheid LM, Holzapfel LN, Chalise A, Stotts AL, Chapman JC, Khan AM, Northrup TF. Evaluating the relationship of in utero nicotine exposure with hypoglycemia after delivery: An observational study. J Neonatal Perinatal Med. 2023;16(3):445-452. doi: 10.3233/NPM-230124. PMID: 37742665.
  • Holzapfel L, Arnold C, Tyson J, Shapiro S, Reynolds E, Pedroza C, Stephens E, Kleinfeld A, Huber A, Rysavy M, Khan A, Lopez MDMR. Effect of Reduced Versus Usual Lipid Emulsion Dosing on Bilirubin Neurotoxicity and Neurodevelopmental Impairment in Extremely Preterm Infants: Study Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial. Res Sq [Preprint]. 2023 Mar 7:rs.3.rs-2566352. doi: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-2566352/v1. PMID: 36945475; PMCID: PMC10029123.
  • Crocker CE, Sharmeen R, Tran TT, Khan AM, Li W, Alcorn JL. Surfactant Protein A Attenuates Generalized and Localized Neuroinflammation In Neonatal Mice. Brain Res. 2023 Mar 3:148308. doi: 10.1016/j.brainres.2023.148308. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 36871846.
  • Hebballi NB, Gupta VS, Sheppard K, Kubanda A, Salley D, Ostovar-Kermani T, Bryndzia C, Khan AM, Wadhwa N, Tsao K, Jain R, Kawaguchi AL. Standardization of Pediatric Noncardiac Operating Room to Intensive Care Unit Handoffs Improves Communication and Patient Care. J Patient Saf. 2022 Sep 1;18(6):e1021-e1026. doi: 10.1097/PTS.0000000000000986. Epub 2022 Feb 3. PMID: 35985048.
  • Meyer CM, Khan AM, Alcorn JL. Impact of Surfactant Protein-A on Immunomodulatory Properties of Murine and Human Breast Milk [published online ahead of print, 2022 Apr 20]. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr. 2022;10.1097/MPG.0000000000003458. doi:10.1097/MPG.0000000000003458
  • Gupta VS, Wilson C, Popp EC, et al. Neonatal rodent ventilation and clinical correlation in congenital diaphragmatic hernia [published online ahead of print, 2022 Mar 30]. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2022;10.1002/ppul.25911. doi:10.1002/ppul.25911
  • Pandey R, Youmans L, Aneji C, Bell C, Breinholt J, Khan A. Extremely premature infants with patent ductus arteriosus closure: Comparative analysis of surgical ligation versus cardiac catheterization-based closure. Medicine (Baltimore). 2022;101(12):e29103. doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000029103Nether, Klaus G.; Thomas, Eric J.; Khan, Amir; Ottosen, Madelene J.; Yager, Lauren Implementing a Robust Process Improvement Program in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit to Reduce Harm, Journal for Healthcare Quality: January/February 2022 – Volume 44 – Issue 1 – p 23-30 doi: 10.1097/JHQ.0000000000000310
  • Gentle SJ, Carper B, Laughon MM, et al. Duration of noninvasive respiratory support and risk for bronchopulmonary dysplasia or death [published online ahead of print, 2022 Jan 15]. J Perinatol. 2022;10.1038/s41372-021-01269-2. doi:10.1038/s41372-021-01269-2
  • Northrup TF, Stotts AL, Suchting R, et al. Handwashing Results in Incomplete Nicotine Removal from Fingers of Individuals who Smoke: A Randomized Controlled Experiment [published online ahead of print, 2021 Oct 11]. Am J Perinatol. 2021;10.1055/s-0041-1736287. doi:10.1055/s-0041-1736287
  • Profit J, Adair KC, Cui X, et al. Randomized controlled trial of the “WISER” intervention to reduce healthcare worker burnout. J Perinatol. 2021;41(9):2225-2234. doi:10.1038/s41372-021-01100-y
  • Adams-Chapman I, Watterberg KL, Nolen TL, et al. Neurodevelopmental outcome of preterm infants enrolled in myo-inositol randomized controlled trial. J Perinatol. 2021;41(8):2072-2087. doi:10.1038/s41372-021-01018-5
  • Northrup TF, Stotts AL, Suchting R, et al. Thirdhand smoke associations with the gut microbiomes of infants admitted to a neonatal intensive care unit: An observational study. Environ Res. 2021;197:111180. doi:10.1016/j.envres.2021.111180
  • Kumbhat N, Eggleston B, Davis AS, et al. Umbilical Cord Milking vs Delayed Cord Clamping and Associations with In-Hospital Outcomes among Extremely Premature Infants. J Pediatr. 2021;232:87-94.e4. doi:10.1016/j.jpeds.2020.12.072
  • Northrup TF, Suchting R, Green C, Khan A, Klawans MR, Stotts AL. Duration of breastmilk feeding of NICU graduates who live with individuals who smoke. Pediatr Res. 2021;89(7):1788-1797. doi:10.1038/s41390-020-01150-6
  • Gupta VS, Khan AM, Ebanks AH, et al. Cornelia de Lange syndrome and congenital diaphragmatic hernia. J Pediatr Surg. 2021;56(4):697-699. doi:10.1016/j.jpedsurg.2020.06.003
  • Laptook AR, Shankaran S, Barnes P, et al. Limitations of Conventional Magnetic Resonance Imaging as a Predictor of Death or Disability Following Neonatal Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy in the Late Hypothermia Trial. J Pediatr. 2021;230:106-111.e6. doi:10.1016/j.jpeds.2020.11.015
  • Kumbhat N, Eggleston B, Davis AS, et al. Placental transfusion and short-term outcomes among extremely preterm infants. Arch Dis Child Fetal Neonatal Ed. 2021;106(1):62-68. doi:10.1136/archdischild-2019-318710
  • Northrup TF, Stotts AL, Suchting R, et al. Thirdhand Smoke Contamination and Infant Nicotine Exposure in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit: An Observational Study. Nicotine Tob Res. 2021;23(2):373-382. doi:10.1093/ntr/ntaa167
  • Kirpalani H, Bell EF, Hintz SR, et al. Higher or Lower Hemoglobin Transfusion Thresholds for Preterm Infants. N Engl J Med. 2020;383(27):2639-2651. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa2020248
  • Northrup TF, Suchting R, Klawans MR, et al. Proactive delivery of nicotine replacement therapy to families of hospitalized infants in a NICU: A randomized controlled pilot trial. J Neonatal Nurs. 2020;26(4):201-206. doi:10.1016/j.jnn.2020.01.002
  • Arnold C, Tyson JE, Pedroza C, et al. Cycled Phototherapy Dose-Finding Study for Extremely Low-Birth-Weight Infants: A Randomized Clinical Trial [published correction appears in JAMA Pediatr. 2020 Jul 1;174(7):732]. JAMA Pediatr. 2020;174(7):649-656. doi:10.1001/jamapediatrics.2020.0559
  • Stotts AL, Northrup TF, Green C, et al. Reducing Tobacco Smoke Exposure in High-Risk Infants: A Randomized, Controlled Trial. J Pediatr. 2020;218:35-41.e1. doi:10.1016/j.jpeds.2019.10.070
  • Northrup TF, Stotts AL, Suchting R, et al. Medical staff contributions to thirdhand smoke contamination in a neonatal intensive care unit. Tobacco Induced Diseases. 2019;17:37. Published 2019 Apr 24. doi:10.18332/tid/106116
  • Findley TO, Shah A, Bell C, Khan A. The value of serial newborn screening for congenital hypothyroidism using thyroxine (T4) in the neonatal intensive care unit. J Perinatol. 2019;39(8):1065-1071. doi:10.1038/s41372-019-0400-3
  • Sedlock EW, Ottosen M, Nether K, et al. Creating a comprehensive, unit-based approach to detecting and preventing harm in the neonatal intensive care unit. Journal of Patient Safety and Risk Management. 2018;23(4):167-175. doi:10.1177/2516043518787620
  • Szafranski P, Kośmider E, Liu Q, et al. LINE- and Alu-containing genomic instability hotspot at 16q24.1 associated with recurrent and nonrecurrent CNV deletions causative for ACDMPV. Hum Mutat. 2018;39(12):1916-1925. doi:10.1002/humu.23608
  • De Jesus-Rojas W, Mosquera RA, Samuels C, et al. The Effect of Comprehensive Medical Care on the Long-Term Outcomes of Children Discharged from the NICU with Tracheostomy. Open Respir Med J. 2018;12:39-49. Published 2018 Jul 31. doi:10.2174/1874306401812010039
  • Laptook AR, Shankaran S, Tyson JE, et al. Effect of Therapeutic Hypothermia Initiated After 6 Hours of Age on Death or Disability Among Newborns With Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy: A Randomized Clinical Trial [published correction appears in JAMA. 2018 Mar 13;319(10 ):1051. JAMA. 2017;318(16):1550-1560. doi:10.1001/jama.2017.14972
  • Shankaran S, Laptook AR, Pappas A, et al. Effect of Depth and Duration of Cooling on Death or Disability at Age 18 Months Among Neonates With Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA. 2017;318(1):57-67. doi:10.1001/jama.2017.7218
  • Holzmann‐Pazgal G, Khan AM, Northrup T, Domonoske C, Eichenwald EE Antimicrobial
    Utilization in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU): A Pressing Need for Stewardship,
    Open Forum Infectious Diseases, Volume 3, Issue suppl_1, Fall 2016, 1928,
    https://doi.org/10.1093/ofid/ofw172.1476
  • Mendez-Figueroa H, Truong VT, Pedroza C, Khan AM, Chauhan SP. Small-for-gestational-age infants among uncomplicated pregnancies at term: a secondary analysis of 9 Maternal-Fetal Medicine Units Network studies. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2016;215(5):628.e1-628.e7. doi:10.1016/j.ajog.2016.06.043
  • Northrup TF, Khan AM, Jacob P 3rd, et al. Thirdhand smoke contamination in hospital settings: assessing exposure risk for vulnerable paediatric patients. Tob Control. 2016;25(6):619-623. doi:10.1136/tobaccocontrol-2015-052506
  • Holzmann-Pazgal G, Khan AM, Northrup TF, Domonoske C, Eichenwald EC. Decreasing vancomycin utilization in a neonatal intensive care unit. Am J Infect Control. 2015;43(11):1255-1257. doi:10.1016/j.ajic.2015.06.028
  • Northrup TF, Matt GE, Hovell MF, Khan AM, Stotts AL. Thirdhand Smoke in the Homes of Medically Fragile Children: Assessing the Impact of Indoor Smoking Levels and Smoking Bans. Nicotine Tob Res. 2016;18(5):1290-1298. doi:10.1093/ntr/ntv174
  • Shankaran S, Laptook AR, Pappas A, et al. Effect of depth and duration of cooling on deaths in the NICU among neonates with hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy: a randomized clinical trial. JAMA. 2014;312(24):2629-2639. doi:10.1001/jama.2014.16058
  • Stotts AL, Northrup TF, Schmitz JM, et al. Baby’s Breath II protocol development and design: a secondhand smoke exposure prevention program targeting infants discharged from a neonatal intensive care unit. Contemp Clin Trials. 2013;35(1):97-105. doi:10.1016/j.cct.2013.02.012
  • Holzmann-Pazgal G, Kubanda A, Davis K, Khan AM, Brumley K, Denson SE. Utilizing a line maintenance team to reduce central-line-associated bloodstream infections in a neonatal intensive care unit. J Perinatol. 2012;32(4):281-286. doi:10.1038/jp.2011.91
  • Pepiak DL, Alcorn JL, Atkins CL, Xue H, Colasurdo GN, Khan AM. Effects of infant formula on cell homeostasis and cytokine levels in an in vivo and in vitro murine aspiration model. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2011;46(9):927-933. doi:10.1002/ppul.21444
  • Chen MG, Atkins CL, Bruce SR, Khan AM, Liu Y, Alcorn JL. Infant formula alters surfactant protein A (SP-A) and SP-B expression in pulmonary epithelial cells. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2011;46(9):903-912. doi:10.1002/ppul.21455
  • Shah SK, Khan AM, Cox CS Jr. Pulmonary hypertensive crisis requiring ECMO associated with re-warming from whole body hypothermia for hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy: clinical observations from a case series. Eur J Pediatr Surg. 2010;20(3):205-206. doi:10.1055/s-0029-1241872
  • Castro SM, Guerrero-Plata A, Suarez-Real G, et al. Antioxidant treatment ameliorates respiratory syncytial virus-induced disease and lung inflammation. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2006;174(12):1361-1369. doi:10.1164/rccm.200603-319OC
  • Colasurdo GN, Fullmer JJ, Elidemir O, Atkins C, Khan AM, Stark JM. Respiratory syncytial virus infection in a murine model of cystic fibrosis. J Med Virol. 2006;78(5):651-658. doi:10.1002/jmv.20589
  • Fullmer JJ, Khan AM, Elidemir O, Chiappetta C, Stark JM, Colasurdo GN. Role of cysteinyl leukotrienes in airway inflammation and responsiveness following RSV infection in BALB/c mice. Pediatr Allergy Immunol. 2005;16(7):593-601. doi:10.1111/j.1399-3038.2005.00248.x
  • Khan AM, Lally KP. The role of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in the management of infants with congenital diaphragmatic hernia. Semin Perinatol. 2005;29(2):118-122. doi:10.1053/j.semperi.2005.04.005
  • Stark JM, Khan AM, Chiappetta CL, Xue H, Alcorn JL, Colasurdo GN. Immune and functional role of nitric oxide in a mouse model of respiratory syncytial virus infection. J Infect Dis. 2005;191(3):387-395. doi:10.1086/427241
  • Weisoly DL, Khan AM, Elidemir O, Smith KC. Congenital tuberculosis requiring extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2004;37(5):470-473. doi:10.1002/ppul.10423
  • Miller J, Colasurdo GN, Khan AM, et al. Immunocytochemical detection of milk proteins in tracheal aspirates of ventilated infants: a pilot study. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2002;34(5):369-374. doi:10.1002/ppul.10189
  • Khan AM, Elidemir O, Epstein CE, et al. Meconium aspiration produces airway hyperresponsiveness and eosinophilic inflammation in a murine model. Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol. 2002;283(4):L785-L790. doi:10.1152/ajplung.00335.2001
  • Cochran JR, Khan AM, Elidemir O, et al. Influence of lipopolysaccharide exposure on airway function and allergic responses in developing mice. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2002;34(4):267-277. doi:10.1002/ppul.10161
  • Khan AM, Lally KP, Elidemir O, Colasurdo GN. Meconium enhances the release of nitric oxide in human airway epithelial cells. Biol Neonate. 2002;81(2):99-104. doi:10.1159/000047192
  • Khan AM, Lally KP, Larsen GL, Colasurdo GN. Enhanced release of thromboxane A(2) after exposure of human airway epithelial cells to meconium. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2002;33(2):111-116. doi:10.1002/ppul.10058
  • Gill BS, Neville HL, Khan AM, Cox CS Jr, Lally KP. Delayed institution of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation is associated with increased mortality rate and prolonged hospital stay. J Pediatr Surg. 2002;37(1):7-10. doi:10.1053/jpsu.2002.29417
  • Gitomer JJ, Khan AM, Ferris ME. Treatment of severe theophylline toxicity with hemodialysis in a preterm neonate. Pediatr Nephrol. 2001;16(10):784-786. doi:10.1007/s004670100650
  • Khan AM, Shabarek FM, Kutchback JW, Lally KP. Effects of dexamethasone on meconium aspiration syndrome in newborn piglets. Pediatr Res. 1999;46(2):179-183. doi:10.1203/00006450-199908000-00009
  • Khan AM, Shabarek FM, Zwischenberger JB, et al. Utility of daily head ultrasonography for infants on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. J Pediatr Surg. 1998;33(8):1229-1232. doi:10.1016/s0022-3468(98)90156-7