Monica Longo

Dr. Longo, an obstetrician-gynecologist with subspecialty training in maternal-fetal medicine, joined NICHD in 2021 and has since taken on various roles. She currently serves as the project scientist for the Maternal Fetal Medicine Units (MFMU) Network and the Global Network for Women’s and Children’s Health Research and is a program officer for several clinical trials. In addition to leading several initiatives in maternal morbidity and mortality, adverse pregnancy outcomes, and stillbirth, Dr. Longo also manages a portfolio on advancing innovative technologies and interventions to enhance maternal and fetal assessment during pregnancy. Understanding maternal physiological adaptations to pregnancy, specifically the association between cardiovascular and metabolic diseases in both mother and offspring, remains a primary focus of her work. 

Dr. Longo obtained her medical degree in 1996 from the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Modena, Italy. In June 1997, she joined the research team at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston (UTMB), where she earned her master’s degree and then her doctoral degree in preventive medicine and community health. During her residency training in obstetrics and gynecology at UTMB, Dr. Longo Dr. Longo developed a groundbreaking model of fetal programming, with funding from NICHD and the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. 

In 2013, Dr. Longo joined the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHSC), where she established a basic science research laboratory to study pregnancy complications using various animal models. She also completed her fellowship training in maternal-fetal medicine, while serving as an active UTHSC faculty member and contributing to both clinical and research activities. 

Dr. Longo's ultimate goal, both at NICHD and throughout her overall professional journey, is to improve outcomes for both mothers and children during all stages of life, starting from preconception and extending into later life. Throughout her career, she has mentored numerous graduate students, fellows, residents, and faculty members.