Chintan Gandhi

Chintan Gandhi, MD, MBBS is an Associate Professor in the Department of Pediatrics at Penn State College of Medicine, specializing in Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine. He joined Penn State Health Children's Hospital in 2018 and serves as a practicing neonatologist with extensive research expertise in pulmonary biology and neonatal respiratory disorders.

Dr. Gandhi's research focuses on understanding the impact of surfactant protein-A (SP-A) genetic variants on pulmonary diseases, with particular emphasis on respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) pathogenesis, host-pathogen interactions, and innate immune responses to infections. His work integrates genetic and molecular approaches to develop better understanding of neonatal respiratory failure mechanisms. He has established a neonatal transgenic mouse model of RSV infection carrying SP-A genetic variants to study disease pathogenesis.

His recent publications demonstrate expertise in genetic susceptibility for respiratory disorders, with significant contributions to understanding how SP-A variants influence disease outcomes in neonates and children. His research spans molecular mechanisms, clinical implications, and translational applications of genetic findings to improve neonatal care.

• Dean's Award for Excellence in Teaching (2024)
• Young Investigator Travel Award (2017, 2018)

Dr. Gandhi serves as site principal investigator for the NIH-funded clinical trial NICU Antibiotics and Outcomes (NANO) and leads research projects funded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. His NIH KO8 grant supports his career development in neonatal pulmonary research. He collaborates with multidisciplinary teams to translate research findings into tangible patient benefits, focusing on improving outcomes for infants with respiratory conditions.

His laboratory work centers on genetic variants of surfactant proteins and their relationship to neonatal respiratory outcomes, with particular attention to how these variants influence susceptibility to viral infections and lung injury.