Dr. Silvia Ortiz-Mantilla

Office Address: Silvia Ortiz-Mantilla, M.D. CMBN, Rutgers University 197 University Ave. Newark, New Jersey 07102 Phone: (973) 353-1080, ext. 3213 Fax: (973) 353-1760 E-Mail: mantilla@axon.rutgers.edu   Dr. Silvia Ortiz studied Medicine in her native country, Colombia, receiving her Medical Doctor diploma from Javeriana University in Bogotá in 1978. She continued her specialization studies at the Military Hospital in Bogotá completing a dual program and obtained diplomas in Pediatrics (1985) and in Pediatric Neurology (1986). She focused her studies on Febrile Seizures (1983), Traumatic Brain Injury in Children (1984), Hypotonic Child (1985) and Neuromuscular Diseases in Children (1986). During her residence, Dr. Ortiz did clinical research based not only on retrospective studies but also on the design and implementation of protocols. Upon finishing her residency, she was offered a position to establish the Pediatric Neurology Service at the National Central Police Hospital in Bogotá, where she worked until 1993. When Reina Sofia Hospital opened its doors in 1993, Dr. Ortiz was selected to coordinate the Pediatric Neurology Service. She worked directly with the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, assessing the neurological development of newborns. She closely monitored those babies with potential neurological risk, most of whom were premature. After fifteen years of neuropediatric-clinical practice, she decided to move with her family to the United States to fuse her clinical experience with the fascinating field of neuroscience research. Being a post-doctoral fellow at the Infancy Studies Laboratory will allow her to continue to increase her knowledge of how babies develop. Dr. Ortiz is currently involved in studying how the development of premature very low birth weight (<32 weeks gestational age and <1500 grams) babies differs from that of full-term infants. She is also interested in how MRIs and ERPs can be correlated to understand the structure and function of the maturing brain. Dr. Ortiz is excited about how these valuable tools used in combination with results from behavioral and cognitive testing will expand her knowledge of infant development.   Honors and Awards • Treasurer, Pediatric Neurology Colombian Association, Bogotá, Colombia 1996- 2000 • Honorific Mention, Ministry of the National Defense- National Colombian Police, Bogotá, Colombia, November1989. • Hypotonic Child, Third place in the National Medicine Prize Contest given by the National Medical Academy and Salvat Editors, Bogotá, Colombia, February 1986. • Hypotonic Child, First place as Best Work Presented in V National Neurological Sciences Resident Day, Villa de Leyva, Colombia, March 1986. • “Neuromuscular Diseases in Children” Honorific Mention, Finalist at the “Pablo Elias Gutierrez” Contest for the Best Scientific Research in the Clinical Area, Central Military Hospital, Bogotá 1986.   Work Experience • Chair of Pediatric Neurology, Reina Sofia Hospital, Bogotá, Colombia, 1993-2000. • Private Practice as a Pediatric Neurologist, Bogotá, Colombia, 1987-2000. • Chair of Pediatric Neurology, National Police Central Hospital, Bogotá, Colombia, 1986-1993. • Neuropediatrician, Colombian League against Epilepsy, Bogotá, Colombia, 1986- 1988. • Physician, San Pedro Claver, Social Security Hospital, Bogotá, Colombia, 1981. • Physician, Las Ferias Clinic, City Health Service, Bogotá, Colombia, 1981. • Physician, Capellania Clinics, Capellania, Colombia, 1979-1980.

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