Stephanie L. Merhar

Stephanie L. Merhar is Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Cincinnati and Attending Neonatologist at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center. She leads research on neurodevelopmental outcomes of high-risk infants, particularly those exposed to opioids.

Research pillars include:

• Neuroimaging correlates of prenatal substance exposure
• Long-term developmental trajectories of NICU graduates
• Clinical biomarkers for neonatal neurotoxicity

Recent studies examine brain volumetric changes and neurobehavioral patterns in opioid-exposed newborns. Her team collaborates with NICHD Neonatal Research Network sites on multi-center trials.

As Research Director of the NICU Follow-Up Clinic, she oversees longitudinal assessments and coordinates NIH-funded projects on perinatal neuroprotection.