About
Research
Overview
I am a physician-scientist trained in Pediatric Critical Care Medicine and Developmental Biology, and my laboratory focuses on the pathogenesis of congenital hydrocephalus. My research program investigates how ependymal cilia and embryonic cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) circulation regulate brain development and contribute to congenital hydrocephalus, a common birth defect (1 in 770 births) associated with significant morbidity and mortality. By pairing optical coherence tomography (OCT) with Xenopus tropicalis, my lab has established an in vivo platform to model human congenital hydrocephalus and directly visualize key hallmarks such as aqueductal stenosis and ventriculomegaly. Our current studies are advancing Xenopus as a model system to compare candidate congenital hydrocephalus genes and distinguish ciliary versus non-ciliary pathogenic mechanisms, guided by the hypothesis that these etiologies drive discrete differences in ventricular morphology, CSF flow network dynamics, and neural progenitor cell fate. Ultimately, we aim to define the pathways linking candidate genes, ventricular development, brain patterning, and ependymal ciliogenesis, and to identify actionable targets for future medical therapies—bridging fundamental developmental biology with the clinical urgency of caring for children with hydrocephalus.
Medical Research Interests
Academic Achievements & Community Involvement
Clinical Care
Overview
Engin Deniz, MD, is a pediatric critical care specialist who says he thrives on taking care of children—and families—during some of their most trying times.
“In the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, we care for patients who are sickest,” Dr. Deniz says. “When a child is struggling because of a birth defect or because of a severe infection or something else that can be life-threatening, just to be next to them and help them is the most appealing aspect of my job.”
When a child comes into the ICU, the entire family becomes part of the medical team and is actively involved in making decisions, Dr. Deniz says. “Here at Yale New Haven Children’s Hospital, parents ‘round’ [when various specialists discuss a patient’s medical care] with us,” he says. “Sometimes, care is adjusted and modified based on a parent’s wishes. A child’s well-being goes hand in hand with a parent’s. This is the tradition here, and it works great.”
Dr. Deniz’s research focuses on understanding the genetics of hydrocephalus, a birth defect in which fluid builds up deep inside the cavities, or ventricles, of the brain. He is also an assistant professor of pediatric critical care at Yale School of Medicine.
Clinical Specialties
Get In Touch
Contacts
Pediatric Critical Care Medicine
PO Box 208064
New Haven, CT 06520-8064
United States
Administrative Support
Locations
Patient Care Locations
Are You a Patient? View this doctor's clinical profile on the Yale Medicine website for information about the services we offer and making an appointment.