Dr. Jacob V. Aranda Receives the American Academy of Pediatrics 2022 Landmark Award

By Office of Communications & Marketing | May 16, 2022

Congratulations to Jacob V. Aranda, M.D., Ph.D., FRCPC, FAAP, director of Neonatology and the Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine Fellowship Program. He is also a professor, neonatologist, and clinical and biochemical pharmacologist in the Pediatrics and Ophthalmology departments. Dr. Aranda recently received the prestigious American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) 2022 Landmark Award.

The AAP Landmark Award recognizes and honors an individual's contribution that has substantially changed neonatology practice.

Dr. Aranda’s pioneering work and extensive clinical and translational research on the use of caffeine citrate to treat apnea of prematurity has impacted countless newborns and is instrumental in the daily work of the neonatology community worldwide.

Babies born prematurely have immature brain-respiratory centers. As a result, almost all of them often stop breathing, resulting in potential brain and organ injury. Caffeine improves their breathing and exerts many beneficial effects that last for many years as they grow. 

The American Academy of Pediatrics established the Landmark Award in 2001. Its first awardee was a posthumous honor given to Downstate’s Audrey K. Brown, M.D., FAAP, professor and director of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology from 1974-91. Dr. Brown was recognized for her pioneering work in preventing brain damage due to bilirubin in newborn babies.

We are proud to count two Downstate faculty as recipients of the prestigious landmark Award.