Lina Chalak, M.D.

Chief, Division of Neonatal-perinatal Medicine

The William Buchanan Chair in Pediatrics

Pediatrics - Neonatal-Perinatal
Fetal-neonatal neurology
Neonatal asphyxia

Biography

Lina Chalak, M.D., M.S.C.S., is a Professor in the Department of Pediatrics and the Department of Psychiatry at UT Southwestern Medical Center. A physician-scientist, she specializes in fetal-neonatal neurology and developmental neuroscience.

Dr. Chalak earned her medical degree at the American University of Beirut, where she also performed a residency in pediatrics. She completed a second residency in pediatrics at Children’s Health in Dallas and received advanced training in neonatal-perinatal medicine and in neonatal resuscitation through fellowships at UT Southwestern. In addition, she holds a master’s degree in clinical science from UT Southwestern.

Certified by the American Board of Pediatrics in neonatal-perinatal medicine, she joined the UT Southwestern faculty in 2008.

Dr. Chalak’s primary focus is to improve neonatal neurologic care and outcomes. Her synergistic clinical and research programs integrate cutting-edge research and team science clinical care focused on the neonatal brain. Her research trajectory has evolved from bridging translational studies in a piglet model of asphyxia to elucidating mechanisms of neonatal brain injury to conducting clinical trials aimed at optimizing neuroprotection and developing novel physiological biomarkers of brain health. Her interdisciplinary collaborations include nationally funded networks, including the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) and the Neonatal Research Network (NRN).

In parallel with her sustained National Institutes of Health (NIH)-funded research program, Dr. Chalak created UT Southwestern’s clinical Neurological Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NeuroNICU) program in 2018 and the Fetal and Neonatal Neurology Fellowship Training Program in 2019. Additionally, she is the Associate Chief for Academic Affairs and Faculty Development in the Division of Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine in UTSW’s Department of Pediatrics.

Dr. Chalak is Co-Chair of the Newborn Brain Society (NBS) Research and Quality Committee, Chair of the NIH NST Study Section, and Chair of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Section on Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine Fellow Western Conference on Perinatal Research. She also serves on the executive council of the Society for Pediatric Research (SPR) and the council of the American Pediatric Society (APS). In addition, she is a member of several other professional organizations, including the Perinatal Research Society and the International Perinatal Collegium. She has delivered scores of lectures and presentations and authored more than 100 publications focused on neonatal brain injury research. She serves as Associate Section Editor of Pediatric Research and as a reviewer for numerous medical and scientific journals.

In 2021, she received UT Southwestern’s Best Mentor Award.

Education & Training

Internship - Children's Health Dallas (2001-2002), Pediatrics
Residency - Children's Health Dallas (2002-2004), Pediatrics
Internship - American University of Beruit (1995-1996), Pediatrics
Medical School - American University - Beirut (1991-1995)
Residency - American University of Beruit (1996-1998), Pediatrics
Fellowship - UT Southwestern Medical Center (1998-2001), Neonatal-perinatal Medicine
Graduate School - UT Southwestern Medical Center (2008-2011)
Other Post Graduate Training - UT Southwestern Medical Center (2008-2011)

Professional Associations & Affiliations

American Pediatric Society
International Perinatal Collegium
Newborn Brain Society
Perinatal Research Society
Society for Pediatric Research

Honors & Awards

Best Mentor Award 2021, UT Southwestern Leaders in Clinical Excellence Awards
Program Development Award Nomination 2020, UT Southwestern Leaders in Clinical Excellence Awards
Mentor Award Nomination 2020, UT Southwestern Leaders in Clinical Excellence Awards
Acarin Award for Outstanding Presentation 2016, 2016, 10th Hershey Conference Equivilly, France
PRS Young Research Investigator Award 2010, Perinatal Research Society Annual Meeting Travel Award
Dean’s Teaching Award for Education 2007-2008, Department of Pediatrics, University of Arkansas, Little Rock
Best Teacher Award 2006-2007, Department of Pediatrics, University of Arkansas, Little Rock
Educator of the Year 2005-2006, Department of Pediatrics, University of Arkansas, Little Rock
AAP Young Investigator Award 2004, AAP Annual Meeting
Perinatal Travel Grant Award, 2004, 2001, AAP Annual Meeting
Best Graduating Resident Award 1998, Department of Pediatrics, American University of Beirut
Dean’s Honor List, 1990, 1989, 1988, 1987, American University of Beirut

Books & Publications

Publications
- Association Between Increased Seizures During Rewarming After Hypothermia for Neonatal Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy and Abnormal Neurodevelopmental Outcomes at 2-Year Follow-up: A Nested Multisite Cohort Study.
  Chalak LF, Pappas A, Tan S, Das A, Sánchez PJ, Laptook AR, Van Meurs KP, Shankaran S, Bell EF, Davis AS, Heyne RJ, Pedroza C, Poindexter BB, Schibler K, Tyson JE, Ball MB, Bara R, Grisby C, Sokol GM, D'Angio CT, Hamrick SEG, Dysart KC, Cotten CM, Truog WE, Watterberg KL, Timan CJ, Garg M, Carlo WA, Higgins RD, JAMA neurology 2021 12 78 12 1484-1493
- Association of Increased Seizures During Rewarming With Abnormal Neurodevelopmental Outcomes at 2-Year Follow-up: A Nested Multisite Cohort Study.
  Chalak LF, Pappas A, Tan S, Das A, Sánchez PJ, Laptook AR, Van Meurs KP, Shankaran S, Bell EF, Davis AS, Heyne RJ, Pedroza C, Poindexter BB, Schibler K, Tyson JE, Ball MB, Bara R, Grisby C, Sokol GM, D'Angio CT, Hamrick SEG, Dysart KC, Cotten CM, Truog WE, Watterberg KL, Timan CJ, Garg M, Carlo WA, Higgins RD, JAMA neurology 2021 Oct
- Wavelet-based neurovascular coupling can predict brain abnormalities in neonatal encephalopathy.
  Das Y, Leon RL, Liu H, Kota S, Liu Y, Wang X, Zhang R, Chalak LF, NeuroImage. Clinical 2021 Oct 32 102856
- Early Use of Transcranial Doppler Ultrasonography to Stratify Neonatal Encephalopathy.
  Natique KR, Das Y, Maxey MN, Sepulveda P, Brown LS, Chalak LF, Pediatric neurology 2021 Jul 124 33-39
- Neurovascular coupling (NVC) in newborns using processed EEG versus amplitude-EEG.
  Das Y, Wang X, Kota S, Zhang R, Liu H, Chalak LF, Scientific reports 2021 May 11 1 9426
- Neuroplacentology in congenital heart disease: placental connections to neurodevelopmental outcomes.
  Leon RL, Mir IN, Herrera CL, Sharma K, Spong CY, Twickler DM, Chalak LF, Pediatric research 2021 Apr
- Autism spectrum disorders in extremely preterm infants and placental pathology findings: a matched case-control study.
  Mir IN, White SP, Steven Brown L, Heyne R, Rosenfeld CR, Chalak LF, Pediatric research 2020 Sep
- A Total Sarnat Score in Mild Hypoxic-ischemic Encephalopathy Can Detect Infants at Higher Risk of Disability.
  Chalak LF, Adams-Huet B, Sant'Anna G, The Journal of pediatrics 2019 Jul
- Structural network maturation of the preterm human brain.
  Zhao T, Mishra V, Jeon T, Ouyang M, Peng Q, Chalak L, Wisnowski JL, Heyne R, Rollins N, Shu N, Huang H, NeuroImage 2019 01 185 699-710
- Brain imaging in preterm infants <32 weeks gestation: a clinical review and algorithm for the use of cranial ultrasound and qualitative brain MRI.
  Ibrahim J, Mir I, Chalak L Pediatric research 2018 Oct
- Fetal-placental crosstalk occurs through fetal cytokine synthesis and placental clearance.
  Mir IN, Chalak LF, Liao J, Johnson-Welch S, Brown LS, Longoria C, Savani RC, Rosenfeld CR Placenta 2018 Sep 69 1-8
- Prospective research in infants with mild encephalopathy identified in the first six hours of life: neurodevelopmental outcomes at 18-22 months.
  Chalak LF, Nguyen KA, Prempunpong C, Heyne R, Thayyil S, Shankaran S, Laptook AR, Rollins N, Pappas A, Koclas L, Shah B, Montaldo P, Techasaensiri B, Sánchez PJ, Sant'Anna G Pediatric research 2018 Sep
- Lenticulostriate vasculopathy in preterm infants: a new classification, clinical associations and neurodevelopmental outcome.
  Sisman J, Chalak L, Heyne R, Pritchard M, Weakley D, Brown LS, Rosenfeld CR Journal of perinatology : official journal of the California Perinatal Association 2018 Aug
- Age-specific gray and white matter DTI atlas for human brain at 33, 36 and 39 postmenstrual weeks.
  Feng L, Li H, Oishi K, Mishra V, Song L, Peng Q, Ouyang M, Wang J, Slinger M, Jeon T, Lee L, Heyne R, Chalak L, Peng Y, Liu S, Huang H NeuroImage 2018 Jun
- A review of the conundrum of mild hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy: Current challenges and moving forward.
  Chalak L, Latremouille S, Mir I, Sánchez PJ, Sant'Anna G, Early human development 2018 05 120 88-94
- Future alternative therapies in the pipeline for mild neonatal encephalopathy: Review of evidence of neuroprotection with erythropoiesis stimulating agents.
  DuPont T, Chalak L, Early human development 2018 05 120 95-98
- Best practice guidelines on management of mild neonatal encephalopathy: Is it really mild?
  Chalak LF Early human development 2018 Feb
- Prospective research on infants with mild encephalopathy: the PRIME study.
  Prempunpong C, Chalak LF, Garfinkle J, Shah B, Kalra V, Rollins N, Boyle R, Nguyen KA, Mir I, Pappas A, Montaldo P, Thayyil S, Sánchez PJ, Shankaran S, Laptook AR, Sant'Anna G Journal of perinatology : official journal of the California Perinatal Association 2017 Nov
- Impairment of cerebral autoregulation in pediatric extracorporeal membrane oxygenation associated with neuroimaging abnormalities.
  Tian F, Morriss MC, Chalak L, Venkataraman R, Ahn C, Liu H, Raman L Neurophotonics 2017 Oct 4 4 041410
- Effect of Therapeutic Hypothermia Initiated After 6 Hours of Age on Death or Disability Among Newborns With Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy: A Randomized Clinical Trial.
  Laptook AR, Shankaran S, Tyson JE, Munoz B, Bell EF, Goldberg RN, Parikh NA, Ambalavanan N, Pedroza C, Pappas A, Das A, Chaudhary AS, Ehrenkranz RA, Hensman AM, Van Meurs KP, Chalak LF, Hamrick SEG, Sokol GM, Walsh MC, Poindexter BB, Faix RG, Watterberg KL, Frantz ID, Guillet R, Devaskar U, Truog WE, Chock VY, Wyckoff MH, McGowan EC, Carlton DP, Harmon HM, Brumbaugh JE, Cotten CM, Sánchez PJ, Hibbs AM, Higgins RD JAMA 2017 10 318 16 1550-1560
- 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.
  Shankaran S, Laptook AR, Pappas A, McDonald SA, Das A, Tyson JE, Poindexter BB, Schibler K, Bell EF, Heyne RJ, Pedroza C, Bara R, Van Meurs KP, Huitema CMP, Grisby C, Devaskar U, Ehrenkranz RA, Harmon HM, Chalak LF, DeMauro SB, Garg M, Hartley-McAndrew ME, Khan AM, Walsh MC, Ambalavanan N, Brumbaugh JE, Watterberg KL, Shepherd EG, Hamrick SEG, Barks J, Cotten CM, Kilbride HW, Higgins RD JAMA 2017 Jul 318 1 57-67
- Novel Wavelet Real Time Analysis of Neurovascular Coupling in Neonatal Encephalopathy.
  Chalak LF, Tian F, Adams-Huet B, Vasil D, Laptook A, Tarumi T, Zhang R Scientific reports 2017 Apr 7 45958
- New Wavelet Neurovascular Bundle for Bedside Evaluation of Cerebral Autoregulation and Neurovascular Coupling in Newborns with Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy.
  Chalak LF, Zhang R Developmental neuroscience 2017 Mar
- Heterogeneous increases of regional cerebral blood flow during preterm brain development: Preliminary assessment with pseudo-continuous arterial spin labeled perfusion MRI.
  Ouyang M, Liu P, Jeon T, Chalak L, Heyne R, Rollins NK, Licht DJ, Detre JA, Roberts TP, Lu H, Huang H NeuroImage 2016 Dec 147 233-242
- Genetic diversity in barley landraces (Hordeum vulgare L. subsp.vulgare) originated from Crescent Fertile region as detected by seed storage proteins.
  Mzid R, Chibani F, Ayed RB, Hanana M, Breidi J, Kabalan R, El-Hajj S, Machlab H, Rebai A, Chalak L Journal of genetics 2016 Sep 95 3 733-9
- Inflammatory Biomarkers of Birth Asphyxia.
  Chalak LF Clinics in perinatology 2016 Sep 43 3 501-10
- Hypothermia for neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy: NICHD Neonatal Research Network contribution to the field.
  Shankaran S, Natarajan G, Chalak L, Pappas A, McDonald SA, Laptook AR Seminars in perinatology 2016 Jun
- Early Development of Functional Network Segregation Revealed by Connectomic Analysis of the Preterm Human Brain.
  Cao M, He Y, Dai Z, Liao X, Jeon T, Ouyang M, Chalak L, Bi Y, Rollins N, Dong Q, Huang H Cerebral cortex (New York, N.Y. : 1991) 2016 Mar
- The impact of ambient operating room temperature on neonatal and maternal hypothermia and associated morbidities: a randomized controlled trial.
  Duryea EL, Nelson DB, Wyckoff MH, Grant EN, Tao W, Sadana N, Chalak LF, McIntire DD, Leveno KJ American journal of obstetrics and gynecology 2016 Feb
- Cerebral Hemodynamics in Asphyxiated Newborns Undergoing Hypothermia Therapy: Pilot Findings Using a Multiple-Time-Scale Analysis.
  Chalak LF, Tian F, Tarumi T, Zhang R Pediatric neurology 2016 Feb 55 30-6
- Wavelet coherence analysis of dynamic cerebral autoregulation in neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy.
  Tian F, Tarumi T, Liu H, Zhang R, Chalak L NeuroImage. Clinical 2016 11 124-32
- Structural Development of Human Fetal and Preterm Brain Cortical Plate Based on Population-Averaged Templates.
  Yu Q, Ouyang A, Chalak L, Jeon T, Chia J, Mishra V, Sivarajan M, Jackson G, Rollins N, Liu S, Huang H Cerebral cortex (New York, N.Y. : 1991) 2015 Sep
- Placental Pathology is Associated with Severity of Neonatal Encephalopathy and Adverse Developmental Outcomes following Hypothermia.
  Mir IN, Johnson-Welch SF, Nelson DB, Brown LS, Rosenfeld CR, Chalak LF American journal of obstetrics and gynecology 2015 Sep
- T1 and T2 values of human neonatal blood at 3 Tesla: Dependence on hematocrit, oxygenation, and temperature.
  Liu P, Chalak LF, Krishnamurthy LC, Mir I, Peng SL, Huang H, Lu H Magnetic resonance in medicine : official journal of the Society of Magnetic Resonance in Medicine / Society of Magnetic Resonance in Medicine 2015 May
- Structural development of human brain white matter from mid-fetal to perinatal stage.
  Ouyang A, Yu Q, Mishra V, Chalak L, Jeon T, Sivarajan M, Jackson G, Rollins N, Liu S, Huang H Proceedings of SPIE--the International Society for Optical Engineering 2015 Feb 9417
- Effect of depth and duration of cooling on deaths in the NICU among neonates with hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy: a randomized clinical trial.
  Shankaran S, Laptook AR, Pappas A, McDonald SA, Das A, Tyson JE, Poindexter BB, Schibler K, Bell EF, Heyne RJ, Pedroza C, Bara R, Van Meurs KP, Grisby C, Huitema CM, Garg M, Ehrenkranz RA, Shepherd EG, Chalak LF, Hamrick SE, Khan AM, Reynolds AM, Laughon MM, Truog WE, Dysart KC, Carlo WA, Walsh MC, Watterberg KL, Higgins RD JAMA 2014 Dec 24-31 312 24 2629-39
- Is preeclampsia associated with fetal malformation? A review and report of original research.
  Nelson DB, Chalak LF, McIntire DD, Leveno KJ The journal of maternal-fetal & neonatal medicine : the official journal of the European Association of Perinatal Medicine, the Federation of Asia and Oceania Perinatal Societies, the International Society of Perinatal Obstetricians 2014 Oct 1-24
- A "neurovascular unit" approach in newborns with HIE: Can we improve outcomes?
  Chalak LF Early human development 2014 Jul
- Serum biomarkers to evaluate the integrity of the neurovascular unit.
  Mir IN, Chalak LF Early human development 2014 Jul
- Non-invasive assessment of neonatal brain oxygen metabolism: A review of newly available techniques.
  Liu P, Chalak LF, Lu H Early human development 2014 Jul
- The "neurovascular unit approach" to evaluate mechanisms of dysfunctional autoregulation in asphyxiated newborns in the era of hypothermia therapy.
  Chalak LF, Tarumi T, Zhang R Early human development 2014 Jul
- Predictive value of neonatal MRI showing no or minor degrees of brain injury after hypothermia.
  Rollins N, Booth T, Morriss MC, Sanchez P, Heyne R, Chalak L Pediatric neurology 2014 May 50 5 447-51
- Neurodevelopmental outcomes after hypothermia therapy in the era of Bayley-III.
  Chalak LF, Dupont TL, Sánchez PJ, Lucke A, Heyne RJ, Morriss MC, Rollins NK Journal of perinatology : official journal of the California Perinatal Association 2014 Apr
- Biomarkers for severity of neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy and outcomes in newborns receiving hypothermia therapy.
  Chalak LF, Sánchez PJ, Adams-Huet B, Laptook AR, Heyne RJ, Rosenfeld CR The Journal of pediatrics 2014 Mar 164 3 468-474.e1
- Obstetric Antecedents to Body Cooling Treatment of the Newborn Infant.
  Nelson DB, Lucke AM, McIntire DD, Sánchez PJ, Leveno KJ, Chalak LF American journal of obstetrics and gynecology 2014 Feb
- Quantitative assessment of global cerebral metabolic rate of oxygen (CMRO2 ) in neonates using MRI.
  Liu P, Huang H, Rollins N, Chalak LF, Jeon T, Halovanic C, Lu H NMR in biomedicine 2014 Jan
- Development of Human Brain Structural Networks Through Infancy and Childhood.
  Huang H, Shu N, Mishra V, Jeon T, Chalak L, Wang ZJ, Rollins N, Gong G, Cheng H, Peng Y, Dong Q, He Y Cerebral cortex (New York, N.Y. : 1991) 2013 Dec
- Resuscitation of Preterm Neonates With Limited Versus High Oxygen Strategy.
  Kapadia VS, Chalak LF, Sparks JE, Allen JR, Savani RC, Wyckoff MH Pediatrics 2013 Nov
- Change in Care Among Nonenrolled Patients During and After a Randomized Trial.
  Levan JM, Wyckoff MH, Ahn C, Heyne R, Sánchez PJ, Chalak L, Jaleel MA, Burchfield PJ, Christie L, Soll R, Badger GJ, Brion LP Pediatrics 2013 Sep
- Perinatal Asphyxia with Hyperoxemia within the First Hour of Life Is Associated with Moderate to Severe Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy.
  Kapadia VS, Chalak LF, Dupont TL, Rollins NK, Brion LP, Wyckoff MH The Journal of pediatrics 2013 Jun
- Short-term outcomes of newborns with perinatal acidemia who are not eligible for systemic hypothermia therapy.
  DuPont TL, Chalak LF, Morriss MC, Burchfield PJ, Christie L, Sánchez PJ The Journal of pediatrics 2013 Jan 162 1 35-41
- Perinatal Acidosis and Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy in Preterm Infants of 33 to 35 Weeks' Gestation.
  Chalak LF, Rollins N, Morriss MC, Brion LP, Heyne R, Sánchez PJ The Journal of pediatrics 2011 Oct
- Neuroprotective approaches: before and after delivery.
  Chalak LF, Rouse DJ Clinics in perinatology 2011 Sep 38 3 455-70
- Low-voltage aEEG as predictor of intracranial hemorrhage in preterm infants.
  Chalak LF, Sikes NC, Mason MJ, Kaiser JR Pediatric neurology 2011 May 44 5 364-9
- End-tidal CO2 detection of an audible heart rate during neonatal cardiopulmonary resuscitation after asystole in asphyxiated piglets.
  Chalak LF, Barber CA, Hynan L, Garcia D, Christie L, Wyckoff MH Pediatric research 2011 May 69 5 Pt 1 401-5
- A newborn with Poland anomaly and liver ectopy: an unusual association with important prognostic implications.
  Chalak LF, Parham DM Pediatric and developmental pathology : the official journal of the Society for Pediatric Pathology and the Paediatric Pathology Society 2007 Mar-Apr 10 2 134-7
- Resolution of pulmonary interstitial emphysema following selective left main stem intubation in a premature newborn: an old procedure revisited.
  Chalak LF, Kaiser JR, Arrington RW Paediatric anaesthesia 2007 Feb 17 2 183-6
- Chorioamnionitis and neonatal encephalopathy in term infants with fetal acidemia: histopathologic correlations.
  Shalak L, Johnson-Welch S, Perlman JM Pediatric neurology 2005 Sep 33 3 162-5
- Depression at birth in term infants exposed to maternal chorioamnionitis: does neonatal fever play a role?
  Shalak LF, Perlman JM, Jackson GL, Laptook AR Journal of perinatology : official journal of the California Perinatal Association 2005 Jul 25 7 447-52
- Stages of status epilepticus in the developing brain.
  Mikati MA, Werner S, Shalak L, Shehab L, Shamseddine A, Simaan E, Liu Z, Tarif S, Stafstrom C, Holmes G Epilepsy research 2003 Jun-Jul 55 1-2 9-19
- Amplitude-integrated electroencephalography coupled with an early neurologic examination enhances prediction of term infants at risk for persistent encephalopathy.
  Shalak LF, Laptook AR, Velaphi SC, Perlman JM Pediatrics 2003 Feb 111 2 351-7
- Hemorrhagic-ischemic cerebral injury in the preterm infant: current concepts.
  Shalak L, Perlman JM Clinics in perinatology 2002 Dec 29 4 745-63
- Clinical chorioamnionitis, elevated cytokines, and brain injury in term infants.
  Shalak LF, Laptook AR, Jafri HS, Ramilo O, Perlman JM Pediatrics 2002 Oct 110 4 673-80
- Infection markers and early signs of neonatal encephalopathy in the term infant.
  Shalak LF, Perlman JM Mental retardation and developmental disabilities research reviews 2002 8 1 14-9
- Differences in brain temperature and cerebral blood flow during selective head versus whole-body cooling.
  Laptook AR, Shalak L, Corbett RJ Pediatrics 2001 Nov 108 5 1103-10

Research

Asphyxia
Hypothermia
Neonatal brain injury

Clinical Focus

Fetal-neonatal neurology
Neonatal asphyxia