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From the Desk of Dr. Sinnott...
We must marvel at the growth of our Department. We have expanded in scope and scape. We have faculty that teach the latest in evidence based medicine while modeling the oldest of human values. Analytic thinking, tempered by innate compassion and Oslerian ideals, produce an outstanding academic product. Not surprisingly, Doximity ranks us in the top 20 percent of Internal Medicine Residencies.
Results from our trainee in-service exams reveal active and progressive learning. We have the highest IM board pass rate in the state of Florida (100%), and our department was voted "best Clinical Department" by our students.
In clinical care, we have added Pulmonary Transplantation as our newest program. Dr. Kapil Patel and Dr. David Weill (both recruited from Stanford University) are strengthening and expanding the program. Other subspecialties are also growing - this makes our expertise available to patients from South Tampa to South China. In the 2016 US News and World Report, Tampa General Hospital ranked 18 in Nephrology, 26 in Gastroenterology and GI Surgery and 48 in Pulmonary.
Dr. Jeff Krischer, Internal Medicine Vice Chairman of Research and Dr. Stephen Liggett, USF Health Associate Vice President for Research, leads our research efforts. Dr. Krischer is the number 1 funded NIH researcher as reported by the Blue Ridge Institute for Medical Research for federal fiscal year 2015. Dr. Liggett, who holds 15 patents and has over 25 years of continuous funding from the National Institutes of Health, continues to study genomics and receptors related to heart and lung disease.
USF Medicine International continues to thrive with invited participation in China, at the Silk Road Expo and accompanying His Honor Bob Buckhorn, to a signing of a Sister City agreement between Tampa and Lanzhou, China.
Inside this issue, you will find an array of features and announcements about these recent accomplishments and also upcoming events. Our faculty continue their accomplishments in teaching, research and patient care. We strengthen our team with new faculty and staff joining the department, and we welcome Dr. Goldman back from retirement.
Please read ahead to see all that has been going on in the Department of Internal Medicine in the past months and I look forward to sharing more of our endeavors and accomplishments with you in the next newsletter.
Warmly,
John Sinnott MD FACP
James Cullison Professor and Chairman
Department of Internal Medicine
Morsani College of Medicine
University of South Florida
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Patient Centered
Teaching
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Patient Centered
Research
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Patient Centered
Care
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Wherever the art of medicine is loved, there is also a love of humanity.
-Hippocrates
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| Lucy Guerra MD, Emily Goodwin, Kristen Prewitt, Fred Slone MD. |
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National Philanthropy Day Honoree
The BRIDGE Clinic has been selected by the Suncoast Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) as the Philanthropic Social Service Organization of the Year. This honor truly represents the extraordinary work that our students and faculty do to help improve the lives of our underserved neighbors and train the next generation of healthcare providers.
The award was formally presented to the Bridge Clinic at the National Philanthropy Day (NPD) luncheon at
Lowry Park Zoo on November 15, 2016. Congratulations!
For BRIDGE donation information click on this link
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New Faculty
Kapilkumar Patel, MD
Assistant Professor
Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine
Dr. Patel serves as the Medical Director for Lung Transplantation, Interstitial Lung Disease and Adult Cystic Fibrosis at Tampa General Hospital.
Dr. Patel completed his residency in Internal Medicine at Drexel University. Dr. Patel completed a fellowship in Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine at the University of Vermont and a Heart-Lung and Lung Transplant Fellowship at Stanford University where he joined the faculty.
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Division of Digestive Diseases and Nutrition
Dr. Kaif is an Assistant Professor in Digestive Diseases and Nutrition.
Dr. Kaif earned his BS/MD from the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. He completed his Internal Medicine residency at the University of Texas Southwestern, followed by his Gastroenterology fellowship at the University of Alabama, Birmingham.
Dr. Kaif served as PI on several studies at the University of Texas and University of Alabama.
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Renee Marchioni Beery, MD
Director of Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Division of Digestive Diseases & Nutrition
Dr. Beery is an Assistant Professor in Digestive Diseases and Nutrition and as Director of the Inflammatory Bowel Disease
(IBD) program.
Dr. Marchioni Beery earned her Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine from Nova Southeastern University.
She completed her residency in Internal Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and her
fellowship in Gastroenterology and Hepatology at the University of Connecticut, followed by a fellowship in Inflammatory Bowel Disease at Brigham and Women's Hospital.
Dr.
Marchioni Beery's
clinical focus is inflammatory bowel disease with a focus on nutrition, cholangitis and colitis.
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Assistant Professor
Division of General Internal Medicine
Dr. LaMartin serves as an Assistant Professor in the Division of General Internal Medicine.
Dr. LaMartin earned her MD in 2013 and completed her Internal Medicine residency in 2016. Her training was completed at the Morsani College of Medicine, USF Health.
Dr. LaMartin is committed to the medically underserved and victims of sexual assault. She has volunteered at multiple community centers, including the Crisis Center of Tampa Bay, Refuge House of Tallahassee, Silverchild Development Center and the Judeo-Christian and Brandon Outreach Health Clinics. She is a member of AOA.
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Seetha Lakshmi, MD
Assistant Professor
Division of Infectious Disease & International Medicine
Dr. Lakshmi serves as an Assistant Professor in the Division of Infectious Disease and International Medicine.
Dr. Lakshmi earned her MBBS from Mysore Medical College and Research Institute, India. She earned her MD at the Cleveland Clinic Florida, followed by her Infectious Diseases fellowship at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine.
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Kaley Tash, MD
Assistant Professor
Medical Director, PA Program
Division of Infectious Disease International Medicine
Dr. Tash is an Assistant Professor and Medical Director in the Physician Assistant program.
Dr. Tash earned her MD from Harvard Medical School. She completed her Internal Medicine residency at Duke, followed by her Infectious Disease fellowship in the Morsani College of Medicine, USF Health.
Throughout her academic career, Dr. Tash has been interested in research. She has participated in projects related to HIV, tuberculosis and antibiotic prophylaxis. She is a member of AOA.
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Assistant Professor
Department of Internal Medicine
Dr. Wittine serves as an Assistant Professor in the Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine and as the Medical Director for the Florida Hospital Sleep Lab.
Dr. Wittine earned her MD from the Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine at the University of Iowa. She completed her Internal Medicine residency at Johns Hopkins University, and fellowships in Pulmonary/Critical Care and Sleep Medicine at the University of California, San Diego and the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, respectively.
After completing her fellowship programs, Dr. Wittine entered private practice at Dubuque Internal Medicine and served as the Director of the Unitypoint-Finley Sleep Lab in Dubuque, Iowa.
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Alexandra Thierry Wright, MD
Assistant Professor
Division of Hospital Medicine
Dr. Wright serves as an Assistant Professor in the Division of Hospital Medicine.
Dr. Thierry Wright earned her MD from the School of Medicine at Louisiana State University Health - Shreveport in 2012. She completed her Internal Medicine - Pediatrics combined residency at Louisiana State University Health - New Orleans.
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Jenna Simpson, MD
Division of Hospital Medicine
Dr. Simpson serves as a Hospitalist at Tampa General Hospital in the Division of Hospital Medicine.
Dr. Simpson earned her Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine from the Midwestern University in 2012. She completed her Internal Medicine-Pediatrics residency in the Morsani College of Medicine, USF Health.
Dr. Simpson is active in providing no-cost medical services to the underserved in local communities and internationally.
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Hospitalist
Division of Hospital Medicine
Dr. Wasef serves as a Hospitalist at Tampa General Hospital in the Division Hospital Medicine.
Dr. Wasef earned his MD in 2013 and completed his Internal Medicine residency in 2016, serving as Chief Resident in 2015. His training was completed at the Morsani College of Medicine, USF Health.
Dr. Wasef volunteers at Homeless Outreach serving the local Tampa Bay area. This group provides clothing, food and supplies to those in need. Previously, he volunteered service to the USF Bridge Clinic, Judeo-Christian Clinic and Children's Cancer Center.
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Yunxiang Zhao, MD
Hospitalist
Department of Internal Medicine
Dr. Zhao is a Hospitalist at Tampa General Hospital in the Division of Hospital Medicine. Dr. Zhao earned his MD from the University of Tennessee Health Science Center. He completed his Internal Medicine residency in the Morsani College of Medicine, USF Health. Dr. Zhao is active in providing no-cost medical services to the underserved and uninsured in Memphis, TN and Tampa, FL.
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Welcome Back Dr. Goldman!
Dr. Allan Goldman has come back from retirement to rejoin our Internal Medicine department.
Dr. Goldman provided some of the earliest collaborations with Tampa General Hospital, helping lay the foundation for TGH becoming USF's primary teaching hospital. He also was the founding director of the Thoracic Oncology and Lung Cancer Center at Moffitt Cancer Center. We are glad to have him back.
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New Staff
Ramani Soundararajan, PhD
Scientific Researcher
Division of Allergy and Immunology
Dr. Soundararajan received her PhD in Cancer Biology from Delhi University, India, and completed Postdoctoral training in Cancer Biology and Neuroscience at Dalhousie University, Canada. Prior to joining USF, she worked as an Associate Research Scientist at the Jackson Laboratory - a world renowned Center for Mammalian Genetics. At the Jackson Laboratory, she received extensive training in preclinical genetic models of diseases. She has authored 22 publications. Dr. Soundararajan brings
a decade of preclinical research experience as she tackles current research projects in the laboratory.
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Angela Mann
ARNP
Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine
Angela Mann serves as an advanced registered nurse practitioner in the Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine and joins the lung transplant team.
Angela worked for 5 years in a pulmonary outpatient community clinic serving both acute and chronic, complex patients. Angela also started a pulmonary hypertension clinic, managing all levels of therapies.
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ARNP
Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine
Tarica McCray serves as an adult-gerontology acute care nurse practitioner in the Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine and joins the lung transplant team.
Tarica is board-certified and licensed to provide focused care to patients and families, including health promotion, disease prevention, diagnosis and management of complex health care problems beginning in adulthood.
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Cynthia Gomez, BSHA
Residency Program Coordinator
Department of Internal Medicine
Cynthia joins our Residency Program with diverse experience in both the finance industry and as a residency coordinator in New York. Cynthia earned her BS degree in Healthcare Administration in 2015 and is now seeking an MBA degree.
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Victor Fontane
Administrative Specialist
Department of Internal Medicine
Victor joins the Chairman's Office with diverse administrative and technical skills. Victor will be assisting the department in human resource, payroll, faculty affairs, communication and other support areas.
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Barbara Hansen, PhD Invited to Serve on Nomination Committee for the Shaw Prize
Dr. Hansen was invited to serve on the Nomination Committee for the Shaw Prize, a $1.2 million award to a person in the Life Sciences and Medicine for outstanding contributions. Nominations are only permitted to be made by members of this Committee. She would be happy to have your recommendations for such a nominee.
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Beata Casanas, DO, Elected to be a Fellow of IDSA
Dr. Casanas
was recognized this year as a distinguished physician by being elected as a Fellow of IDSA (Infectious Disease Society of America). The Fellowship in IDSA honors those who have achieved professional excellence and provided significant service to the profession.
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Candice Mateja, DO, Reappointed to the Medical Student Selection Committee
Dr. Mateja has
been reappointed to the Medical Student Selection Committee of the Morsani College of Medicine.
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Sadaf Aslam, MD, MS, Reappointed to the Medical Student Selection Committee
Dr. Aslam has
been reappointed to the Medical Student Selection Committee of the Morsani College of Medicine.
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Charurut Somboonwit, MD, Promoted to Professor of Internal Medicine
Charurut Somboonwit, MD,
was recently promoted to Professor of Internal Medicine, in the Division of Infectious Disease and International Medicine.
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Sally Alrabaa, MD Promoted to Associate Professor of Internal Medicine
Sally Alrabaa, MD,
was recently promoted to Associate Professor of Internal Medicine, in the Division of Infectious Disease and International Medicine.
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USF WINS STATEWIDE ACP
At the Florida ACP Annual Meeting in Key Largo, Internal Medicine residents Tara Saco, Ju Hee Kim, and Med-Peds resident Martin Guerrero won the Doctor's Dilemma competition beating out the other programs in the state.
The team is coached by Dr. Kellee Oller who won the trophy twice, when she was a resident. This year's residents will now go to the national competition in San Diego in 2017. Be sure to congratulate our champions and wish them luck in the national competition.
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Dr. Kolliputi awarded NIH grants totaling $766,000 to study liver fibrosis, lung injury syndromes
The University of South Florida was recently awarded an R21 grant from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) and an R56 grant from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI).
Narasaiah Kolliputi, PhD, Associate Professor, Division of Allergy and Immunology, Department of Internal Medicine, Morsani College of Medicine is the Principal Investigator for both projects.
R21- "TTP in alcohol induced liver fibrosis": Liver fibrosis/cirrhosis is a major global health problem and one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in the world. In developed Western countries, alcohol abuse accounts for more than 50% of cirrhosis cases. However, there is no effective treatment for liver fibrosis/cirrhosis. At the biological level, an imbalance between cytokines and hepatic stellate cell activation and transdifferentiation into myofibroblasts leads to alcoholic liver fibrogenesis. By attenuating these profibrotic mechanisms, Dr. Kolliputi's research team hopes to elucidate the regulatory mechanisms in liver fibrosis pathology as a necessary prerequisite for therapeutic agent development to minimize or reverse fibrosis. This two year new project received $392,437 from NIAAA.
R56- "Molecular mechanisms of hyperoxic lung injury": Acute lung injury (ALI) and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) are among the most devastating causes of fatality in critically ill patients. At the biological level, accumulating evidence shows that the enzyme, mitochondrial aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2), shields against oxidative stress-mediated damage. Based on published data, many trials have targeted reactive oxygen species (ROS) for the treatment of ALI and ARDS. Unfortunately, therapeutic targeting of ROS is challenging due to inherent molecular instability. Also, antioxidant treatment (targeting ROS) does not rectify mitochondrial damage. However, a more plausible target may be the stable secondary ROS intermediate, such as 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal (4-HNE). 4-HNE, a toxic lipid peroxidation product that disrupts mitochondrial bioenergetics, plays a causal role in oxidative stress diseases. Therefore, clearing 4-HNE and preserving vital mitochondrial homeostasis is a logical approach for the development of new therapies. This one year competing renewal project received $373,750 from NHLBI.
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New Leadership in Lung Transplant Program at TGH
The Lung Transplant Program at Tampa General Hospital (TGH) has performed more than 450 total adult lung transplants since its founding in 2002. The Department of Internal Medicine assumed responsibility for the TGH Lung Transplant Program this past summer and recruited Dr. Kapil Patel from Stanford University to lead the Program as its Medical Director.
Dr. Patel and University of South Florida (USF) Morsani College of Medicine senior leadership immediately completed an assessment and developed a recruitment plan to address short and long term goals. During the summer, two faculty recruitments were finalized. Dr. David Weill, also from Stanford University, was added to provide clinical service and overall consulting advice for programmatic growth and development. Dr. Monvasi Pachinburavan, from Sentara RMH Pulmonary Associates in Virginia, will be joining the program this November. Lung Transplant Pulmonologists from varied institutions in the United States are currently being interviewed. Additionally, four Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioners have recently been recruited.
As Dr. Patel is forming his team, he is actively working with the Lung Transplant Care Team at TGH's Transplant Center in the treatment plan and care of lung transplant patients.
Dr. Patel and Dr. Rumbak form the Nexus for a Center for Advanced Lung Disease that will provide services and care for patients with interstitial lung disease, cystic fibrosis and pulmonary hypertension and COPD. The combination of current USF Pulmonary and Critical Care Division faculty and TGH's Lung Transplant Care Team, will provide expertise and experience to develop and advance the Center as a pre-eminent Center for Advanced Lung Disease for the Tampa Bay region and state.
Additional information on Dr. Patel, the Lung Transplant Program and Center for Advanced Lung Disease will be provided by USF Health Communications in an upcoming article.
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Internal Awards Program Competition Schedule
Call for grant applications for Cycle 1 and Cycle 2 Faculty International Travel and Conference Support Grants. Next submission deadline is February 6, 2017.
A second announcement will be released for the spring call for grant applications. The Creative Scholarship, New Researcher, and Proposal Enhancement.
The grant programs are available to USF System faculty who are tenured, tenure earning, or in a non-tenured (regularly renewable) position that requires independent research.
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| Dr. Sinnott visits Gansu Provincial Hospital in Lanzhou, PRC. |
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Dr. Cuc Mai received the ACP, Outstanding Teacher of the Year Award.
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Tampa Sister Cities team in Lanzhou, PRC.
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| USF Infectious Disease Graduates at reunion. From Left: John Sinnott MD, Emilio Dominguez MD, John Greene MD, Margarita Cancio MD, Daniel Haight MD, Aliyah Baluchi MD, Anthony Cannella MD, Douglas Holt MD, Director. |
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USF Health and Zhaoqing First People's Hospital sign Memorandum of Understanding.
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John Greene, MD Receives
Outstanding Resident Teaching Award
Dr. Greene
received the Outstanding Resident Teaching Award at Moffitt presented at the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine Internal Medicine Residency Program Graduation Ceremony. This award reflects his aptitude for involving both residents and students in all things - he exemplifies the characteristics of the Clinical Educator. He is a member of AOA.
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Think Globally but Act Locally
Blanca Camoretti-Mercado, Phd from the Division of Allergy and Immunology is Chair of the Assembly on Respiratory Structure and Function Assembly of the American Thoracic Society. Dr. Camoretti-Mercado is also a member of the Board of Directors of the American Thoracic Society.
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Joseph Clara, MD Receives HONORS Award
The University of South Florida was recently awarded a Hematology Opportunities for the Next-Generation of Research Scientists (HONORS) Award from the American Society of Hematology (ASH). Principal investigator Joseph Clara, MD, Resident, Internal Medicine Residency Program, Department of Internal Medicine, Morsani College of Medicine, will study the "Immunohistochemical Characterization of Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma".
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Minh Ho, MD Receives
Jeffrey Nadler Award
Dr. Ho
received the first annual Jeffrey Nadler Award, an award given to ID Fellows, for Excellence in Research. This award was created this year in honor of Dr. Jeffrey Nadler, a USF ID Faculty member for 19 years. He oversaw clinical trials that lead to the development of more than 20 antiviral drugs now routinely used to treat patients with HIV. Dr. Nadler passed away in 2010. Dr. Nadler's wife, Connie Nadler, presented the award to Dr. Ho.
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Dwayne Wilson, MD Wins 2nd Prize in Poster Competition
Dr. Wilson traveled to Las Vegas on September 15, 2016 for the Western Occupational and Environmental Medicine Association (WOEMA) conference where he won 2nd prize in the residency poster competition.
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Renee Smith Receives her Re-certification from ACRP
Renee Smith, clinical research associate, Division of Allergy & Immunology, is a Certified Clinical Research Coordinator (CCRC). She recently received her re-certification through the Association of Clinical Research Professionals (ACRP).
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P. Michelle Twitmyer Passes the ACRP Exam
Michelle
Twitmyer, clinical research coordinator, Division of Allergy & Immunology, is a Certified Clinical Research Coordinator (CCRC). She recently passed the exam administered by the Association of Clinical Research Professionals (ACRP).
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Invited Lecturer, The Obesty Alliance, "A longitudinal study of obesity and Type2 diabetes: lessons regarding the new dietary and obesity guidelines", University of Florida, 2016.
-Invited Plenary Speaker, Asian Society of Academic Research (ASAR)- International Conference on Medical and Health Sciences, "Nanotechnology in modern medicine", Guntur, India, September 2016.
Thomas Casale, MD
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Multiallergen vs. single allergen immunotherapy in SLIT vs. SCIT. Eastern Allergy annual conference. May, 2016. Palm Beach.
-Chronic urticaria: New pathophysiologic insights. Eastern Allergy annual conference. May, 2016. Palm Beach.
-Cytokine families and receptors as targets for treatment in severe asthma. Presented as a symposium at the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology meeting, June, 2016. Vienna.
-The Biology and Role of Eosinophils in Uncontrolled Asthma. Presented as a symposium at the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology meeting, June, 2016. Vienna.
-Invited Spe
aker, Neutropenic fever for medical students and attendings. Hospital General, Medellin, Colombia 2016.
-Invited Speaker, Neutropenic fever for the 3rd, 4th year medical students, interns, residents and attendings, Clinica CES- Prado, Medellin, Colombia 2016.
-Invited Speaker, USF International Clinical Obsservership Program for International Medical Exchange Students.
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