Anish Pillai

MBBS, MD, DrNB

Affiliate Investigator, BC Children's Hospital
Consultant Staff Neonatologist and Assistant Professor, Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, Surya Hospitals

Premature babies are vulnerable and prone to poor postnatal growth. Fortified mothers’ milk is the best feed for tiny babies, and fortification of human milk is standard practice in NICUs across the globe. However, there is lack of consensus regarding the best fortification strategy. Our research focuses on refining fortification practices and improving growth outcomes of premature infants. Early growth in small babies plays an important role in long term neurodevelopment. Individualized fortification of human milk after daily analysis of milk macronutrient content can improve nutrient intake and weight gain in premature infants. However, use of commercial milk analyzers is not feasible in most settings. We have recently developed and validated a bedside color-based tool, that can help in estimation of human milk calorie content. This tool, along with existing clinical and laboratory parameter will help in improving clinical outcomes of tiny babies. Our vision is to develop a smartphone camera-based app which can estimate the calorie content of human milk with a simple click of the camera. This study would improve the feeding practices for preterm infants globally and would be crucial in improving nutrition and growth outcomes for these tiny and sick babies.

Academic Affiliations

  • Research Theme: Healthy Starts
  • Research Group(s): Clinical Practice, Outcomes and Innovation; Global Health and Innovations; Origins of Child Health and Disease

Contact Information

Location

Surya Hospitals, 101-102, Mangal Ashirwad, SV Road, Hasmukh Nagar, Santacruz West, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India, 400054

Regarding Early Vitamin D Supplementation In Infants Born Extremely Preterm

The Journal of Pediatrics

Anish Pillai and Ayush Kumar and Prashali Patil and Poonam Sawant

DOI: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2025.114851

10 / 2025

Intratracheal Administration of Budesonide with Surfactant for Prevention of Death or Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia in Extremely Low Birth Weight Infants: A before-after Study

American Journal of Perinatology

Pillai, A. and Kabra, N. and Kothavade, S. and Chevle, A. and Sakharkar, S. and Tiwari, D. and Choubey, R. and Balasubramanian, H.

DOI: 10.1055/a-2506-2893

Peripheral Vein Cannulation in Neonates: Is Skin Transillumination the Way Forward?

Neonatology

Pillai, A. and Sidaraddi, S. and Ghawade, A.P. and Moralwar, P.

DOI: 10.1159/000540575

Effect of Minimization of Early Blood Sampling Losses Among Extremely Premature Neonates: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Journal of Pediatrics

Balasubramanian, H. and Bhanushali, M. and Tripathi, V. and Srinivasan, L. and Sakharkar, S. and Pillai, A. and Kabra, N.S.

DOI: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2024.114002

Human Milk Calorie Guide: A Novel Color-Based Tool to Estimate the Calorie Content of Human Milk for Preterm Infants

Nutrients

Pillai, A. and Albersheim, S. and Niknafs, N. and Maugo, B. and Rasmussen, B. and Lam, M. and Grewal, G. and Albert, A. and Elango, R.

DOI: 10.3390/nu15081866

COVID-19 Disease in Under-5 Children: Current Status and Strategies for Prevention including Vaccination

Vaccines

Pillai, A. and Nayak, A. and Tiwari, D. and Pillai, P.K. and Pandita, A. and Sakharkar, S. and Balasubramanian, H. and Kabra, N.

DOI: 10.3390/vaccines11030693

Liquid gold: do we need to fraction fresh colostrum for oral immunotherapy in premature infants?

International Breastfeeding Journal

Pillai, A. and Jhaveri, I. and Sakharkar, S. and Kabra, N.

DOI: 10.1186/s13006-022-00471-y

Urinary beta-2 microglobulin as an early predictive biomarker of acute kidney injury in neonates with perinatal asphyxia

European Journal of Pediatrics

Abdullah and Kadam, P. and Yachha, M. and Srivastava, G. and Pillai, A. and Pandita, A.

DOI: 10.1007/s00431-021-04205-w

Comment on Erythropoietin Improves Poor Outcomes in Preterm Infants with Intraventricular Hemorrhage

CNS Drugs

Anita Chevle and Anish Pillai and Nandkishor Kabra

DOI: 10.1007/s40263-021-00857-2

10 / 2021

Use of high-dose early parenteral lipid in very preterm infants

The Journal of Pediatrics

Khushboo Kanwal and Anish Pillai and Nandkishor Kabra

DOI: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2021.01.063

05 / 2021

Corrected fortification approach improves the protein and energy content of preterm human milk compared with standard fixed-dose fortification

Archives of Disease in Childhood - Fetal and Neonatal Edition

Anish Pillai and Susan Gail Albersheim and Kaitlin Berris and Arianne Y Albert and Horacio Osiovich and Rajavel Elango

DOI: 10.1136/archdischild-2019-317503

05 / 2021

Effect of Early Parent Participation Program on Physiological Stability in Preterm Infants: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

American journal of perinatology

DOI: 10.1055/s-0041-1726126 PubMed: 33757140

03 / 2021

Aerosolized Surfactant: What Is the Cost of Avoiding Intubation?

Pediatrics

DOI: 10.1542/peds.2020-047985a PubMed: 33637644

03 / 2021

Providing Positive End-Expiratory Pressure during Neonatal Resuscitation: A Meta-analysis

American Journal of Perinatology

Bellos, I. and Pillai, A. and Pandita, A.

DOI: 10.1055/a-1933-7235

Perinatal COVID-19: review of current evidence and practical approach towards prevention and management

European Journal of Pediatrics

Venkateshwarlu Vardhelli and Aakash Pandita and Anish Pillai and Susanta Kumar Badatya

DOI: 10.1007/s00431-020-03866-3

11 / 2020

Does probiotic bacteremia in premature infants impact clinically relevant outcomes? A case report and updated review of literature

Clinical Nutrition ESPEN

Anish Pillai and Jason Tan and Vanessa Paquette and Julia Panczuk

DOI: 10.1016/j.clnesp.2020.05.020

10 / 2020

Pathogenesis and Management of Indirect Hyperbilirubinemia in Preterm Neonates Less Than 35 Weeks: Moving Toward a Standardized Approach

NeoReviews

Anish Pillai and Aakash Pandita and Horacio Osiovich and Deepak Manhas

DOI: 10.1542/neo.21-5-e298

05 / 2020

Leucocyte adhesion defect presenting as fulminant sepsis in a new born.

BMJ case reports

DOI: 10.1136/bcr-2018-227065 PubMed: 31471353

08 / 2019

High-dose parenteral amino acid intake in very low birthweight infants

Current Opinion in Clinical Nutrition and Metabolic Care

DOI: 10.1097/mco.0000000000000560

05 / 2019

Is kangaroo mother care effective in alleviating vaccination associated pain in early infantile period? A RCT

Early Human Development

Aakash Pandita and Astha Panghal and Girish Gupta and Anup Verma and Anish Pillai and Anita Singh and Kirti Naranje

DOI: 10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2018.10.001

12 / 2018

Evaluation of A Concentrated Preterm Formula as a Liquid Human Milk Fortifier in Preterm Babies at Increased Risk of Feed Intolerance

Nutrients

Anish Pillai and Susan Albersheim and Julie Matheson and Vikki Lalari and Sylvia Wei and Sheila M Innis and Rajavel Elango

DOI: 10.3390/nu10101433

10 / 2018

Infant of diabetic mother: what one needs to know?

The Journal of Maternal-Fetal & Neonatal Medicine

DOI: 10.1080/14767058.2018.1494710

09 / 2018

Hypertension in the Neonatal Period: An Update

Current Hypertension Reviews

DOI: 10.2174/1573402112666161129155224

01 / 2017

Perinatal Care

Journal of Neonatology

Ranjan Kumar Pejaver and Vidyalekshmi R and Femitha P and Anish Pillai

DOI: 10.1177/0973217920150104

03 / 2015

Potentially Good Practices that are Associated with Better Neurodevelomental Outcomes

Journal of Neonatology

Naveen Jain and Sourabh Dutta and Femitha P and Anish Pillai and Jino Joseph and Jyothi Prabhakar and Nihaz Naha

DOI: 10.1177/0973217920150110

03 / 2015

Current Projects

1. Human milk calorie guide: A novel color-based tool to estimate calorie content for guiding fortification in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
2. Corrected fortification strategy to promote growth in very low birth weight infants
3. Calorie-Cam: Using a Smart Phone App to Estimate Calorie Content of Human Milk

Grants

2019: Research grant (co-investigator) by the British Columbia Children’s Hospital Research Institute for ‘Development and Validation of Human Milk Calorie Guide’ project, Value $40,000; Grant Number GR014633

2014: Research Scholarship Award by Society for Continuing Medical Education and Research, Kerala Institute of Medical Sciences, Thiruvananthapuram, India; Value $2000 (Rs 1 lac only)

Honours & Awards

2019: Laura McRae award for best Subspecialty Trainee at University of British Columbia, Vancouver for 2018-2019

2019: National Research Award at the 31st Annual National Research Competition, for best presentation; May 2019 Vancouver

2019: Best Research Presentation at Celebrate Research Day by Department of Pediatrics, UBC, Vancouver; March 2019

2019: Travel Award for Research Presentation by BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute; Value $500

2019: Travel Award for Evidence Based Practice for Improving Quality (EPIQ) Conference by UBC; Value $1600

2018: Best Clinical Research Platform Presentation at District 8 Perinatal Conference, Midway, Utah, USA; June 2018

2018: Travel Award by American Academy of Pediatrics, Society of Neonatal Perinatal Medicine Council; Value $1000

2012: Gold medal by Department of Pediatrics, Government Medical College, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala – best postgraduate resident 2009-2012

2012: Gold Medal in the Postgraduate Pediatric Exit Exam, Kerala University – highest score in university residency exit exam

2011: First prize in All Kerala State Pediatrics Quiz conducted by Indian Academy of Pediatrics

Our Research

At BC Children’s, we are making discoveries that save lives and transform health care for children in our province and around the world. Our research portfolio includes basic, clinical, population, and public health research.

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