Post on 31-Dec-2016
Summer passed by in a flurry of nationwide recognition for
Pittsburgh and the University as a whole.
News headlines included an updated “36 hours in Pittsburgh”
article by the NY Times. A video by TIME magazine, featuring Dr.
Art Levine and Dr. Steve Shapiro, detailed Pittsburgh’s Comeback.
USA Today has also ranked Pitt as the #1 place to study health
professions, which is not a secret to our PACCM family.
Here in our division, we have also been busy. Our second issue of
the PACCM Insider aims to highlight many of our accomplishments
and celebratory moments from June through August.
As we welcome the new academic year, please remember to keep
sending details, pictures, announcements, etc to be included in our
future issues!
A New Academic Year
2015 Robert M. Rogers Lectureship
Each year during the Robert M. Rogers
Lectureship, our fellows have the unique
opportunity to interact with a world renowned
leader in Pulmonology.
This year, the PACCM fellows spent the morn-
ing with Dr. Talmadge E. King, Jr., chair of the
Department of Medicine and newly appointed
Dean at the University of California, San Fran-
cisco.
Dr. King's research interests include pathogen-
esis, diagnosis and management of inflamma-
tory and immunologic lung disease. In 2007,
he won the Trudeau Medal, the highest honor of
the American Lung Association and American
Thoracic Society.
After meeting with the fellows and discussing
their individual research goals, Dr. King shared
some personal career experiences.
September 14, 2015
Volume 1, Issue 2
PACCM Insider
USA Today ranks Pitt #1 place to study
health professions
Special points of interest:
Annual Robert Rogers Lecture-
ship and Fellows Graduation
Annual PACCM Awards
Welcome to Our New Hires
New HHT Center of Excellence
Violet Rippy 5K
Annual Simmons Center Golf
Outing
Upcoming Events
Inside this issue:
Simmons Center Golf Outing 2
New Hires 2
In the News 3
Flu Vaccine/PPD Session 3
Research Retreat Save the Date 3
Promotions 3
PACCM Awards 4
Grants, Awards, &
Notable Mentions
4
HHT Center of Excellence 5
Patient & Family Fundraising 5
Violet Rippy 5K 5
Publications 6
Fellows 7
Celebrations 8
Below: PACCM Fellows with Dr. King; Right top: Michael Donahoe opens
Rogers Lectureship; Right bottom: Dr. King with Rama Mallampalli, Mrs.
Sandy Rogers and her son David Rogers
This year, the 11th Annual Fran Magister “FORE
IPF” Charity Golf Outing was held at Wildwood Golf
Club on Monday, August 24th. The weather was
perfect! This year’s event had the most attendees
to date; with 102 golfers, including 16 IPF pa-
tients. For those patients that didn’t golf, there
was afternoon bingo run by 2 granddaughters of
former IPF patients. Once golf concluded, there
were 175 attendees at the dinner and auction,
including a total of 26 patients and their caregiv-
ers. The profits raised from this event fund the
support and education efforts of the Simmons
Center. This day is supported by a wonderful
team of faculty, fellows, and staff, and volunteers,
complete with oxygen for our patients donated by
Medcare. We are also happy that many of our
patients and family members participate to make
this a success.
Save the date for next year; Monday, August 22,
2016!
Welcome to our newest PACCM members:
Shannon McKenzie
Emily Stilwell
Lauren Tomsic
Sreejata Raychaudhuri
Kelsey Elliott
Justin Dutta
Rachel Hannum
Kaitlin Fiedler
Vickie Petraglia
Renee Wunderley
Byron Chuan
Mariam Lawani
Roe Catley
11th Annual Fran Magister “FORE IPF” Charity Golf Outing
New Hires
Page 2 PACCM Insider
- written by Kathy Lindell
- Photo courtesy of Kathy Lindell
Keep up with all weekly divisional conferences by visiting the PACCM web calendar!
Clicking on an event will expand to show speaker information!
Diana Perciavalle, who was
battling brain cancer for three
years, had been admitted to
UPMC McKeesport a day before
her son, Anthony, was due to
graduate high school.
Dr. Shikha Gupta worked with
the clinician on the unit, social
worker, and McKeesport Ambu-
lance Rescue Services to en-
sure that Diana would be pre-
sent for her son’s graduation
ceremony.
Read more HERE
Alison Morris, MD, MS
has been appointed as
Vice-Chair for Clinical Research
in the Department of Medicine
In the News
Upcoming Events
Page 3 PACCM Insider
Promotions
“I’m proud we were able
to accomplish this for her
in such a short period of
time. A lot of people
really stepped up and
arranged for this to
happen.”
- Shikha Gupta, MD
For the second year, Team PHe-
nomenal Hope participated in
the Race Across America, which
began in Oceanside, CA and
ended in Annapolis, MD.
Over 50 percent of the riders in
this sporting event represent
charities and causes.
Patty George, MD, captain of
Team PHenomenal Hope, has
garnered national attention to
raise awareness for the Pulmo-
nary Hypertnesion Association
Read more HERE
UPMC Above & Beyond Nomination - Shikha Gupta, MD Team PHenomenal Hope in Race Across America
- Photo courtesy of UPMC
Elena Goncharova, PhD
has been promoted to
Associate Professor of Medicine
John Tedrow, MD
has been promoted to
Assistant Professor of Medicine
The Fourth Annual PACCM Awards were
held on Friday, June 12, immediately
following the 2015 Robert M. Rogers
Lectureship.
The presentation of these awards recog-
nizes excellence among our colleagues
in five different categories.
Each spring, all colleagues of PACCM is
asked to nominate any individual de-
serving of recognition.
The Awards committee has the daunt-
ing task of selecting from that large pool
of outstanding nominees in order to
select the winners.
The luncheon and awards ceremony are
the final highlight to the annual Rogers
Lectureship.
We congratulate all of this years win-
ners!
A U01 grant entitled, “Building Multi-levels Models of Therapeutic
Response in the Lungs” has been granted to Tim Corcoran, PhD,
Joseph Pilewski, MD, Mike Myerburg, MD, Robert Parker (Chem
Engr) and Carol Bertrand (Cell Bio).
Janet Lee, MD was appointed as a standing member of NIH CSR
study section Innate Immunity and Inflammation for the term Oct
2015-June 2019 and Vice Chair of the ATS Membership Commit-
tee for 2015-2016.
The competing renewal for Anuradha Ray, PhD R01 grant, enti-
tled, “Mechanisms of Antigen-induced Tolerance in the Lung”
scored in the 7th percentile at the first submission. This will be
the fourth cycle for this grant.
Matt Gingo, MD received an R56 award; “Adiposity and Airway
Inflammation in HIV-Associated Airway Disease.”
Mauricio Rojas, MD is the recipient of R01 grant, entitled “Aging
of Mesenchymal Stem Cells Missing Link in IPF”.
Sarita Kumari, MD facilitated two days of ultrasound scanning
workshops while fulfilling her clinical duties.
Shikha Gupta, MD coordinated an Airway Management Training
Program for the residents at UPMC McKeesport.
Sally Wenzel, MD is the 2016 recipient of the ATS Foundation
Breathing for Life Award. The award will be given at the Eighth
Annual ATS Foundation Research Program Benefit on Saturday,
May 14, 2016 in San Francisco.
Michelle MacPherson, research coordinator in the Simmons
Center, was chosen as one of the winners for the UPMC Platinum
STAR Award.
Frank Sciurba, MD is the recipient of a U01 grant: “NEMO –
Network Management Core for the Pulmonary Trials Cooperative.”
Frank Sciurba, MD and Yingze Zhang, PhD, have been awarded an
R21 grant “Biomarkers Predictive of Lung Function Decline in
Physiologically Normal Smokers”.
Jing Zhao, MD, PhD recently received an ALA Biomedical Research
Grant.
Yutong Zhao, MD, PhD has been invited to DOD PRMRP Pre-Acute
Lung Injury Panel as a reviewer.
Chunbin Zou, MD, PhD has been awarded and R01 grant: Epige-
netic Regulation in Acute Lung Injury.
Jessica Bon Field, MD, received the 2015 PACCM Junior Transla-
tional Scholar Award (JTSA).
2015 PACCM Awards
Grants, Awards, and Notable Mentions
Page 4 Volume 1, Issue 2
2015 PACCM Award Winners
Outstanding Service Award—
Nydia Chien, MSN, RN, CCRC
Robert M. Rogers Award for Outstanding
Research or Clinical Mentorship—
Janet Lee, MD
John W. Kreit Outstanding Educator
Award—
Khaled Fernainy, MD
Robert M. Rogers Award for Outstanding
Scholarly Achievement—
Jared Chiarchiaro, MD
Outstanding Young Investigator Award—
Jessica Bon Field, MD
Photos L to R:
Doug White presents award; Janet Lee, award winner (photo by Dorothy Voith);
Fernando Holguin with Nydia Chien, award winner (photo by Dorothy Voith)
Dr. Christopher Faber (Clinical Direc-
tor) and Beth Roman, PhD (Research
Director) announce the new HHT Cen-
ter of Excellence in this YouTube vid-
eo , via UPMC.
“UPMC and University of Pittsburgh
Schools of the Health Sciences clinical
and academic partnership has earned
international recognition as a premier
center for treatment of and research
into hereditary hemorrhagic telangiec-
tasia (HHT), a rare genetic disorder
that can cause sudden, catastrophic
internal bleeding and stroke.
Cure HHT, previously known as The HHT
Foundation International, has designated
the UPMC-Pitt partnership an HHT Center of
Excellence.
This designation means that UPMC and Pitt
meet the rigorous criteria that Cure HHT –
the only worldwide advocacy and support
group for the condition – requires in order
to refer patients for care.”
- article courtesy of UPMC
-written by Kathy Lindell
The Violet Rippy 5K Walk/Run for Pulmonary Fibrosis was held on Saturday, August 15th on the
North Shore Riverfront in Pittsburgh, PA.
Over 500 participants walked or ran to raise awareness and funds for the Coalition for Pulmonary
Fibrosis in hopes of finding a cure for PF.
Over $34,000 was raised from this event, and donations are still coming in for the cause. Many
families and friends came to honor and support their loved ones affected by the disease.
Participants shared their stories and experiences, and we all gained insight into new treatments,
research, advocacy and support groups. The Simmons Center was well represented at this event.
Designation of HHT Center of Excellence
Violet Rippy 5K Walk/Run for Pulmonary Fibrosis
Yingze Zhang with the Pirate Parrot
- Photo credit, Kathy Lindell
(clinical services) and the School of Med-
icine (research and endowments). They
do this:
· To express appreciation for the care
they or their loved ones have received
from physicians, nurses, care coordina-
tors, social workers, therapists, aides
and others;
· To remedy medical conditions affecting
them or their family and friends.
Yes, patients and families frequently
want to make a contribution – some-
times a large contribution – to express
gratitude for what they have received.
This is known as “Grateful Patient and
Family Fundraising” and it is a direct
Grateful Patient and Family Fundraising
Philanthropic funding – from individu-
als, corporations, private foundations
– is more important than ever for sus-
taining the research and clinical pro-
grams of the Division of Pulmonary,
Allergy and Critical Care Medicine.
Philanthropy may provide badly need-
ed start-up funds for innovative re-
search, “gap” funding between NIH
grants, the funding for patient sup-
port/educational programs, support
for professional training and continu-
ing education. Large philanthropic
gifts can literally transform a program.
You may be surprised to learn that
patients and families are among the
most important donors to UPMC
“The integration of the Pitt HHT research center with the
UPMC clinical center will advance therapies as we strive
for a cure.”
- Marianne Clancy, executive director of Cure HHT
Page 5 Volume 1, Issue 2
- Photo courtesy of UPMC
result of the care they receive from
PACCM staff.
You make these gifts happen by helping
patients and families to manage and
cope with serious illness and by providing
compassionate care even when there is
no hope for recovery.
I am the fundraising liaison for PACCM
and I look forward to sharing more infor-
mation on Grateful Patient and Family
Fundraising in coming issues of The
PACCM Insider.
I can be reached at 412-647-2434 or by
email at ianne@pmhsf.org.
- written by Anne Immekus
Moller DR, Koth LL, Maier LA,
Morris A, Drake W, Rossman M,
Leader JK, Collman RG, Ham-
zeh N, Sweiss NJ, Zhang Y,
O'Neal S, Senior RM, Becich M,
Hochheiser HS, Kaminski N,
Wisniewski SR, Gibson KF;
GRADS Sarcoidosis Study
Group. Rationale and Design of
the Genomic Research in Alpha
-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency and
Sarcoidosis Study (GRADS):
Sarcoidosis Protocol. Ann Am
Thorac Soc. 2015 Jul 20. [Epub
ahead of print]
Rosenberger EM, DiMartini AF,
DeVito Dabbs AJ, Bermudez CA,
Pilewski JM, Toyoda Y, Dew MA.
Psychiatric Predictors of Long-
Term Transplant-Related Out-
comes in Lung Transplant Re-
cipients. Transplantation. 2015
Jul 14. [Epub ahead of print]
Klooster K, Ten Hacken NH,
Hartman JE, Sciurba FC,
Kerstjens HA, Slebos DJ. Deter-
mining the Role of Dynamic
Hyperinflation in Patients with
Chiarchiaro J, Buddadhumaruk
P, Arnold RM, White DB. Prior
Advance Care Planning is Asso-
ciated with Less Decisional
Conflict in Surrogates for the
Critically Ill. Ann Am Thorac Soc.
2015 Aug 4. [Epub ahead of
print]
Ray M, Horne W, McAleer JP,
Ricks DM, Kreindler JL, Fitzsi-
mons MS, Chan PP, Trevejo-
Nunez G, Chen K, Fajt M, Chen
W, Ray A, Wenzel S, Kolls JK.
RNA-seq in Pulmonary Medi-
cine: How Much Is Enough? Am
J Respir Crit Care Med. 2015
Aug 1;192(3):389-91
Gingo MR, Morris A. HIV Infec-
tion and Severe Sepsis: A Bitter
Pill to Swallow. Crit Care Med.
2015 Aug;43(8):1779-81
Lundberg JO, Gladwin MT,
Weitzberg E. Strategies to in-
crease nitric oxide signalling in
cardiovascular disease. Nat Rev
Drug Discov. 2015 Aug 7. [Epub
ahead of print]
Severe Chronic Obstructive
Pulmonary Disease. Respira-
tion. 2015 Sep 10. [Epub
ahead of print]
Brehm JM, Man Tse S, Croteau-
Chonka DC, Forno E, Litonjua
AA, Raby BA, Chen W, Yan Q,
Boutaoui N, Acosta-Pérez E,
Avila L, Weiss ST, Soto-Quiros
M, Cloutier MM5, Hu D, Pino-
Yanes M, Wenzel SE, Spear ML,
Kolls JK, Burchard EG, Canino
G, Celedón JC. A Genome-Wide
Association Study of Post-
bronchodilator Lung Function in
Children with Asthma. Am J
Respir Crit Care Med. 2015 Sep
1;192(5):634-7
Weissfeld JL, Lin Y, Lin HM,
Kurland BF, Wilson DO, Fuhr-
man CR, Pennathur A, Romkes
M, Nukui T, Yuan JM, Siegfried
JM, Diergaarde B. Lung cancer
risk prediction using common
SNPs located in GWAS-
identified susceptibility regions.
J Thorac Oncol. 2015 Sep 8
Page 6 PACCM Insider
Publications
Courtesy of
KeepCalmandCarryOn.com
Annual Around-the-world Holiday Luncheon & Misfit Gift Exchange
Thursday, December 17, 2015
1:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Montefiore Conference Room, NW628
Around-the-world Holiday Luncheon:
Our PACCM Family is rich in cultural backgrounds that extend around the world!
Share your ethnic history and holiday traditions by bringing a traditional covered dish or dessert if you would like to
participate in our Annual Potluck Around-the-World Holiday Luncheon.
Misfit Gift Exchange:
The fun way to “REGIFT”…
Did you receive 2 copies of the same DVD movie last year? Or would you like to conveniently “lose” last year’s gift from
your in-laws?
Rewrap it in pretty paper (without a gift tag) and see who will bargain for your mystery gift in this playfully competitive
tradition.
Fellows
Roger Alvarez, DO-
Received the Breathe PA grant, “Alpha Globin
Expression in Pulmonary Artery Endothelial
Cells Modulates; Nitric Oxide Signaling in
Chronic Hypoxia and Pulmonary Hypertension.
SeungHye Han, MD-
“Cigarette Smoke Decreases NALP3 Protein
Levels” abstract has been accepted for
presentation at the Eleventh Annual Respira-
tory Disease Young Investigators’ Forum that
will take place on October 8-11, 2015 in At-
lanta, GA.
Ian Barbash, MD-
Has received a two year NIH Extramural Clini-
cal Research Loan Repayment Award.
Page 7 Volume 1, Issue 2
Fellowship Summer Party
Congratulations to our recent graduates!
- Photos courtesy of Dorothy Voith
- Photos (and fun) courtesy of Bryan McVerry
Back Page Story Headline
Celebrations
Be sure to notify us of all newsworthy items!
New Grants
Honors & Awards
Promotions & New Appointments
Special Presentations/Seminars
Engagements/Marriages/Births
Share photos of your colleagues!
Send info to: dobranskyta@upmc.edu
Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and
Critical Care Medicine-PACCM
Like us on Facebook!
BIRTHS
Congratulations to all of the
growing PACCM families!
Yanyan Qu (Research Associ-
ate) welcomed a son, Ruilin, on
June 3.
Mindy (Seagriff) Kleson
(Simmons Center) welcomed a
son, Grant, on June 24.
Christina Kutzavitch (ECRC)
welcomed a daughter, Milena,
on July 22.
Christine Sanserino (PTRC)
welcomed twins, Mathew and
Deborah, on August 26.
Celebrations
www.dept-med.pitt.edu/PACCM
@PACCM
Follow us on Twitter!
Random Fun
THROWBACK PHOTO TIME!
Our Halloween/United Way bake sale in 2008!
Do you recognize anyone here?
Editor-in-Chief: Rama Mallampalli, MD
Senior Editor: Terri Dobransky
Grant Joseph Klesen,
with big sister Addison
Mathew and Deborah Sanserino
Milena Rosa Kutzavitch
Ruilin
Chen