Katherine Elizabeth Chetta

Katherine Elizabeth Chetta, M.D., serves as an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics in the College of Medicine at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC), practicing neonatology at Shawn Jenkins Children's Hospital in Charleston. Her clinical focus centers on critically ill newborns in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), with specialized expertise in preterm infant care and nutritional management.

Dr. Chetta completed her educational journey with a B.S. in Chemistry (Honors) from the University of Kansas (2005), followed by her M.D. from Baylor College of Medicine (2009) where she earned Alpha Omega Alpha (AOA) distinction and High Honors. She completed Pediatrics Residency (2013) and Neonatology Fellowship (2016) at Baylor College of Medicine and the University of Texas Health & Science Center in Houston.

Her research program investigates critical aspects of neonatal nutrition, particularly the biochemical properties of human milk and its role in preventing gastrointestinal disorders. Key focus areas include necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) pathogenesis, free fatty acid metabolism in preterm milk, maternal vitamin D impacts on infant immunity, and quality improvement initiatives for human milk utilization. Collaborations span the Digestive Disease Research Center Core and Darby Children's Research Institute at MUSC, integrating laboratory science with clinical epidemiology.

Analysis of her 15 most recent publications reveals dominant research trajectories: (1) Human milk composition and storage effects on infant outcomes, (2) NEC risk stratification through clinical/laboratory markers and imaging, (3) Social determinants of growth in preterm infants, and (4) Microbiome interactions with milk components. Her work bridges basic science (in vitro cytotoxicity studies) with clinical implementation (NICU quality improvement).

Scientific recognition includes:

• Induction into Alpha Omega Alpha (AOA) Honor Medical Society

Dr. Chetta actively collaborates with multidisciplinary teams across MUSC's research infrastructure, though specific grant details aren't provided in source materials. Her mentorship extends to medical trainees within the neonatology division, focusing on translational research methodologies. Current projects emphasize standardizing NEC diagnostic protocols and optimizing human milk feeding systems for vulnerable infants.

She contributes to laboratory-based investigations at the Darby Children's Research Institute, particularly studying HAMLET complexes in human milk and their effects on intestinal cell metabolism. Her clinical work directly informs ongoing quality improvement initiatives aimed at increasing mother's own milk usage rates in the NICU.