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Lina F Chalak, MD $$

Division Chief of Neonatology

Professor Scholar at UT Southwestern Medical Center
Division Director at Children's Health

Languages Spoken:
English

Locations

UT Southwestern Pediatric Group

Biography

Lina Chalak, M.D., is a board-certified neonatologist at Children's Health℠ and Professor of Pediatrics and Psychiatry at UT Southwestern. She is the Division Chief of Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine at Children’s Health and is also Director of the Neurological Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (Neuro-NICU) Program – the first-of-its-kind in Texas. Dr. Chalak specializes in the care of infants with neurological conditions, such as seizures or brain injuries.

Dr. Chalak earned her medical degree at American University – Beirut. She completed her residency training in pediatrics at Children's Medical Center Dallas and her fellowship training in neonatology at UT Southwestern.

“I love taking care of newborns, providing brain targeted multidisciplinary care,” says Dr. Chalak. “I also love teaching and mentoring. Every baby deserves a bright future and full potential. What a joy to be part of making that happen.”

I love taking care of newborns, providing brain targeted multidisciplinary care.
Dr. Lina Chalak

Dr. Chalak is the Co-Director of the Fetal and Neonatal Neurology Fellowship Training Program at Children’s Health. She leads a team of scientists, including physiologists, biomedical engineers and MRI specialists working to uncover best practices in detecting and treating brain injury in infants. Dr. Chalak has over 100 peer-reviewed publications to her name and has received funding from the National Institutes of Health for her work.

In her free time, Dr. Chalak loves to travel, listen to operas and symphonies and she is a real foodie.

Education and Training

Medical School
American University of Beirut (1995)
Internship
Children's Medical Center Dallas (2003), Pediatrics
American University of Beirut (1996), Pediatrics
Residency
Children's Medical Center Dallas (2004), Pediatrics
American University of Beirut (1998), Pediatrics
Fellowship
UT Southwestern Medical Center (HR) (2001), Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine
Board Certification
American Board of Pediatrics/Neonatal-Perinatal

Conditions

  • Research Interests

    • Asphyxia
    • Hypothermia
    • Neonatal brain injury

  • Publications

    • Moving the Needle in Perinatal Asphyxia. Chalak LF Clinics in Perinatology 2024 Sep 51 xxi-xxiii
    • Reverse Therapy: Impact of Hyperthermia and Rewarming on Newborn Outcomes. Chalak LF, Davidson JO, Gunn AJ Clinics in Perinatology 2024 Sep 51 565-572
    • Key Inflammatory Biomarkers in Perinatal Asphyxia: A Comprehensive Review. Bitar L, Stonestreet BS, Chalak LF Clinics in Perinatology 2024 Sep 51 617-628
    • Postnatal Cerebral Hemodynamics and Placental Vascular Malperfusion Lesions in Neonates With Congenital Heart Disease. Leon RL, Bitar L, Sharma K, Mir IN, Chalak LF Pediatric Neurology 2024 Jul 156 72-78
    • Perinatal asphyxia impact on networks of cortical activity. Kota S, Chalak L Pediatric Research 2024 Jul 96 17-18
    • Association between decreased cord blood inter-alpha inhibitor levels and neonatal encephalopathy at birth. Bitar L, Stonestreet BS, Lim YP, Qiu J, Chen X, Mir IN, Chalak LF Early Human Development 2024 Jun 193
    • Evolution of the Sarnat exam and association with 2-year outcomes in infants with moderate or severe hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy: a secondary analysis of the HEAL Trial. Author Collaboration HT, Mietzsch U, Kolnik SE, Wood TR, Natarajan N, Gonzalez FF, Glass H, Mayock DE, Bonifacio SL, Van Meurs K, Comstock BA, Heagerty PJ, Wu TW, Wu YW, Juul SE, Ahmad KA, Baserga M, Bendel-Stenzel E, Benninger KL, Chalak L, Chang T, Flibotte J, Lampland AL, Maitre NL, Mathur AM, Merhar S, Poindexter BB, Rao R, Riley D, Smyser CD, Sokol GM, Weitkamp JH, Yanowitz T Archives of Disease in Childhood: Fetal and Neonatal Edition 2024 May 109 308-316
    • Development of neonatal connectome dynamics and its prediction for cognitive and language outcomes at age 2. Xu Y, Liao X, Lei T, Cao M, Zhao J, Zhang J, Zhao T, Li Q, Jeon T, Ouyang M, Chalak L, Rollins N, Huang H, He Y Cerebral Cortex 2024 May 34
    • Genetic and Congenital Anomalies in Infants With Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy. Morell AS, Monsell SE, Cornet MC, Wisnowski JL, McKinstry RC, Mathur AM, Li Y, Glass HC, Gonzalez FF, Mayock DE, Benninger KL, Van Meurs KP, Lampland AL, Wu TW, Riley D, Mietzsch U, Chalak L, Flibotte J, Weitkamp JH, Ahmad KA, Yanowitz TD, Baserga M, Merhar S, Rao R, Sokol GM, Comstock BA, Heagerty PJ, Juul SE, Wu YW Pediatric Neurology 2024 May 154 44-50
    • A Comparison of Criteria for Defining Metabolic Acidemia in Live-Born Neonates and Its Effect on Predicting Serious Adverse Neonatal Outcomes. Kraus AC, Saucedo AM, Byrne JJ, Chalak LF, Pruszynski JE, Spong CY Obstetrical and Gynecological Survey 2024 Apr 79 189-191
    • Human Parechovirus (HPeV) infections: clinical presentations, patterns, and evolution of neonatal brain injury. Oren MS, Clarke RL, Price M, Thomas JM, Machie M, Dolce AM, Chalak LF, Angelis D Journal of Perinatology 2024 Apr 44 581-583
    • Development of sensorimotor-visual connectome gradient at birth predicts neurocognitive outcomes at 2 years of age. Xia Y, Zhao J, Xu Y, Duan D, Xia M, Jeon T, Ouyang M, Chalak L, Rollins N, Huang H, He Y iScience 2024 Feb 27
    • Asperger’s syndrome – about time to rename it? Bearer C, Abman SH, Agostoni C, Ballard P, Bliss J, de Boode WP, Canpolat FE, Chalak L, Cilio MR, Dammann O, Davis J, El-Metwally D, Ferriero D, Ford S, Fuentes-Afflick E, Gano D, Giussani D, Gonzalez F, Gunn A, Hogeveen M, Huang AY, Kaplan J, Klebanoff M, Lachman P, Mak R, Malhotra A, Miller S, Mitchell WB, Molloy E, Mulkey SB, Roland D, Sampath V, Sant’Anna G, Schaff P, Singer LT, Stroustrup A, Tingay D, Tiribelli C, Toldi G, Tryggestad J, Valente EM, Wilson-Costello D, Zupancic J Pediatric Research 2024 Feb 95 582-584
    • Corrigendum to ‘A comparison of criteria for defining metabolic acidemia in live born neonates and its effect on predicting serious adverse neonatal outcomes’. [American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology 229/4 (2023) 439-440](S0002937823001941)(10.1016/j.ajog.2023.03.031) Kraus AC, Saucedo AM, Byrne JJ, Chalak LF, Pruszynski JE, Spong CY American journal of obstetrics and gynecology 2024 Jan 230 108
    • Prognostic value of quantitative EEG in early hours of life for neonatal encephalopathy and neurodevelopmental outcomes. Kota S, Kang S, Liu YL, Liu H, Montazeri S, Vanhatalo S, Chalak LF Pediatric Research 2024
    • Neurodevelopmental outcomes in extremely preterm infants with placental pathologic evidence of fetal inflammatroy response. Alayli Y, Brown LS, Tolentino-Plata K, Leon R, Heyne R, Chalak LF, Mir IN Pediatric Research 2024
    • A New Horizon for Understanding the Comparative Effectiveness for Cooling Prospectively Infants with Mild Encephalopathy. Chalak LF, Slaughter JL, King WC, Sepulveda P, Wisniewski SR Clinics in Perinatology 2024 51 605-616
    • Neonatal encephalopathy and hypoxic–ischemic encephalopathy: moving from controversy to consensus definitions and subclassification. Molloy EJ, Branagan A, Hurley T, Quirke F, Devane D, Taneri PE, El-Dib M, Bloomfield FH, Maeso B, Pilon B, Bonifacio SL, Wusthoff CJ, Chalak L, Bearer C, Murray DM, Badawi N, Campbell S, Mulkey S, Gressens P, Ferriero DM, de Vries LS, Walker K, Kay S, Boylan G, Gale C, Robertson NJ, D’Alton M, Gunn A, Nelson KB Pediatric Research 2023 Dec 94 1860-1863
    • Evaluation of heterogeneity in effect of therapeutic hypothermia by sex among infants with neonatal encephalopathy. Sewell EK, Shankaran S, Natarajan G, Laptook A, Das A, McDonald SA, Hamrick S, Baack M, Rysavy M, Higgins RD, Chalak L, Patel RM Pediatric Research 2023 Oct 94 1380-1384
    • A comparison of criteria for defining metabolic acidemia in live-born neonates and its effect on predicting serious adverse neonatal outcomes. Kraus AC, Saucedo AM, Byrne JJ, Chalak LF, Pruszynski JE, Spong CY American journal of obstetrics and gynecology 2023 Oct 229 439.e1-439.e11

  • Professional Activities

    • American Pediatric Society (2019)
    • International Perinatal Collegium (2015)
    • Newborn Brain Society (2019)
    • Perinatal Research Society (2014)
    • Society for Pediatric Research (2011)
    • SPR Executive Council-Lead for Education and Scientific Programs (2020)

  • Awards and Honors

    • Executive Leadership - Executive Leadership in Academic Medicine (2023)
    • Executive Council Society of Pediatric Research (2020)
    • Program Development Award Nomination Fetal/Neonatal Neurological Program - UT Southwestern Medical Center-Leaders in Clinical Excellence (2020)
    • Acarin Award for Outstanding Presentation - 10th Hershey Conference Equivilly, France (2016)
    • Elected member, International Perinatal Collegium (2015)
    • Elected member, The Perinatal Research Society (2014)
    • Elected member, Society of Pediatric Research (2011)
    • PRS Young Research Investigator Award - Perinatal Research Society (2010)
    • Dean's Teaching Award for Education - Department of Pediatrics at the University of Arkansas, Little Rock, AR (2007-2008)
    • Best Teacher Award - Department of Pediatrics at the University of Arkansas, Little Rock, AR (2006-2007)
    • Educator of the Year - Department of Pediatrics at the University of Arkansas, Little Rock, AR (2005-2006)
    • AAP Young Investigator Award - AAP (2004)

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