Amy O'Connell

Amy O'Connell is a physician scientist at Boston Children's Hospital and an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at Harvard Medical School. She specializes in neonatal immunity, intestinal development, and genetic orphan diseases. Her clinical roles include Director of Infection Control in the Neonatal ICU and Faculty in the Neonatal Genomics Program.

• MD/PhD: Jefferson Medical College (2009), Merrimack College (2002)
• Training: University of Vermont (Pediatrics Residency), Boston Children's Hospital (Allergy/Immunology Fellowship), Harvard (Neonatal-Perinatal Fellowship)

Her research focuses on developmental biology and neonatal immunity, particularly intestinal stem cell transitions, immune maturation in preterm infants, and the role of WNT2B in intestinal and adrenal disorders. The O'Connell Lab (Neonatal Intestinal and Immune Center for Exploration) investigates necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), Prematurity Related Immune Dysfunction (PRID), and orphan disease characterization.

Recent publications highlight her work on Wnt signaling, microbiome-immunity interactions, and clinical tools for NICU sepsis management. She is certified in Pediatrics, Allergy & Immunology, and Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine by the American Board of Pediatrics.

Dr. O'Connell's lab emphasizes diversity, equity, and translational approaches to neonatal care, including regenerative strategies for intestinal disorders and neonatal gene therapies. She has contributed to understanding immune dysfunction in preterm infants and inflammatory cytokine dynamics in colitis models.