Katherine Guttmann, MD, MBE, Assistant Professor, Division of Newborn Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Brookdale Department of Geriatrics and Palliative Care

Biography

Dr. Katherine Guttmann is a neonatologist and palliative care researcher dedicated to improving communication and care for neonatal and pediatric serious illness. She earned her medical degree and a master’s degree in bioethics from the Ruth and Raymond Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, where she was awarded a NIHT35 through National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) to support her research, culminating in a published book entitled Ethical Issues in Child Abuse Research. Dr. Guttmann completed her Pediatrics residency and a Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine fellowship at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, where she developed her expertise in both clinical care and research.

In 2019, Dr. Guttmann was recruited to join the faculty at Mount Sinai as a clinician-scientist and Assistant Professor in the Department of Pediatrics. Attracted by the exceptional mentorship and a comprehensive research support package—including 75% protected time for research, a competitive salary, and $250,000 for a research coordinator—Dr. Guttmann established her career at Mount Sinai.

Since joining Mount Sinai, Dr. Guttmann has achieved remarkable success. Her research has been supported by prestigious awards, including a foundation career development award through the National Palliative Care Research Center in 2022, a KL2 from the NIH in 2024, and the Mount Sinai Distinguished Scholar Award. She has also received funding from the Friedman Brain Institute and the Mindich Institute for Child Health and Development.

Dr. Guttmann has published 29 articles, including 18 as first author and 4 as senior author. Her work explores critical topics such as parental perspectives on Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) communication, optimizing goals-of-care discussions, implementing serious illness communication training for pediatric clinicians, and defining neonatal serious illness. She has presented her findings nationally and internationally and has earned recognition for her contributions to the field as a palliative care researcher and serious illness communication skills educator. These contributions led to her being named a Kornfeld Scholar by the National Palliative Care Research Center and being selected for an early career investigator spotlight in the journal, “Pediatric Research.”

Dr. Guttmann credits the early support and mentorship she received at Mount Sinai for her ability to build a robust research program and foster growth within her division and department. Now five years into her faculty appointment, she continues to advance neonatal and pediatric palliative care while mentoring the next generation of clinician-scientists.