Season Two of Small Brains, Big Dreams continues our conversations around mentorship with leading neurologists from around the world. Dr. Lina Chalak has many accomplishments and accolades in her biography, but she’s quick to point out the award from UT Southwestern celebrating her work as a mentor holds a special place of honor for her. Listen as she shares her ‘why’ and encourages you to do the same.

Dr. Lina Chalak (MD, MSCS) is the founding director of both the Neurointensive Care program and the Fetal Neonatal Neurology Fellowship Program at UT Southwestern, where she holds the William Buchanan Chair in Pediatrics and serves as the Interim Chief of Neonatal-perinatal Medicine. She is a Professor in the Departments of Pediatrics and Psychiatry at UT Southwestern Medical Center and an active researcher.

Dr. Chalak is board certified in general pediatrics, general pediatrics recertification, neonatal-perinatal medicine, and neonatal-perinatal recertification. She earned her medical degree and completed a residency in pediatrics at American University of Beirut, then fellowships in both neonatal-perinatal medicine and pediatrics at UT Southwestern/Children’s Health Dallas. In 2011, she received a Master of Clinical Science Distinction from UT Southwestern’s Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, and in 2021 she earned the school’s Best Mentor Award.

Dr. Chalak’s research focuses on asphyxia, hypothermia, and neonatal brain injury. She led the PRIME mild asphyxia collaborative study and pioneered a Neurovascular bundle for a critical real time evaluation of the coupling of cerebral blood flow and neuronal activity in newborns with asphyxia.

For more on Dr. Chalak:

https://newbornbrainsociety.org/team-member/lina-f-chalak-md-mscs/

Small Brains, Big Dreams is a podcast created by the Newborn Brain Society, in partnership with the Canadian Premature Babies Foundation, and hosted by preemie parent & journalist, Jenna Morton.

The Newborn Brain Society is a non-profit organization supporting a world in which all newborns have access to and receive the optimal brain care. We promote international, multi-disciplinary collaboration, education, and innovation among clinicians, scientists, and parents.

Connect with us at newbornbrainsociety.org, on Facebook @NewbornBrainSociety, and on Twitter @NewbornBrains.

If you've enjoyed this episode, please rate, share & subscribe.