UPMC Newborn Medicine Program Faculty Part of 2024 Society for Pediatric Research New Members Class

The UPMC Newborn Medicine Program congratulates faculty members Edward Hurley, MD,  and Burhanuddin Mahmood, MD, FAAP, on becoming members of The Society for Pediatric Research (SPR).

About Dr. Hurley

Edward Hurley, MD, is a board-certified neonatologist with clinical duties in the neonatal intensive care units at UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh and UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital. Dr. Hurley is an assistant professor of Pediatrics in the Division of Newborn Medicine at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and director of Fellowship Research.

Dr. Hurley earned his medical degree from New York Medical College before completing a residency in Pediatrics and a fellowship in Neonatology, both at Brown University. Academically, Dr. Hurley is a basic scientist interested in liver physiology and pathology. During his fellowship, he studied how the liver adapts around birth. He also developed a model of growth restriction. Babies born small for their gestational age are at increased risk for illness around birth and there is growing evidence such people are at increased risk for adult disease.

Dr. Hurley was recruited to the University of Pittsburgh to continue his liver research with Dr. Satdarshan (Paul) Monga, MD, director of the Pittsburgh Liver Research Center and UPMC Endowed Chair for Experimental Pathology at the University of Pittsburgh. Babies born small for gestational age or early are at risk for hepatoblastoma, the most common pediatric liver cancer. The Monga lab has developed an innovative mouse model of hepatoblastoma that Dr. Hurley is using to study novel ways to modify tumor growth. Currently, toddlers and other young children with hepatoblastoma are treated with surgery and traditional chemotherapy. Patients with very large tumors may require liver transplantation. Dr. Hurley’s goal is to develop novel hepatoblastoma-specific therapies that are more effective with less side effects.

About Dr. Mahmood

Burhanuddin Mahmood, MD, FAAP, is a Professor of Pediatrics in the Division of Newborn Medicine at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. He serves as the medical director for the Newborn Medicine Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) Program and the Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia (CDH) Program at UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh.

Dr. Mahmood has a keen research interest, presenting multiple basic science projects at scientific meetings during the early part of his career. With a more clinical focus subsequently, his current research interests are in the areas of Neonatal ECMO and CDH Management, Neonatal Cardio-respiratory Failure, and Pulmonary Hypertension geared towards improving patient outcomes. As Medical Director of both the UPMC Newborn Medicine ECMO and CDH Programs, he spearheads scholarly endeavors to optimize patient care for infants with CDH and those requiring ECMO support. To this end, he directs the UPMC-CDH Clinical Research Program in collaboration with the Department of Pediatric Surgery. Dr. Mahmood has led several IRB-approved clinical research projects in collaboration with other divisions within the Department of Pediatrics at UPMC Children’s and has been a co-investigator in other IRB-approved multicenter clinical studies. With expertise in the clinical care of premature and critically ill neonates, he participates in quality improvement initiatives for the division to help improve patient outcomes.

Dr. Mahmood represents UPMC Newborn Medicine Program nationally at the Children’s Hospital Neonatal Consortium (CHNC) ECMO and CDH Focus Groups fostering collaboration for research with experts from other CHNC centers. His contribution to the CHNC shaped new projects to better understand clinical management, standardize care, and improve patient outcomes. The scholarly work generated locally and within the CHNC has been disseminated nationally and internationally.

Dr. Mahmood serves as a mentor for the Pediatric Residency Bridges Mentoring Program at UPMC Children’s, and the Neonatology Fellowship Mentoring Program for the division. He also serves as a mentor for the Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine Faculty Mentorship Program. He directs the Neonatal ECMO Curriculum, including the Neonatal-Perinatal Fellowship Advanced ECMO Training Program for neonatology fellows. He also conducts the Neonatal Transition Curriculum for the Reproductive and Developmental Biology Course at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. Dr. Mahmood is involved with many other educational activities within the UPMC Division of Newborn Medicine and serves as an Instructor Mentor for the Neonatal Resuscitation Program at the University of Pittsburgh.

Dr. Mahmood has been the recipient of the Jon F. Watchko Fellowship Mentoring Award in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the training of UPMC Neonatal Fellows. He has also received the Medical Honoree Award by March of Dimes Pittsburgh in recognition of his exceptional clinical and educational contribution to newborn medicine and the Chairs Distinction Award by the Department of Pediatrics at UPMC Children’s Hospital Pittsburgh for outstanding services. Dr. Mahmood continues to have a significant impact and presence locally and nationally, recognized as a leader and expert in neonatal ECMO and CDH management.

Learn more about the UPMC Newborn Medicine Program.

More About the Society for Pediatric Research

The Society for Pediatric Research (SPR) encourages and supports pediatric research endeavors by creating a multidisciplinary network of diverse researchers to improve child health. Collaboration among SPR members creates meaningful progress for the future of children’s health.

Active members are independent researchers who have been nominated and seconded by SPR members and approved by SPR Council and who are conducting hypothesis-driven research in a field related to pediatrics.