N Ja Hpa MD
N Ja Hpa
MD
Clinical Assistant Professor
Jacobs School of Medicine & Biomedical Sciences
Specialty/Research Focus
Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine; Neonatology
Contact Information
Patient Care
Patient Care
This faculty member is affiliated with UBMD, practicing physicians who are also professors in the Jacobs School.
View this physician on UBMDProfessional Summary:
I specialize in neonatal-perinatal medicine; as a neonatologist I provide comprehensive care for critically ill premature and full-term infants from birth until discharge from the neonatal intensive care units at Oishei Children’s Hospital and Millard Fillmore Suburban Hospital.
I treat newborn infants who require medical care due to prematurity, intrauterine growth restriction, low birth weight, congenital malformations, sepsis or birth asphyxia.
I focus on providing family-centered medical care to newborn infants and their families, with special attention to helping family members cope with this difficult time for them due to the illness of their newest family members.
My clinical research interests include head deformities in preterm infants. I have conducted basic science research in the effect of maternal e-cigarette use on offspring and exploring potential novel mitochondrial target antioxidant therapies for bronchopulmonary dysplasia and oxygen-induced lung injuries in the neonatal period.
My research has been conducted with colleagues from the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, as well as fellow researchers from Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center and the University of Alabama at Birmingham.
In addition to my clinical and research responsibilities, I am passionate about educating future generations of health care professionals and teach neonatology to medical students, pediatrics residents and neonatology fellows.
I teach the essential procedures in neonatology and help my trainees gain a deeper understanding of the diseases in newborns and how to manage them. It gives me great joy to see them master these skill sets during their training.
Education and Training:
- Fellowship, Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine, University at Buffalo (2020)
- Residency, Pediatrics, Chief Resident, New York Medical College, Metropolitan Hospital Center (2017)
- Residency, Pediatrics, New York Medical College, Metropolitan Hospital Center (2016)
- Internship, Pediatrics, New York Medical College, Metropolitan Hospital Center (2014)
- MD, Medicine and Surgery, University of Medicine 1 (2007)
Employment:
- Medical Director, Regional Perinatal Program, Pediatrics, John R. Oishei Children's Hospital (2023-present)
- Attending Neonatologist, Millard Fillmore Suburban Hospital (2020-present)
- Attending Physician, Neonatology, Oishei Children (2020-present)
- Clinical Assistant Professor, Pediatrics, University at Buffalo Jacobs School of Medicine & Biomedical Sciences (2020-present)
- General Physician, Moe Polyclinic and Pharmacy (2007–2010)
Awards and Honors:
- American Academy of Pediatrics 44th Northeastern Conference of Perinatal Research: Travel Award (2019)
- Pediatric Academic Societies Annual Meeting: Travel Award (2019)
- Eastern Society for Pediatric Research Annual Conference: Travel Award (2019)
- 5th Annual Neonatal Cardiopulmonary Biology Young Investigators Forum: Travel Award (2018)
Research Expertise:
- Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD): Worked on neonatal-hyperoxia murine model of BPD to study early lung development and hyperoxic lung injury exploring potential novel mitochondrial targeted antioxidant therapies for BPD
- Gestational exposure to electronic cigarette aerosol: E-cigarette use is growing among pregnant women and women of childbearing age. Studied impact of gestational exposure to e-cigarette aerosolized nicotine and flavoring on pregnancy success rates, fetal and postnatal growth, and cardiopulmonary development in newborn mice
Grants and Sponsored Research:
- December 2015–December 2016
Patient Care Trust Fund
Committee of Interns and Residents
Role: Principal Investigator
$1,500
Journal Articles:
- N Ja Hpa, Justin Helman, Lori Nielsen, Sylvia Gugino, Olivia White, Nelida Olave, Laurie Eldridge, Namasivayam Ambalavanan3, and Sara Berkelhamer. (2023) Mitochondria-Targeted Antioxidant Therapy Accelerates Recovery of Compromised Alveolarization and Pulmonary Vascular Disease in Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia. Frontiers in Pediatrics (Apr)
- Kumar VHS, Prasath A, Blanco C, Kenney PO, Ostwald CM, Meyer TS, Clementi CF, Maciejewski R, Wilby MT, Reynolds AM, Hpa NJ, Yu KOA. (2021) Respiratory Failure in an Extremely Premature Neonate with COVID-19. Children (Basel, Switzerland) (Jun), 8(6). doi:10.3390/children8060477
- Alsaleem M, Hpa N, Kozielski R. (2020) Case 3: Term Infant With Severe Respiratory Failure. Neoreviews (Jan), 21(5): 349-352.
- Alsaleem M, Hpa NJ, Kumar VH. (2020) Stridor in infants with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy and whole body hypothermia: A case series. J Neonat Perinat Med (Jan).
Professional Memberships:
- Society of Pediatric Research (2020–present)
- American Academy of Pediatrics; FAAP (2013–present)
- Myanmar American Medical Education Association (2011–present)
Presentations:
- "New York State Perinatal Quality Collaborative (NYSPQC) Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) Equity Project January Coaching Call Webinar" It is a webinar for New York State Perinatal Quality Collaborative (NYSPQC) Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) Equity Project (2025)
- "Tiny Fighters: Understanding and Managing Infections in Newborns" Virtual and In-person Site Visits for Affiliate Hospitals of Western New York Region (2024)
- "Intrauterine Growth Restriction Updates on Hyperbilirubinemia" Virtual and In-Person Site Visits for Affiliate Hospitals, Western New York (2023)
- "Pathophysiology, Prevention, Management of Bilirubin, Jaundice and Kernicterus" 2022-23 Pediatric Resident Lecture Series, University at Buffalo (2022)
- "Hyperbilirubinemia" 2022-23 NPM Fellow Boot Camp Series (2022)
- "Maternal Conditions Affecting the Fetus and Newborn" 2022-23 NPM Fellow Boot Camp Series (2022)
- "Respiratory Distress Syndrome" Fellow Education Session, Division of Neonatology, JSMBS (2021)
- "Mode of Ventilation" Fellow Education Session, Division of Neonatology, JSMBS (2021)
- "Gestational Exposure to Menthol Aerosol Impacts Pregnancy Success Rates but does not Compromise Fetal Growth" 45th Northeastern Conference of Perinatal Research; American Academy of Pediatrics (2020)
- "Acute Kidney Injury" 2020-21 NPM Fellow Boot Camp Series (2020)
- "Neonatal Thrombocytopenia" 2020-21 NPM Fellow Boot Camp Series (2020)
- "A 35-week Preterm infant with polyhydramnios and decreased fetal movement, status post-therapeutic hypothermia for severe hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy" Annual Conference; Eastern Society for Pediatric Research (2020)
- "Mitochondria-Targeted Antioxidant Therapy Accelerates Recovery of BPD" 2019 Annual Thruway Conference (2019)
- "Mitochondria-Targeted Antioxidant Therapy Accelerates Recovery of Compromised Alveolarization and Pulmonary Vascular Disease in BPD" 44th Northeastern Conference on Perinatal Research; American Academy of Pediatrics (2019)
- "Respiratory Management in the NICU" 2019 Annual Thruway Conference (2019)
- "Can NICU Workflow Improve without Paper Continuity Books?" Annual Meeting; Pediatric Academic Societies; NICU Practices & Procedures: Potpourri (2019)
- "Mitochondria-Targeted Antioxidant Therapy Accelerates Recovery of Compromised Alveolarization and Pulmonary Vascular Disease in BPD" Annual Meeting; Pediatric Academic Societies; Neonatology: Molecular Biology of the Developing Lung 1 (2019)
- "Can NICU Workflow Improve without Paper Continuity Books?" Annual Conference; Eastern Society for Pediatric Research; Poster Session II (2019)
- "Mitochondria-Targeted Antioxidant Therapy Accelerates Recovery of Compromised Alveolarization and Pulmonary Vascular Disease in BPD" Annual Conference; Eastern Society for Pediatric Research (2019)
- "Targeted Antioxidant Therapy for the Treatment of BPD" 5th Annual Neonatal Cardiopulmonary Biology Young Investigators Forum (2018)
- "Quality Improvement Initiative on Medical Documentation to Decrease the Use of Unapproved and Personal Abbreviations" 9th Annual Integrating Quality Meeting; Association of American Medical Colleges (2017)
- "Mitochondria-Targeted Antioxidant Therapy for the Treatment of BPD" Department of Pediatric Research Conference, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences
Service Activities:
- Member of the Leadership, Management, and Innovation (LMI) Committee at Oishei Children's Hospital NICU. Actively participate in advising NICU-related project improvements, including enhancing nursing-led rounds, improving nursing education, and optimizing the parent experience in the NICU.; Member of LMI Committee (2023–present)
- Serves as a representative body for faculty members of the Neonatology Division in the Department of Pediatrics at the University at Buffalo.; Representative, Faculty Council Committee (2023–present)
- The Medical Director provides strategic, clinical, and operational leadership for the Regional Perinatal Program (RPP) of Western New York. In collaboration with the Department of Health and partner hospitals, the Medical Director ensures high-quality, equitable, and evidence-based care for pregnant individuals and newborns throughout the region. This role supports regionalization of perinatal services, optimizes maternal and neonatal outcomes, and promotes system-wide coordination of care.; Medical Director, Regional Perinatal Program of Western New York (2023–present)
- ; Fellow/Resident Interviewer (2020–present)
- ; Neonatal Resuscitation Program; Instructor (2020–present)
- University at Buffalo Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences: Neonatal Perinatal Medicine Fellowship Program; Administrator (2019–2020)
- New York Medical College-Metropolitan Hospital Center: Committee of Pediatric Interns and Residents Representative (2015–2017)
- American Academy of Pediatrics: New York Medical College-Metropolitan Hospital Center Pediatric Residency Program; Delegate (2014–2016)