Departments & Divisions
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
2022 Founders Award, Southern Society for Pediatric Research, for significant contributions to the health care of children
2019 Health Cell State of the Industry Awardee for research in babies requiring IV Fish oil
2018 Collette M. Kohler Women in Medicine Leadership Award, Leaders in Bexar County
2018 Miracle Gala Physician from University Hospital
2014 Clinical Excellence Award, Awarded by UTHSCSA
1997 Medical School Valedictorian
2021 Randomized controlled trial to decrease length of stay in infants with Neonatal abstinence syndrome with an exclusive human milk diet
2021- Detecting atypical neonatal cries as a dimension of developmental neuropsychiatric disorders
2021 A Randomized, Double-Blind, Controlled, Clinical Trial to Evaluate the Risk of Developing Essential Fatty Acid Deficiency in Pediatric Patients
2021 Closing the gaps in neonatal nutrition through data science
2021 A Multicenter, Prospective, Controlled, Longitudinal-Cohort Study Assessing the Safety of Omegaven in Pediatric Patients with PNAC
2015 A randomized controlled study to evaluate growth velocity in cardiac infant
Funding Agency San Antonio Medical Fondation Title San Antonio Medical Foundation Status Active Period 8/2016 - 7/2017 Role Principal Investigator Grant Detail The objective of this study is to determine the effects of maternal obesity and diabetes on infantile body composition, growth and epigenetic changes related to free fatty acid/glucose metabolism and diabetes. Body composition is measured serially utilizing the air displacement plethysmography and dual-enegry X-ray absorptiometry. Cord blood is collected for analyses of promoter methylation status of key genes in the insulin signaling, glucose metabolism and free fatty acid pathways.
Funding Agency Bexar County Hospital District Title University Health System Status Active Period 12/2015 - 12/2017 Role Principal Investigator Grant Detail The primary goal of this project is to investigate the effect of hyperglycemia on pancreatic development and peripheral insulin signaling at critical periods of development. The central hypothesis is that prematurity has decreased pancreatic function and further impairments of insulin signaling in skeletal muscle when compared with prematurity not exposed to adverse postnatal environment (hyperglycemia). Pancreatic function is assessed by hyperglycemic clamps and compared to histological endocrine cell development utilizing the CAST system. Insulin signaling molecules and glucose transporters are measured at basal and insulin-stimulated state in skeletal muscle.
Funding Agency Title Clinical Investigator Kickstart Program.Short and long term effects of maternal obesity and diabetes on infantile body composition and epigenetics. Status Active Period 8/2017 - 7/2018 Role Principal Investigator Grant Detail The primary goal of this project is to determine if differentially methylated regions in cord blood of infants of mothers with gestational diabetes and obesity are associated with increased adiposity in offspring. Body composition is measured serially (birth, 3 months and 1 year) by utilizing the air displacement plethysmography and dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry. Methylation status of key genes in the insulin signaling, glucose metabolism, and free fatty acid pathways are measured at 1 year of age. Funding Agency
Title Subaward Agreement Utrecht Medisch Centrum (UMC) Status Active Period 6/2014 - 7/2022 Role Co-Investigator Grant Detail Human Mesenchymal Stem Cell Treatment.
The goal of our experiment is to investigate whether human Mesenchymal Stem Cells when given intranasally are capable of migrating to a cerebral lesion. The main purpose is to offer additional treatment options to newborns born with a global brain injury.
02/2014-02/2015 President, Southern Society for Pediatric Research
01/2014-2015 NIH Committee for the Pre-B Project
10/2022 IIMS/CSTA Pilot projects Internal Reviewer
07/2019 LSOM Pilot Program Internal Reviewer
03/2017 SNPRC pilot grant Internal Reviewer
02/2016 CTSA UT System Pannel External Reviewer
09/2008-07/2016 Pediatric Scholarship Oversight Committee
7/2021 - present Committee on Nutrition, American Academy of Pediatrics
04/2018-2022 State Government Perinatal Advisory Council, Texas Health and Human Services Commission Co-Chair
Book Chapter
1. Blanco CL. Approach to an infant with congenital heart disease In: In: Toy EC, Toy AL, Eds. Case Files Teaching Case Collection. New YorK: McGraw-Hill Publishers; 2019.
2. Blanco CL. Amino Acid Nutritional Therapy in the low birth weight infant In: Diet and Nutrition in Critical care. 2014.
3. Blanco CL, Ferry RJ. IGF axis in the Fetus and the Neonate In: IGF axis in the Fetus and the Neonate. Humana Press; 2005. p. 133 - 143.
Journal Article
Dr. Blanco's expertise is in neonatal nutrition. 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, we have implemented the utilization of novel therapies such as Intravenous Fish oil for infants with Parenteral Nutrition Associated Liver disease and short bowel syndrome to bridge neonates to liver transplant and/or survive them without transplant.