Edward A. Liechty, MD

Bio

My research focus has changed significantly in the past few years. For most of my career I have used the chronically catheterized fetal sheep model to investigate the regulation of fetal growth and amino acid/protein metabolism. However, after spending a sabbatical year in Kenya I have become increasingly interested in international health. It is apparent that the major causes of fetal, neonatal and maternal mortality in the developing world are to a large extent preventable. I am now a principal investigator in the Global Network for Women's and Children's Health Research http://gn.rti.org/index.cfm. This is an NIH funded multicenter clinical research network formed to investigate cost effective sustainable interventions to decrease maternal and infant mortality. Current studies we are conducting include 1) evaluation of a training program for lay midwives and 2) evaluation of a meat based versus cereal based protein supplement in 6-18 month old infants. We are also employing Geographical Information Systems (GIS) to evaluate spatial independent variables as well as more traditional parameters in determining health outcomes. I continue to be interested in endocrine and nutritional problems, and we are also using stable isotopes to investigate protein ad energy metabolism in Kenyan infants and children, including those with HIV/AIDS.

In addition to these research interests, I am an active member of the American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Coding and Nomenclature, and serve as AAP alternate liaison to the ICD-10 Clinical Modification group, managed by Centers for Disease Control. I am also chair of the AAP Section on Neonatal and Perinatal Medicine Coding Committee.