Information

Related Research Units

The Manton Center for Orphan Disease Research
Newborn Medicine Research
O'Connell Lab Research

Research Overview

Dr. O'Connell is the lead investigator in the Neonatal intestinal and immune Center for Exploration (NiiCE). Our lab is focused on understanding development of the neonatal and infant intestine and immune system under normal and disease conditions. Conditions we study in the lab include premature intestinal disease including necrotizing enterocolitis, immune function of the neonate, and genetic orphan diseases. Our lab also aims to foster inclusivity and equity in research.


Role of Wnt2b in the intestine

  1. Role of Wnt2b in the intestine
  2. Regulation of early intestinal development
  3. Orphan disease characterization
  4. Modeling tissue specific immune development

Research Background

Dr. O'Connell is a traditional MD/PhD physician scientist committed to excellence in both clinical care and scientific investigation. She has distinguished clinical expertise in neonatal immunity and neonatal intestinal disease, and research expertise in innate immunity, orphan disease characterization, and intestinal epithelial biology.

Education

Undergraduate School

Merrimack College
2002 North Andover MA

Medical School

Jefferson Medical College, Thomas Jefferson University
2009 Philadelphia PA

Internship

Fletcher Allen Health Care, University of Vermont
2010 Burlington VT

Residency

Pediatrics Fletcher Allen Health Care, University of Vermont
2012 Burlington VT

Fellowship

Allergy & Immunology Boston Children's Hospital
2014 Boston MA

Fellowship

Harvard Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine Training Program
2016 Boston MA

Publications

  1. Immunoglobulin therapy for the fetus and neonate. Arch Dis Child Fetal Neonatal Ed. 2026 Feb 11. View Abstract
  2. Loss of WNT2B Increases Progression from Dysplasia to Colorectal Cancer. bioRxiv. 2025 Aug 26. View Abstract
  3. Necrotizing enterocolitis causes increased ileal goblet cell loss in Wnt2b KO mice. bioRxiv. 2025 Jan 07. View Abstract
  4. Cataloguing the postnatal small intestinal transcriptome during the first postnatal month. bioRxiv. 2024 Dec 27. View Abstract
  5. A 4-Month-Old With Jaundice, Lethargy, and Emesis. Pediatrics. 2024 Oct 01; 154(4). View Abstract
  6. Non-canonical Wnt signaling triggered by WNT2B drives adrenal aldosterone production. bioRxiv. 2024 Aug 24. View Abstract
  7. M1 and M2 Macrophages Differentially Regulate Colonic Crypt Renewal. Inflamm Bowel Dis. 2024 07 03; 30(7):1138-1150. View Abstract
  8. Applying the bronchopulmonary dysplasia framework to necrotizing enterocolitis. Front Pediatr. 2024; 12:1388392. View Abstract
  9. WNT2B Deficiency Causes Enhanced Susceptibility to Colitis Due to Increased Inflammatory Cytokine Production. Cell Mol Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2024; 18(2):101349. View Abstract
  10. Antimicrobial peptides modulate lung injury by altering the intestinal microbiota. Microbiome. 2023 10 16; 11(1):226. View Abstract
  11. Outcomes of hematopoietic stem cell gene therapy for Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome. Blood. 2023 10 12; 142(15):1281-1296. View Abstract
  12. WNT2B Deficiency Causes Increased Susceptibility to Colitis in Mice and Impairs Intestinal Epithelial Development in Humans. bioRxiv. 2023 Apr 22. View Abstract
  13. Ectopic Rod Photoreceptor Development in Mice with Genetic Deficiency of WNT2B. Cells. 2023 03 28; 12(7). View Abstract
  14. Antimicrobial peptides modulate lung injury by altering the intestinal microbiota. bioRxiv. 2023 Mar 15. View Abstract
  15. A sepsis trigger tool reduces time to antibiotic administration in the NICU. J Perinatol. 2023 06; 43(6):806-812. View Abstract
  16. Premature Infants Have Normal Maturation of the T Cell Receptor Repertoire at Term. Front Immunol. 2022; 13:854414. View Abstract
  17. Insights into the Role of Commensal-Specific T Cells in Intestinal Inflammation. J Inflamm Res. 2022; 15:1873-1887. View Abstract
  18. Identifying Neonates at Lowest Risk for Sepsis. Pediatrics. 2022 02 01; 149(2). View Abstract
  19. Inborn Errors of Immunity in the Premature Infant: Challenges in Recognition and Diagnosis. Front Immunol. 2021; 12:758373. View Abstract
  20. Novel variants in the stem cell niche factor WNT2B define the disease phenotype as a congenital enteropathy with ocular dysgenesis. Eur J Hum Genet. 2021 06; 29(6):998-1007. View Abstract
  21. Gene and Stem Cell Therapies for Fetal Care: A Review. JAMA Pediatr. 2020 10 01; 174(10):985-991. View Abstract
  22. Primary immunodeficiency testing in a Massachusetts tertiary care NICU: persistent challenges in the extremely premature population. Pediatr Res. 2021 02; 89(3):549-553. View Abstract
  23. Hypersensitivity to tetracyclines: Skin testing, graded challenge, and desensitization regimens. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol. 2020 06; 124(6):589-593. View Abstract
  24. Risk-factors Associated With Poor Outcomes in VEO-IBD Secondary to XIAP Deficiency: A Case Report and Literature Review. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr. 2019 07; 69(1):e13-e18. View Abstract
  25. Primary Immunodeficiency in the NICU. Neoreviews. 2019 02; 20(2):e67-e78. View Abstract
  26. Mammalian Hbs1L deficiency causes congenital anomalies and developmental delay associated with Pelota depletion and 80S monosome accumulation. PLoS Genet. 2019 02; 15(2):e1007917. View Abstract
  27. Duplicate skin prick testing in the assessment of food allergy. J Allergy Clin Immunol Pract. 2019 Feb; 7(2):675-677. View Abstract
  28. Neonatal-Onset Chronic Diarrhea Caused by Homozygous Nonsense WNT2B Mutations. Am J Hum Genet. 2018 07 05; 103(1):131-137. View Abstract
  29. NeoReviews. Perinatal Transient Myeloproliferative Disorder in Trisomy 21. 2016; 17(11):e636-e644. View Abstract
  30. Next generation sequencing reveals skewing of the T and B cell receptor repertoires in patients with wiskott-Aldrich syndrome. Front Immunol. 2014; 5:340. View Abstract
  31. Paravertebral mushroom: identification of a novel species of Phellinus as a human pathogen in chronic granulomatous disease. J Clin Microbiol. 2014 Jul; 52(7):2726-9. View Abstract
  32. Successful desensitization to brentuximab vedotin after anaphylaxis. Clin Lymphoma Myeloma Leuk. 2014 Apr; 14(2):e73-5. View Abstract
  33. Human and mouse macrophages collaborate with neutrophils to kill larval Strongyloides stercoralis. Infect Immun. 2013 Sep; 81(9):3346-55. View Abstract
  34. Major basic protein from eosinophils and myeloperoxidase from neutrophils are required for protective immunity to Strongyloides stercoralis in mice. Infect Immun. 2011 Jul; 79(7):2770-8. View Abstract
  35. Soluble extract from the nematode Strongyloides stercoralis induces CXCR2 dependent/IL-17 independent neutrophil recruitment. Microbes Infect. 2011 Jun; 13(6):536-44. View Abstract
  36. IL-4(-/-) mice with lethal Mesocestoides corti infections--reduced Th2 cytokines and alternatively activated macrophages. Parasite Immunol. 2009 Dec; 31(12):741-9. View Abstract

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