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Children with epilepsy have a higher prevalence of autism spectrum disorder.

Food allergies in children are more common than previously believed. A bifurcated needle is used to test for allergens.

Biomarkers may help to assess inflammation. Marisa Klein-Gitelman, MD, MPH

Research Honors

  • Allergy and Immunology Clinical fellow Anna Fishbein, MD gave a platform presentation at the 2011 Pediatric Academic Societies (PAS) meeting.
  • Autonomic Medicine Debra Weese-Mayer, MD was featured in the American Thoracic Society (ATS) Who’s Who.
  • Pallavi Patwari, MD presented at the Best of Pediatrics Assembly Highlights Program, ATS International Conference.
  • Cardiology Barbara Deal, MD was named the Getz Professor in Cardiology.
  • Elfriede Pahl, MD was named the Marvin E. Wodika Research Professor in Cardiology.
  • Pahl was elected to the Pediatric Heart Transplant Study Group Foundation board of directors.
  • Critical Care Lauren Sorce, RN, MSN, CCRN, CPNP-AC/PC, FCCM received the Norma J. Shoemaker Award for Critical Care Nursing Excellence, the highest nursing honor of the Society of Critical Care Medicine.
  • Endocrinology Jami Josefson, MD received the Clinical Research Award and the Women Faculty Organization Award at the Lewis Landsberg Research Day at the Feinberg School.
  • Epilepsy Center Douglas Nordli, Jr., MD was elected president of the American Clinical Neurophysiology Society.
  • General Academic Pediatrics Clinical fellow Maheen Quadri-Sheriff, MD received a scholarship sponsored by the research center for the Master of Science in Clinical Investigation (MSCI) degree program at Northwestern University.
  • Robert Garofalo, MD, MPH served on the National Academies of Sciences Institute of Medicine Committee on the Health of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender People.
  • Hematology, Oncology and Stem Cell Transplantation David Walterhouse, MD received a Feinberg School Outstanding Teaching Award as part of the Scientific Basis of Medicine course.
  • Pediatric Infectious Diseases Clinical fellow Claudia Crowell, MD received a Thrasher Research Fund Early Career Award for her research in West Africa.
  • William J. Muller, MD, PhD received the Basic Science Award at the Lewis Landsberg Research Day at the Feinberg School.
  • Ben Katz, MD received commendation from the Department of Pediatrics at the Feinberg School for his commitment to medical education.
  • Stanford Shulman, MD was a co-recipient of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Section on Infectious Diseases Award for Lifetime Contribution to Infectious Diseases Education.
  • The Feinberg School Medical Faculty Council (MFC) honored Shulman with a clinical Mentor of the Year award.
  • Neonatology Two clinical fellows, Stephannie Baehl, MD and Stephanie Castrillo, MD were recipients of scholarships for the MSCI degree program at Northwestern University.

Pediatrics

The Department of Pediatrics’ divisions and programs work individually and collaboratively to improve the health and well-being of children and their families through research.

We work to provide interventions before serious illnesses or injuries happen. We investigate the best ways to treat and provide follow up care for medical conditions.

We accomplish our goals through a combination of laboratory research and clinical trials. In many of our preliminary studies, we look for clues to determine the best course forward. The programs of Children’s Memorial Research Center are committed to making discoveries that will improve the lives of children and their families. Clinical trials conducted by our divisions provide opportunities for, and the responsibility of dramatically improving therapeutics and finding cures for illnesses and diseases.

Impact:

Food allergies in children are more common than previously believed. Ruchi Gupta and colleagues published data suggesting that one in 13 U.S. children suffers from food allergies, a figure that is double the latest government estimate.

Wound healing dramatically improved. Amy Paller’s laboratory found that depletion of membrane gangliosides dramatically increases the proliferation and migration of keratinocytes and the healing of wounds in animal models.

Children with epilepsy have a higher prevalence of autism spectrum disorder. Anne Berg and colleagues conducted a community-based study and found the percentage of these children with autism spectrum disorder to be significantly higher than in the general population.

VEGF contributes to early lung disease. Susanna McColley and Kimberly Watts believe that elevated levels of serum vascular endothelial factor (VEGF) in children with cystic fibrosis (CF) are contributing to early lung disease.

Biomarkers may help to assess inflammation. Marisa Klein-Gitelman is working with a research network to define biomarkers of lupus brain and kidney inflammation as well as better measures of disease flare and remission.

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