News | Page 20 | Pediatrics

Dr. Patrick Wilson Awarded Grant to Develop a Universal Coronavirus Vaccine

December 8, 2021

Congratulations to Patrick Wilson, PhD, MS, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics (Interim), on being awarded a grant to develop a universal coronavirus vaccine as part of the PanCoVac - Pan-coronavirus Vaccine Consortium. The PanCoVac consortium brings together researchers from Weill Cornell Medicine, University of Wisconsin, and the University of Chicago to develop a vaccine candidate that provides universal protection from all coronavirus strains, including common coronavirus variants.

As part of the consortium, Dr. Wilson and his team at Weill Cornell Medicine will analyze SARS-CoV-2 antibody responses and isolate human monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), from the B cells of COVID-19 patients, that bind to and protect against the virus. His team will also isolate antibodies that react to both SARS-CoV-2 and other coronavirus strains such as mutational variants, like the Delta variant, and now, Omicron, etc., and zoonotic coronaviruses that are a pandemic risk (i.e., other bat coronaviruses), as well as strains that cause common colds.

Dr. Wilson will work in collaboration with Yoshi Kawaoka, PhD, of University of Wisconsin and Andrzej Joachimiac, PhD, Dsc, of University of Chicago to then characterize the isolated mAbs for activity against the various coronavirus strains to determine which can be used in designing a vaccine candidate.

Pediatric mental health emergencies in an early epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic: A multicentered study in NYC

November 16, 2021

The New York City-based RTW Charitable Foundation approved a grant of $55,000 to NewYork-Presbyterial Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center for a study entitled, “Pediatric mental health emergencies in an early epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic: A multicentered study in NYC”. The study is part of a nationwide call for the pediatric medical community to address the ongoing children’s mental health crisis that has been exacerbated by the pandemic.

The study, led by investigators Cori Green, MD, Director of Behavioral Health Education and Integration in Pediatrics and Associate Professor of Clinical Pediatrics, Stephen Oh, MD, Assistant Professor of Surgery and Deborah Levine, MD, Associate Professor of Clinical Emergency Medicine and Pediatrics at Weill Cornell Medicine, will examine the pandemic’s impact on children’s mental health in comparison to a one-year period prior to the pandemic, as well as the rising trend in youth presenting with suicidal ideation (SI) and suicide attempt (SA). To do this, the team will use INSIGHT, the largest multicentered clinical data network in the nation, comprised of data from five major medical centers in New York City (NYC).

Dr. Thanakorn Jirasevijinda Promoted to Professor of Teaching in Pediatrics

November 8, 2021

The Department of Pediatrics is pleased to announce the promotion of Thanakorn Jirasevijinda, MD to Professor of Teaching in Pediatrics.

Dr. Katherine Hajjar Receives Grant to Develop Treatment for Rare Ocular Disease

October 18, 2021

Congratulations to Katherine A. Hajjar, MD, Vice Chair for Research and Brine Family Professor of Cell and Developmental Biology in the Department of Pediatrics at Weill Cornell Medicine, on being awarded a grant by the United States Department of Defense to develop treatment for proliferative vitreoretinopathy, a potentially blinding disease that occurs in almost one-half of military personnel who sustain a penetrating wound to the eye.

Proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR) occurs in some patients who have had complicated eye surgeries. When there is a tear in the retina, cells inside the eye, known as RPE cells, that normally remain behind the retina, begin to proliferate, move away from their normal position, and migrate to the inner surface of the retina. Over time, these migratory cells form a scar-like membrane that pulls the remaining retina away from the back of the eye, severely compromising vision. PVR is increasing in frequency among military personnel due to the increasing use of explosive devices in modern combat. Unfortunately, however, there is no treatment for this devastating disease.

Dr. David C. Lyden Receives Funding to Study Blood-Brain Barrier Dysfunction Associated with Cerebral Malaria

October 11, 2021

Congratulations to David C. Lyden, MD, PhD, Stavros S. Niarchos Professor in Pediatric Cardiology at Weill Cornell Medicine, who, together with Drs. Linnie Golightly, Associate Professor of Clinical Medicine, Shahin Rafii, Professor of Medicine and Raphael Lis, Assistant Professor of Reproductive Medicine in Medicine, received an R61 award titled, "In vitro modeling of brain blood barrier dysfunction on a chip to elucidate the pathogenesis of cerebral malaria."

Dr. Emily Wasserman Receives Award for HHV6 Project

September 24, 2021

Congratulations to Emily Wasserman, MD on receiving a $25,000 award from the HHV-6 Foundation for her project entitled, Association of Multi-system inflammatory syndrome in children and chromosomally integrated HHV6.

For this project, Dr. Wasserman and her team at Weill Cornell Medicine will determine the prevalence of chromosomally integrated human herpes virus 6 (ici‐HHV6) in a cohort of patients with multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS‐C). HHV‐6 reactivation has been associated with hyperinflammatory states and a recent case report identified ici‐HHV6 in a patient with MIS‐C. Dr. Wasserman believes an association between ici‐HHV6 and MIS‐C would shed light on the pathogenesis of MIS‐C and hyperinflammatory responses to SARS-CoV2.

Dr. Virginia Pascual Awarded $3M Grant by the Lupus Research Alliance

September 22, 2021

The Global Team Science Award project led by Dr. Virginia Pascual, Director of the Gale and Ira Drukier Institute for Children's Health and Ronay Menschel Professor of Pediatrics aims to study childhood-onset systemic lupus erythematosus (cSLE). Children often suffer from severe lupus symptoms as well as from side effects of current therapies; children with lupus often have a strong connection between their genetic makeup (DNA) and their disease; children also lack other illnesses that could complicate the understanding of research findings.

Physicians from the Department of Pediatrics Make Super Doctor and Rising Star Lists

September 15, 2021

Congratulations to the 25 Physicians from the Department of Pediatrics who made this year's Super Doctors and Rising Stars list. The list recognizes outstanding doctors from more than 40 medical specialties who have attained a high degree of peer recognition or professional achievement.

The selection process for Super Doctors and Rising Stars is a rigorous multi-step process designed to identify healthcare providers who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement.

Super Doctors

Dr. Zoltan Antal | Pediatrics Endocrinology
Dr. Sheila J. Carroll | Pediatrics Cardiology
Dr. Lilian L. Cohen | Pediatrics Genetic Medicine
Dr. Jennifer F. Cross | Pediatrics
Dr. Christopher Cunniff | Pediatrics Genetic Medicine
Dr. Bruce M. Greenwald | Pediatrics Critical Care Medicine
Dr. Neera Gupta | Pediatrics Gastroenterology
Dr. James Killinger | Pediatrics Critical Care Medicine
Dr. Barry Kosofsky | Pediatrics Neurology
Dr. Gerald Loughlin | Pediatrics Pulmonary Medicine
Dr. Marianne E. Nellis | Pediatrics Critical Care Medicine

Women In Medicine Spotlight

September 14, 2021

In recognition of Women In Medicine Month, we are highlighting women in the Department of Pediatrics who have worked throughout their careers to foster an environment that uplifts and supports women in medicine. Distinguished by their leadership and expertise in pediatric care, the doctors offer career advice and share the obstacles women still face in healthcare and why having women in leadership is so important.

Susan Bostwick, MD

Dr. Susan Bostwick, Professor of Clinical Pediatrics, is Executive Vice Chair for Administration and Faculty in the Department of Pediatrics and Chief of the Division of General Academic Pediatrics at Weill Cornell Medicine. In addition, she is the Associate Dean for Affiliations at Weill Cornell. Prior to the Department of Pediatrics she served as the Vice Chair for Education (2010-2021), Director of Pediatric Graduate Medical Education at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, Weill Cornell Campus (1999-2010, Associate Director 2010-2012), Medical Director of Inpatient General Pediatrics (1997-2003) and the Physician Liaison to Information Technology at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center (2007-2021)

What obstacles are women in medicine still facing when it comes to inclusion, equity and diversity?

One of the obstacles that women face is since we are still underrepresented at many of the decision making "tables", decisions are made without our opinions being voiced, and yet it remains difficult to get a seat at the table. With almost 30 years of medical schools having close to even split in gender, the upper echelons, e.g. chairs, professors, CEOs, etc., are still not as equally representative. Continuing to ensure that women's voices are heard and that women have the opportunities to lead and make decisions is a continuing part of the challenges.

Dr. Lisa Giulino Roth Awarded 2021 Hyundai Hope Scholar Grant to Develop New Treatment For EBV Associated Lymphomas

September 14, 2021

Congratulations to Lisa Giulino Roth, M.D., Director of Pediatric Oncology and Associate Professor in the Departments of Pediatrics, Medicine, Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at Weill Cornell Medicine, on being awarded the 2021 Hyundai Hope Scholar Grant, funded by Hyundai Hope On Wheels, for her project, Targeting latent viral antigens in EBV+ Burkitt Lymphoma.

For this study, Dr. Roth is developing a novel approach to the treatment of lymphomas associated with Epstein Barr Virus (EBV). Using epigenetic therapies, Dr. Roth and her laboratory team will determine if they can alter the proteins expressed by EBV and make the tumor more susceptible to killing by immune cells. If successful, the work will lead to a completely new treatment approach for lymphomas associated with EBV.