Anna Penn, MD

Biography

Anna Penn, MD, PhD, is a clinical neonatologist and developmental neuroscientist at Children's National Health System. She is an Associate Professor of Pediatrics in the Division of Fetal and Transitional Medicine, with additional appointments in the Division of Neonatology and the Center for Neuroscience Research. In addition, she is the director of translational research in the Center for Hospital Based Specialties. Dr. Penn conducts translational work aimed at understanding and ameliorating preterm brain injury. Specifically, she studies the role of placental function in fetal brain development and damage, with the goal of developing new therapeutic agents to protect the brain in sick newborns.

Specialties

Education & Training

• Fellowship Program, Neonatology, 2003
  Stanford University Medical Center
• Residency Program, Pediatrics, 2000
  University of California-SF/Stanford Health Care
• Internship Program, Pediatrics, 1999
  University of California-SF/Stanford Health Care
• MD, 1998
  Stanford University School of Medicine
• PhD, 1998
  Stanford University School of Medicine
• AB, 1989
  Harvard-Radcliffe College

Patient Stories: Anna Penn

Mila's Story

As soon as Mila was born at 35.5 gestational weeks, it was clear something was terribly wrong. Mila’s breathing didn’t sound right. Her mother waited to hear her newborn cry. Following diagnostic imaging and genetic testing, her newborn daughter's health concerns were revealed. 

News

Placental ALLO levels rise during pregnancy and peak as fetuses approach full term

May 08, 2018

The placenta ramps up production of the hormone allopregnanolone in the second trimester of pregnancy and achieves peak production just as fetuses approach full term, according to multi-institutional research presented during the Pediatric Academic Societies 2018 annual meeting.

Research & Publications

Global hormone profiling of murine placenta reveals Secretin expression

(2011) Placenta

Intrauterine growth restriction alters hippocampal expression and chromatin structure of Cyp19a1 variants

(2010) Systems Biology in Reproductive Medicine

Neonatal CSF oxytocin levels are associated with parental report of infant soothability and sociability

(2013) Psychoneuroendocrinology

Sex Differences in a Hypoxia Model of Preterm Brain Damage

(2009) Pediatric Resident

Sexspecific cognitive deficits and regional brain volume loss in mice exposed to chronic sublethal hypoxia

(2011) Pediatric Resident

The Lost Neuroendocrine Organ

(2010) NeoReviews