Nathalie Maitre, MD, PhD
Emory University School of Medicine
Nathalie Maitre, MD, PhD, Professor of Pediatrics in Neonatology, Neonatologist at Children’s, and Director of Early Development and Cerebral Palsy Research, initially planned to become a cancer researcher before discovering her passion for caring for infants and children. After earning her PhD in molecular immunology, Dr. Maitre attended medical school to pursue patient-centered research. Over time, she became deeply interested in the neuroscience of the developing brain and focused her work on understanding how the brain recovers from injury and how interventions can improve outcomes for children.
Dr. Maitre’s research spans neuroscience, clinical trials, and healthcare implementation, ranging from studies of individual children’s brain development to global health initiatives aimed at transforming healthcare systems worldwide. Her NIH-funded neuroscience research investigates the mechanisms underlying brain recovery after injury and explores interventions that leverage innovative technologies and actively involve parents in the therapeutic process. By harnessing the neuroplasticity of the infant brain, her work seeks to help infants regain function and achieve healthier developmental trajectories into childhood. Central to Dr. Maitre’s research philosophy is the inclusion of families as key stakeholders in designing studies, selecting meaningful outcomes, and shaping interventions that reflect what matters most to them.