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College of Medicine: Department of Pediatrics

Megha Sharma, M.D., Ph.D.

Megha Sharma, MD
Associate Professor of Pediatrics
Email: MSharma@uams.edu
Website: Clinical Bio
 

Megha Sharma, MD, PhD is an Associate Professor in the Division of Neonatology whose research is focused on improving outcomes for critically ill newborns through high-impact clinical and translational research. She completed her neonatology fellowship at Children’s Wisconsin, where she trained in pulmonary vascular biology in the laboratory of Dr. Konduri, studying impaired cardiopulmonary adaptation in fetal lambs with pulmonary hypertension.

Dr. Sharma’s research evolved from basic science to patient-oriented clinical investigation, with a focus on implementation science, neonatal respiratory care, and improving the quality and safety of neonatal intensive care. She was selected for the Translational Research Institute’s Implementation Science Scholars Program, where she led a de-implementation study to improve laboratory stewardship in premature infants.

She serves as site principal investigator for multiple multicenter clinical trials, including the NHLBI-funded PIVOTAL trial, the NoNO study, and the OHB-607 (IGF-BP3) study. Dr. Sharma earned both a Master’s degree in Clinical Research and a PhD in Clinical and Translational Science. Her current NIH-funded research investigates the clinical impact of pulse oximeter inaccuracy in critically ill and premature infants, particularly across varying skin pigmentation.

Dr. Sharma has received numerous competitive research awards, including the Marion B. Lyon New Scientist Development Award, an NCATS K12 Mentored Research Career Development Award, an NCATS Clinical and Translational Science Pilot Award, and an NHLBI K23 Career Development Award supporting her work to improve the accuracy and equity of pulse oximetry in neonatal care. Dr. Sharma has led several investigator-initiated research projects and published as first author in leading journals, including JCI Insight, American Journal of Respiratory Cell and Molecular Biology, Pediatrics, and The Journal of Pediatrics.

TRI Research: https://uams-triprofiles.uams.edu/profiles/display/6067541

PEER-REVIEWED JOURNAL PUBLICATIONS
ORCID iD: 0000-0002-9807-1856
My NCBI:
  1. Diamond S, Spray B, Qasim A, Mourani PM, Agarwal A, Angtuaco M, Shukla A, Hall RW, Sharma M. Novel echocardiographic markers for the assessment of pulmonary hypertension in infants. J Perinatol. Published online June 29, 2026. PMID: 42374147. doi:10.1038/s41372-026-02748-0
  2. Krinock DJ, Akmyradov C, Walker SC, Sharma M, Wolf LL, Dassinger MS. Optimal timing of gastrostomy tube placement in neonates requiring tracheostomy. J Perinatol. Published online February 4, 2026. PMID: 41639586. doi:10.1038/s41372-026-02573-5.
  3. Sharma M, Akangire G, Hillman N, Manimtim W, Attard MI, Sampath V. Defining Endotypes of Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia to Improve Precision-Based Therapies in Preterm Infants. Journal of Clinical Investigation Insight. Oct 2025. PMID: 41122965; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC12581658.
  4. Sharma M, Diamond SE, Chancellor J, Chung S, Brown AW, Hester DM, James LP, Schootman M, Mourani PM, Courtney SE. Partial waiver of consent to overcome translational science barriers in neonatal clinical research. J Clin Transl Sci. 2025;9(1):e202. doi: 10.1017/cts.2025.10122. eCollection 2025. PubMed PMID: 40994669; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC12454670.
  5. Sharma M, Brown AW, Chung S, Sexton KW, Schootman M, Mourani PM. Race Is an Incomplete Surrogate for Skin Pigmentation in Neonates, with Potential Relevance for Pulse Oximetry. J Pediatr. 2025 Nov;286:114720. doi: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2025.114720. Epub 2025 Jul 10. PubMed PMID: 40651554; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC12313227.
  6. Sharma M, Pickhardt AJ, McClannahan M, Tong L, Evans M. Objective Assessment and Quantification of Skin Color and Melanin in Neonates and Infants: A State-of-the-Art Review. Pediatric Dermatology, Feb 2025. PMID: 40051289; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC12119217.
  7. Sharma M, Bowman E, Zheng F, Spencer HJ, Shukri S, Gates K, Williams M, Peeples S, Hall RW, Schootman M, Landes SJ, Curran GM. Reducing Iatrogenic Blood Losses in Premature Infants. Pediatrics, Oct 2024.PMID: 39290188, PMCID: PMC11422196.
  8. McArthur E, Murthy K, Zaniletti E, Sharma M, Lagatta J, Hamrick S, Ball M, Levy P, Porta N, Read-vyas S. Neonatal Risk Factors for Pulmonary Vein Stenosis in Severe BPD- a report from the Children’s Hospital Neonatal Consortium. Journal of Pediatrics, 2024. PMID: 39181320.
  9. Dalby ST, Courtney SE, Sharma M, Angtuaco MJ. Transcatheter patent ductus arteriosus closure in premature infants requiring high-frequency ventilation. Cardiol Young. 2024 Apr 11:1-3. doi: 10.1017/S1047951124000702. PMID: 38602097.
  10. Sharma M, Brown AW, Powell NM, Rajaram N, Tong L, Mourani PM, Schootman M. Racial and skin color mediated disparities in pulse oximetry in infants and young children. Paediatr Respir Rev. 2024 Jan 5:S1526-0542(24)00001-0. doi: 10.1016/j.prrv.2023.12.006. PMID: 38233229.
  11. Savrik C, Sharma M, Burrow T, Beavers J. Apnea and acidosis in a newborn. Neoreviews Mar 2024.
  12. Pugh CP, Ali S, Agarwal A, Matlock DN, Sharma M. Dynamic Computed Tomography for Evaluation of Tracheobronchomalacia in Premature Infants with Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2023;10.1002/ppul.26652.
  13. Sharma M, Callan E, Konduri GG. Pulmonary Vasodilator Therapy in Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension of the Newborn. Clin Perinatol. 2022;49(1):103-125.
  14. ElHassan NO, Sharma M, Akmyradov C, Kaiser JR, Goudie A, Nembhard WN. Childhood Educational Outcomes of Children Born with Gastroschisis. J Pediatr. 2022;240:110-116.e3.4
  15. Sharma M, Rana U, Joshi C, et al. Decreased Cyclic Guanosine Monophosphate-Protein Kinase G Signaling Impairs Angiogenesis in a Lamb Model of Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension of the Newborn. Am J Respir Cell Mol Biol. 2021;65(5):555-567.
  16. Sharma M, Hu X, Geddes GC, Acharya K. Microcephalic Newborn with Forehead Nevus Flammeus, Bulging Eyes, and Clenched Fists. Neoreviews. 2019;20(3):e170-e173.
  17. Yadav K, Sharma M, Agarwal S, Bhatia N, Yadav N. Aortic pseudoaneurysm & endocarditis caused by Aerococcus viridans: A case report and literature review. Cardiovasc Revasc Med. 2018;19(2):201-203.
  18. Sharma M, Yadav K, Yadav N, Ferdinand KC. Zika virus pandemic-analysis of Facebook as a social media health information platform. Am J Infect Control. 2017;45(3):301-302.
  19. Sharma M, Yadav K. Zika Virus Pandemic – Misconceptions and its Implications. Clinics Mother Child Health. 2016. doi:10.4172/2090-7214.1000e109.
  20. Yadav K, Sharma M, Ferdinand KC. Proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) inhibitors: Present perspectives and future horizons. Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis. 2016;26(10):853-862.
  21. Srinivasan L, Swarr DT, Sharma M, Cotten CM, Kirpalani H. Systematic Review and Meta-analysis: Gene Association Studies in Neonatal Sepsis. Am J Perinatol. 2017;34(7):684-692.
  22. Sharma M, Calderwood W, Iacobas I. Latero-cervical mass in a teenager proves NOT to be lymphoma. Drexel Medical Journal. 2012.
PEER-REVIEWED BOOK CHAPTERS
  1. Sharma M, Afolayan AJ. Redox Signaling and Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension of the Newborn. Adv Exp Med Biol. 2017;967:277-287. doi: 10.1007/978-3-319-63245-2_16. PMID: 29047092.