Peds R Us
Department of Pediatrics
Rutgers RWJMS
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Message from the Chair
Welcome and thank you for your contributions to our Newsletter. We hope you enjoy reading about the variety of highlights and activities happening in our department.
Congratulations to all of you on your achievements; I appreciate being part of this Pediatric family. Thank you for your commitment to the children and families of the communities we serve.
Your feedback and comments are welcome!
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A Message from Dean Amy P. Murtha, MD on Appointment of Senior Associate Dean for Inclusion and Equity |
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January 5, 2023
Dear Faculty, Staff, Residents and Students,
I am pleased to announce that Patricia Whitley-Williams, MD, has been appointed to Senior Associate Dean for Inclusion and Equity. Dr. Whitley-Williams’ appointment is an essential first step in enhancing DEI priorities and support throughout all of our medical school missions.
Dr. Whitley-Williams, Professor and Director of the Division of Allergy, Immunology and Infectious Disease in the Department of Pediatrics, has served as the Associate Dean for Inclusion and Diversity since 2017. As a thought leader and chief strategist for educating and raising awareness toward a more inclusive workplace, she fosters a welcoming and safe environment where all faculty, staff, and trainees can excel and achieve their goals.
As Senior Associate Dean, Dr. Whitley-Williams will advance the vision of the Office of Inclusion and Diversity and lead programs that promote our medical school’s commitment to equitable learning, teaching, and working; will foster an inclusive and diverse culture and environment; and collaborate with our partners at Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences, Rutgers University and RWJBarnabas Health to address disparities and promote health equity, and implement a new strategic plan for diversity.
Dr. Whitley-Williams, a Pediatric Infectious Disease Specialist, has dedicated her career to medical education, improving access to medical care for all children, and advocating for the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV. She served as Chair of the Department of Pediatrics for 10 years before her appointment as Associate Dean. Under her leadership, the department developed and conducted statewide and nationally recognized clinical programs in HIV/AIDS, cystic fibrosis, diabetes, rheumatology, genetics, neonatology, and pediatric cardiology, among others, as well as a designated pediatric trauma center at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, and advocacy and education programs conducted by the Boggs Center, New Jersey's federally designated University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities. She also is the immediate past president of the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases, where she led national advocacy efforts for promoting the use of immunizations across the life spectrum to reduce vaccine-preventable diseases.
Please join me in congratulating Dr. Whitley-WIlliams and providing her your support as we continue to build an environment that is all-inclusive and equitable for our patients, faculty, staff and trainees.
Sincerely,
Amy P. Murtha, MD
Dean
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Patricia Whitley-Williams, MD
Professor and Director
of the Division of Allergy, Immunology
and Infectious Disease in the
Department of Pediatrics
Senior Associate Dean for Inclusion
and Equity
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Office of the Dean | Robert Wood Johnson Medical School
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2022 RBHS CHANCELLOR AWARDEES |
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Medical School Faculty Are Recipients of RBHS Chancellor Awards |
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The Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences Chancellor’s office announced the
recipients of the 2022 Third Annual RBHS Chancellor Awards. The awards were established to acknowledge the extraordinary work of our faculty and staff.
In addition to the high recognition, those selected will be honored during a celebratory event to be held later this year.
Robert Wood Johnson Medical School Department of Pediatrics faculty awardees are:
Clinical or Health Sciences Investigator Award:
Lawrence Kleinman, MD, MPH,
Professor and Vice Chair for Academic Development, and Director of the Division of Population Health, Quality, and Implementation Sciences
Lifetime Distinguished Achievement Award:
Michael Lewis, PhD, University Distinguished Professor of Pediatrics and Psychiatry, and Director of the Institute for the Study of Child Development
Congratulations to Drs. Kleinman, Lewis and all honorees!
For list of recipients please click on the link below:
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Clinical or Health Sciences
Investigator Award
Lawrence Kleinman, MD, MPH
Professor and Vice Chair for Academic Development, and Director of the Division of Population Health, Quality, and Implementation Sciences
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Lifetime Distinguished Achievement Award
Michael Lewis, PhD
University Distinguished Professor of Pediatrics and Psychiatry, and Director of the Institute for the Study of Child Development
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Dr. Vadim Ten's American Pediatric Society Induction |
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The American Pediatric Society (APS) council members have formally elected Vadim Ten, MD, PhD, Professor and Director of Pediatrics, to Active membership with the society. Active membership in the APS is reserved for individuals residing in the United States or Canada who have distinguished themselves as child health leaders, teachers, scholars, policymakers, and/or clinicians and whose important contributions are recognized nationally or internationally. Dr. Ten's official date of membership is January 1, 2023.
Congratulations to Dr. Ten!
Vadim Ten, MD, PhD
Professor and Director of Pediatrics
Division of Neonatology
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INSTITUTE FOR THE STUDY OF CHILD DEVELOPMENT |
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Lectureship Announced in Honor of Dr. Michael Lewis |
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The Department of Pediatrics has announced the establishment of "The Michael Lewis Endowed Lectureship: From Neurons to Neighborhoods," to honor the contributions of Michael Lewis, PhD, Distinguished Professor of Pediatrics and Psychiatry, and Director of the Institute for the Study of Child Development.
The lectureship mission will center on bringing renowned scientists to the medical school in order to continue the scholarly pursuit of the study of human development -- specifically, the epigenetic process involving the complex interaction of environment and biology.
Dr. Lewis’ work on the development of self-awareness through the use of self-recognition touches on both socio-emotional as well as cognitive development. Dr. Lewis has led the measurement and development of the self-conscious emotions of shame, pride, guilt, and embarrassment, and sees the development of these emotions to be an interaction of the environment as well as the biology of the species.
Congratulations to Dr. Lewis, on this well-earned tribute!
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Michael Lewis, PhD
Distinguished Professor of Pediatrics and Psychiatry, and Director of the Institute for the Study of Child Development.
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HONORS, AWARDS,
ACHIEVEMENTS AND
GRANTS
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DIVISION OF POPULATION HEALTH, QUALITY AND IMPLEMENTATION SCIENCES (PoPQuIS) |
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Dr. Ramachandran Receives Special Achievement Award from the American Academy of Pediatrics
Usha Ramachandran, MD, Associate Professor
of Pediatrics, received the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Special Achievement Award for
her work in promoting early childhood development in New Jersey. The award recognizes outstanding contributions of individuals who make a difference
in the lives of infants, children and adolescents.
Dr. Ramachandran, who is the early childhood champion for the New Jersey chapter, is also
co-lead on a $4 million Health Resources and Service Administration (HRSA) grant awarded to
the chapter for transforming pediatric care.
"I am excited to work on bringing a focus on partnering with families and promoting early relational health and early childhood development within pediatric primary care in N.J.," says Dr. Ramachandran.
Congratulations to Dr. Ramachandran, on receiving both of these achievements!
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CONFERENCES,
SEMINARS,
AND WEBINARS
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Sally Radovick, MD
Professor and Henry Rutgers Chair,
Department of Pediatrics, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences, presented Endocrine Grand Rounds at Stanford University School of Medicine on September 14, 2022. Dr. Radovick's lecture was entitled, "The Molecular Basis of Hypogonadotrophic Hypogonadism".
A leader in the biomedical revolution, Stanford Medicine has a long tradition of leadership in pioneering research, creative teaching protocols and effective clinical therapies.
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The Hypothalamus and Infertility
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Dr. Radovick was also invited to present at the 2022 Dr. Kenneth S. Gould and Audrey S. Gould Lecture Series in Molecular and Cellular Medicine, which was held on September 20 by the Child Health Institute of New Jersey.
Dr. Radovick's lecture was entitled, "The Hypothalamus and infertility".
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Hudson Shea Foundation's Angel Walk |
"The Angel Walk for Pregnancy and Infant Loss," sponsored by the Hudson Shea Foundation, was held on Saturday, October 29 at 11 AM, at Van Saun Park, in Paramus, NJ.
Each year, the foundation donates proceeds from the walk to Child Health Institute of New Jersey (CHINJ) to support pregnancy loss and prematurity research.
The medical school community was invited to register and join members of CHINJ and the Department of Pediatrics at the walk.
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Diagnosis and Treatment of Short Stature |
Sally Radovick, MD, Professor and Henry Rutgers Chair, Department of Pediatrics, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences, was invited to present Pediatric Grand rounds at NYU.
Dr. Radovick presented Pediatric Grand Rounds at NYU School of Medicine on October 4. Dr. Radovick's lecture was entitled, "The Diagnosis and Treatment of Short Stature".
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Long-Term Safety of Daily Growth Hormone in Childhood |
In addition, Dr. Radovick participated in a Live Webinar hosted by the Human Growth Foundation on October 26. Dr. Radovick's lecture was entitled, "Long-term Safety of Daily Growth Hormone in Childhood".
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LEARN SERVE LEAD 2022 - ASSOCIATION FOR AMERICAN MEDICAL COLLEGES' ANNUAL MEETING
Several faculty members presented sessions at the "Learn Serve Lead 2022," the Association for American Medical Colleges' annual meeting in Nashville. Sonia Garcia Laumbach, MD, Assistant Dean for Student Affairs and Associate Professor of family medicine and community health, presented "Applying the National AAMC Professional Development Initiative to Regional Peer-to-Peer Mentoring" on Friday, Nov. 11.
Shilpa Pai, MD, Associate Professor of Pediatrics, and Michael Kelly, MD, Associate Dean for Graduate Medical Education and Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, presented "Resident Orientation and Our Communities: Getting It Right from the Start" on Saturday, Nov. 12. Hanin Rashid, PhD, Instructor of Psychiatry and a faculty member in the medical school's Cognitive Skills Program, presented "Practical Application of Tools and Processes for Mitigating Assessment Bias" on Tuesday, Nov. 15, as well as participated in a poster session on "The Multiple Sources of USMLE Step 1 Study Advice and the Relationship to Wellness" on Monday, Nov. 14.
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Shilpa Pai, MD
Associate Professor of Pediatrics
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Michael Kelly, MD
Associate Dean for Graduate Medical Education and Assistant Professor of Pediatrics
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Association of American Medical Colleges' "Learn Serve Lead 2022" Conference
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Medical school faculty, staff, students and alumni were on hand at the Association of American Medical Colleges' "Learn Serve Lead 2022" conference in Nashville, Tenn. In addition to workshop sessions led by faculty and staff, the medical school co-hosted a reception with Rutgers New Jersey Medical School at the J.W. Marriott Nashville, and third-year medical student Kemi Alabi accepted one of only five 2022 Herbert W. Nickens Medical Student Scholarship Awards. Thanks to all who attended and helped make the event such a success!
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NEW PROGRAMS, RESOURCES, AND SERVICES
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New Pediatric Website Offers COVID-19 Resources in Five Languages
Robert Wood Johnson Medical School’s Department of Pediatrics recently launched a website that offers multilingual resources about COVID-19 vaccines for children and young adults.
“As a pediatric rheumatologist, a pediatrician, a colleague and a mother, I feel that it is vitally important to be involved in such an endeavor. This website will promote vaccination and make a huge difference in decreasing morbidity due to the illness,” says L. Nandini Moorthy, MD, MS, FAAP, Professor of Pediatrics, Division of Rheumatology.
Resources are available in English, Spanish, Mandarin, Tagalog, Hindi and Korean, the top five languages spoken in New Jersey. Links to information on relevant topics related to COVID-19 and the COVID-19 vaccines were obtained from various sources, have been reviewed by Pediatric faculty experts and compiled.
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EMPLOYEE
APPRECIATION AND RECOGNITION
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DIVISION OF POPULATION HEALTH, QUALITY AND IMPLEMENTATION SCIENCES (PoPQuIS) |
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Medical Student Team Recognized in AMA Impact Challenge
Medical students Kelsey Thompson, Divya Krishna, Jennifer Rha and Jerry So earned a $500 honorable mention award from the American Medical Association for their project "PLAN for Health: A Medical Student-led Patient Navigator Initiative for Refugee Families in New Jersey."
The project addressed health care accessibility by implementing a program connecting newly arrived refugee families with a team of medical students, social workers and physicians to help navigate the healthcare system.
Shilpa Pai, MD
Associate Professor
The program assisted eight clients, including four children, in getting subspecialty appointments, receiving individualized education plans (IEPs), and establishing primary and dental care.
The medical student team, which was mentored by Shilpa Pai, MD, Associate Professor of Pediatrics, was recognized by the AMA as part of its 2022 Accelerating Change in Medical Education Health Systems Science Student, Resident and Fellow Impact Challenge. The challenge recognizes programs that are impactful, innovative and inspirational in addressing health systems science domains such as leadership, patient safety, quality improvement and population health.
Congratulations to Dr. Pai!
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Sandee Moroso-Fela Named Employee of the Month for December 2022
Sandee Moroso-Fela is Program Manager for the Division of Population Health, Quality Improvement and Implementation Sciences (PopQuIS). She works after hours as needed, which is frequent. She brings a warm spirit to our team as she provides personal encouragement and professional support for our diverse and multidisciplinary research teams. She serves as the glue for our PopQuIS team while serving too as the locus of two federally funded national collaborations. Her mindfulness of individuals needs promotes effective bilateral and multilateral relationships that support the team members and the work product of the various teams. With the departure of our Operations Director, Sandee has stepped into an acting role with excellent spirit and continued excellence.
Sandee Moroso-Fela
Program Manager
This work involves managing a demanding multi institutional collaboration that we lead, as well as dealing with our funders and peer collaborators. Without Sandee's excellent work and superior grace this project would be suffering. I am impressed by Sandee admire and admire her concomitant devotion to the work and to the people who are accomplishing the work.
She brings this brings this at a level that is rare in my experience and she makes me a better manager. She manages up, down, and sideways as needed, solving problems, identifying resources and recognizing when she needs to bring me in and when she can serve best more independently.
This nomination is overdue. Her acceptance of an interim role and her capacity to balance that work and keep us all moving forward across multiple federally funded projects with more than a dozen collaborators is extraordinary and deserves recognition.
Nominated by Lawrence C. Kleinman, MD, MPH, FAAP, Professor, Vice Chair for Academic Development and PopQuIS Division Director.
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NEW FACULTY , STAFF,
AND
RETIREMENTS
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THE BOGGS CENTER
Training & Consultation Specialists
Valentina Arango-Correa
Tara R Dumas
Alyson Jane Duncanson
Multi Media Specialist II
Sean T Cuddihy
DIVISION OF ENDOCRINOLOGY
Faculty
Patrick J Rizzuto, MD
DIVISION OF GASTROENTEROLOGY
Faculty
Diane J Hsu, MD
RESIDENCY PROGRAM
Housestaff PGY I & IV
Katherine Briski
Sameera Chaudhry
Natasha Cordero
Jordana Gross
Adam Halpern
Axel Ivander
Bahaaeldin Labib
Casey Lamar
Bethany Mancuso
Keisha Target
Sarah Trocke
George Ye
PEDIATRIC FELLOWS
DIVISION OF NEONATOLOGY
Heba Abulsheour
Nichole Adiletta
DEVELOPMENTAL & BEHAVIORAL
Lilian Mekhail
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DIVISION OF CHILD NEUROLOGY & NEURODEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES
Staff Nurse
Thomas Toomey, RN
Temporary Research Assistant
Caroline Mendoza
DIVISION OF CRITICAL CARE
Faculty
Daniel B Kaplan, MD
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NEW STAFF ~ SEPTEMBER 2022 |
DIVISION OF ALLERGY, IMMUNOLOGY AND INFECTIOUS DISEASES
Community Health Worker
Alberto Ruelas-Giron
THE BOGGS CENTER
Data Control Clerk I
Barbara A String
Temporary Research Assistant
Nila Uthirasamy
INSTITUTE FOR THE STUDY OF CHILD DEVELOPMENT
Temporary Research Assistant
Ronak Paresh Panchal
DIVISION OF CHILD NEUROLOGY & NEURODEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES
Student Assistants
Pablo Enrique Colon
Alexandria Maria Minetti
DIVISION OF POPULATION HEALTH, QUALITY AND IMPLEMENTATION SCIENCES
Research Coordinator
Amber Folnagy
RETIREMENT
DIVISIONS OF CRITICAL CARE & NEONATOLOGY
Retiree
Diana Brantley
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DIVISION OF ALLERGY, IMMUNOLOGY AND INFECTIOUS DISEASES
Student CWS
Ravinder Kaur
THE BOGGS CENTER
Instructional Designer
Ling Ma
DIVISION OF POPULATION HEALTH, QUALITY AND IMPLEMENTATION SCIENCES
Post Doctoral Fellow
Sarah Fadem
PRACTICE PLAN SUPPORT
Medical Services Assistant
Jennifer Priscilla Campos
Clinic Services Representative II
Margarita Hernandez
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NEW STAFF ~ NOVEMBER 2022 |
DIVISION OF ALLERGY, IMMUNOLOGY AND INFECTIOUS DISEASES
Program Assistant
Madelyne Louise Rinaldo
DIVISION OF MEDICAL GENETICS
Faculty
Christopher J Simotas, MD
DIVISION OF NEONATOLOGY
Interim Physician Consultant
Jen Tien Wung
DIVISION OF CHILD NEUROLOGY & NEURODEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES
Temporary Research Assistant
Lucia Lakata
PRACTICE PLAN SUPPORT
Clinic Services Representative II
Kiran Jaffery
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NEW STAFF ~ DECEMBER 2022 |
DIVISION OF ENDOCRINOLOGY
Staff Nurse
Kimberly Alison Heiss, RN
DIVISION OF CHILD NEUROLOGY & NEURODEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES
Temporary Research Assistant
Naomy Azcona
PRACTICE PLAN SUPPORT
Biling Tech Precert
Bela C. Shah
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ARTICLES, BLOGS,
PUBLICATIONS,
RESEARCH, AND STUDIES
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DIVISION OF POPULATION HEALTH, QUALITY AND IMPLEMENTATION SCIENCES (PoPQuIS) |
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Rutgers Study Finds Increased Parental Depression Screening Could Broaden Access To Important Resources for New Parents
Screening both mothers and fathers for depression beyond their child’s first birthday in pediatric offices – the current standard practice – could identify families in need of mental health and other critical resources, according to a Rutgers study led by Ava Marie Hunt, MD '21, who performed the research as a medical student with senior author Manuel E. Jimenez, MD, MS, FAAP, Associate Professor of Pediatrics, and Family Medicine and Community Health.
“Pediatric professionals can play an important role in detecting parental depression,” said Dr. Hunt, who just completed an internship in the Department of Pediatrics at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. “However, the current American Academy of Pediatrics guidelines only recommend that pediatric clinicians screen for maternal depression in the first year of their infant’s life. This is especially important for parents who do not have a regular source of health care but attend the children’s well visits.”
The study, published in the journal Pediatrics, examined parental depression or mood disorder screening at pediatric health-care facilities after a child’s first birthday. Structured screening programs outside of the postpartum period in pediatric settings are rare, researchers found, despite the fact that many parents screened positive for depressive symptoms. In many cases, parents who screened positive for depressive symptoms didn’t receive the appropriate referrals and follow up, according to the study. The findings suggest that increased screening for parental depression across a wider age range and in a broader array of clinical settings has the potential to identify families in need of resources.
The study was recommended as a "must read for clinicians" in an accompanying blog. Study co-authors included Sallie Porter, DNP, PhD, APN, PED-BC, CPNP, FNAP, an Associate Professor at Rutgers School of Nursing, and Nila Uthirasamy, a Research Assistant at the medical school.
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Office of Research Hosts Medical Student Summer Research Program
The 2022 Medical Student Summer Research Program was a resounding success!
The eight-week program, led by Senior Associate Dean for Research and Chair of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Céline Gélinas, PhD, offered first- and second-year medical students the opportunity to work with faculty mentors on a variety of basic, translational or clinical research projects.
It was another record year, with 94 medical students presenting their research at the in-person symposium on Wednesday, August 10, in Piscataway.
Special thanks to our 77 faculty mentors! We are also grateful to the weekly lecturers in the seminar series, Jeffrey Carson, MD; Martin Blaser, MD; Céline Gélinas, PhD; Anthony Gonzalez, MS; Farah Anwar, BA; Paul Copeland, PhD; Sunanda Gaur, MD; Deborah McCloskey, RN; and Carol A. Terregino, MD; as well as to symposium keynote speaker Reynold A. Panettieri Jr., MD, served on the Fellowship Selection Committee and those who served as moderators; and to Evelyn Blas, Program Manager, who managed the program and organized the symposium.
We are very grateful to our sponsors, the New Jersey Health Foundation Inc., and the families and friends whose donations supported the Michael David Rothstein Scholarship, Muriel Genfan Endowed Scholarship, and Tetsuo Shimamura MD Endowed Scholarships.
Congratulations to all students who completed the program!
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Sunanda Gaur, MD
Professor
Division of Allergy, Immunology and Infectious Diseases
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Deborah McCloskey, RN
Nurse Manager
RWJ Clinical Research Center
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New Study Will Help Identify Children at High Risk of Life-Threatening Diabetes Complication
Rutgers conducted the largest and most comprehensive study of children at high risk of developing a life-threatening complication of Type 1 diabetes, using funding from JDRF, the leading global Type 1 diabetes research and advocacy organization.
Researchers from Rutgers Center for Pharmacoepidemiology and Treatment Science (PETS) aimed to develop a tool to help clinicians identify children who are at high risk of developing diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA). DKA, which occurs when the body produces high levels of blood acids called ketones because it can't produce enough insulin, is the leading cause of hospitalizations, morbidity and mortality among children and younger adults with Type 1 diabetes.
In addition to principal investigator Chintan Dave, an Assistant Professor with PETS and core faculty member of the Rutgers Institute for Health, Health Care Policy and Aging Research, study coinvestigators include Brian L. Strom, MD, MPH, Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences Chancellor; Sally Radovick, MD, Chair of the Medical School's
Department of Pediatrics and Senior Associate Dean for Clinical and Translational Research; and Jason Roy, PhD, Professor of Biostatistics and Chair of the Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology at Rutgers School of Public Health. The three-year study began in August 2022.
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DIVISION OF CRITICAL CARE |
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Respiratory Virus Possible Precursor to a Rare Polio-Like Illness
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a health advisory about an increase in children being hospitalized with severe respiratory illness who also tested positive for the rhinovirus or enterovirus EV-D68. That particular enterovirus has been associated with acute flaccid myelitis (AFM) – a rare polio-like illness that affects the nerve cells in the gray matter of the spinal cord and could lead to permanent paralysis.
Simon Li, MD, Associate Professor of Pediatrics, says both viruses circulate year-round in the United States, with typical peaks in the spring and fall. EV-D68 is thought to peak in late summer and early fall. Hospitalized children will have a cough, shortness of breath and wheezing and about half will have a fever.
"Since we don’t know what triggers AFM, there is no specific action to take to prevent it. However, you can take steps to prevent you and your child from getting sick from a virus: Wash hands often with soap and water for 20 seconds; avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth; avoid close contact with people who are sick; cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue or upper shirt sleeve, not with hands; clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces; stay home if sick; and consider wearing a mask around other people if you have respiratory symptoms," Dr. Li told Rutgers Today.
Parents should contact a health care provider immediately if they or their child has trouble breathing or has a sudden onset of limb weakness.
Read more in Rutgers Today.
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Should I Get My Child Vaccinated?
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Amisha Malhotra, MD
Associate Professor, Pediatric Infectious Disease Physician at The Bristol-Myers Squibb Children's Hospital at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital and Associate Professor of Pediatrics at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School
See Dr. Malhotra discuss the safety and efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines for children, by visiting the YouTube link.
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SIDS Center Researchers Find Possible Difference in Risk Factors for Infants Who Die Unexpectedly in First Week
While a sudden unexpected infant death (SUID) is rare in the first month of life, a new study by researchers at the SIDS Center of New Jersey found that those occurring in the first week, an even rarer event, have different risk factors compared to those dying later.
They recommend more thorough investigations into the possible causes of these early deaths.
"The first month of life is especially crucial to study, as it is a time when mothers are in postpartum recovery, experiencing fatigue, establishing breastfeeding practices and developing new household routines, which can influence risk factors," says Thomas Hegyi, MD, Professor and Medical Director of the SIDS Center and co-author of the study.
"When it comes to risk factors for SUID in the first year of life, one size may not fit all," says Barbara M. Ostfeld, PhD, Professor and Program Director of the SIDS Center and study co-author. "Identifying age-specific risks can lead to improvements in outcome."
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SIDS Center Offers New Resources for Caregivers and Health Care Professionals
In connection with SIDS Awareness Month in October, the medical school's SIDS Center of New Jersey hosted community programs on how to reduce the risk of sudden unexplained infant deaths. Live and on-demand webinars in English and Spanish will be available on the center's Facebook page.
The SIDS Center also was offering free newborn baby onesies with safe infant sleep messaging while supplies lasted.
"Knowledge is empowering, and we urge families to visit our website to download SIDS Info, our free mobile phone app, and other resources," says Barbara M. Ostfeld, PhD, Program Director of the SIDS Center of New Jersey and a Professor of Pediatrics at the medical school. "The app is available in English and Spanish, with voiceovers as well as graphics and text. Updates will appear in the coming weeks on both the Apple and Google Play app stores."
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DIVISION OF POPULATION HEALTH, QUALITY AND IMPLEMENTATION SCIENCES (PoPQuIS) |
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PopQuIS Faculty Offer Commentary on Racial Disparities and Hospital Care for Newborns
Faculty in the Department of Pediatrics' Division of Population Health, Quality and Implementation Sciences (PopQuIS) recently authored a commentary in Evidence-Based Nursing (EBN) on a Pediatrics study that described the association between race/ethnicity, hospital of birth and "unexpected newborn complications" in low-risk term neonates in New York City.
Commentary co-authors Lawrence C. Kleinman, MD, MPH, Professor, Vice Chair for Academic Development and PopQuIS Division Director; and Kristine H. Schmitz, MD, MPH, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics in the PopQuIS division, spoke with EBN Associate Editor Kerry Gaskin in a BMJ talk medicine podcast about how the quality of care in the hospital of delivery has a direct relation with more unexpected neonatal complications in Black and Hispanic infants.
The study describes associations between race/ethnicity, hospital of birth and ‘unexpected newborn complications’ in low-risk term neonates in New York City.
Dr. Schmitz and Dr. Kleinman are the authors of a commentary published by EBN on that study. They tell Evidence-Based Nursing Associate Editor, Kerry Gaskin, how the quality of care in the hospital of delivery has a direct relation with more unexpected neonatal complications in black and hispanic infants.
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Lawrence C. Kleinman, MD, MPH Professor, Vice Chair for Academic Development and PopQuIS Division Director
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Kristine H. Schmitz, MD, MPH
Assistant Professor
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DIVISIONS OF RHEUMATOLOGY AND
POPULATION HEALTH, QUALITY AND IMPLEMENTATION SCIENCES (PoPQuIS)
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Local Groups Prove Essential in Expanding Access to At-Home COVID-19 Tests in Vulnerable Communities
A recent study suggests that community-based groups can be more effective than healthcare organizations at expanding access to at-home COVID-19 testing in underserved communities.
In a survey of Black and Latino residents in four New Jersey communities with high rates of COVID-19 infection, community-based organizations (CBOs) – such as human service-focused nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) – were more effective than healthcare organizations (HCOs) at increasing awareness of at-home testing availability.
“These results serve to reinforce the value of working with community partners to strengthen health outcomes," notes Emily Barrett, PhD, Associate Professor of Biostatistics and Epidemiology in Rutgers School of Public Health, and lead author of the study, which was published in the American Journal of Public Health.
The findings are a result of work done through the New Jersey Healthcare Essential Worker Outreach and Education Study - Testing Overlooked Occupations, or the NJ HEROES TOO program. Funded by a $5 million grant from the National Institutes of Health, NJ HEROES TOO was created to expand access to COVID-19 testing in New Jersey counties with high poverty rates and disproportionate disease burdens.
Medical school faculty and researchers Jeanne M. Ferrante, MD, MPH; Daniel B. Horton, MD, MSCE; Marsha Gordon, MPH; Maria B. Pellerano, MA, MBA; Alfred F. Tallia, MD, MPH; Manuel E. Jimenez, MD, FAAP; Martin J. Blaser, MD; Reynold Panettieri Jr., MD; and Shawna V. Hudson, PhD, also contributed to the study.
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Daniel B. Horton, MD, MSCE
Assistant Professor of Pediatrics and Epidemiology
Division of Rheumatology
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Manuel E. Jimenez, MD, MS, FAAP Associate Professor of Pediatrics, and Family Medicine and Community Health
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DIVISION OF CRITICAL CARE |
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Tachyarrhythmias During Hospitalization for COVID-19 or Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children and Adolescents |
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Steven Horwitz
Associate Professor
Division of Pediatric Critical Care
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Background Cardiac complications related to COVID-19 in children and adolescents include ventricular dysfunction, myocarditis, coronary artery aneurysm, and bradyarrhythmias, but tachyarrhythmias are less understood. The goal of this study was to evaluate the frequency, characteristics, and outcomes of children and adolescents experiencing tachyarrhythmias while hospitalized for acute severe COVID-19 or multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children.
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DIVISION OF CHILD NEUROLOGY AND NEUROLODEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES |
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Medical School Team Finds Success Treating a Child's Rare Autoimmune Disorder
In the autumn of 2020, a 5-year-old girl with anti-MNDAR (N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor) encephalitis -- a rare, difficult-to-diagnose malfunction of the brain that was the topic of a bestselling memoir and Netflix movie, Brain on Fire -- was facing a dire prognosis. She had not responded to standard treatment and had been in a catatonic state for three months when a team of medical school physicians were called in to help.
The team, led by Vikram Bhise, MD, Associate Professor of Pediatrics and Director of the Division of Child Neurology and Neurodevelopmental Disabilities, believed there might be hope, despite the conventional wisdom against pursuing any further treatment.
What happened over the course of the next few weeks -- described as a case study in the European Medical Journal -- involved a series of more than a dozen blood plasma exchanges, ultimately resulting in a full recovery for the child, and insight for the future.
"I think the lesson that we've learned here is that you can still treat this disease after time has passed," says Dr. Bhise, who co-authored the case study. "You shouldn't stop trying. This is important to know so that other folks in the field do not prematurely give up when they see children -- and probably adults as well -- with difficult-to-treat anti-NMDAR encephalitis."
Other members of the medical team and case study co-authors were Yisha Cheng, MD '20, a resident physician in pediatric medicine, and Dalya Chefitz, MD, Professor of pediatrics at the medical school and director of the Division of Pediatric Hospital Medicine at the medical school and The Bristol-Myers Squibb Children's Hospital at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital.
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Vikram Bhise, MD
Associate Professor and Division Director, Child Neurology and Neurodevelopmental Disabilities
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Dalya Chefitz, MD
Professor of Pediatrics and Division Director, Hospital Medicine
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Team Science Across the NJ ACTS Consortium Virtual Workshop Series |
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This bi-monthly university-wide virtual seminar series, hosted by the Team Science Core of NJ ACTS, will feature leaders and team members of interdisciplinary research projects taking place within the NJ ACTS consortium to explore how complex research teams are formed, operated, and achieve success. Each event will revolve around a large project that is funded through one of the federal grant mechanisms designed to foster interdisciplinary, high-impact research—e.g., R01 (research grants) with multiple principal investigators, U01 (Research Grants - Cooperative Agreements), and P-series (Program Project Grants and Center Grants). In addition to providing a high-level overview of the projects, the presenters and panelists will be asked to comment on the advantages and challenges associated with interdisciplinary team research, critical competencies for leading effective research teams, and useful strategies for getting team members to collaborate effectively.
The first event (on the posted video) featured the "Fragile Families Third Generation" study, funded through a MPI R01 grant from NICH, featuring Dan Horton and Nancy Reichman. The next event in the series was on December 8 (2:15-3:15): The Corona
Cohort.
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Nancy Reichman, PhD
Professor of Pediatrics
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Daniel B. Horton, MD, MSCE
Assistant Professor of Pediatrics and Epidemiology
Division of Rheumatology
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DIVISION OF CRITICAL CARE |
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Investigating Health Disparities Associated With Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children After SARS-CoV-2 Infection |
Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) is a postinfectious severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)–related complication that has disproportionately affected racial/ethnic minority children. We conducted a pilot study to investigate risk factors for MIS-C aiming to understand MIS-C disparities.
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Steven Horwitz, MD
Associate Professor
Division of Pediatric Critical Care
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DIVISIONS OF CRITICAL CARE AND POPULATION HEALTH, QUALITY AND IMPLEMENTATION SCIENCES (PoPQuIS) |
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RWJMS Researchers Top List for 2022
Among the medical school investigators involved in research that made the list: Shawna Hudson, PhD, professor, research division chief and Henry Rutgers Chair of Family Medicine and Community Health; Martin Blaser, MD, professor of medicine and pathology & laboratory medicine and Henry Rutgers Chair of the Human Microbiome; Morgan James, PhD, professor of psychiatry; Manuel Jimenez, MD, MS, FAAP, assistant professor of pediatrics; Reynold A. Panettieri, Jr., MD, professor of medicine; Cassandra Louis, MD, assistant professor of pediatrics; Hari Tunuguntla, MD, associate professor of urological surgery; and Jessica Salvatore, MD, associate professor of psychiatry.
Thank you for your contributions and dedication to advancing science at the medical school year in and year out!
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Manuel Jimenez, MD, MS, FAAP
Associate Professor of Pediatrics
Division of Population Health, Quality and Implementation Sciences (PoPQuIS)
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Cassandra Louis, MD
Assistant Professor of Pediatrics
Division of Critical Care (PICU)
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POPULATION HEALTH, QUALITY AND IMPLEMENTATION SCIENCES (PoPQuIS) |
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Medical School to Lead NIH Study on Long COVID in Children
The medical school is leading a national network of 14 sites in a new National Institutes of Health (NIH) study seeking to define long COVID -- a term used to describe lingering COVID-19 symptoms -- in children, including its evolution and how often it occurs.
The study is part of a $30 million grant the medical school received as part of the NIH-funded Researching COVID to Enhance Recovery (RECOVER) initiative studying long-term and delayed impacts of COVID-19 in children.
The medical school will recruit 150 children and young adults up to the age of 25 as part of this new study, with the other sites recruiting an additional 2,000 participants. In its first phase, participants will provide blood and saliva samples and complete an at-home questionnaire. Qualifying participants will continue to the second phase, which involves an in-depth evaluation including bloodwork, an electrocardiogram and lung-function testing at the medical school's Pediatric Clinical Research Center. Some participants may be selected for more in-depth study, including brain imaging, cognitive testing and echocardiograms.
"We need to think about long COVID as the onset of a new chronic disease of childhood," says Lawrence C. Kleinman, MD, MPH, the lead investigator for the Collaborative Long-term study of Outcomes of COVID-19 in Kids (CLOCK) consortium at Rutgers and Professor and Vice Chair for Academic Development in the Department of Pediatrics.
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16 doctor-recommended methods to get rid of a cold quickly -- Patricia N. Whitley-Williams, MD -- News Explorer, MSN
NIH DREAM study finds Viagra and Cialis do not reduce the risk of Alzheimer's and related dementias -- Daniel B. Horton, MD -- Healthy Duck, Medical Xpress, and more
COVID Testing for Kids and Babies -- Sunanda Gaur, MD -- Reporter Health
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Risk Factors for Sudden Infant Death Vary by Time of Death -- Thomas Hegyi, MD, and Barbara M. Ostfeld, PhD -- KTBS3/ABC, Tulsa World, The Indiana Gazette
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