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Alain C. Cuna, MD

TitlePhysician, Neonatologist
InstitutionChildren's Mercy Kansas City
DepartmentPediatrics
Address2401 Gillham Rd
Kansas City MO 64108
ORCID ORCID Icon0000-0002-8174-4487 Additional info
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    Other Positions
    TitleAssociate Professor of Pediatrics
    InstitutionUniversity of Missouri-Kansas City
    DepartmentPediatrics

    TitleClinical Assistant Professor of Pediatrics
    InstitutionUniversity of Kansas Medical Center
    DepartmentPediatrics


    Collapse Biography 
    Collapse education and training
    University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, ALFellowship2014Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine
    Winthrop University Hospital, Mineola, NYResidency2011Pediatrics
    Philippine General Hospital, Manila, PhilippinesInternship2006Doctor of Medicine
    University of the Philippines, Manila, PhilippinesMD2006Doctor of Medicine

    Collapse Overview 

    Collapse Research 
    Collapse research overview
    Dr. Cuna's main research interest is on defining the pathogenesis of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) – a devastating inflammatory bowel disease of preterm infants - and translating this knowledge to improve outcomes of NEC. His current focus is on understanding how host genetics and intestinal bacterial communities interact with each other to modulate inflammation in the developing neonatal gut. New knowledge gained from this research is anticipated to help in the development of personalized, microbial-based therapies based on underlying genetic predisposition and/or gut microbiome signatures to help maintain gut homeostasis. Such novel, individualized therapies are expected to drastically reduce the incidence of NEC in a safe and effective manner by targeting infants at highest risk of the disease.
    Collapse research activities and funding
    K08DK125735     (CUNA, ALAIN)Aug 1, 2020 - Jul 31, 2025
    NIH
    Gene-environment interactions in necrotizing enterocolitis: impact of SIGIRR mutation and gut microbiota on intestinal TLR hyperactivity
    Role: Principal Investigator
         (CUNA, ALAIN and CHAN, SHERWIN)Sep 19, 2022 - Sep 18, 2022
    American College of Radiology
    Multicenter Comparative Effectiveness Trial of Bowel Ultrasound for Diagnosis of Necrotizing Enterocolitis (NEC)
    Role: Co-Principal Investigator

    Collapse Bibliography 
    Collapse selected publications
    Publications listed below are automatically derived from MEDLINE/PubMed and other sources, which might result in incorrect or missing publications. Faculty can login to make corrections and additions.
    List All   |   Timeline
    1. Cuna A, Premkumar MH, Sampath V. Artificial intelligence to classify acquired intestinal injury in preterm neonates-a new perspective. Pediatr Res. 2024 Jul; 96(1):30-32. PMID: 38499626.
      View in: PubMed
    2. Cuna A, Rathore D, Bourret K, Opfer E, Chan S. Degree of Uncertainty in Reporting Imaging Findings for Necrotizing Enterocolitis: A Secondary Analysis from a Pilot Randomized Diagnostic Trial. Healthcare (Basel). 2024 Feb 21; 12(5). PMID: 38470621.
      View in: PubMed
    3. Hanna M, Ahmad I, Yanowitz T, Kim J, Hunter C, DiGeronimo R, Ahmad KA, Sullivan K, Markel TA, Hair AB, Chaaban H, Pammi M, Huff KA, Jasani B, Fuchs L, Cuna A, Garg PM, Reber K, Premkumar MH. Current Patterns of Probiotic Use in U.S. Neonatal Intensive Care Units: A Multi-Institution Survey. Am J Perinatol. 2024 05; 41(S 01):e2658-e2665. PMID: 37494969.
      View in: PubMed
    4. Cuna A, Nsumu M, Menden HL, Chavez-Bueno S, Sampath V. The Detrimental Effects of Peripartum Antibiotics on Gut Proliferation and Formula Feeding Injury in Neonatal Mice Are Alleviated with Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG. Microorganisms. 2023 Jun 01; 11(6). PMID: 37374984.
      View in: PubMed
    5. Sampath V, Martinez M, Caplan M, Underwood MA, Cuna A. Necrotizing enterocolitis in premature infants-A defect in the brakes? Evidence from clinical and animal studies. Mucosal Immunol. 2023 04; 16(2):208-220. PMID: 36804483.
      View in: PubMed
    6. Cuna A, Morowitz MJ, Sampath V. Early antibiotics and risk for necrotizing enterocolitis in premature infants: A narrative review. Front Pediatr. 2023; 11:1112812. PMID: 36865691.
      View in: PubMed
    7. Rao K, Cuna A, Chavez-Bueno S, Menden H, Yu W, Ahmed I, Srinivasan P, Umar S, Sampath V. Effect of Various Preterm Infant Milk Formulas on NEC-Like Gut Injury in Mice. Front Pediatr. 2022; 10:902798. PMID: 35874567.
      View in: PubMed
    8. Cuna A, Chan S, Jones J, Sien M, Robinson A, Rao K, Opfer E. Feasibility and acceptability of a diagnostic randomized clinical trial of bowel ultrasound in infants with suspected necrotizing enterocolitis. Eur J Pediatr. 2022 Aug; 181(8):3211-3215. PMID: 35713688.
      View in: PubMed
    9. Mikhael M, Cleary JP, Zaniletti I, Truog WE, Ibrahim J, DiGeronimo R, Cuna A, Kielt MJ, Coghill CH, Vyas-Read S, Yallapragada S, Engle WA, Savani RC, Murthy K, Lagatta JM. Chronic lung disease in full-term infants: Characteristics and neonatal intensive care outcomes in infants referred to children's hospitals. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2022 09; 57(9):2082-2091. PMID: 35578392.
      View in: PubMed
    10. Feldman K, Nitkin CR, Cuna A, Oschman A, Truog WE, Norberg M, Nyp M, Taylor JB, Lewis T. Corticosteroid response predicts bronchopulmonary dysplasia status at 36 weeks in preterm infants treated with dexamethasone: A pilot study. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2022 07; 57(7):1760-1769. PMID: 35434928.
      View in: PubMed
    11. Mishra V, Cuna A, Singh R, Schwartz DM, Chan S, Maheshwari A. Imaging for Diagnosis and Assessment of Necrotizing Enterocolitis. Newborn (Clarksville). 2022 Jan-Mar; 1(1):182-189. PMID: 36864828.
      View in: PubMed
    12. Cuna A, Lagatta JM, Savani RC, Vyas-Read S, Engle WA, Rose RS, DiGeronimo R, Logan JW, Mikhael M, Natarajan G, Truog WE, Kielt M, Murthy K, Zaniletti I, Lewis TR. Association of time of first corticosteroid treatment with bronchopulmonary dysplasia in preterm infants. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2021 10; 56(10):3283-3292. PMID: 34379886.
      View in: PubMed
    13. Vyas-Read S, Logan JW, Cuna AC, Machry J, Leeman KT, Rose RS, Mikhael M, Wymore E, Ibrahim JW, DiGeronimo RJ, Yallapragada S, Haberman BE, Padula MA, Porta NF, Murthy K, Nelin LD, Coghill CH, Zaniletti I, Savani RC, Truog W, Engle WA, Lagatta JM. A comparison of newer classifications of bronchopulmonary dysplasia: findings from the Children's Hospitals Neonatal Consortium Severe BPD Group. J Perinatol. 2022 01; 42(1):58-64. PMID: 34354227.
      View in: PubMed
    14. Cuna A, Quiqley A, Varghese K, Ciccolari-Micaldi G, Oliveros C, Cheng AL, Norberg M, Truog WE. Effectiveness and safety of repeat dexamethasone for bronchopulmonary dysplasia. J Perinatol. 2021 08; 41(8):1956-1962. PMID: 34103670.
      View in: PubMed
    15. Cuna A, Sampath V, Khashu M. Racial Disparities in Necrotizing Enterocolitis. Front Pediatr. 2021; 9:633088. PMID: 33681105.
      View in: PubMed
    16. Cuna A, Morowitz MJ, Ahmed I, Umar S, Sampath V. Dynamics of the preterm gut microbiome in health and disease. Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol. 2021 04 01; 320(4):G411-G419. PMID: 33439103.
      View in: PubMed
    17. Hansen TP, Oschman A, K Pallotto E, Palmer R, Younger D, Cuna A. Using quality improvement to implement consensus guidelines for postnatal steroid treatment of preterm infants with developing bronchopulmonary dysplasia. J Perinatol. 2021 04; 41(4):891-897. PMID: 33093625.
      View in: PubMed
    18. Alexander KM, Chan SS, Opfer E, Cuna A, Fraser JD, Sharif S, Khashu M. Implementation of bowel ultrasound practice for the diagnosis and management of necrotising enterocolitis. Arch Dis Child Fetal Neonatal Ed. 2021 Jan; 106(1):96-103. PMID: 32398270.
      View in: PubMed
    19. Cuna A, Yu W, Menden HL, Feng L, Srinivasan P, Chavez-Bueno S, Ahmed I, Umar S, Sampath V. NEC-like intestinal injury is ameliorated by Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG in parallel with SIGIRR and A20 induction in neonatal mice. Pediatr Res. 2020 10; 88(4):546-555. PMID: 32053825.
      View in: PubMed
    20. Cammack B, Noel-MacDonnell J, Cuna A, Manimtim W. Impact of tracheostomy on language and cognitive development in infants with severe bronchopulmonary dysplasia. J Perinatol. 2020 02; 40(2):299-305. PMID: 31659237.
      View in: PubMed
    21. Linafelter A, Cuna A, Liu C, Quigley A, Truog WE, Sampath V, Oschman A. Extended course of prednisolone in infants with severe bronchopulmonary dysplasia. Early Hum Dev. 2019 09; 136:1-6. PMID: 31265946.
      View in: PubMed
    22. Cuna A, Lewis T, Dai H, Nyp M, Truog WE. Timing of postnatal corticosteroid treatment for bronchopulmonary dysplasia and its effect on outcomes. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2019 02; 54(2):165-170. PMID: 30537393.
      View in: PubMed
    23. Cuna AC, Lee JC, Robinson AL, Allen NH, Foley JE, Chan SS. Bowel Ultrasound for the Diagnosis of Necrotizing Enterocolitis: A Meta-analysis. Ultrasound Q. 2018 Sep; 34(3):113-118. PMID: 29369246.
      View in: PubMed
    24. Cuna A, George L, Sampath V. Genetic predisposition to necrotizing enterocolitis in premature infants: Current knowledge, challenges, and future directions. Semin Fetal Neonatal Med. 2018 12; 23(6):387-393. PMID: 30292709.
      View in: PubMed
    25. Cuna A, Liu C, Govindarajan S, Queen M, Dai H, Truog WE. Usefulness of an Online Risk Estimator for Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia in Predicting Corticosteroid Treatment in Infants Born Preterm. J Pediatr. 2018 06; 197:23-28.e2. PMID: 29551313.
      View in: PubMed
    26. Cuna AC, Reddy N, Robinson AL, Chan SS. Bowel ultrasound for predicting surgical management of necrotizing enterocolitis: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Pediatr Radiol. 2018 05; 48(5):658-666. PMID: 29260286.
      View in: PubMed
    27. Fawley J, Cuna A, Menden HL, McElroy S, Umar S, Welak SR, Gourlay DM, Li X, Sampath V. Single-Immunoglobulin Interleukin-1-Related Receptor regulates vulnerability to TLR4-mediated necrotizing enterocolitis in a mouse model. Pediatr Res. 2018 01; 83(1-1):164-174. PMID: 28846670.
      View in: PubMed
    28. Akangire G, Cuna A, Lachica C, Fischer R, Raman S, Sampath V. Neonatal Graves' Disease with Maternal Hypothyroidism. AJP Rep. 2017 Jul; 7(3):e181-e184. PMID: 28948062.
      View in: PubMed
    29. Cuna A, Winter L. Quality Improvement Project to Reduce Delayed Vaccinations in Preterm Infants. Adv Neonatal Care. 2017 Aug; 17(4):245-249. PMID: 28375854.
      View in: PubMed
    30. Cuna A, Lewis T, Oschman A, Dai HY, Brophy K, Norberg M, Nyp M, Truog W. Outcomes of Infants Who Failed to Extubate despite Systemic Corticosteroids. Am J Perinatol. 2017 12; 34(14):1458-1463. PMID: 28704843.
      View in: PubMed
    31. Cuna A, Govindarajan S, Oschman A, Dai H, Brophy K, Norberg M, Truog W. A comparison of 7-day versus 10-day course of low-dose dexamethasone for chronically ventilated preterm infants. J Perinatol. 2017 03; 37(3):301-305. PMID: 27906194.
      View in: PubMed
    32. Cuna A, Sampath V. Genetic alterations in necrotizing enterocolitis. Semin Perinatol. 2017 02; 41(1):61-69. PMID: 27836427.
      View in: PubMed
    33. Olave N, Lal CV, Halloran B, Pandit K, Cuna AC, Faye-Petersen OM, Kelly DR, Nicola T, Benos PV, Kaminski N, Ambalavanan N. Regulation of alveolar septation by microRNA-489. Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol. 2016 Mar 01; 310(5):L476-87. PMID: 26719145.
      View in: PubMed
    34. Cuna A, Halloran B, Faye-Petersen O, Kelly D, Crossman DK, Cui X, Pandit K, Kaminski N, Bhattacharya S, Ahmad A, Mariani TJ, Ambalavanan N. Alterations in gene expression and DNA methylation during murine and human lung alveolar septation. Am J Respir Cell Mol Biol. 2015 Jul; 53(1):60-73. PMID: 25387348.
      View in: PubMed
    35. Salas AA, Cuna A, Bhat R, McGwin G, Carlo WA, Ambalavanan N. A randomised trial of re-feeding gastric residuals in preterm infants. Arch Dis Child Fetal Neonatal Ed. 2015 May; 100(3):F224-8. PMID: 25552280.
      View in: PubMed
    36. Ambalavanan N, Cotten CM, Page GP, Carlo WA, Murray JC, Bhattacharya S, Mariani TJ, Cuna AC, Faye-Petersen OM, Kelly D, Higgins RD. Integrated genomic analyses in bronchopulmonary dysplasia. J Pediatr. 2015 Mar; 166(3):531-7.e13. PMID: 25449221.
      View in: PubMed
    37. Cuna A, Hakima L, Tseng YA, Fornier B, Islam S, Quintos-Alagheband ML, Khullar P, Weinberger B, Hanna N. Clinical dilemma of positive histologic chorioamnionitis in term newborn. Front Pediatr. 2014; 2:27. PMID: 24772410.
      View in: PubMed
    38. Cuna A, Kandasamy J, Sims B. B-type natriuretic peptide and mortality in extremely low birth weight infants with pulmonary hypertension: a retrospective cohort analysis. BMC Pediatr. 2014 Mar 11; 14:68. PMID: 24612708.
      View in: PubMed
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