Michael Morowitz, MD, FACS

Professor | University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
March of Dimes
Michael Morowitz

Biography

Dr. Michael Morowitz is a Professor of Surgery at University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. His work as a March of Dimes Basil O’Connor Scholar, focused on 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 with an aim 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.

Education

MD Duke University

General Surgery, Residency Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania

Pediatric Surgery, Fellowship University of Alabama

Honors and recognition

US News Top Doctors - Pediatric Surgeon/Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC (2012)

March of Dimes Basil O’Connor Starter Scholar Research Award (2009)

Surgical Infection, Society Junior Faculty Fellowship (2008 - 2009)

Member, Society of University Surgeons

Neena Schwartz Young Investigator Award in Basic Science from Women in Endocrinology (2016)

Selected publications

  1. Li H, Morowitz M, Thomas N, Wong PK. Rapid Single-Cell Microbiological Analysis: Toward Precision Management of Infections and Dysbiosis. SLAS Technol. 2019 Aug 26:2472630319858922. doi: 10.1177/2472630319858922. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 31448654.
  2. Steen EH, Moles CM, Goldstein AM, Morowitz MJ, Gosain A, Mollen KP, Hackam D, Keswani SG. The Pediatric Surgeon-Scientist: Succeeding in Today's Academic Environment. J Surg Res. 2019 Jul 19;244:502-508. doi: 10.1016/j.jss.2019.06.008. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 31330294.
  3. Gopalakrishna KP, Macadangdang BR, Rogers MB, Tometich JT, Firek BA, Baker R, Ji J, Burr AHP, Ma C, Good M, Morowitz MJ, Hand TW. Maternal IgA protects against the development of necrotizing enterocolitis in preterm infants. Nat Med. 2019 Jul;25(7):1110-1115. doi: 10.1038/s41591-019-0480-9. Epub 2019 Jun 17. PubMed PMID: 31209335.
  4. Olm MR, West PT, Brooks B, Firek BA, Baker R, Morowitz MJ, Banfield JF. Genome-resolved metagenomics of eukaryotic populations during early colonization of premature infants and in hospital rooms. Microbiome. 2019 Feb 15;7(1):26. doi: 10.1186/s40168-019-0638-1. PubMed PMID: 30770768; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC6377789.
  5. Yeh A, Conners EM, Ramos-Jimenez RG, Firek B, Novak EA, Rogers MB, Cheek R, Ozolek J, Mollen KP, Morowitz MJ. Plant-based Enteral Nutrition Modifies the Gut Microbiota and Improves Outcomes in Murine Models of Colitis. Cell Mol Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2019;7(4):872-874.e6. doi: 10.1016/j.jcmgh.2019.01.007. Epub 2019 Feb 1. PubMed PMID: 30716421; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC6522637.
  6. McClanahan D, Yeh A, Firek B, Zettle S, Rogers M, Cheek R, Nguyen MVL, Gayer CP, Wendell SG, Mullett SJ, Morowitz MJ. Pilot Study of the Effect of Plant-Based Enteral Nutrition on the Gut Microbiota in Chronically Ill Tube-Fed Children. JPEN J Parenter Enteral Nutr. 2019 Sep;43(7):899-911. doi: 10.1002/jpen.1504. Epub 2019 Jan 15. PubMed PMID: 30644566.
  7. Orlova E, Yeh A, Shi M, Firek B, Ranganathan S; 23andMe Research Team, Whitcomb DC, Finegold DN, Ferrell RE, Barmada MM, Marazita ML, Hinds DA, Shaffer JR, Morowitz MJ.Genetic association and differential expression of PITX2 with acute appendicitis. Hum Genet. 2018 Nov 3. doi: 10.1007/s00439-018-1956-2. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 30392061.
  8. Di Caro V, Cummings JL, Alcamo AM, Piganelli JD, Clark RSB, Morowitz MJ, Aneja RK. Dietary Cellulose Supplementation Modulates the Immune Response in a Murine Endotoxemia Model. Shock. 2018 May 8. doi: 10.1097/SHK.0000000000001180. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 30080745; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC6222003.
  9. Brooks B, Olm MR, Firek BA, Baker R, Geller-McGrath D, Reimer SR, Soenjoyo KR, Yip JS, Dahan D, Thomas BC, Morowitz MJ, Banfield JF. The developing premature infant gut microbiome is a major factor shaping the microbiome of neonatal intensive care unit rooms. Microbiome. 2018 Jun 20;6(1):112. doi: 10.1186/s40168-018-0493-5. PubMed PMID: 29925423; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC6011520. PMCID: PMC5893878.

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