Michael Morowitz MD, FACS

Dr. Michael Morowitz is a Professor of Surgery at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. His work as a March of Dimes Basil O’Connor Scholar focused on the comparison of gut microbes in formula-fed and breastfed preterm infants to determine if there are characteristics in the gut microbiome that could increase the likelihood of intestinal disorders, including Necrotizing Enterocolitis (NEC). Dr. Morowitz’s research group focuses on changes in gut microbiota during critical illness to develop strategies to reverse antibiotic – and diet-induced alterations in the microbiome. Dr. Morowitz is currently leading the NICHD-funded NANO (NICU Antibiotics and Outcomes) Trial, a placebo-controlled and blinded study of how antibiotic treatment in the first days of life impacts clinical outcomes for very low birthweight preterm infants.