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Cynthia L Blanco, M.D.

Professor of Pediatrics with Tenure

Division Chief

Greehey Family Foundation Chair in Neonatology Research

Dr. Blanco is a Professor of Pediatrics with Tenure. Dr. Blanco completed her undergraduate studies and received her MD at the Universidad de Guadalajara in Guadalajara, Jalisco Mexico. She completed her residency in Pediatrics at Texas Tech University and her Post-Doctoral degree in Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine at the University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio with a Masters in Clinical Investigation. Dr. Blanco serves as a member of the Committee on Nutrition for the American Academy of Pediatrics. She is heavily involved in clinical and translational research. Her research interests are in parenteral and enteral nutrition of the critically ill neonate. Her research focuses on the fetal and neonatal environmental exposures and the effect on glucose metabolism and insulin signaling pathways. Specifically, the ontogeny of gluconeogenesic pathways, pancreatic development and insulin resistance and the alterations when exposed to antenatal steroids and prematurity. She also investigates the effect of intravenous Amino Acid supplementation in ELBW infants and relationship to infants’ metabolism. Her clinical research focus includes enteral nutrition strategies to decrease the incidence of necrotizing enterocolitis with exclusive human nutrition and the biochemical markers involved in pasteurized human milk in relationship with gastrointestinal disease. Due to her passion a Neonatal Nutrition and Bone Institute was established under her leadership at University Hospital San Antonio. In this Institute, body composition analyses can be performed utilizing DXA, body air displacement plethysmography and ultrasound bone scans. In this Institute, we have implemented the utilization of novel therapies such as Intravenous Fish oil and novel markers of liver disease for infants with Parenteral Nutrition Associated Liver disease and short bowel syndrome as a resource to bridge neonates to liver transplant and/or survive them without transplant. Dr. Blanco believes we will continue to improve the health of neonates, children and adults by improving nutrition and metabolism at an early age