Journal of Paediatrics and Neonatal Disorders

Dr. Michael Sherman has perfectly prepared him for his life-long studies of neonatal infection and its relationship to neonatal immunobiology. His first mentor was Rufus Clay Hatfield, a long-time scientist in the biological weapons program at Fort Detrick, Maryland before that he was a Professor in Microbiology at Cal Poly. His post-doctoral mentor was Professor Elliot Goldstein at UC Davis. In his laboratory, he devised the first aerosol experiments to study the maturation of alveolar macrophages in neonatal animals. He defined the mechanisms by which Streptococcus agalactiae caused deadly neonatal pneumonia. The mentor for my KO8 award was Professor Robert Lehrer at UCLA, and together we showed how the respiratory burst and defensins underwent maturation in neonatal alveolar macrophages. This training resulted in my current studies of the antimicrobial protein, lactoferrin, and the protector of mucosal immunity in the gut. We also determined Paneth cell physiology in neonates. With Nobel Laureate Louis Ignarro, he established many principles related to nitric oxide production and immunobiology. Specifically, he showed that activation of nuclear factor kappa B was associated with the induction of type II NO synthase by lipopolysaccharide in alveolar macrophages. Current studies of lactoferrin effects on dendritic cells and Th1 lymphocytes, in collaboration with Professor Habib Zaghouani, has assisted the understanding of how lactoferrin prevents late-onset neonatal sepsis and necrotizing enterocolitis. A clinical trial of recombinant human lactoferrin in very preterm infants allowed us to determine the effects of lactoferrin on the intestinal microbiome. His research on lactoferrin and probiotics has demonstrated leadership in the USA and many other countries, including Poland. His interest in necrotizing enterocolitis has resulted in important collaborations with the Medical University of Poznan. His goal is to help the neonatologists in Poznan (Professor Janusz Gadzinowski) bring prophylactic therapy with bovine lactoferrin to preterm neonates. He has active and ongoing collaborations with Doctor Tomasz Szczapa in Poznan on the pathophysiology of necrotizing enterocolitis. He also collaborated with Polish colleagues in Krakow, Poland (Professor Ryszard Lauterbach) on the use of anti-inflammatory agents to alleviate the effects of neonatal sepsis and retinopathy of prematurity. These interactions have resulted in either scientific presentations at international pediatric meetings or peer-reviewed publications in prestigious medical journals. These research efforts are continue with Polish colleagues and will result in new knowledge that will improve neonatal care in Poland and many other countries. Currently, he is working with Doctor Marta Knapczyk who is establishing a developmental pediatric center in Krakow for infants and young children. This center will provide diagnostics and rehabilitation. He is proud to work with the Children’s Medical Care Foundation or CMCF. The CMCF sponsored educational opportunities for Polish neonatologists or pediatricians at Universities in the United States. He has hosted multiple Polish physicians for educational fellowships at either UCLA or the University of California at Davis. He also participated as a lecturer at many symposia sponsored by the CMCF throughout Poland and have introduced new concepts in neonatal medicine at these conferences, including introduction of the Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP) at a 1989 symposium. His colleagues in Poznan are now NRP teachers throughout Poland and have greatly improved neonatal care; hence, he is proud of their accomplishments in research and education of neonatal caregivers.