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Cynthia L Blanco, MD

Professor of Pediatrics

Division Chief of Neonatology

Greehey Family Foundation Chair in Neonatology Research

Dr. Blanco is the Division Chief of Neonatology, a Professor of Pediatrics with Tenure and Division Director of Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine at UT San Antonio. She is the holder of Greehey Family Foundation Chair in Neonatology Research and the Co-Director for the Clinical Research Center for Neonatal and Childhood Research. She is an active Member of the Committee of Nutrition for the American Academy of Pediatrics. Dr. Blanco is heavily involved in clinical and translational research. Her research interests are in parenteral and enteral nutrition of the critically ill neonate. Her research focuses on fetal and neonatal environmental exposures and the effect on glucose metabolism and insulin signaling pathways. Specifically, the ontogeny of gluconeogenesis pathways, pancreatic development and insulin resistance, and the alterations at critical periods of development. She also investigates the effect of intravenous Amino Acid supplementation in ELBW infants and its relationship to infants’ metabolism. Her clinical research focus includes enteral nutrition strategies to decrease the incidence of necrotizing enterocolitis with exclusive human nutrition and the biochemical markers involved in pasteurized human milk in relationship with gastrointestinal disease. Due to her passion, a Neonatal Nutrition and Bone Institute was established under her leadership at University Hospital San Antonio. In this Institute, body composition analyses can be performed utilizing DXA, body air displacement plethysmography, and ultrasound bone scans. Dr. Blanco believes we will continue to improve the health of neonates, children and adults by improving nutrition and metabolism at an early age.