This series on “Necrotizing Enterocolotis” is edited by Dr. Josef Neu, University of Florida, Gainsville, Florida, USA. The main purpose of this series is to provide an overview of what is currently termed “Necrotizing Enterocolitis” or “NEC”. Historical aspects, current understanding, and future pathways for better clarifying, predicting, preventing, diagnosing, and treating various forms of intestinal injury and dysfunction which is currently called “NEC” in the neonate will be discussed.

Josef Neu
University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA

Dr. Josef Neu, MD, is Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Florida. He did his medical school training at the University of Wisconsin, was a pediatric resident at Johns Hopkins and a postdoctoral neonatology fellow at Stanford University.  He also pursued additional research training at the University of Bern (Switzerland) on basic mechanisms affecting intracellular processing of lactase in the intestinal epithelium. He is internationally recognized for his research in developmental gastroenterology and nutrition and has most recently focused his research efforts on the intestinal microbiome, metabolome, and mucosal immunology. Dr Neu also maintains an active interest in residency and fellowship training. He served as National chairman of the organization of Neonatal Training Program Directors (ONTPD) for 2 years. He is on the editorial board of 7 journals, has served on numerous NIH study sections and is also active in international education; as a member of International Postgraduate Organization for Knowledge Transfer Research and Teaching Excellent Students (IPOKRaTES), he has organized seminars in neonatal gastroenterology and nutrition innumerous countries. He is currently Chairman of the Board of the IPOKRaTES Foundation. Dr. Neu has been involved in the direct mentorship of over 20 postdoctoral M.D. neonatology fellows, three pediatric gastroenterology fellow, approximately 15 visiting international scholars, 3 Ph.D. postdoctoral fellows, over 20 undergraduate independent study students (the majority of whom have gone on to medical, veterinary or graduate school in the sciences). He has also mentored 15 high school students in his laboratory.

Series outline

1. Necrotizing Enterocolotis
2. Introduction and Historical Aspects and where may we be going in the future: Getting rid of NEC
3. Current Diagnosis of Intestinal Injuries in preterm infants----clinical, laboratory and imag-ing
4. Medical and Surgical Management of Necrotizing Enterocolitis: A critical evaluation of the Evidence
5. Feeding composition as a strategy for preventing NEC
6. Necrotizing Enterocolitis: A Chinese Perspective
7. Is NEC perceived differently depending on Geographic Region?
8. Prevention of NEC using microbial Therapies
9. The Future: Eliminating “NEC”
10. Genetics of Intestinal Injury and Dysfunction in the Preterm Neonate
11. Protective Cellular components of the Preterm Intestinal Immune System
12. The Intestinal Microcirculation in Preterm Infants

Disclosure:
The series “Necrotizing Enterocolotis” is commissioned by the editorial office, Pediatric Medicine without any sponsorship or funding. Josef Neu serves as the unpaid Guest Editor for the series.