Neonatal Lung Disease Research Aims to Improve Outcomes for Premature Infants
Advancing basic, translational, and clinical research to develop new therapies for bronchopulmonary dysplasia and improve lifelong respiratory health for infants born prematurely.
About Thomas Raffay, MD
Associate Professor, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine
Patricia M. Martin, MD, and Richard J. Martin, MD, Chair in Neonatology, UH Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital
Thomas Michael Raffay, MD, FAAP, is a neonatologist in the Division of Neonatology and Perinatal Medicine at University Hospitals Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital and an Associate Professor of Pediatrics at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine.
Dr. Raffay is a physician-scientist whose work bridges laboratory discovery and patient care. His research focuses on understanding the mechanisms of lung injury and abnormal lung development in premature infants and translating these findings into novel treatments for bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), asthma, pulmonary hypertension, and other cardiopulmonary diseases.
His NIH-funded research combines basic science, translational investigation, and clinical studies to advance therapies that improve respiratory outcomes from infancy through adulthood.
Research Mission
The Raffay Laboratory seeks to develop new therapies that prevent or treat bronchopulmonary dysplasia and its long-term respiratory complications.
Through an integrated research program spanning experimental models, human biospecimens and clinical outcomes research, the laboratory investigates pathways that contribute to lung injury, airway disease and impaired lung development in premature infants.
The ultimate goal is to translate scientific discoveries into treatments that improve both short- and long-term respiratory health for vulnerable newborns.
Patricia M. Martin, MD, and Richard J. Martin, MD, Chair in Neonatology at UH Rainbow Babies & Children’s
A generous gift from Marina and Tom Arko established the Patricia M. Martin, MD, and Richard J. Martin, MD, Chair in Neonatology at UH Rainbow Babies & Children’s. The chair supports inaugural honoree Thomas Raffay, MD, in his research efforts on lung development and his innovative care approaches to treating and preventing lung disease in premature infants.
Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine Fellowship
University Hospitals is home to a nationally recognized Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine program that combines advanced clinical care, groundbreaking research and academic excellence to improve outcomes for the most vulnerable newborns. Through leadership in neonatal innovation, multidisciplinary collaboration and participation in nationally significant research initiatives, UH continues to advance the science and practice of neonatal care.