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By: Sara Davies Published Date: Feb 24 Christopher Pruitt, M.D., Pediatric Emergency Medicine, has been elected to a second two-year term to the Southern Society for Pediatric Research (SSPR) Executive Council. Dr. Pruitt will serve on the council until February 2019. His responsibilities include mentorship of trainee research, judging for trainee research awards, and conference organization.

By: Sara Davies Published Date: Feb 24 UAB will partner with Proton International to bring proton therapy, one of the most technically advanced forms of cancer-killing radiation, to Alabama. Proton therapy delivers a more precise dose of radiation to a tumor and can avoid damage to healthy surrounding tissue better than conventional X-ray radiation. 

“Proton therapy is particularly beneficial for children, as they are especially vulnerable to damage from radiation,” said Alyssa Reddy, M.D., professor of hematology/oncology in the UAB Department of Pediatrics. “Conventional radiation can help cure a child’s cancer, but it carries an increased risk of damage to surrounding tissue. In children, tissue damage, particularly in still-developing organs such as the brain, can leave the child susceptible to myriad health issues that may not emerge for years. Proton therapy offers the opportunity to successfully treat pediatric tumors and minimize the risk for side effects later in life. This will improve the health and quality of life of pediatric cancer survivors, most of whom we expect to live long and productive lives.”

Read this story at UAB News. 

By: Sara Davies Published Date: Feb 17 Daniel Feig, M.D., Ph.D., Pediatric Nephrology, was elected Pediatric Nephrology Subboard Chair of the American Board of Pediatrics (ABP). Dr. Feig will serve in this role beginning January 2018 – December 2019, and will serve as immediate past chair from January 2020 – December 2021.

The subboard is responsible for the development of the certifying exams and their analysis. In addition, they will be overhauling the content specification for the exam, which is done in concert with the ACGME and ASPN (American Society of Pediatric Nephrology) Committee of Training Program Directors. Over the next couple of years, the subboard will also be tasked to develop the transition from secured exams to the MOCA program, which includes short quarterly sets of questions with the associated educational material, a program being rolled out for General Pediatrics in 2018.

By: Sara Davies Published Date: Feb 17 Due to a heavy increase in respiratory viral illnesses throughout Alabama and the country, Children’s of Alabama has modified its visitation policies for its critical care units till April 1.

Beginning Feb. 16, visitors to the hospital’s critical care units must be at least 12 years of age and symptom-free to visit. This policy includes Children’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU), Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit (CVICU) and Bone Marrow Transplant Unit.

Read this story at www.childrensal.org

By: Sara Davies Published Date: Feb 17 The Southern Society for Pediatric Research (SSPR) held its annual conference in New Orleans, LA on Feb. 11-13. Two fellows from our department brought home the two Young Investigators’ Awards. ​Colm Travers, M.D. received the SSPR Clinical Science Young Investigator Award. Aaron Yee, M.D. received the SSPR Basic Science Young Investigator Award.

For more information about these awards, click here.

By: Sara Davies Published Date: Feb 17 Children’s of Alabama and UAB have announced the creation, upon University of Alabama System Board of Trustees’ approval, of the Sarah Katherine Bateh Endowed Professorship in Rett Syndrome as a result of a unique collaboration with the family and friends of a young patient battling this neurological condition. Marie and Brian Bateh of Hoover, parents of 7-year-old Sarah Katherine “Suki” Bateh, raised $500,000 to create the first endowed professorship for Rett syndrome at UAB. These funds have been matched by Children’s and UAB to support the future holder of this new position.
 
Alan Percy, M.D., professor and director of UAB’s Rett syndrome clinic at Children’s, is considered one of the world’s leading experts on this unique developmental disorder that affects one in every 10,000 female births worldwide. Rett syndrome causes severe cognitive impairment, including loss of communication and motor skills, reduced growth and unusual breathing patterns. Percy is also a national leader in pediatric neurology and genetics, and highly regarded as a clinician and research scientist. Working with genetic researcher Huda Y. Zogbhi, M.D., Percy diagnosed the first confirmed case of Rett syndrome in the United States in 1983.

Read this story at www.childrensal.org

By: Sara Davies Published Date: Feb 17 The Regional Poison Control Center (RPCC) at Children’s of Alabama has launched Poison Perils, a free app that helps identify potentially dangerous plants, snakes, insects and common household items.“Alabama has a rich array of biodiversity, and this app gives parents, grandparents, and caregivers critical information about Alabama’s toxic and poisonous flora and fauna landscape,” said Ann Slattery, managing director of the RPCC at Children’s.

Poison Perils provides users with a detailed description of each insect, animal and plant, as well as the most common household items the RPCC receives calls about, accompanied by a photo of each. Users can also quickly connect to a specialist in poison information in the RPCC in the event of an emergency with just the touch of a button. Poison Perils is available for both Apple and Android devices.

“In an emergency, time is precious, and with this app, parents and caregivers can have information at their fingertips,” Slattery said.

The RPCC handles more than 50,000 poison calls per year, plus an additional 60,000 follow-up calls. The app was developed with support from Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama, the Alabama Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, UAB and Children’s.

Read this story at www.childrensal.org

By: Sara Davies Published Date: Feb 10

Children’s of Alabama and the Kaul Pediatric Research Institute (KPRI) are pleased to announce the 2017 awards. The major goal of the KPRI grant program is to allow investigators to obtain data that will advantage applications for additional extramural funding. This will bring new knowledge to the care of children, leverage the investment of the KPRI, and allow projects to be competitive for the very best science on the national stage. A second, but important, goal is to ensure that a dedicated funding source is available to unique segments of the pediatric research, education, and quality improvement enterprise.

This year three categories of grants were funded: New Investigator Awards, Established Investigator Awards, and Quality/Safety/Educational Awards. All funded applications are directed toward the improvement of child health care. Thank you to all who submitted applications! Congratulations to the following awardees. 

New Investigator Awards:

Matthew Alexander, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Pediatric Neurology
“Genetic modifiers of Duchenne muscular dystrophy via genome sequencing of discordant siblings”


Margaux Barnes, Ph.D.Assistant Professor
Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, & Nutrition
“Mediational Analysis of Diet, Physical Activity, and Lean Mass in Youth with IBD”

 

Jegen Kandasamy, M.D.
Assistant Professor
Neonatology
“Mitochondrial Genetic Contribution to Hyperoxia Induced Lung Injury”


Charitharth (Vivek) Lal, M.D.Assistant Professor
Neonatology
“The Role of Microbiome Induced Ac-PGP in Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia”



Colin Martin, M.D.Assistant Professor
Pediatric Surgery
“Maternal and Environmental Influence on Early Neonatal Immunity”

 

Michael Seifert, M.D.Assistant Professor
Pediatric Nephrology
“Early Life Stress and Cardio-renal Disease in Kidney Transplantation"

Established Investigator Awards:

Elizabeth Beierle, M.D.
Professor
Pediatric Surgery
“Role of PIM kinase in maintaining hepatoblastoma tumor initiating cell population”


Karen Fowler, Ph.D.
Professor
Pediatric Infectious Diseases
“Racial & ethnic disparities in congenital CMV infection: role of maternal CMV”

Quality/Safety/Educational Awards:

David Galloway, M.D.
Assistant Professor
Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, & Nutrition
“Improving Care for Pediatric Constipation: A joint effort between pediatricians and gastroenterologists” 



Chrystal Rutledge, M.D.
Assistant Professor
Pediatric Critical Care 
“Development of a Novel Nursing-Focused Pediatric Advanced Life Support Training Program”

By: Sara Davies Published Date: Feb 10 In observance of Rare Disease Day, YOU’RE INVITED to an art exhibit reception! "Beyond the Diagnosis" will take place Thursday, March 2 from 5 - 7 p.m. in the Bradley Lecture Center. Please drop by at any time. Click here for the art exhibit invitation. 

Please also join us on the following day, Friday, March 3, for the Fourth Annual Rare Disease Genomics Symposium. Register here for the symposium: www.ChildrensAl.org/genetics

By: Sara Davies Published Date: Feb 10 New research from the UAB Department of Pediatrics (Drs. Smita Bhatia and Wendy Landier) suggests that young patients with acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) and their parents are likely to report to their physician that they took more of their anti-cancer medication than they actually did. The study was published online this week in Blood, the Journal of the American Society of Hematology.

“Because this therapy is administered orally every day, we cannot supervise our patients to make sure they are taking their pills,” said senior study author Smita Bhatia, M.D., M.P.H., Pediatric Hematology & Oncology.  “Findings from this study suggest that we need better ways to monitor intake of medications as prescribed.”

Read this story at www.uab.edu/news

By: Sara Davies Published Date: Feb 10 A recent study published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that emergency body cooling does not improve survival or functional outcomes in children who experience in-hospital cardiac arrest any more than normal temperature control. UAB Department of Pediatrics with Children’s of Alabama participated in the 37-center trial evaluating body cooling versus active fever prevention in children after the occurrence of cardiac arrest while in-hospital. Compared to normal temperature control, body cooling does not confer benefit with respect to neurologically intact survival or decrease any morbidity or mortality measure. 

“Results were similar to the out-of-hospital arm of this trial,” said Jeffrey Alten, M.D., Pediatric Cardiac Critical Care. “This landmark study challenges a therapy that has become the standard of care in many pediatric and cardiac intensive care units."

Read the news brief at www.uab.edu/news

By: Sara Davies Published Date: Feb 03 We're celebrating National Heart Month! The Pediatric and Congenital Heart Center at Children's of Alabama and UAB provides pediatric cardiac care for more than 12,000 patients a year. With a 99 percent survival rate for all our surgical patients in 2016, our work speaks for itself. Learn how you can get involved by clicking here. 

By: Sara Davies Published Date: Feb 03 We're celebrating National Heart Month! The Pediatric and Congenital Heart Center at Children's of Alabama and UAB provides pediatric cardiac care for more than 12,000 patients a year. With a 99 percent survival rate for all our surgical patients in 2016, our work speaks for itself. Learn how you can get involved by clicking here. 

By: Sara Davies Published Date: Feb 03 The UAB School of Medicine 2015/2016 Annual Report is now available to view online.  
Find Smita Bhatia, M.D., M.P.H., Pediatric Hematology & Oncology, Randy Q. Cron, M.D., Ph.D., Pediatric Rheumatology, and Matthew A. Kutny, M.D., Pediatrics Hematology & Oncology, featured in a story on precision medicine in Pediatrics.

By: Sara Davies Published Date: Feb 03 Ambika Ashraf, M.D., Pediatric Endocrinology, has been selected to serve as the Section On Endocrinology Program Chair for the 2018 AAP National Conference and Exhibition (NCE). As a program chair, Dr. Ashraf will be responsible for developing proposals sponsored by the Section On Endocrinology at the AAP National Conference.

By: Sara Davies Published Date: Jan 30

The UAB Department of Pediatrics welcomed three new faculty members during the month of January.  Please join us in making them feel at home!

Meghan Hofto, M.D., Assistant Professor, Pediatric Hospital Medicine

Pallavi Iyer, M.D., Associate Professor, Pediatric Endocrinology

Ammar Saadoon, M.D., Assistant Professor, Pediatric Pulmonology

Meghan Hofto, M.D., Assistant Professor, Pediatric Hospital Medicine, earned her medical degree from the University of Tennessee College of Medicine. She completed pediatric residency at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center and a pediatric hospital medicine fellowship at UAB. During fellowship, Dr. Hofto earned an MPH in Epidemiology from the UAB School of Public Health and completed the UAB sponsored Gorgas Course in Tropical Medicine and Hygiene in Peru. Dr. Hofto was awarded a Certificate of Knowledge in Tropical Medicine and Travelers’ Health in January 2017 by the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. Dr. Hofto has a strong interest in global health in addition to general inpatient pediatrics. Her current research interest is focused on implementation of guidelines to achieve appropriate use of antibiotic treatment of hospitalized children.

 

Pallavi Iyer, M.D., Associate Professor, Pediatric Endocrinology, earned her medical degree from The Ohio State University College of Medicine and Public Health. She completed her pediatric residency at the University of South Florida where she served as Chief Resident. Dr. Iyer also completed her pediatric endocrinology fellowship at the University of South Florida. Dr. Iyer joins us from Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital in St. Petersburg, Florida where she served as Medical Director and Division Chief of Endocrinology and Diabetes. Her clinical/research interests are caring for and improving outcomes of pediatric cancer survivors with endocrinopathies and caring for children with endocrine tumors.

 

Ammar Saadoon, M.D., Assistant Professor, Pediatric Pulmonology, earned his medical degree from the College of Medicine University of Mosul. He completed a pediatric residency at the Jordan University of Science and Technology in Irbid, Jordan and a second residency at UAB. Dr. Saadoon completed pediatric pulmonology fellowship at Weill Cornell Medical College – Qatar and another fellowship at UAB. His clinical interests include pulmonary hypertension and pulmonary complications of sickle cell disease. His research interests include studying factors affecting lung development, pulmonary hypertension and lung microbiome.

By: Sara Davies Published Date: Jan 20 You can access the recent fall/winter 2016 issue of Inside Pediatrics by clicking here. This Children's of Alabama publication highlights the storied career of Jerry Oakes, M.D., the Adolescent Medicine Center's community involvement and much more. As always, feel free to share the link with colleagues around the country to highlight the excellent care provided by Children's of Alabama and the UAB Department of Pediatrics. 

https://www.childrensal.org/insidepediatrics

By: Sara Davies Published Date: Jan 13 In response to news reports suggesting a possible new federal commission on immunizations, the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Department of Pediatrics and Children’s of Alabama reiterate our strong support the use of vaccines according to the schedule recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
 
The scientific evidence and public health statistics are comprehensive and compelling – vaccines are safe, vaccines are effective and vaccines save lives. The benefits of the current vaccine schedule clearly outweigh the risks. Delaying vaccines leaves children and communities at risk. We want to partner with all parents and guardians to give the children of Alabama the chance to grow up without the diseases that in past decades killed so many children before adulthood.

David Kimberlin, M.D., Pediatric Infectious Disease, discussed the benefits of vaccinations at a press briefing on Thursday, Jan. 12. Click here to watch the media brief.

UAB, CHILDREN’S TOUT SAFETY AND BENEFITS OF VACCINATIONS In response to news reports suggesting a possible new federal commission on immunizations, the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Department of Pediatrics and Children’s of Alabama reiterate our strong support the use of vaccines according to the schedule recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.   The scientific evidence and public health statistics are comprehensive and compelling – vaccines are safe, vaccines are effective and vaccines save lives. The benefits of the current vaccine schedule clearly outweigh the risks. Delaying vaccines leaves children and communities at risk. We want to partner with all parents and guardians to give the children of Alabama the chance to grow up without the diseases that in past decades killed so many children before adulthood. David Kimberlin, M.D., Pediatric Infectious Disease, discussed the benefits of vaccinations at a press briefing on Thursday, Jan. 12. Click here to watch the media brief.

DR. ABDUL-LATIF RECOGNIZED AT BOT MEETING During the University of Alabama Board of Trustees February 2017 meeting in Birmingham at UAB, a number of outstanding UAB faculty members will be recognized. The dean's leadership team selected Hussein Abdul-Latif, M.D., Pediatric Endocrinology, to be recognized as representation of physicians at UAB. This meeting will take place Feb. 3 in the Student Hill Center.

AOA CLASS OF 2017 INDUCTEES The University of Alabama School of Medicine Chapter of Alpha Omega Alpha announced its Faculty, Fellow, Resident and Alumni AOA Class of 2017. Among the inductees was Meghan Hofto, M.D., Pediatric Hospital Medicine Fellow. To view a list of inductees, click here.  Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society is a professional medical organization that recognizes and advocates for excellence in scholarship and the highest ideals in the profession of medicine.

RESIDENT QI PROJECT AWARDED MOC CREDIT The class of 2016 resident-led quality improvement (QI) project, Documentation of Quality Measures for Patients Discharged from the Hospital with an Acute Asthma Exacerbation, was awarded MOC Part 4 credit by the American Board of Pediatrics (ABP). This project is an ongoing multidisciplinary QI collaborative to improve the care for asthma patients admitted to Children's of Alabama. By implementing a standardized history and physical template for patients admitted for asthma exacerbations, they demonstrated statistically significant improvement in several measures including assessment and treatment of chronic level of asthma severity and smoking cessation counseling. This work also has been presented at SSPR and the UAB RIME conference. Investigators included: Drs. Christina Inman, Ryan Boggs, Sam Strachan, Natalia Lotz, Rose James, Brian Donahue, Ashley Dodd, Thanh Summerlin, and Charrelle Coates, along with faculty mentor Dr. Susan Walley.

IN THE NEWS

MULTINATIONAL STUDY FINDS HIGH RATES OF ACUTE KIDNEY INJURY IN CHILDREN ADMITTED TO ICUS WORLDWIDE One of every four children admitted to pediatric intensive care units around the world develops acute kidney injury, which increases the risk of death and leads to longer and more intensive hospitalizations, according to a study published online in The New England Journal of Medicine. UAB in partnership with Children’s of Alabama were one of 36 hospitals across the world, representing 25 countries in 6 continents to collaborate in this Pediatric Prospective AKI (ppAKI) collaborative study. “This is a landmark study in the field of pediatric AKI, given the global nature of the study and its important findings," said David Askenazi, M.D., director of the Pediatric and Infant Center for Acute Nephrology (PICAN) and professor in the UAB Department of Pediatrics Division of Nephrology. Click here to read the press release on UAB news.

SAVE THESE DATES

UAB'S ARTS IN MEDICINE - MEDICAL MUSIC DAY Are you a musician in the UAB medical community? Learn how YOU can play on UAB Medical Music Day. An informational meeting will be held Jan. 25 at 4 p.m. in the West Pavillion Conference Center, Room A. Contact Justin Schwartz, M.D., Developmental Pediatrics, or Kimberly Kirklin, Director of Education Curation & UAB's Institute for Arts in Medicine, with any questions. Download the flyer.

SAVE THE DATE FOR RARE DISEASE SYMPOSIUM - MARCH 3 Children’s will be hosting the 4th Annual “Genetics and Genomics in Day to Day Medical Practice” Rare Disease Symposium in the Bradley Lecture Center from 8 a.m. till 3:30 p.m. on Friday, March 3, 2017. Cost to attend is $35. Register at www.childrensal.org/genetics. Keynote address by Dr. Deborah Krakow of UCLA. Contact Shaila Handattu with questions at hande@uab.edu. More information is available here.

FACULTY RECRUIT SEMINAR - JAN. 23 The Departments of Microbiology and Pediatrics present a Faculty Recruit Seminar on Jan. 23 at Noon in BBRB 170. Brian Rudd, MPH, PhD, Assistant Professor of Immunology at Cornell University College of Veteran Medicine, will present "Age-Related Changes in the CD8+ T Cell Response to Infection." Click here to view the flyer.

UPCOMING PEDIATRIC HIV/AIDS COURSE The American Academy of Pediatrics, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, and the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society will be hosting an HIV/AIDS Course, March 7-8, 2017 in Memphis, TN. Core concepts in pediatric HIV/AIDS care are taught in large group sessions, then followed by case-based workshops and interactive sessions which reinforce and highlight complicated case management. The target audience is nurses, residents, and fellows in training, as well as clinicians (physicians, advanced practice nurses, and physician assistants) looking for a refresher course on pediatric HIV/AIDS care designed in accordance with US perinatal HIV transmission and pediatric/adolescent HIV/AIDS care guidelines. View the brochure.    For more information visit:  www.stjude.org/HIV-Course

MAKE PLANS TO ATTEND ORGANIZING FOR SUCCESS PRESENTATIONS UAB Medicine leaders will share updates on Organizing for Success at three meetings in January. Faculty are encouraged to attend the sessions scheduled for their departments. Click here to view the sessions.  The Department of Pediatrics is invited to attend the January 24 session at 7 a.m. in the Margaret Cameron Spain Auditorium. If you are unable to attend the session for your department, please attend another session.

CHIF SCHEDULE - JANUARY 2017 Child Health Investigative Forum | Bradley Conference Center | Noon (lunch provided)  Jan. 20  Exome Sequencing in Newborns Pankaj Agrawal, M.D. Medical Director, Manton Center Gene Discovery Core Boston Children’s Hospital Click here to view the full schedule.

PEDIATRIC GRAND ROUNDS - UP NEXT:  Thursday, Jan. 26 Noon | Bradley Lecture Center Cystic Fibrosis Management: All Care is Local Hector H. Gutierrez, M.D. Professor, UAB Division of Pediatric Pulmonology

FROM THE PEDIATRIC RESIDENCY OFFICE

PEDIATRIC RESIDENCY 2018 - 2019 CO-CHIEF RESIDENTS  It is with great pleasure that we announce the selection of Drs. Jamie Powell, Robert (Rob) Sellers, and Karlene Walker as Pediatric Co-Chief Residents for the 2018-2019 academic year. We greatly appreciate the input and recommendations from faculty and residents in this difficult selection process. It is clear that Jamie, Rob, and Karlene have the admiration and respect of our residents, fellows, and faculty and will serve as strong leaders for our residency programs.   Please join us in extending congratulations to Jamie, Rob and Karlene!

FROM THE OFFICE OF FACULTY DEVELOPMENT (OFD)

CELEBRATING DIVERSITY  Do you have a favorite dish that celebrates your heritage-- your home state, home country, religion, etc.? On February 3, 2017 from 5 - 7 p.m., the School of Medicine Office for Diversity and Inclusion is hosting a Diversity Fair to honor the diversity which makes us EXCELLENT.    Each department has been asked to join in this celebration by setting up a booth featuring multicultural foods. Let’s showcase the diversity of the Department of Pediatrics. Contact OFD for details regarding food entries.

UAB COMMEMORATES DIVERSITY WITH COMMUNITY MONTH CELEBRATION  In celebration of Community Month and campus diversity, the African American Faculty Association and UAB Libraries developed the Reflection of Civil Rights and Human Rights Lecture Series. This year, the sponsored event is a screening of the film: Get in the Way: the Journey of John Lewis (Early Light Productions).  The film will be shown on Jan. 19, 4:30 p.m. in the Hill Center Alumni Theater. Click here for more information. Download the flyer.    CAMPUS-COMMUNITY FORUM A campus-community forum will take place on Jan. 19 from 6 - 8 p.m. in Heritage Hall Room 102. The topic is "A Dialogue on Civility and Decoding Activism in the 21st Century." For more information, download the flyer.  For a list of all activities planned as part of Community Month, click here.

FROM THE PEDIATRIC RESEARCH OFFICE (PRO)

FUNDING   2017 CDC Special Interest Projects (SIPs) Applications must be submitted through the UAB Prevention Research Center – the Center for the Study of Community Health. This supplemental funding allows investigators to design, test, and disseminate effective applied public health prevention research strategies to include behavioral interventions, environmental or system-wide solutions, and strategies that address major causes of disease and disability.  LOIs are due Jan. 19 by 5 p.m. and applications by Feb. 22 at 4 p.m.   American Heart Association Research Program Announcements for Cardiovascular or Stroke Research The AHA has several opportunities available: the Fellow-to-Faculty Transition Award, the Mentored Clinical and Population Research Award (for pilot studies), the Scientist Development Grant (for highly promising new scientists on their way to independence), and the Grant-in-Aid (for independent investigators with innovative and advanced projects). All are due Feb. 14, except the Grant-in-Aid, which is due Feb. 17.    SEMINARS AND TRAINING   Kaizen-based Game to Teach Reproducibility  The CCTS has launched a new web-based quiz game to help investigators respond to the NIH policy requiring formal training in scientific rigor and reproducibility. Based on the Kaizen (Japanese for “continuous improvement”) platform developed by CCTS Informatics, this game offers a fun alternative for those who must master new competencies. The first game will take place on Monday, Jan. 23.  Gamers must register by emailing Brian Wallace with their first and last name, institution, and email address.    Third Short Course on Strengthening Causal Inference in Behavioral Obesity Research  UAB will lead a NIH-funded short course July 24 - 28 to provide rigorous exposure to the key fundamental principles that guide a broad array of techniques used to identify causal relations between social and behavioral factors and variations in obesity. Applications are due March 31.   Registration now Open for Immunogenomics 2017 (October 2 - 4) Immunogenomics 2017 is an international conference that brings together leaders and researchers exploring the application of genomic technologies to understand the immune system and development of disease. Register today to reserve your spot and take advantage of early bird savings by June 30. The deadline for abstracts is July 24.   NIH has Implemented New Good Clinical Practices (GCP) Training Requirements This requirement became effective Jan. 1 for all UAB investigators and staff involved in clinical trials, regardless of funding source. Current GCP training (within the past 3 years) will be required for new protocols that meet the NIH definition of a clinical trial submitted to the Office of the IRB as of Jan. 1, and ongoing protocols must meet this requirement by Feb. 28.   OTHER   Sign up for an Open Researcher and Contributor Identification (ORCID) ORCID is a registry of persistent unique identifiers for researchers and scholars. It automates connections to research objects such as publications, grants and patents and serves as a unique and universal identifier. Registration is very brief and available here.    Congratulations to Investigators accepted into 2017 Clinical and Translational Science Training Program (CTSTP) Steven Nye – Pediatric Critical Care Medicine Robert Richter – Pediatric Critical Care Medicine Aaron Yee –Neonatology The CTSTP is a six-month certificate program that provides training in clinical and translational research, including approximately 50 hours of didactic instruction as well as interactive experiences. Course content represents the following modules: clinical trials, epidemiology, biostatistics, ethics, clinical genetics research, behavioral research, outcomes research, dissemination of results, and grant writing and funding opportunities. Participants identify a research project and mentor.    Clinical Trial Budget Guidelines and Information CRSP has developed clinical trial budget guidelines and items to consider while developing a draft budget.  This document is housed on the research website with other budget-related information.

DEPARTMENT CALENDAR Click here to view upcoming events

PRE - AWARD RESEARCH eRA Latest News

PUBLICATIONS

Blood. 2016 Dec 5. pii: blood-2016-09-738104. Severe anemia early in life as a risk factor for sickle cell kidney disease. Aban I, Baddam S, Hilliard LM, Howard TH, Feig D, Lebensburger JD. Patients with Sickle Cell Disease develop microalbuminuria. This manuscript explored the impact of severe anemia in SCD and identified that 60% of infants with hemoglobin < 8.0 g/dL developed microalbuminuria during early adolescence. Neuroscience. 2016 Jun 2;324:469-84. doi: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2016.03.014. Altered metabolic activity in the developing brain of rats predisposed to high versus low depression-like behavior. McCoy CR, Golf SR, Melendez-Ferro M, Perez-Costas E, Glover ME, Jackson NL, Stringfellow SA, Pugh PC, Fant AD, Clinton SM. Using a multidisciplinary approach, a well characterized animal model of anxiety and depression was used to assess brain metabolism at several time-points during postnatal development. First, transcriptome profiling revealed vast differences in the expression of genes involved in cellular metabolism, in anxiety-prone compared to non-anxiety prone rats. After this first findings, further assessment of the expression and activity of cytochrome oxidase (COX) — a key enzyme in cellular metabolism and more specifically in the production of ATP —, revealed also significant reductions in COX activity in specific brain areas of anxiety-prone rats during early stages of postnatal development. Together these findings support that early postnatal alterations in brain metabolism may play a key role in psychiatric disorders such as anxiety and depression. Cell Death Dis. 2016 Oct 20;7(10):e2427. doi: 10.1038/cddis.2016.327.Mitochondrial angiotensin receptors in dopaminergic neurons. Role in cell protection and aging-related vulnerability to neurodegeneration. Valenzuela R, Costa-Besada MA, Iglesias-Gonzalez J, Perez-Costas E, Villar-Cheda B, Garrido-Gil P, Melendez-Ferro M, Soto-Otero R, Lanciego JL, Henrion D, Franco R, Labandeira-Garcia JL. This multi-national and interdisciplinary study demonstrates for the first time the presence of angiotensin receptors within mitochondria of brain cells, and specifically shows evidence of the role of this system in dopaminergic transmission. Previous studies have found that angiotensin receptors are present in the brain, however, this is the first study to specifically localize them to mitochondria, and assess their functioning in these cellular organelles. In addition, it also shows that angiotensin receptors are abundantly present in the mitochondria of dopaminergic cells. Altered expression of these receptors with aging may induce mitochondrial dysfunction, the main risk factor for neurodegeneration. Future studies should also explore the potential role of these receptors during brain development. The ASHA Leader. 2017 January. Vol. 22, 18-20. doi:10.1044/leader.AEA.22012017.18.What to Know About Advances in CMV Detection, Prevention. Fowler K, Ross S.  Ann Surg Oncol. 2017 Jan 5. doi: 10.1245/s10434-016-5747-5. Breast Malignancies in Children: Presentation, Management, and Survival. Richards MK, Goldin AB, Beierle EA,Doski JJ, Goldfarb M, Langer M, Nuchtern JG, Vasudevan S, Gow KW, Javid SH. Pediatr Crit Care Med. 2017 Jan;18(1):85-87. doi: 10.1097/PCC.0000000000000989.Defining Low Cardiac Output Syndrome: An Ode to Justice Potter Stewart. Alten JA,Gaies M. This was an invited editorial about a recently published low cardiac output prediction model. J Pediatr Adolesc Gynecol. 2017 Jan 3. pii: S1083-3188(16)30344-8. doi: 10.1016/j.jpag.2016.12.004. Extramedullary Relapse of Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Presenting as Abnormal Uterine Bleeding: A Case Report. Robillard DT, Kutny MA, Chewning JH, Arbuckle JL. J Clin Oncol. 2017 Jan 9:JCO2016716712. Clonal Hematopoiesis Associated With Adverse Outcomes After Autologous Stem-Cell Transplantation for Lymphoma. Gibson CJ, Lindsley RC, Tchekmedyian V, Mar BG, Shi J, Jaiswal S, Bosworth A, Francisco L, He J, Bansal A, Morgan EA, Lacasce AS, Freedman AS, Fisher DC, Jacobsen E, Armand P, Alyea EP, Koreth J, Ho V, Soiffer RJ, Antin JH, Ritz J, Nikiforow S, Forman SJ, Michor F, Neuberg D, Bhatia R, Bhatia S, Ebert BL. We showed that in patients undergoing autologous hematopoietic cell transplantation for lymphoma, clonal hematopoiesis of indeterminate potential (CHIP) at the time of transplantation is associated with inferior survival and increased risk of therapy-related leukemia – suggesting that we can screen patients before transplantation that are at risk for these adverse outcomes. Biol Blood Marrow Transplant. 2017 Jan 5. pii: S1083-8791(17)30076-9. doi: 10.1016/j.bbmt.2017.01.006. Cardiovascular Function in Long-Term Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation Survivors. Armenian SH, Horak D, Scott JM, Mills G, Siyahian A, BeranoTeh J, Douglas PS, Forman SJ, Bhatia S, Jones LW. Despite the presence of normal (>50%) resting left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction in patients undergoing hematopoietic cell transplantation, 25% had markedly abnormal LV longitudinal strain, an advanced echocardiographic measure of myocardial dysfunction. These findings highlight the role of stress-based measures and advanced myocardial imaging to characterize risk of cardiovascular disease in HCT survivors, setting the stage for tailored interventions to prevent cardiovascular disease with its attendant morbidity and mortality. Muscle Nerve. 2017 Jan 9. doi: 10.1002/mus.25567. Anti-HMGCR necrotizing myopathy masquerading as a muscular dystrophy in a child. Mohassel P, Foley AR, Donkervoort S, Fequiere PR, Pak K, Bönnemann CG, Mammen AL. J Am Coll Surg. 2017 Jan 6. pii: S1072-7515(16)31726-4. doi: 10.1016/j.jamcollsurg.2016.12.022. Utilization of the NSQIP-Pediatric Database in Development and Validation of a New Predictive Model of Pediatric Postoperative Wound Complications. Maizlin II, Redden DT, Beierle EA, Chen MK, Russell RT. Recent literature has questioned the accuracy of predicting SSI risk based on wound classification. We utilized the National Quality Surgical Improvement-Pediatric (NSQIP-P) Participant Use File evaluating over 180,000 pediatric patients and their risk of postoperative wound infection. Our model significantly improved predictive ability for postoperative SSIs than the current wound classification system. This model will allow providers to more effectively counsel families and patients of these risks, and more accurately reflect true risks for individual surgical patients to hospitals and payers. Lancet Respir Med. 2016 Feb;4(2):107-15. doi: 10.1016/S2213-2600(15)00545-7. Safety, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamics of ivacaftor in patients aged 2-5 years with cystic fibrosis and a CFTR gating mutation (KIWI): an open-label,single-arm study. Davies JC, Cunningham S, Harris WT, Lapey A, Regelmann WE, Sawicki GS, Southern KW, Robertson S, Green Y, Cooke J, Rosenfeld M; KIWI Study Group. This study evaluated the safety and potential benefit of lumacaftor in CF toddlers with the G551D mutation. Lumacaftor is a CFTR directed therapy that has pries open the CFTR channel. Results from this study laid the foundation for FDA approval in children aged 2 to 5.

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By: Sara Davies Published Date: Jan 13 During the University of Alabama Board of Trustees February 2017 meeting in Birmingham at UAB, a number of outstanding UAB faculty members will be recognized. The dean's leadership team selected Hussein Abdul-Latif, M.D., Pediatric Endocrinology, to be recognized as representation of physicians at UAB. This meeting will take place Feb. 3 in the Student Hill Center. 

By: Sara Davies Published Date: Jan 13 The University of Alabama School of Medicine Chapter of Alpha Omega Alpha announced its Faculty, Fellow, Resident and Alumni AOA Class of 2017. Among the inductees was Meghan Hofto, M.D., Pediatric Hospital Medicine Fellow. To view a list of inductees, click here. 

Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society is a professional medical organization that recognizes and advocates for excellence in scholarship and the highest ideals in the profession of medicine.