Cedars-Sinai Guerin Children’s Names New Lead Neonatologist

LOS ANGELES (July 17, 2024) -- Cedars-Sinai Guerin Children’s has appointed Rangasamy Ramanathan, MD, MBBS, as director of Neonatology in its Department of Pediatrics. Ramanathan, an internationally recognized innovator in neonatal and pediatric respiratory care, will oversee an expanded Neonatology program at Guerin Children’s.

The Guerin Children’s Neonatal Intensive Care footprint has expanded throughout Southern California and now includes Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and its affiliates Torrance Memorial Medical Center and Huntington Health in Pasadena, as well as Providence Cedars-Sinai Tarzana Medical Center in the San Fernando Valley. Ramanathan also will oversee the Newborn/Mother Baby Unit at Cedars-Sinai as well as Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) physicians at Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center in Burbank.

“Dr. Ramanathan is a preeminent expert in his field, recognized for transforming neonatal and pediatric respiratory care around the world,” said Ophir Klein, MD, PhD, executive vice dean of Children’s Health at Cedars-Sinai and executive director of Guerin Children’s. “We are delighted to welcome him to our team and are certain that his expertise will help provide an even greater level of care to some of our most at-risk patients.”

Ramanathan developed the widely used RAM Cannula, which delivers noninvasive ventilation to babies and children who need help breathing. For this and other pioneering achievements, he received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Neonatology Forum of India, as well as numerous other awards and honors throughout his career.

To help save newborns in low- and middle-income countries, he also patented the low-cost RAMSMEETA ventilator, now pending regulatory approval.

“I am thrilled to join the Cedars-Sinai Guerin Children’s team,” Ramanathan said. “A lifelong interest in helping newborns, infants and children recover from breathing challenges—and thrive—has now led me to one of the most reputatable institutions in the world. I’m eager to help the team grow and evolve as we continue to provide our most vulnerable patients with best-in-class neonatal care.”

Ramanathan joins Cedars-Sinai from Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, where he was professor of Pediatrics and director of Neonatology. Previously, Ramanathan was chief of the Division of Neonatal Medicine and medical director of the Newborn Intensive Care Unit for the Division of Neonatology at Los Angeles General Medical Center, where he directed one of the largest fellowship programs in neonatal-perinatal medicine in the U.S.

He also previously held leadership positions at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, PIH Health Good Samaritan Hospital in Los Angeles, and Olive View UCLA Medical Center.

Ramanathan served as principal investigator for an international multicenter trial comparing treatments for respiratory distress syndrome in preterm newborns. He regularly hosts workshops and gives lectures throughout Africa, Asia and Eastern Europe. In recognition of his global work, he recently was elected as a fellow of the Global Newborn Society.

Ramanathan graduated from Stanley Medical College at Madras University, India, and completed his pediatric training at the Institute of Child Health and Hospital for Children in Chennai. He completed a residency in pediatrics at Lincoln Medical Center, New York Medical College, in New York; a clinical fellowship in neonatal-perinatal medicine at Los Angeles General Medical Center; and a research fellowship in neonatology at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center.

“We extend a warm welcome to Dr. Ramanathan and wish him much success as he assumes this important leadership role, advancing expert care and innovation to serve our smallest and youngest patients,” said Shervin Rabizadeh, MD, MBA, chair of the Department of Pediatrics at Guerin Children’s.

Read more on the Cedars-Sinai Blog: Demystifiying the NICU