2024_Annual_Academic_Report

ANNUAL ACADEMIC REPORT 2024

SUMMARIES

CHAIRS’ SUMMARIES

Dear Colleagues & Friends,

It is with great pleasure that we present the 15th annual report from the Department of Pediatric Surgical Subspecialties at Connecticut Children’s and the eleventh combined report with the Department of Pediatrics. This report continues to highlight the solid alignment between Surgery and Pediatrics and the continued multidisciplinary growth of combined surgical and pediatric programs at Connecticut Children’s.

REFLECTION ON THE GROWTH OF SURGERY

We have welcomed eight new physicians to the Department of Pediatric Surgery: Randy Stevens, MD, in Cardiothoracic Surgery; Andrew Healy, MD, in Fetal Medicine; Jeremiah Joyce, MD, and Frank Han, MD in Pediatric Cardiology; Ema Zubovic, MD, in Pediatric Plastic Surgery; Brian Smith, MD, in Orthopedics; Benjamin Walsh, MD, in Anesthesiology; and Vito La Rocca, MD, Division Head of Pediatric Ophthalmology.

In 2024 we performed 8,289 cases in our main OR and 4,799 cases at our Farmington Ambulatory Surgery Center (ASC). Our surgical volume continues to grow year over year as our services continue to expand, and we have maintained our strong focus on family-centered care.

Our Fetal Medicine Center, under the leadership of Timothy Crombleholme, MD, has evaluated over 200 fetal patients in the clinic and completed six fetal surgeries since the inception of the fetal program. We are excited to see this program grow and look forward to finishing the construction of our Fetal Care Center in our new tower in November 2025. The Fetal Care Center will have state of the art labor and delivery rooms, a c-section room, and a fetal care operating room. The tower will open in phases, with the first phase focused on expanding our neonatal ICU capacity.

CLOSE TO HOME

Our close to home strategy has grown significantly this year as we continue to strive to provide the right care at the right time as close to our patients’ homes as possible. In Fairfield County, our Westport and Danbury Specialty Care Centers have specialists providing care in areas including pediatric cardiology, pediatric otolaryngology, pediatric plastic surgery, pediatric surgery, pediatric neurosurgery, pediatric orthopedics, and pediatric urology. We perform ambulatory procedures at the Stamford Surgery Center and provide surgical services in our South Hadley Specialty Care Center including pediatric cardiology, pediatric neurosurgery, pediatric otolaryngology, and pediatric ophthalmology. Through this continued expansion, we are making Connecticut Children’s expertise more accessible to our patients and our families.

SOME SPECIFIC HIGHLIGHTS

RESEARCH

Investigators in the Department of Surgery published 52 peerreviewed publications in the last fiscal year including two highly cited national consensus papers—one on pediatric MoyaMoya perioperative care, and the other reviewing guidelines for cardiac imaging following pediatric cancer treatment.

Additionally, David Hersh, MD, and Courtney Rowe, MD, each received exciting new grants from the Department of Defense to develop new technologies for the treatment of traumatic cranial defects and interstitial cystitis, respectively; Matthew Brown, MD, and Halah Saneh, MD, were each awarded $50,000 seed grants from Connecticut Children’s Connections to develop innovative new regenerative therapies.

EDUCATION

A central mission of the Department of Surgery is educating the future generation of pediatric surgical subspecialists. We reach almost all of the surgical learners in Connecticut, with facultyteaching appointments at both the University of Connecticut and the Quinnipiac Netter School of Medicine. Surgical residents from St. Mary’s Hospital, Danbury Hospital, Waterbury Hospital, Stamford Hospital, and the University of Connecticut rotate at Connecticut Children’s and learn from our group of skilled surgeons and teachers. Our surgeons participate in interviewing prospective residents, teaching medical students and residents, and serving as the pediatric site for rotating residents in all specialties. In addition, all of our surgeons continue to provide advanced trauma life support and disaster management preparations for all local institutions.

Christine Rader, MD, from the Division of Pediatric Surgery continues as the Assistant Dean of the hospital and acts as the liaison between the University of Connecticut Medical School, Graduate Medical Education, and Connecticut Children’s. Katerina Dukleska, MD, serves on the Council for Curriculum Oversight at the Quinnipiac Netter School of Medicine and helps to oversee the medical student clinic rotations at Connecticut Children’s. In addition, Katherine Kavanagh, MD, Pediatric Otolaryngology, and Michael Archambault, MD, Division of Pediatric Anesthesiology, continue to run the Basic Airway Course and the Crisis Resource Management course for UConn residents. Finally, Anne Dudley, MD, from the Division of Pediatric Urology serves as the Connecticut Children’s site director for the UConn Urology residency and teaches surgical skills regionally at the New England American Urological Association.

As you can see, 2024 was a busy and productive year. We will continue to forge new frontiers in our mission to provide the best care for our children, and we look forward to the great things ahead for Connecticut Children’s as we continue to grow in the years ahead.

Warmly,

Christine Finck, MD, FACS

Professor of Surgery and Pediatrics

Vice

Chair

of

Surgery

University of Connecticut School of Medicine

Peter Deckers Endowed Chair of Pediatric Surgery

Surgeon-in-Chief, Executive Vice President

Connecticut Children’s

Dear Colleagues & Friends,

It is with great pride that we present the combined 2024 Annual Academic Report for the Departments of Pediatrics and Pediatric Surgical Subspecialties at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine and Connecticut Children’s. This year saw numerous achievements by our faculty and team members that we are excited to share with you.

Connecticut Children’s physicians, faculty, and researchers have earned significant national recognitions in 2024. We significantly increased our presence at the 2024 Pediatric Academic Societies (PAS) meeting in Toronto, Canada with the acceptance of 39 poster presentations, four oral abstracts, and four platform presentations. With the amazing work done by the entire Neurodiagnostics team, the EEG Lab in Farmington is now an accredited lab with the American Board of Registered Electrodiagnostic Technologists, the only pediatric lab in Connecticut to hold this accreditation. The Cardio-Oncology department at Connecticut Children’s has recently been recognized by the International Cardio-Oncology Society as a Gold-level Center of Excellence. The Infectious Disease research team and I were awarded one of eight NIH research grants to refine new technologies for early diagnosis of severe illnesses resulting from COVID-19 infection in children. In addition to these accomplishments, our faculty was responsible for hundreds of publications in nationally renowned journals and moved the science of pediatric medicine forward through their innovative studies across numerous divisions.

2024 was another productive year in Academic Affairs. We successfully on-boarded 54 new faculty members to the Departments of Pediatrics and Surgery and celebrated thirteen academic promotions and three new faculty appointments. Connecticut Children’s continued their ongoing efforts with the Teaching Academy, a partnership with the Mayo Clinic, which provides educational opportunities for trainees in Connecticut and beyond.

In 2024, we welcomed three Division Heads: Cem Demirci, MD, who previously served as the Clinical Director of Endocrinology, was appointed as the new Division Head of Endocrinology; Ada Booth, MD, was appointed to the role of Division Head of SCAN; and Andrew Carlson, MD, who was appointed to the role as Division Head of General Pediatrics. These individuals have long-standing histories of clinical

excellence and educational leadership, and I know that our institution will be made stronger as they continue to grow and develop as divisional leaders.

It always gives me tremendous pleasure to see our faculty thrive as clinicians, educators, scientists, and mentors. While the many achievements of our faculty in 2024 are too numerous to list here, I would like to briefly note a few accomplishments that were a source of pride for our organization. Researchers at Connecticut Children’s had a banner year in 2024, with numerous federal, state, and private grants being awarded to scientists at Connecticut Children’s and the UConn Department of Pediatrics. Among these many awards were: Christine Finck, MD, who received funding from the Department of Defense to study pleural and tracheal sealants; Natasha Frederick, MD, who received a K08 award from the NIH to study sexual and reproductive communication between oncology patients and clinicians; and Kelly Hawley, PhD, and me, who received U01 funding from the NIH in partnership with Duke University to develop a global syphilis vaccine.

Once again, it has been an honor and privilege to serve alongside some of the preeminent leaders in pediatric healthcare. As I reflect on our tremendous growth and accomplishments in 2024, I know that none of our efforts would be possible without the teamwork, compassion, and leadership of colleagues throughout the University of Connecticut School of Medicine and Connecticut Children’s. I am grateful for the exemplary leadership and unwavering support of our dean Bruce T. Liang, MD, our CEO Jim Shmerling, the Connecticut Children’s Executive Management Team, and our Board of Directors. I know they share my joy in celebrating your extraordinary achievements in 2024.

Very Sincerely,

Juan C. Salazar, MD, MPH, FAAP

Professor

and Chair, Department of Pediatrics

University of Connecticut School of Medicine

Executive Vice President of Academic Affairs

Physician-in-Chief, Connecticut Children’s

HIGHLIGHTS

HIGHLIGHTS

We are grateful to share some of our colleagues’ amazing accomplishments from the 2024 academic year. We experienced growth in many areas including research grants, publications and presentations, faculty recruitment, and expansion of our training programs. Our faculty were the recipients of numerous teaching awards, grants, and academic promotions. We maintained our success in recruiting the highest quality pediatric residents and fellows. Overall, the academic year was one of great accomplishments and fulfillment. As we look to the future and all that is possible across our mission of clinical care, education, and research, we are excited for the great work ahead. Please join us in congratulating our faculty, trainees, and staff on another successful year.

Very sincerely,

Juan C. Salazar, MD, MPH, FAAP

Professor and Chair, Department of Pediatrics

University of Connecticut School of

Medicine

Executive

Vice President of Academic Affairs

Physician-in-Chief

Connecticut Children’s

Christine Finck, MD, FACS Professor of Pediatrics and Surgery

Associate Vice Chair of Surgery

University of Connecticut School of Medicine

Peter Deckers Endowed Chair of Pediatric Surgery

Surgeon-in-Chief, Executive Vice President

Connecticut Children’s

ENGAGEMENT & WELL-BEING

Connecticut Children’s Women in Surgery (WIS)

The mission of Connecticut Children’s Women in Surgery (WIS) is to enable women surgeons of Connecticut of all disciplines to develop as professionals through education, advocacy, sponsorship, and engagement. WIS continue to adhere to our five pillars of focus: mentorship, education, networking, community service, and academic productivity. This year, WIS launched another podcast titled Work Life Integration and conducted a summer sprint with PoWER, focusing on Imposter Syndrome. WIS networked socially with Christine Lee from 96.5TIC who auctioned off Pink and Red Sox tickets while we raised money for the Rise and Shine Foundation. Several WIS members participated in the American College of Surgeons Stop the Bleed event at Dunkin’ Donuts Stadium during a Yard Goats game. To wrap up the year, WIS held a suture workshop for the UConn medical student surgery interest group, teaching our rising surgeons how to sew! WIS looks forward to another year supporting our women in surgery to be the best and brightest leaders.

Pediatric Women Relate (PoWER)

The purpose of PoWER is to foster a community of women physicians, psychologists and leaders at Connecticut Children’s by providing leadership, professional and personal development, and support. PoWER was founded by Barbara Edelheit, MD, in 2020 and the group has grown significantly over the past three years. In 2024, six PoWER faculty attended a national CME conference for Women in Medicine and the committee awarded their Second Annual Women in Medicine Impact Award.

The PoWER steering committee is composed of faculty from the primary and subspecialty care divisions and includes members at a variety of stages of their careers. Significant support is provided by Lisa Marella, Connecticut Children’s Senior Director of Organizational Effectiveness and Culture, and Lisa Parris who assists with administrative support. PoWER meets six times per year. Our steering committee includes Alicia Wang, MD (Cardiology), Sonia Chaudhry, MD (Well Baby Nursery), Joanne Crowley, MD (PHM), Ilana Waynik, MD (PHM), Ada Booth, MD (SCAN), Emily Wakefield, Psy.D (Psychology), Andrea Orsey, MD (Hematology/Oncology) and Barbara Edelheit, MD (Rheumatology) who leads the group.

Connecticut Children’s Named Best Children’s Hospital by Women’s Choice

Connecticut Children’s has once again been named a Best Children’s Hospital by the Women’s Choice Award, America’s trusted referral source for the best healthcare organizations. The Woman’s Choice Award for Best Hospitals is a coveted credential that identifies the nation’s best hospitals based on robust criteria, including the preferences of women when selecting a hospital.

Connecticut Children’s recognized for Commitment to Creating a Mentally Healthy Workplace

In 2024 Connecticut Children’s was recognized again with the platinum Mental Health America Bell Seal for Workplace Mental Health. Mental Health America (MHA) is the leading community-based nonprofit dedicated to addressing the needs of those living with mental illness and promoting the overall mental health of all. The Bell Seal for Workplace Mental Health is a national certification program that recognizes employers committed to creating mentally healthy workplaces. Employers that receive MHA’s Bell Seal are nationally recognized as meeting or exceeding workplace practices and standards that promote positive mental health and well-being for all employees.

HuskyTHON Raises Over $1.7 Million for Connecticut Children’s

UConn students participated in the annual 18-hour HuskyTHON and raised $1,736,591.22 to benefit Connecticut Children’s. Nearly forty-five patient families were part of the event including “miracle children” who have received treatment at Connecticut Children’s. They were joined by special guests including the UConn men’s basketball team. This year’s HuskyTHON had 4,410 participants which made it the largest Miracle Network Dance Marathon in the country by participation. HuskyTHON has raised more than $15 million for Connecticut Children’s in the past 26 years.

CLINICAL ACHIEVEMENTS

Connecticut Children’s Recognized as a Gold Level Center of Excellence

Connecticut Children’s Center for Cardio-Oncology Health and Innovation for Cancer Survivors was recognized by the International Cardio-Oncology Society (IC-OS) as a Gold Level Center of Excellence. The IC-OS Center of Excellence certification recognizes institutions and practices which have demonstrated superior expertise in the care and treatment of patients within the cardio-oncology domain.

Connecticut Children’s Takes Home Four Medals for Lifesaving Care from the AHA

Connecticut Children’s was once again recognized by the American Heart Association (AHA) for its commitment to improving cardiac arrest survival rates. The AHA Get With The Guidelines Resuscitation Awards honored our faculty with four medals: a Gold Medal for Neonate/Infants; a Silver Medal for Pediatric; a Gold Medal for Newly Born; and a Bronze Medal for Adult. These awards recognize our cardiology faculty and staff for their dedication to ensuring in-hospital cardiac arrest patients have access to best practices and life-saving care.

Connecticut Children’s Expands Critical Pediatric Mental Health Services

Connecticut Children’s opened a new, 12-bed Medical Psychiatric Integrated Care Unit to address the escalating need for comprehensive mental health services for children. This unit will support and treat children and adolescents with complex medical and psychiatric needs through trauma-informed care. The new unit represents a significant expansion of our mental health services and our commitment to providing holistic care.

Connecticut Children’s Receives Reaccreditation for Comprehensive Care Center

Connecticut Children’s Division of Cardiology received reaccreditation from the Adult Congenital Heart Association (ACHA) for their Adult Congenital Heart Disease Comprehensive Care Center. This reaccreditation acknowledges the excellence and commitment of our cardiology faculty in providing high quality care for the patients we serve over the course of their lives.

Connecticut Children’s named 2024-25 Best Children’s Hospital by U.S. News and World Report

Connecticut Children’s was named one of the Best Children’s Hospitals in the United States by U.S. News and World Report for our outstanding commitment to pediatric care and continuous efforts to enhance the well-being of children and families. The 2024-25 Best Children’s Hospital report ranked our divisions of Pediatric Pulmonology and Lung Surgery, Neonatology, and Pediatric Gastroenterology and GI Surgery among the top 50 programs in the nation.

Connecticut Children’s and UConn Health Launch State’s First Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia Center

Connecticut Children’s and UConn Health opened a new Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia (PCD) Center. The Center, which was certified as a Clinical and Research Network enter by the PCD Foundation, is dedicated to diagnosing and treating children and adults with this rare genetic condition. PCD is caused by mutations in genes that control the structure and function of cilia, tiny hair-like structures in the airways that help clear inhaled particles and bacteria. The PCD Center is the first center of its kind in Connecticut and one of only two centers in all of New England.

HONORS, ACHIEVEMENTS & AWARDS

Shaylee King, MS, CCRP, was promoted to the role of Administrative Director for the Department of Pediatrics.

Barbara Edelheit, MD, Division Head of Rheumatology at Connecticut Children’s, received the 2024 Inspire Award from the American Medical Women’s Association. This award honors women physicians who inspire others through their dedication to health care and their compassion for patients, families, colleagues, and the community.

Jennifer Haile, MD, was appointed as an Associate Program Director for the University of Connecticut Pediatric Residency Program.

Sara Sanders, MD, was appointed as an Associate Program Director for the University of Connecticut Pediatric Residency Program.

Emily Hogeland, MD, was appointed as an Associate Program Director for the University of Connecticut Pediatric Residency Program.

Christine Finck, MD, Surgeon-in-Chief at Connecticut Children’s, and her Innovation Team were awarded a U.S. Patent for their Nasogastric device and treatment method. Dr. Finck and her collaborators Lisa Kuhn, Kelly Burke, and Todd Jensen received their patent for a device that offers combined esophageal stenting, pneumatic dilation, drug delivery, and enteral feeding.

Arvin Bundhoo, MD, was named NICU Medical Director at St. Vincent’s Medical Center in Bridgeport, CT.

Kristan Pierz, MD, was elected to the Gait and Clinical Movement Analysis Society’s Board as a Member-at-Large.

Juan C. Salazar, MD, Physician-in-Chief at Connecticut Children’s, participated in a Gun Violence Prevention Summit at the White House in Washington, DC. Dr. Salazar joined more than 40 hospital CEOs and physician executives to discuss the important role children’s hospitals and adult health systems play in protecting communities from gun violence.

In addition to this national platform, Dr. Salazar was confirmed by the Connecticut General Assembly as the newest member of the State Board of Education. He expressed his deep commitment to advocating for the physical and mental wellbeing and academic success of Connecticut’s students.

Steven Rogers, MD, joined Governor Ned Lamont and state leaders from the Departments of Children and Families and Public Health at the Governor’s Round Table to discuss Connecticut Children’s commitment to youth mental health and suicide prevention. Dr. Rogers highlighted the vital work of our Emergency Department and its collaboration with mobile crisis services and urgent crisis centers to identify and support children in crisis.

Christopher Grindle, MD, was appointed Division Head of Ear, Nose & Throat (ENT) at Connecticut Children’s.

Cem Demirci, MD, was appointed Division Head of Endocrinology at Connecticut Children’s.

Emily Germain-Lee, MD, was appointed Director of the Center for Rare Disease at the Connecticut Children’s Research Institute.

Raymond Lorenzoni, MD, was appointed Vice President of the Fairfield County Medical Association.

Robyn Matloff, MD, MPH, was appointed to serve on the Fairfield County Medical Association Board of Trustees.

Kevin Borrup, JD, DrPH, Executive Director of the Injury Prevention Center, was elected Chair of the Injury Control and Emergency Health Services Section at the American Public Health Association.

Mallory Perry-Eaddy, PhD, RN, was selected as a Fellow in the American Academy of Nursing.

Melissa Santos, PhD, Division Head of Pediatric Psychology, was appointed to lead Health and Well-being subgroup of the Connecticut Commission on Racial Equity in Public Health.

Kierstyn Connors, BA, C-TAGME, was promoted to Graduate Medical Education Manager.

The 2024 Resident Teaching Awards were presented as follows:

• Excellence in Teaching in an affiliated Pediatric Field Award presented to David Hersh, MD

• The Douglas H. MacGilpin Community Physician Award for Recognition of Outstanding Role Model presented to Caleb Wasser, MD

• The Timothy W. Kelly Excellence in Teaching in Acute Care Award presented to Sara Sanders, MD

• Excellence in Teaching in a Subspecialty Award presented to Hassan El Chebib, MD

• Faculty Excellence in Teaching Award went to Emily Hogeland, MD

• Fellow Teacher of the Year Award presented to James Wiley, DO

• Markowitz-Zalneraitis Outstanding Contributions to Education and Career Development Award presented to Stewart Mackie, MD

• Outstanding Fellow Role Model Award presented to James Wiley, DO and Laura Kvenvold, MD

• The Leon Chameides Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Catherine Wiley, MD, in recognition to her 28 years of teaching and mentoring.

• The McNeill Teaching Award presented to:

Amanda Begley, MD

Evan Cantor, JD, MD

Jessica Fennell, MD

Victoria Grossi, DO

Andrea Guardenier, MD

Jamie Harris, MD

Alexander Hogan, MD

Sara Sanders, MD

MacDara Tynan, MD

Elliot Melendez, MD

Marie Nader, MD

Juan C. Salazar, MD, physician-in-chief presented the 2024 Chair’s Awards to:

• Chair’s Award for Well-being: Cem Demirci, MD

• Chair’s Award for Innovation: Lori Pelletier, PhD

• Chair’s Award for Teaching: Christin McDermott, MD

• Chair’s Award for Citizenship: Jennifer Schwab, MD

The 2024 Reach and Teach Award Recipients are:

• Faculty Award: Ruchika Jones, MD

• Fellow Award: Laura Kvenvold, MD

• Resident Award: Katherine Murphy, MD

• Advanced Practitioner: Jill Sullivan, MS, PA-C

• Nurse Award: Michael Sullivan, BSN, RN

RESEARCH

On November 12 and 13, 2024, Connecticut Children’s Research Institute (CCRI) held its fourth annual Research Symposium “Building Stronger Communities through Research and Innovation” at the Glastonbury Boathouse in Glastonbury, CT. The symposium featured keynote speaker Joseph W. St. Geme, III, MD, Physician-in-Chief and Chair of the Department of Pediatrics at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Dr. St. Geme’s engaging lecture described the genetic biomarkers of Kingella kingae, a pediatric infectious disease, and the virulence factors that influence its spread in children. Additional speakers included Kevin Borrup, JD, DrPH, Adam Matson, MD, Youngmok Lee, PhD, Olga Toro-Salazar, MD, Hala Saneh, MD, Matthew Brown, MD, and Malaya Mount, MS. The 2024 Connecticut Connections Seed Grant Winners, Hala Saneh, MS and Matthew Brown, MD.

CCRI welcomed over 190 attendees in-person and an additional 46 virtual attendees from numerous collaborating institutions including University of Connecticut School of Medicine, University of Connecticut School of Nursing, University of Connecticut Health Center, Hartford Hospital, The Jackson Laboratory, Quinnipiac, Trinity, and many others. There were 41 poster presentations and 49 abstract submissions. Posters highlighted the diversity of research across the institute including basic science, translational, clinical, and population studies.

GRANTS

Connecticut Children’s Connection is a community of members committed to supporting Connecticut Children’s mission and providing the care children and families deserve. Members have chosen to pool financial resources, volunteer their time, and connect with professionals from across industries to raise awareness and support for Connecticut Children’s research initiatives.

Nine promising research scientists were invited to submit a request for proposal (RFP) for one of two $50,000 awards. The RFPs were reviewed by a committee of Connecticut Children’s Connection Visionary Members and four visionary finalists were invited to present their research proposals at Connecticut Children’s Connection Funding Selection Event on April 2, 2023 at the Bone & Joint Institute:

• Matthew Brown, MD – Cause of the variant morphogenesis, increased tear risk, and impaired healing response in an abnormally shaped meniscus

• Ashley Howard, DO – A neonatal consortium research study on outcomes of Congenital & Cytomegalovirus (CMV), a virus related to the herpes virus

• Sanjukta Majumder, PhD – Delineation of molecular mechanisms of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) signaling in endothelial cells, a single cell layer that lines all blood vessels, and its implications in fetal growth restriction

• Hala Saneh, MD – Evaluating the efficacy and safety of stem cell-derived extracellular vesicles to regenerate the premature lung in preclinical disease models.

• Matthew Brown, MD and Hala Saneh, MD were each selected to receive a $50,000 award from Connecticut Children’s Connection to support the following research projects:

• Matthew Brown, MD – The long-term goal of this research is to develop a mechanistically based biologic approach for augmenting surgical repair of pediatric and adult meniscal tears. The study will identify factors present in pediatric meniscal tissue that are functionally linked to meniscal healing potential using single-cell RNA sequencing on discarded tissue obtained during meniscus surgery. Dr. Brown’s research team will use this technique to identify for the first time the cells and factors that

are in meniscal tissue from normal pediatric patients and from patients with congenital “discoid meniscus”. The study expects to identify multiple differentially expressed genes that are candidates to improve meniscus healing and growth.

• Hala Saneh, MD – Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is the most common complication of prematurity and is associated with significant neonatal mortality and morbidity, with no interventions that effectively restore lung development. Stem cells, including human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) and mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), have shown promise in repairing injury in animal BPD models, and evidence suggests they exert their effects via paracrine mechanisms mediated by their extracellular vesicles (EVs). If effective and safe, EV-based therapies will serve as a promising approach to prevent and/or treat BPD, and ultimately improve the quality of life of surviving preemies.

Natasha Frederick, MD received the K08 Award from the National Cancer Institute and the National Institutes of Health

The National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) National Cancer Institute awarded Natasha Frederick, MD a 5-year, $1.36 million K08 career development grant to investigate sexual and reproductive health communication between adolescent and young adult (AYA) oncology patients and their clinicians. Dr. Frederick will utilize stakeholder input from AYAs to develop, refine, and assess a novel AYA-centered communication intervention to improve sexual and reproductive health conversations between AYAs and their oncology clinicians. The ultimate goal of Dr. Frederick’s research is to increase AYAs access to critical sexual and reproductive health care and education across the cancer continuum.

Healthy Homes Receives Grant Award from Connecticut Department of Public Health

The Connecticut Department of Public Health has awarded Healthy Homes a $15 million grant to make older homes lead-safe at no cost to residents. This grant will raise awareness about lead safety and help eliminate lead hazards in homes, promote the testing of children for lead exposure, conduct water testing, and replace lead-contaminated water service lines.

OTHER

APPOINTMENTS & PROMOTIONS

Promotion to Associate Professor

• Markus Bookland, Associate Professor of Surgery Division of Neurosurgery

• Anne Dudley, MD, Associate Professor of Surgery Division of Pediatric Urology

• Barbara Edelheit, MD, Associate Professor of Pediatrics Division of Rheumatology

• Majida Gaffar, MD, Associate Professor of Surgery Division of Ophthalmology

• Jennifer Haile, MD, Associate Professor of Pediatrics Division of General Pediatrics

• David Hersh, MD, Associate Professor of Surgery Division of Neurosurgery

• Alexander Hogan, MD, Associate Professor of Pediatrics Division of Pediatric Hospital Medicine

• Bradley Jerson, PhD, Associate Professor of Pediatrics Division of Pediatric Psychology

• Robert Keder, MD, Associate Professor of Pediatrics Division of Developmental Pediatrics

• Adam Matson, MD, Associate Professor of Pediatrics Division of Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine

• Rebecca Riba-Wolman, MD, Associate Professor of Pediatrics Division of Pediatric Endocrinology

• Emily Wakefield, PsyD, Associate Professor of Pediatrics Division of Pediatric Psychology

Clinical Professor

• Lisa Namerow, Clinical Professor of Psychiatry and Pediatrics Division of Mental Health Services

APPOINTMENTS

Promotion to Associate Professor

• Jeffrey Shenberger, MD, Professor of Pediatrics Division of Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine

Appointment to Associate Professor of Pediatrics

• DonnaMaria Cortezzo, MD, Associate Professor of Pediatrics Division of Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine

• Sunpreet Kaur, MD, Associate Professor of Pediatrics Division of Digestive Diseases, Hepatology and Nutrition

NEW FACULTY

We continued to support the growth of our programs through faculty recruitment. During 2024, we were very fortunate to welcome 54 new faculty members to the Departments of Pediatrics and Surgery in the following divisions:

SUBSPECIALTIES

PEDIATRIC SUBSPECIALTIES

ADOLESCENT MEDICINE

The Division of Adolescent Medicine is composed of two adolescent medicine physicians, one advanced practice registered nurse, and a postdoctoral psychology fellow. We provide specialty care to adolescents and young adults ages 10 to 25 at the Adolescent Medicine Clinic located in Farmington, CT.

CLINICAL

Our specialty services include:

• Eating Disorders: Our medical providers evaluate the medical and nutritional status of patients, provide psychoeducation to patients and their parents, and recommend levels of care. Our multidisciplinary approach involves collaboration with our postdoctoral psychology fellow, community therapists, Connecticut Children’s dieticians, community dieticians, pediatricians, Connecticut Children’s specialists, and eating disorder programs. We also prescribe psychotropic medications for the treatment of anxiety, depression, and OCD which are common co-morbid diagnoses in patients with eating disorders.

• Gynecologic care: We offer all forms of hormonal contraception, including same-day insertions of IUDs and implants, for both the management of menstrual concerns and for contraception. We also treat a variety of menstrual disorders including abnormal uterine bleeding (AUB), dysmenorrhea, irregular menses, primary/secondary amenorrhea, and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). We provide gynecologic care including Pap smears and sexually transmitted infection testing and treatment.

EDUCATION

Educating future pediatricians and pediatric subspecialists remains an essential part of our mission. UConn pediatric residents complete a four-week adolescent medicine rotation during their second year of training. Residents work with Connecticut Children’s physicians and our clinical partners in the community during their rotation. The Division of Adolescent Medicine greatly appreciates the time commitment and teaching contributions of the following clinical preceptors and their colleagues:

• Connecticut Children’s Sports Medicine, Farmington, CT: Allison Crepeau, MD; David Wang, MD; and Imran Hafeez, MD.

• Institute of Living, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Hartford, CT: Jennifer Downs, MD; Salma Malik, MD, MS; Marta Papoosha, MD; and Ainsley Backman, MD

• Women’s Ambulatory Health Services, Family Planning Clinic, Hartford, CT: Sarah Lindsay, MD and Sheila Flaum, DO.

We also offer an adolescent medicine elective for fourth year medical students from the UConn School of Medicine and the Frank H. Netter MD School of Medicine at Quinnipiac University. Jessica MacCormac, DO, continues in her role as the clerkship director of Ambulatory Pediatrics at the UConn School of Medicine.

RESEARCH & GRANTS

Alyssa Bennett, MD, has partnered with Amy Egbert, PhD, in the Department of Psychological Sciences at UConn to study the role of food insecurity in eating disorders. Dr. Bennett continues her work with colleagues in the Division of Infectious Diseases on the Department of Public Health Integrated HIV Testing and PrEP Navigation Project.

STAFF

Alyssa Bennett, MD, Division Head

Jessica MacCormac, DO, MS

Barbara Snyder, MD – per Diem

Mandi Boisvert, APRN

Jessica Simmons, PhD

BIOMEDICAL INFORMATICS

The Division of Biomedical Informatics marked 2024 with strategic initiatives at the intersection of artificial intelligence, value-based care, and physician and practitioner well-being. Under the leadership of division head Richelle deMayo, MD, who serves as co-chair of the newly formed Collaborative AI for Child Health Excellence, the division has positioned itself at the forefront of responsible AI integration in pediatric care.

The Division was also delighted to announce Jane Im, MD and Andrew Heggland, MD, were inducted as fellows of the American Medical Informatics Association this year, reflecting their professional accomplishments and contributions to the field.

The Division was also gratified by the achievement of another significant milestone this year when Connecticut Children’s was recognized by the National Academy of Medicine as a Changemaker for its commitment to institutionalizing healthcare professional well-being as a long-term value. Multiple members of the division contributed to this achievement, particularly Kimberly Roche, APRN, who leads the Division’s Pediatric Wellbeing and Efficiency Learning Lab (WELL). WELL, continued to offer its on-demand peer-to-peer EHR refresher training and also launched two novel programs: the Closer to Closure effort, which seeks to enhance provider satisfaction through streamlined EHR use and timely chart closure, and the iLAUNCH program (Informatics Learning, Adaptation and Understanding for New Clinician Happiness), supporting newly onboarded physicians and advanced practice providers in personalizing the EHR for more satisfying and effective user experience. Matt Light, PA, who leads the Builder Co-lab, and former division member Jessica Williams, MD, engaged in revision of note templates and ordering tools for selected in- and outpatient areas to better meet the needs of provider colleagues. Meanwhile Surgical Director of Informatics Christopher Grindle, MD, oversaw the doubling of the pediatric ambient AI-enhanced documentation program, which produced savings of greater than 5 minutes per outpatient encounter, or 2 hours per week on average, for its participants.

The division’s Pediatric Record Optimization for Safety, Productivity, Efficiency and Revenue (PROSPER) initiative also exemplified the team’s renewed emphasis on harmonizing provider satisfaction with healthcare value. As part of this effort, Drs. Im and Heggland continue to drive the re-design of documentation for critical care services

delivered outside of the ICU, applying methodologies to improve both provider experience and appropriate capture/compensation for complexity and quality of care delivered. Drs. Grindle and deMayo have focused on multiple means of leveraging technology to support operating room productivity.

Dr. Heggland’s leadership as director of the IDEA core and in his capacity as newly appointed Medical Director of Informatics Data Science, helped the division field studies of clinical decision support systems focused on improving youth HIV detection rates, improving suicide prevention for inpatients, and EHR-integrated sepsis predictive models across inpatient areas. Drs. Heggland and deMayo look forward to working closely with Xerox corporation to explore use of cloud-based predictive modeling for improved emergency department patient throughput.

As medical director of Health Information Exchange and Interoperability, Dr. Im orchestrated Connecticut Children’s participation in the Cosmos “Look-alikes” program designed to offer informal consultation among Epic physicians for rare disease management. She also led the expansion of state HIE access for non-physician clinicians and is leading the medical center’s imminent participation in the Trusted Exchange Framework and Common Agreement (TEFCA), advancing nationwide health information sharing capabilities. Together with Dr. deMayo, she presented a compelling Call to Action regarding interoperability of pediatric Social Drivers of Health data at the national AMIA Clinical Informatics Summit. In her capacity as division education lead, Dr. Im’s guidance led to notable resident achievements, including Dr. Rebecca Basch’s presentation to Connecticut Children’s Research Institute on optimizing pre-procedure fasting protocols, and Shawna Singh’s presentation at the state public health annual summit addressing languageconcordant care for medication safety.

While the Division serves a principally consultative role to other pediatric specialists, it also takes its responsibility for patient engagement seriously. This year saw substantial investments in social drivers of health screening (launching universal food insecurity screening the Emergency Department) and patient-portal accessible social care resources.

Division members remain actively engaged in national and regional leadership roles, contributing to policy discussions around AI governance in healthcare, clinical documentation requirements, and the evolution of

value-based care models. The division continues to prioritize collaboration across disciplines and departments, recognizing that the successful integration of new technologies and workflows requires broad stakeholder engagement and careful attention to both technical and human factors.

Looking ahead, the Division of Biomedical Informatics is enthusiastic about leading the Department of Pediatrics through a rapidly evolving landscape of healthcare technology, optimizing of clinical information technology systems to support pediatrician and pediatric practitioner success and sustainability.

STAFF

Richelle deMayo, MD, CM, FAAP, FAMIA, Division Head

Christopher Grindle, MD

Andrew Heggland, MD

Jane Im, MD

Matt Light, PA

Kimberly Roche, APRN

CARDIOLOGY

The Division of Pediatric Cardiology is dedicated to enhancing the cardiovascular health of newborns, children, and adolescents to ensure a seamless transition into healthy adulthood. Additionally, we provide advanced cardiac care to adults with congenital heart disease.

EXPANSION

The Division of Cardiology at Connecticut Children’s offers top-quality care close to home for families across the region. Our expansion efforts in 2024 focused on two primary objectives: extending access to care across all ages from fetal cardiology to adult congenital heart programs; and consistently enhancing our regional presence. We recruited Jeremiah Joyce, MD, who will further support the fetal and imaging cardiology programs. Dr. Joyce has advanced training in 3D Echocardiography and will help strengthen the 3D imaging program at Connecticut Children’s.

We inaugurated a new Dysautonomia POTS Center and pioneered several interventional cardiology procedures that were firsts in the State of Connecticut. We developed a daily schedule for fetal cardiologists at our Fetal Care Center and developed a new cardiac CT program through the efforts of cardiologists in our division.

The Division formalized a Cardiac Intensive Care Unit (CICU) under the leadership of Monika Gupta, MD. The CICU includes Shalin Parekh, MD, a trained cardiologist and a cardiac intensivist. Dr. Parekh also supports inpatient cardiology and imaging services.

INTERVENTIONAL CARDIOLOGY AND ELECTROPHYSIOLOGY: PROCEDURAL INNOVATIONS

Cesar Igor Mesia, MD, serves as Director of Interventional Cardiology. Interventional cardiologists Caitlin Heyden, DO, Dr. Mesia and Advance Practitioner Amanda Walker Allegra, APRN, perform a comprehensive range of interventional procedures for acquired and congenital heart disease at Connecticut Children’s with 24/7 coverage. All studies are performed in the Hybrid Cardiac Catheterization Lab/ Electrophysiology Lab/OR. Dr. Mesia continues to perform Cardiac Catheterizations and Interventions in a very selective group of patients in collaboration with the Interventional and Structural Cardiology Team at Hartford Hospital.

Since its launch in December 2022, our Hybrid Lab continues to provide advanced imaging solutions with

minimal radiation exposure including CTA and cardiac MRI overlays on real-time live fluoroscopy and rotational angiography with 3D reconstruction. These state-of-theart imaging capabilities are especially beneficial for patients with complex anatomical challenges or those undergoing intricate interventions. In our state-of-the-art Hybrid Lab, we have successfully launched five new transcatheter programs, including four pioneering procedures that are available at only a select few centers worldwide:

1. Closure of Patent Ductus Arteriosus (PDAs) in preterm infants

2. Transcatheter pulmonary valve replacement utilizing the Edwards Sapien3 valve in conjunction with the Alterra Adaptive Present

3. Transcatheter closure of sinus venosus Atrial Septal Defects (ASDs)

4. Transcatheter closure of Ventricular Septal Defects (VSDs)

5. A specialized Central Vascular Access Program providing both acute and long-term central venous and arterial access for critically ill infants in our CICU

We strengthened our collaboration with the Adult Cardiology Structural Program at Hartford Hospital to jointly manage a select number of complex adult cases. The introduction of new programs and the strategic restructuring of our Interventional Cardiology department led to a marked and consistent increase in the volume of cases handled in 2024, surpassing totals from the previous five years.

We implemented comprehensive internal and external Quality Improvement processes. Our internal initiatives include weekly Cath Lab meetings to address immediate concerns and monthly participation in Senior Perioperative Meetings to discuss the long-term administrative functions of the Cath Lab. Externally, our catheterization and electrophysiology laboratory actively participates in the American College of Cardiology’s IMPACT (Improvement of Pediatric and Adult Congenital Treatment) Registry™. This national multi-institutional cardiovascular data registry supports evidence-based guidelines and performance benchmark reviews. Our Cath Lab engaged in the Reducing Radiation Quality Care Initiative™ which has significantly lowered radiation exposure for patients at Connecticut Children’s. The enhancements in our upgraded Hybrid Lab have further contributed to substantial reductions in radiation exposure during catheterization procedures.

Irfan Warsy, MD, joined Connecticut Children’s in early 2023 as the Director of Clinical Electrophysiology to strengthen services alongside Shailendra Upadhyay, MD. Drs. Warsy, and Upadhyay are certified by the International Board of Heart Rhythm and each have over a decade of experience in the field. Dr. Warsy also leads the newly established Center for Autonomic Dysfunction in the Young (CAD-Y). Our electrophysiology laboratory leverages state-of-the-art, industry-leading technology including the recently upgraded Carto 3 mapping and navigation system. Coupled with advanced intracardiac echocardiogram tools, this technology enhances the efficiency of electrophysiology procedures, reduces their duration, and ensures consistent, reproducible results. These capabilities have positioned us as leaders in the application of non-fluoroscopic catheter ablation for supraventricular tachycardia in children. Connecticut Children’s is the sole medical facility in the state that routinely performs this procedure without X-ray use and our data has garnered national and international attention. The fluoroscopy time for catheter ablation of arrhythmias at our center is significantly lower than the national average. Connecticut Children’s offers a specialized pediatric pacemaker clinic managed by our certified pediatric electrophysiologists and a dedicated pacemaker nurse.

At the heart of our electrophysiology program is the Center for Autonomic Dysfunction in the Young. In just over a year, we have established ourselves as national leaders based on the volume of patient visits, surpassing 100 dysautonomia consultations per month. As the sole dedicated center for this condition in New England, we regularly see patients traveling from New York and throughout the region to seek treatment. We are currently in the process of pursuing accreditation and certification from the Autonomic Disorders Society.

ADULT CONGENITAL HEART DISEASE PROGRAM

The Adult Congenital Heart Disease (ACHD) Program at Connecticut Children’s provides comprehensive and specialized care for adults with congenital heart disease in Connecticut. As the first ACHD program in Connecticut to receive accreditation from the Adult Congenital Heart Association (ACHA), we are proud to be among a select group of only 48 accredited programs nationwide. Our program earned its initial accreditation in 2018 and was successfully recertified in August 2024, affirming our commitment to excellence in the care of this complex and underserved patient population.

Under the visionary leadership of Felice Heller, MD, who served as Director until her retirement in June 2024, the Connecticut Adult Congenital Heart (CTACH) program has experienced significant growth and innovation. Dr. Heller’s retirement marked the transition of the program’s directorship to Anudeep Dodeja, MD, Co-Director, who has continued to expand and advance the program’s impact. A highly skilled and multidisciplinary team supports Dr. Dodeja including Dr. Upadhyay, Whitney Fairchild, APRN, and two dedicated nurses Felicia Tam, RN and Jamie Bopp, RN. Together they provide world-class care to a rapidly growing cohort of patients. The program’s continued growth was enhanced by the addition of Frank Han, MD, a specialist in Pediatric Cardiology, Adult Congenital Heart Disease, and Advanced Cardiac Imaging. All ACHD physicians in the program are board-certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine in Adult Congenital Heart Disease.

The CTACH program serves a diverse range of clinical needs for adults with congenital heart disease including complex outpatient care, inpatient consultative services, and 24/7 call coverage. The outpatient clinic follows approximately 1,250 adults with congenital heart disease annually, providing comprehensive, lifelong care tailored to each patient’s unique condition. In collaboration with Maternal Fetal Medicine, the program offers specialized pregnancy management for women with congenital heart disease. In 2024, we successfully managed the care of 17 women with congenital heart disease through pregnancy, a testament to our expertise in high-risk obstetrics. In addition to outpatient care, the CTACH team provides inpatient consultative services at Hartford Hospital for the management of complex congenital heart disease including heart failure, arrhythmias, and post-operative care. The program’s commitment to holistic care includes access to behavioral health services with our dedicated ACHD psychologist, Michael Reiss, PsyD, who provides a critical connection between physical and psychological well-being in this unique population.

Adult congenital heart disease patients represent a significant portion of the procedural volumes across several cardiac specialties. ACHD patients make up approximately 25% of our interventional cardiology, electrophysiology, and cardiac surgery procedural volumes and more than half of our cardiac MRI volume, demonstrating the breadth of care required.

The CTACH program serves as the training site for adult cardiology fellows from Hartford Hospital, Danbury, and

UConn. This educational component ensures that the next generation of cardiologists is well equipped to care for the growing population of adults with congenital heart disease.

The CTACH program is also deeply involved in advocacy and community outreach. In collaboration with the ACHA, we organized the Annual 1 in 100 Heart Walk and raised over $67,000 to fund research into adult congenital heart disease. In 2024 the program established the firstever Patient Family Advisory Committee (PFAC) within the Division of Cardiology. This patient-centered group includes 16 patients and their families who provide invaluable feedback on how to improve care and ensure that the voices of those living with congenital heart disease are heard and incorporated into program development.

In 2023 the team launched the Annual Cardiovascular Symposium, which has quickly become a highly regarded event in the cardiology community. This year’s 2nd annual Cardiovascular Symposium attracted over 300 registrants from 20+ countries worldwide and further cemented the program’s global reputation for excellence in ACHD education and research.

Drs. Dodeja and Upadhyay authored several publications and published numerous abstracts at the American College of Cardiology 2024 Scientific sessions.

NON-INVASIVE IMAGING: PEDIATRIC AND ADULT

The Echocardiography Laboratory at Connecticut Children’s provides outstanding noninvasive imaging services to evaluate patients in both inpatient and outpatient settings. Our echocardiography program is certified by the Intersocietal Accreditation Commission to perform the highest quality echocardiograms with efficient and accurate interpretation to serve babies, children, and adults with congenital and acquired heart disease. Brooke Davey, MD, directs the echocardiography lab and Hadley Santos manages the echocardiographer team. This year we performed a record 8,815 transthoracic, transesophageal, and fetal echocardiograms with an average of 734 studies per month. This is an increase from 7,927 studies performed in 2023. Our team performed 111 transesophageal echocardiograms in the operating room, PICU, and cardiac catheterization lab.

This year our sonographer team welcomed Caroline Wilcox, a graduate from our School of Pediatric Cardiac

Ultrasound, and Nicole Schools, a seasoned pediatric echocardiographer with previous experience in the pediatric cardiology center at Dartmouth Hitchcock. Echocardiography travelers Ms. Erin Jensen and Ms. Jocelyn Marnati support the division to maintain adequate staffing coverage and avoid disruptions in patient care. In September we continued our commitment to education by welcoming Ms. Analise Lopata as our next trainee in pediatric echocardiography at the School of Pediatric Cardiac Ultrasound. We also continue to support James Wiley, MD, our pediatric cardiology fellow, in his training in echocardiography as a mandatory component of his categorical fellowship.

Our pediatric cardiologist imaging team with expertise in echocardiography interpretation also expanded in 2024. Dr. Joyce is a recent graduate of an advanced imaging fellowship at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia with additional skills in 3D imaging and fetal cardiology. Dr. Han joined the echocardiography team from OSH Children’s Hospital of Illinois. His expertise includes image interpretation and additional training in Adult Congenital Heart Disease. Leif Lovig, MD, and Marise D’Souza, MD, support the imaging team on a per diem basis. Imaging is performed using a fleet of Philips Epic and GE E-95 machines and studies are interpreted on the Philips Intellispace platform. We provide contrast echocardiography with the use of Lumason® ultrasound enhancing agent and continue to expand our services in stress echocardiography, 3D imaging, and myocardial strain.

NON-INVASIVE IMAGING: FETAL

Under the directorship of Alicia Wang, MD, our Fetal Cardiology Program has experienced continued growth to serve our youngest cardiology patients throughout Connecticut and beyond. With greater than 500 visits a year, we continue to grow our team of fetal cardiology specialists including Drs. Wang, Davey, Joyce, Enos, and Lorenzoni. Our robust team of certified fetal sonographers includes Ms. Kristen Pruner, Ms. Olivia Boucher, Ms. Danielle DeMatteo, and Ms. Brianna Moulton. We have two fetal nurses, Lora Rizy, RN, BSN, CPN and Erica Mumm, DNP, MSN, RN, and our administrative coordinator, Micaela Webster. We boast an accuracy rate of 98% for fetal cardiac diagnoses and a 99% appropriateness of delivery plan based on postnatal outcome. This year we enhanced the social and mental health support available for families to ameliorate parental stress during pregnancy and the negative effects of

newborn hospitalization. We work closely with regional MFM and OB practices and Connecticut Children’s neonatologists, palliative care team, psychologists, and cardiothoracic surgeons. We support the Fetal Care Center in the management of a number of other high-risk non-cardiac fetal conditions. We collaborate in research with other fetal programs throughout New England and offer monthly educational conferences for regional maternal-fetal medicine specialists. We are the primary site for teaching fetal echocardiography for the maternal-fetal medicine fellowship at the University of Connecticut. We offer services on our main campus in Hartford as well as Farmington, Danbury, and Westport.

NON-INVASIVE IMAGING: CARDIAC MRI

The Cardiac MRI (CMR) program at Connecticut Children’s continues to serve as a cornerstone of our cardiology division by providing high quality, noninvasive imaging for a wide range of patients with congenital and acquired heart disease. Operating with a state-of-the-art 3.0 Tesla Magnet at Connecticut Children’s and a 1.5 Tesla Magnet at Hartford Hospital, our program is a referral center for pediatric and adult congenital heart disease, non-ischemic cardiomyopathies, genetic aortopathies, and transfusiondependent disorders such as thalassemia and sickle cell disease. In 2024 the program performed a total of 317 CMR studies.

The CMR program is the backbone of the Adult Congenital Heart Disease (ACHD) Center, supporting over 1,100 adult patients in alignment with AHA/ACC recommendations for routine imaging every three years.

CMR plays a key role in the Cardio-oncology Program by performing imaging for 50-60 patients annually to monitor cardiac function during and after cancer treatment. This year, the program introduced significant advancements including customizable 3D modeling for congenital heart disease to provide greater insight into cardiac anatomy and facilitate complex interventions. The recent optimization of pediatric protocols has reduced scan times and enhanced patient experience and throughput.

Training and research remain central to our program’s mission. This year, the program utilized advanced imaging modalities such as Strain-Encoded Imaging (SENC) and 4D Flow to complete more than 585 studies including cardio-oncology and congenital heart disease patients. The program’s innovation and research efforts resulted in impactful publications and collaborative projects such as Cardioscape, a multimedia solution for 3D/4D visualization of congenital heart disease. Led by Dr. Lorenzoni, this

collaboration between academia and industry was presented at national conferences and further cemented our reputation as a leader in cardiac imaging innovations.

Strategic initiatives this year included collaborations with Siemens and Myocardial Solutions to refine imaging techniques and the integration of data into the Society for Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance (SCMR) Registry. Our participation in the pediatric and cardio-oncology sections of the SCMR Registry and funding from the NEAG Foundation have strengthened our research capabilities, enabling the launch of a multi-center registry for cardiooncology imaging.

Looking ahead, the program aims to expand its capabilities in stress MRI, enhance 3D modeling applications for surgical planning, and continue training technologists in advanced post-processing techniques. These efforts will be essential to meet the increasing demand for CMR studies and address anticipated challenges such as resource allocation and funding for research.

NON-INVASIVE IMAGING: CARDIAC CT

Previously, all of our Cardiac Computed Tomography (CCT) scans were referred to Hartford Hospital with the invaluable support of Jefferson Radiology and Michael O’Loughlin, PhD. In April 2024, we took an important step forward by establishing our own dedicated Cardiac CT program at Connecticut Children’s under the leadership of Dr. Dodeja. This program will enhance our ability to deliver cutting-edge cardiac imaging services at our institution.

The program’s team is composed of highly skilled specialists including Lindsay Griffin, MD, from Radiology, Olga Toro-Salazar, MD, and Dr. Lorenzoni from Cardiology. We have two dedicated and highly trained Cardiac CT technicians, Ms. Amy Kovac and Mr. Arthur Ochoa, who play a crucial role in the success of the program. Together, this team is committed to providing comprehensive, highquality imaging and care for our patients.

CCT uses advanced imaging techniques including cardiac gating to synchronize the acquisition of images with specific phases of the cardiac cycle to assess coronary artery disease, cardiac anatomy, and challenging vascular structures. As a critical tool in advanced cardiac imaging, CCT is especially beneficial in cases with complex or atypical vascular anatomy where traditional diagnostic methods may be less effective. For patients with implanted medical devices or hardware such as pacemakers, defibrillators, or stents, Cardiac MRI may be

contraindicated or technically difficult. In these cases, CCT provides an invaluable, non-invasive alternative to obtain the necessary diagnostic information.

Since launching the Cardiac CT program at Connecticut Children’s in April 2024 we have performed 70 Cardiac CT scans, demonstrating the growing demand and success of the program.

THE CENTER FOR CARDIO-ONCOLOGY HEALTH AND INNOVATION FOR CANCER SURVIVORS

The Center for Cardio-Oncology Health and Innovation for Cancer Survivors (CHICS) at Connecticut Children’s exemplifies multidisciplinary collaboration across the Center for Cancer & Blood Disorders, Endocrinology, Physical Therapy, Nutrition, and Health Systems Engineering. Focused on detecting and preventing cardiotoxicity from cancer treatments, the program offers comprehensive care including pre-treatment risk stratification, monitoring during therapy, and long-term cardiovascular screening.

CENTER OF EXCELLENCE

The Cardio-oncology team at Connecticut Children’s has been recognized this year by the International Cardio-Oncology Society (IC-OS) as a Gold level Center of Excellence. The IC-OS Center of Excellence certification recognizes institutions and practices that have demonstrated superior expertise in the care and treatment of patients within the cardio-oncology sphere.

Connecticut Children’s Cardio-Oncology (CO) program leverages a comprehensive CCS CO Access database that was established in 2008 with data dating back to 1985; the database is now transitioning to an advanced CO repository. This integration with Epic registry data supports enhanced data analysis and predictive AI model development. In 2018, the program launched a multidisciplinary CO clinic within the cardiology department to provide specialized CO care. Daily CO consultations extend across outpatient and inpatient hematology/oncology settings and unite physicians from hematology/oncology, endocrinology, physical therapy, nutrition, and health systems engineering to prevent and manage cardiotoxicity in cancer survivors.

Connecticut Children’s forged a partnership with Hartford HealthCare to ensure seamless transitions for childhood cancer survivors into adult care. The CO team spearheaded numerous research projects focusing on

early detection of cardiotoxicity with findings presented at various prestigious conferences in 2024.

RESEARCH FUNDING:

• Heidi Gropp Ruiz Endowment: Maintaining Cardiovascular Health in Childhood Cancer Survivors

• Harold and Rebecca H. Gross Foundation: Development and Usability Testing of the ATOMIC Mobile App to Increase Physical Activity (PA) Levels in Children, Adolescent and Young Adults (AYA) survivors of childhood cancer.

• Clinical Research and Innovation Seed Program (CRISP): Role of transforming growth factor-ß signaling pathway on cardiotoxicity from chemotherapeutic agents.

• Aaron Hollander Fund: Maintaining Cardiovascular Health in Childhood Cancer Survivors

• Simon Hollander Fund: Maintaining Cardiovascular Health in Childhood Cancer Survivors

• Neag foundation: Improving Cardiovascular Outcomes of Pediatric, Adolescent, and Young Adult (AYA) Cancer Survivors with Implementation of Precision Cardio-Oncology Care

QUALITY IMPROVEMENT IN CARDIO-ONCOLOGY

Connecticut Children’s Cardio-Oncology department has advanced its quality improvement initiatives to better care for childhood cancer survivors and streamline clinical processes. Key efforts include integrating Electronic Health Records (EHR), developing structured care pathways, and enhancing patient education. Notable achievements include a CO registry launched in 2024 that tracks 800 patients to improve personalized care and data collection. The department focuses on addressing clinical challenges like pediatric hypertension and refining risk stratification algorithms and echocardiography protocols. Multilingual educational materials promote patient self-management.

INPATIENT CARDIOLOGY

The Inpatient Cardiology Program offers comprehensive care for both pediatric and adult patients with congenital and acquired heart diseases during their hospital admissions. This dedicated team provides services to patients on regular nursing floors and in the ICUs and collaborates with cardiothoracic surgeons, critical care physicians, neonatologists, and other specialists. Alex Golden, MD, directs the Inpatient team with the support

of Katie Kellerman, PA-C, Jill Sullivan, PA-C, and Ms. Walker Allegra. A core group of cardiologists supports the inpatient cardiology team.

Over the past year, the inpatient service has again witnessed a substantial increase in its annual census and the number of consultations provided. We continue to provide 24/7 telemetry services with continuous coverage by a dedicated team of telemetry technicians. This specialized service focuses on monitoring highrisk patients to enhance the safety of some of our most vulnerable patients and increase ICU bed availability for patients with greater critical care needs.

The inpatient team prioritizes standardization of care to ensure smooth transitions from the ICU to regular nursing floor settings and from inpatient to outpatient settings. Collaboratively, the team has developed standardized pathways for postoperative care in cardio thoracic surgery and for the diagnosis and treatment of common conditions such as Kawasaki disease and the Covid-related multi-system inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C).

The inpatient team is dedicated to the educational mission of our division and provides support and teaching for the Cardiology Fellowship Program, the Connecticut Children’s Pediatrics Residency Program, and to medical students from the University of Connecticut.

CARDIO-PULMONARY STRESS TESTING

We experienced tremendous growth in cardiac and cardio-pulmonary stress testing with more than 300 annual stress tests. The program is crucial to provide support to the ACHD, cardio-oncology, and general cardiology programs. We recruited Bree Ostrowsky, an exercise physiologist, to help meet the increasing demand for stress testing.

NON-INVASIVE RHYTHM MONITORING

We perform rhythm monitoring with non-invasive (Holter, Mobile Telemetry, Event monitors) and invasive devices (Implantable Loop Recorders-ILR) and are one of the largest pediatric patient providers with ILR in the New England region. These tools give us the ability to remotely monitor and treat heart rhythm disorders.

OUTREACH CARDIOLOGY

An important initiative at Connecticut Children’s is to provide expert level care closer to home for families

throughout the region. The cardiology division supports this mission through the Outreach Program, led by Dr. Enos, which is built on four core pillars: clinical program development, quality improvement, medical education, and community partnership. Growth in Fairfield County has been robust in our outreach clinics including increasing patient volumes for surgical procedures, cardiac catheterization and EP procedures, inpatient hospitalizations, and imaging studies.

Innovative outreach activities included CME courses and presentations throughout the state, digital outreach through creation of short videos for social media, and partnerships with influential community groups. The cardiology outreach program has collaborated effectively with the Fetal Care Center, strengthening existing partnerships with OB/MFM offices throughout the region as well as forming new relationships and referrals.

Additional Outreach Program advances this year include the creation of the Center for Dysautonomia in the Young (CAD-Y) led by Dr. Warsy. This program makes Connecticut Children’s a premier destination for families facing these diagnoses. Dr. Lorenzoni was recently appointed Vice President of the Fairfield County Medical Association. This appointment offers visibility to our program and serves as a prime example of how the Cardiology Division is forming durable partnerships with the Fairfield County medical community.

FETAL CARE CENTER

The Fetal Care Center has brought exciting progress and new pathologies to Connecticut Children’s. The Division of Cardiology partners with the Fetal Care Center on many important initiatives including development of assessment protocols for complex pathologies, coordination of prenatal and postnatal care, and regional outreach. Cardiology collaborates with the Fetal Care Center on management of fetuses with cardiac arrhythmias and work is underway to establish Connecticut Children’s as a center for in-utero pacing interventions in select patients. In collaboration with the Fetal Care Center and other divisions, cardiology helped produce the clinical pathway for management of infants with congenital diaphragmatic hernia using an evidence-based approach to optimize care for these complex patients. With increasing volumes and plans for expansion of the Fetal Care Center to the new tower, this partnership has an exciting future on the frontiers of fetal medicine.

EDUCATION

Our division is energetic in its commitment to the education and training of future medical professionals. The ACGME-accredited Cardiology Fellowship Program is very successfully training our first fellow, Dr. Wiley, who is currently in his third year. Fellowship Director Dr. Golden and the rest of the division are recruiting our next fellow for Summer 2025.

Drs. Dodeja, and Upadhyay provide training in congenital heart disease for adult cardiology fellows from Hartford Hospital, John Dempsey Hospital, and Danbury Hospital.

Dr. Wang provides training in fetal cardiology for the maternal-fetal medicine fellows at the University of Connecticut. We provide subspecialty training for pediatric residents in pediatric cardiology.

We contribute to the training of medical students at both the University of Connecticut and Quinnipiac University with active involvements from Drs. Heyden, Dodeja, and Wang.

The School of Pediatric Cardiac Ultrasound through the Hoffman Heart and Vascular Institute of Connecticut is now in its ninth year and is recognized by the Joint Review Committee on Education in Cardiovascular Technology (JRC-CVT) and the Commission of Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP). Connecticut Children’s Echo Lab is the training site for didactic and hands-on instruction of pediatric ultrasound for one to two sonographers annually.

PROFESSIONAL RECOGNITION

Dr. Davey is President of the New England Congenital Cardiology Association (NECCA).

Seth Lapuk, MD, is on the Connecticut Children’s medical staff board of the Executive Committee. He remains a member of the Connecticut chapter of the American Heart Association and the American College of Cardiology Board of Directors.

Dr. Upadhyay was appointed a medical advisory board member for ACHA. He was an invited faculty for the Texas Cardiovascular Innovations Symposium in San Antonio.

Drs. Upadhyay, and Toro-Salazar were invited faculty members at the 2024 Annual Scientific Sessions of the American College of Cardiology.

Dr. Dodeja chaired and organized the 2nd Annual Cardiovascular Symposium hosted by Connecticut Children’s. It was a successful meeting attended by hundreds of national and international physicians.

CONNECTICUT CHILDREN’S CARDIOLOGY RESEARCH PROGRAM

This year, research scientists in the Division of Cardiology successfully submitted and published several papers in internationally recognized peer-reviewed journals.

Our research group continues to have a multitude of active projects that include social determinants of health (Davey), fetal cardiology (Wang), cardiac MRI and cardiooncology (Toro-Salazar), Adult Congenital Heart Disease and Electrophysiology (Dodeja and Upadhyay), and cardiac neurodevelopment (Parekh).

PUBLICATIONS

Chan RH, van der Wal L, Liberato G, Rowin E, Soslow J, Maskatia S, Chan S, Shah A, Fogel M, Hernandez L, Anwar S, Voges I, Carlsson M, Buddhe S, Laser KT, Greil G, Valsangiacomo-Buechel E, Olivotto I, Wong D, Wolf C, Grotenhuis H, Rickers C, Hor K, Rutz T, Kutty S, Samyn M, Johnson T, Hasbani K, Moore JP, Sieverding L, Detterich J, Parra R, Chungsomprasong P, Toro-Salazar O, Roest AAW, Dittrich S, Brun H, Spinner J, Lai W, Dyer A, Jablonowsk R, Meierhofer C, Gabbert D, Prsa M, Patel JK, Hornung A, Diab SG, House AV, Rakowski H, Benson L, Maron MS, Grosse-Wortmann L. Myocardial Scarring and Sudden Cardiac Death in Young Patients With Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy: A Multicenter Cohort Study. JAMA Cardiol. 2024 Nov 1;9(11):1001-1008. doi: 10.1001/jamacardio.2024.2824. Erratum in: JAMA Cardiol. 2025 Jan 29. doi: 10.1001/jamacardio.2024.5630. PMID: 39320884; PMCID: PMC11425184..

Life and Death: A Multicenter Study Evaluating Cardiologists’ Approach to Difficult Conversations with Fontan Patients and Families. Lee S, Rathod RH, Valente AM, Davey BT, Wu F, Drucker N, Lombardi K, St Clair N, Azcue N, Toro-Salazar OH, Elder RW.Pediatr Cardiol. 2024 Aug 20. doi: 10.1007/s00246-024-03631-5.PMID: 39164409

The Society for Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance Registry at 150,000. Tong MS, Slivnick JA, Sharif B, Kim HW, Young AA, Sierra-Galan LM, Mukai K, Farzaneh-Far A, Al-Kindi S, Chan AT, Dibu G, Elliott MD, Ferreira VM, Grizzard J, Kelle S, Lee S, Malahfji M, Petersen SE, Polsani

V, Toro-Salazar OH, Shaikh KA, Shenoy C, Srichai MB, Stojanovska J, Tao Q, Wei J, Weinsaft JW, Wince WB, Chudgar PD, Judd M, Judd RM, Shah DJ, Simonetti OP.. J Cardiovasc Magn Reson. 2024 Jul 4:101055. doi: 10.1016/j. jocmr.2024.101055. PMID: 38971501.

How Good Are Cardiologists at Predicting Major Adverse Events in Fontan Patients? Elder RW, Valente AM, Davey B, Wu F, Drucker N, Lombardi K, Lee S, McCollum S, Shabanova V, St Clair N, Azcue N, Toro-Salazar OH, Rathod RH.JACC Adv. 2023 Nov 24;3(1):100736. doi: 10.1016/j.jacadv.2023.100736. eCollection 2024 Jan.

Multimodality Imaging for Cardiac Surveillance of Cancer Treatment in Children: Recommendations from the American Society of Echocardiography.Mertens L, Singh G, Armenian S, Chen MH, Dorfman AL, Garg R, Husain N, Joshi V, Leger KJ, Lipshultz SE, Lopez-Mattei J, Narayan HK, Parthiban A, Pignatelli RH, Toro-Salazar O, Wasserman M, Wheatley J. J Am Soc Echocardiogr. 2023 Dec;36(12):1227-1253. PMID: 38043984 No abstract available.

Antenatal Risk of Coarctation for Newborns at Hartford Hospital (ARCH) Pathway: A Predictor of Postnatal Management Strategy. Wang A, Cummins M, Flerlage E, Toro-Salazar O, Brimacombe M, Davey BT. Pediatr Cardiol. 2024 Oct 7. doi: 10.1007/s00246-024-03675-7. Online ahead of print.PMID: 39375211

Arrhythmias in Adult Congenital Heart Disease Heart Failure. Dodeja AK, Upadhyay S.Heart Fail Clin. 2024 Apr;20(2):175-188. doi: 10.1016/j.hfc.2023.12.004. Epub 2024 Jan 5.

COVID-19-Related Thrombotic and Bleeding Events in Adults with Congenital Heart Disease. Fusco F, Upadhyay S, Fisher SD, Cook S, Cotts TB, Kovacs AH, Aboulhosn JA, Scognamiglio G, Broberg CS, Sarubbi B. JACC Adv. 2023 Nov 21;2(10):100701. doi: 10.1016/j. jacadv.2023.100701. eCollection 2023 Dec. PMID: 38938489

Cardiac manifestations and outcomes of COVID-19 vaccine-associated myocarditis in the young in the USA: longitudinal results from the Myocarditis After COVID Vaccination (MACiV) multicenter study. Jain SS, Anderson SA, Steele JM, Wilson HC, Muniz JC, Soslow JH, Beroukhim RS, Maksymiuk V, Jacquemyn X, Frosch OH,

Fonseca B, Harahsheh AS, Buddhe S, Ashwath RC, Thacker D, Maskatia SA, Misra N, Su JA, Siddiqui S, Vaiyani D, Vaikom-House AK, Campbell MJ, Klein J, Huang S, Mathis C, Cornicelli MD, Sharma M, Nagaraju L, Ang JY, Uppu SC, Ramachandran P, Patel JK, Han F, Mandell JG, AkamVenkata J, DiLorenzo MP, Brumund M, Bhatla P, Eshtehardi P, Mehta K, Glover K, Dove ML, Aldawsari KA, Kumar A, Barfuss SB, Dorfman AL, Minocha PK, Yonts AB, Schauer J, Cheng AL, Robinson JD, Powell Z, Srivastava S, Chelliah A, Sanil Y, Hernandez LE, Gaur L, Antonchak M, Johnston M, Reich JD, Nair N, Drugge ED, Grosse-Wortmann L.EClinicalMedicine. 2024 Sep 6;76:102809. doi: 10.1016/j. eclinm.2024.102809. eCollection 2024 Oct.

Health-Related Quality of Life After Neonatal Treatment of Symptomatic Tetralogy of Fallot: Insights from the Congenital Cardiac Research Collaborative. Nicholson GT, Zampi JD, Glatz AC, Goldstein BH, Petit CJ, Zhang Y, McCracken CE, Qureshi AM, Goldberg CS, Romano JC, Law MA, Meadows JJ, Shahanavaz S, Batlivala SP, Maskatia SA, Beshish A, O’Byrne ML, Ligon RA, Stack KO, Khan HQ, Parekh S, Ilardi DL.Pediatr Cardiol. 2024 Sep 21. doi: 10.1007/s00246-024-03650-2. PMID: 39305323

Comparing Parent Perception of Neurodevelopment after Primary versus Staged Repair of Neonatal Symptomatic Tetralogy of Fallot. Zampi JD, Ilardi DL, McCracken CE, Zhang Y, Glatz AC, Goldstein BH, Petit CJ, Qureshi AM, Goldberg CS, Law MA, Meadows JJ, Shahanavaz S, Batlivala SP, Maskatia SA, O’Byrne ML, Ligon RA, Pettus JA, Beshish A, Romano JC, Stack KO, Khan HQ, Parekh S, Nicholson GT. J Pediatr. 2024 Oct 16;276:114357. doi: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2024.114357. PMID: 39423907

Correction: Health-Related Quality of Life After Neonatal Treatment of Symptomatic Tetralogy of Fallot: Insights from the Congenital Cardiac Research Collaborative. Nicholson GT, Zampi JD, Glatz AC, Goldstein BH, Petit CJ, Zhang Y, McCracken CE, Qureshi AM, Goldberg CS, Romano JC, Law MA, Meadows JJ, Shahanavaz S, Batlivala SP, Maskatia SA, Beshish A, O’Byrne ML, Ligon RA, Stack KO, Khan HQ, Parekh S, Ilardi DL. Pediatr Cardiol. 2024 Oct 21. doi: 10.1007/s00246-024-03680-w. PMID: 39432099

Brief Report: Characterization of Sensory OverResponsivity in a Broad Neurodevelopmental Concern Cohort Using the Sensory Processing Three Dimensions (SP3D) Assessment. Lazerwitz MC, Rowe MA, Trimarchi KJ, Garcia RD, Chu R, Steele MC, Parekh S, Wren-Jarvis

J, Bourla I, Mark I, Marco EJ, Mukherjee P.J Autism Dev Disord. 2024 Aug;54(8):3185-3192. doi: 10.1007/s10803022-05747-0. Epub 2022 Sep 30. PMID: 36180667

STAFF

Shailendra Upadhyay, MD, CEPS, FHRS

Division Head, Co-Director, Cardiovascular Institute

Leon Chameides, MD, Professor Emeritus

Felice Heller, MD, Professor Brooke Davey, MD

Anudeep Dodeja, MD

James Enos, MD

Alex Golden, MD, MMM, FACC

Whitney Fairchild, APRN

Frank Han, MD

Caitlin Heyden, DO

Jeremiah Joyce, MD

Kathleen Kellerman, PA

Seth Lapuk, MD, FAAP, FACC

Raymond Lorenzoni, MD

Stewart Mackie, MD

Cesar Igor Mesia, MD

Olga Toro-Salazar, MD

Alicia Wang, MD

Amanda Walker Allegra, APRN

Fellow:

James Wiley, DO, PGY5

CHILD ABUSE PEDIATRICS

The Division of Child Abuse Pediatrics provides clinical evaluation services through the Suspected Child Abuse and Neglect (SCAN) program at Connecticut Children’s. Consults are provided on an inpatient and outpatient basis at the Hartford campus of Connecticut Children’s and include comprehensive expert medical evaluation and psychosocial assessment for children who may have experienced maltreatment. SCAN staff also provide medical services in three satellite locations at Children’s Advocacy Centers in Waterbury, Torrington, and Hartford. Program staff offer support to caregivers throughout the evaluation process. We collaborate with multidisciplinary partners in the service of the child and family and strive to improve community response to child maltreatment through education, research, prevention, and advocacy.

Beyond clinical work, 2024 activities of the Division included:

• Teaching medical students, residents, and fellows with didactics and block rotations.

• Teaching statewide multidisciplinary partners.

• Participation in nine regional community multidisciplinary teams: Hartford MDT, MDT 14, Central Connecticut New Britain MDT, Central Connecticut Bristol MDT, East Central MDT, North Central MDT, Tolland MDT, Torrington MDT, Waterbury MDT.

• Provision of regular expert testimony in Connecticut courts.

• Participation in statewide initiatives focused on child abuse prevention, human trafficking, and domestic violence.

• Participation in quality improvement initiatives including two active clinical pathways for suspected physical abuse and suspected sexual abuse.

• Provision of national medical peer review to other medical providers.

• Hosting a statewide ECHO telementoring program for sexual abuse medical examiners.

• Implementation of an Intimate Partner Violence Integrated Care Clinic in our Hartford location.

PUBLICATIONS,

Caneira L. (2024). Case presentation: A fall from a significant height. American Academy of Pediatrics, Newsletter of the Council on Child Abuse and Neglect, 5 (3), 8-9.

STAFF

Nina Livingston, MD, Division Head

Ada Booth, MD

Angela Doswell, MD

Laura Caneira, APRN

Audrey Courtney, APRN

Heidi Schwab, APRN

Enjoli Berrios, MA

Crystal Vasquez, MA

Sara Goldstein, LCSW

Caliyah Meggett, LCSW

Wanda Vasquez, CCSG Manager

Lisa Parris, Administrative Assistant

CHILD & ADOLESCENT PSYCHIATRY

The Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (CAP) continues to be a highly active, vibrant, and collaborative division within the Department of Pediatrics at Connecticut Children’s. Our work focuses on a number of areas: meeting the increasing clinical demand for mental/behavioral health assessment and treatment services; close collaboration with other divisions within Connecticut Children’s – both for treatment purposes as well as in the area of clinical pathway evaluation and development; and academic pursuits in a variety of areas, including presentations at several national conferences.

2024 has been marked by an incredible amount of growth, development, and creativity for the Division of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry: January 30, 2024 saw the opening of Connecticut’s first Medical Psychiatric Unit –the Connecticut Children’s Medical Psychiatric Integrated Care (IC5) Unit; October 1, 2024 saw the creation of a centralized Outpatient Mental Health Clinic; and between May 2024 and August 2024 we welcomed two new Child & Adolescent Psychiatrists, one new Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, and one Team Lead for our Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioners.

At Connecticut Children’s, our Division participates in and co-leads several multidisciplinary service lines including: a medical/psychiatric unit providing inpatient level medical and psychiatric care to patients with co-occurring psychiatric and medical diagnoses; a consultation/liaison service providing inpatient evaluations on any patient presenting with behavioral health concerns that may indicate co-occurring psychiatric and medical conditions; emergency psychiatric assessment, triage, and disposition services within the Connecticut Children’s Emergency Department; and medication management through the Outpatient Mental Health Clinic (OMHC), which offers both short-term stabilization and longer-term care, located in the ambulatory offices at 85 Seymour Street.

GROWTH OF FACULTY/TEAM MEMBERS

In January 2023, Connecticut Children’s began building its first ever CCSG-hired Division of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. The Division began with one full-time child & adolescent psychiatrist in January 2023 and as of February 2025 will have four full-time child & adolescent psychiatrists, one full-time general psychiatrist, and four full-time psychiatric mental health nurse practitioners (PMHNP). Cristin McDermott, MD, division head for Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, started the division in January

2023. Since that time the division has grown to include Robert Stine, MD, Joseph (Kwaku) Gyasi, PMHNP, Ogechi Ebere, PMHNP (Team Lead), Lynnette Cardone, PMHNP, Matthew Johnson, MD, and Jessica Stephens, DO. In early 2025 the division will add Sheryl Combs, PMHNP and Ainsley Backman, MD.

GROWTH OF SERVICE LINES MEDICAL PSYCHIATRIC INTEGRATED CARE UNIT (IC5)

With generous support from the State of Connecticut, Connecticut Children’s opened the state’s first Medical Psychiatric Integrated Care Unit (IC5) on January 30, 2024. The Integrated Care unit is specifically designed to care for children with co-morbid psychiatric and medical conditions who are otherwise unable to access mental health services. The unit is staffed by child & adolescent psychiatry, pediatric hospital medicine (PHM), pediatric psychology, nursing, behavioral health milieu technicians, dieticians, physical and occupational therapists, child life specialists, recreational therapists, behavioral health care coordinators, and a teacher. This state-of-the-art unit provides medical and psychiatric care via individual therapy, group therapy, family therapy, medication management, pediatric medicine, physical/occupational rehabilitation services, and academic support to patients aged 6 to 17.5-years-old.

To date the Medical Psychiatric Integrated Care Unit has provided care for over 65 patients with approximately half of the admitted patients coming from the Emergency Department and half from the Medical-Surgical floors. We remain appreciative and proud of our relationship with the State of Connecticut and their generous support of pediatric mental health services.

In July 2024, Dr. Johnson became the first full-time child & adolescent psychiatrist on the unit. He will be joined by Ms. Combs in January 2025. Clinical leadership of the unit is multidisciplinary and consists of Co-Medical Directors Dr. McDermott (CAP) and Christine Skurkis, MD (PHM); Lead Psychologist Kelly Maynes, PsyD; and Nurse Manager Erin Boyle, BSN, RN.

OUTPATIENT MENTAL HEALTH CLINIC (OMHC)

In October 2024, four outpatient mental health services – Ambulatory Psychiatry Services, Behavioral Health Transitions Clinic, Medical Coping Clinic, and Medical Mental Wellness Program – were combined to provide centralized ambulatory mental health services through the Connecticut Children’s Outpatient Mental Health Clinic (OMHC). This centralized clinic improves ease of

referral, access, and care for patients in need of short- and long-term mental health services including medication management, individual therapy, and care coordination.

Connecticut Children’s restarted ambulatory psychiatry/ medication management services in October 2023 following the addition of Mr. Gyasi to our team. In August 2024, Dr. Stephens joined our faculty as the first child & adolescent psychiatrist specifically hired for outpatient psychiatry services. Together, Dr. Stephens and Mr. Gyasi are developing the psychiatry arm of the OMHC in close partnership with Psychology, Social Work, and Care Coordination leadership. Over 700 unique patients have received care through the combined clinics and tracks of the OMHC totaling over 3600 visits in the past year.

ADDITIONAL HOSPITAL-BASED SERVICES

EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT/EMERGENCY PSYCHIATRY SERVICE

Connecticut Children’s Emergency Psychiatry Service continues to be the busiest of our clinical service lines. Connecticut Children’s sees approximately 70% of Connecticut’s mental health patients and is the only freestanding pediatric emergency department in the state. Like our other service lines our Emergency Psychiatry Service is multidisciplinary, including team members from psychiatry, licensed clinical social work, behavioral health care coordination, nursing, child life, and behavioral health technicians. Over the past year we have seen approximately 3300 patients, with 30% of those patients requiring inpatient psychiatric services and 70% referred for outpatient or intensive outpatient services.

Our Emergency Psychiatry team has been supported over the past two years by Dr. Stine, who joined our faculty in March 2023 after initially providing critical locums support to Connecticut Children’s. Dr. Stine is a general psychiatrist with 30-years of experience with children and adolescents and in various emergency departments throughout the tristate area. In May 2024, Ms. Ebere joined our team as the Team Lead for Psychiatric Nurse Practitioners, also after providing critical locums support to the service line since December 2022. The Emergency Psychiatry Services team grew further in July 2024 with the addition of Ms. Cardone.

CONSULTATION & LIAISON SERVICE (C&L)

Connecticut Children’s Consultation & Liaison Psychiatry/ Psychology Service is the primary mental health consultation service for patients admitted to the hospital.

Primary clinical responsibilities are to the medical-surgical floors and the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU). The C&L service is a joint service between Child & Adolescent Psychiatry and Pediatric Psychology, with primary faculty being Dr. McDermott (CAP), Dr. Maynes (Psychology), and Jennifer Paul, PhD (Psychology).

Additional clinical support to the service is provided by Mr. Gyasi and additional education support is provided by Lisa Namerow, MD. In addition to their clinical roles, many of the C&L faculty are/have been involved in the development of mental health-related Clinical Pathways including the Agitation Management Clinical Pathway, Delirium Clinical Pathway, Eating Disorder Clinical Pathway, and Somatic Symptoms and Related Disorders Pathway.

The Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Division will welcome Ainsley Backman, MD as faculty in February 2025 with her primary clinical role being on the C&L service.

ACADEMICS AND TRAINING

Connecticut Children’s remains a highly active teaching site for many trainees from UConn and the Institute of Living (IOL). As an ACGME-required rotation for psychiatry and child & adolescent psychiatry trainees, our C&L service is the primary psychiatry teaching service. We educate psychiatry residents and child & adolescent psychiatry fellows from UConn and the IOL. Additionally, the C&L service trains psychology interns from the IOL and post-doctoral psychology fellows. Between the UConn Psychiatry and Child & Adolescent Psychiatry programs and the IOL Psychiatry and Child & Adolescent Psychiatry programs, Connecticut Children’s trains 12 child psychiatrists and six general psychiatrists each year. Dr. McDermott and the C&L service were awarded the Luminary Award from the IOL for the academic year 2023-24, an award given to faculty “for inspiring brilliance, transforming minds, and guiding excellence in the next generation of child psychiatrists.”

At the national level, it was an honor for members of our faculty to be selected for presentations at the American Academy of Pediatrics National Conference, the Pediatric Hospital Medicine Annual Conference (tri-sponsored by the Academic Pediatric Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the Society of Hospital Medicine), and the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Annual Meeting. Our presentations included such topics as mental health

emergencies, psychiatric pearls for the pediatric inpatient setting, leadership skills development, and “Resident as Teacher 2024: The Hidden Curriculum”. We have also had the opportunity to present nationally on our workflows (specifically the benefit of dedicated psychiatry coverage in the Emergency Department) and facilities development (specifically around the building of the Medical Psychiatric Integrated Care Unit) at the ANCC Magnet National Conference and the International Summit & Exhibition on Health Facility Planning, Design & Construction, respectively.

Dr. Stevens, who joined our faculty in August 2024, brings a host of academic pursuits including recent publications in the Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry (JAACAP) and in Academic Psychiatry. She completed two recent leadership positions through the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP) including the John E. Schowalter, MD, Resident Member of Council (2022-2024) and the Committee Co-Chair for the Committee on Medical Students and Residents (2022 – 2024). Dr. Stephens has been appointed as a committee member for the AACAP Early Career Psychiatrist Committee and the prestigious AACAP Training and Education Committee.

In the coming year we anticipate further expansion of our psychiatry training, educational opportunities, and our dissemination of education and experiences. With upcoming changes to Pediatric Residency mental health training by the ACGME and ABP, our faculty will take on key roles in furthering this mission. The Connecticut Children’s Division of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry is closely involved in the development of curriculum and educational opportunities for the UConn Pediatric Residency. We anticipate several abstracts and workshop presentations to be submitted to both regional and national conferences in the coming year related to our work in psychiatry training and the creation and expansion of service lines.

FUTURE VISION

The Division of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry will continue to welcome additional faculty with one psychiatric nurse practitioner and one child & adolescent psychiatrist starting with us in early 2025. This will allow for growth towards right-sized staffing to meet the needs of our community and those children and families seeking mental health services through Connecticut Children’s. We look forward to the ongoing development of our Medical Psychiatric Integrated Care Unit with the

expansion of referrals to include our community and regional partners as we continue to build our unit as a state, regional, and national leader in medical psychiatric care. We are grateful for the support of the Connecticut Children’s, UConn, and the state in this endeavor.

Importantly, our ongoing partnerships with the Institute of Living and the University of Connecticut School of Medicine remain high priorities for collaboration in the provision of care, training and education, and academic and research pursuits.

Our division is dedicated to providing the right care at the right time with the right intensity level as we aim to move Connecticut Children’s towards nationally recognized leadership in integrated mental health services for medically complex children. This will further Connecticut Children’s journey to transform children’s health and wellbeing as one team.

PUBLICATIONS

Adiba, A, Mbu, P, Stephens, J, Joshi, PM, Cullins, LM, Pumariega, AJ. (2024) “Leadership Skills Development: Enhancing Relationships with Conflict Resolution and Self-Advocacy.” JAACAP. 63(10), Supplement, S386-S387. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaac.2024.07.904

Stephens J*, Carroll P, Spada M, Moschenross D, Gowl C, Blackburn V, Gopalan P. (2024) “Teaching Psychiatry Residents Trauma Management Skills in a Workshop Utilizing Media and Standardized Patients.” Acad. Psychiatry. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40596-024-02062-x

Keil M, Westbrook C, Stephens J, Spada M, Hafeman D, Jacobson SL, Travis, MJ, Gopalan, P. (2024). “Longitudinal Outcomes of a Resident Academic Administrator Clinician Educator Track.” Acad Psychiatry. https://doi.org/10.1007/ s40596-024-02004-7

PRESENTATIONS

Grant C, Schicker R, Hart E, Caisse T, Connecticut Children’s Approach to Behavioral Health Care across Levels of Care. International Summit & Exhibition on Health Facility Planning, Design & Construction. March 2024. San Diego, CA.

Grant C, O’Donnell R. Outcomes Validated Benefit of a Dedicated Pediatric Mental Health Unit. AANC National Magnet Conference. October 2024. New Orleans, LA.

Soe K, McDermott C, Farrell L, Brady P. High Yield Psychiatric Pearls in Hospitalized Children. AAP Pediatric Hospital Medicine Conference 2024. Minneapolis, MN. Soe K, McDermott C. How to Address Pediatric Mental Health Emergencies. American Academy of Pediatrics National Conference & Exhibition. September 2024. Orlando, FL.

Adiba A, Mbu Petronella, Stephens J, Joshi PM, Cullins LM, Pumariega AJ. (2024) Leadership Skills Development: Enhancing Relationships with Conflict Resolution and SelfAdvocacy. American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Annual Meeting, Seattle, WA.

Soe K, Stephens J, Goetz J, Khalid K, Kurtz BP, Miller S, Steuber E, Thitiseranee L, Villagran AM, Zarrinnegar P. (2024) Resident as Teacher 2024: The Hidden Curriculum. American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Annual Meeting, Seattle, WA.

Stephens J, Moschenross D, Carroll P, Spada M, Gopalan P. (2024) See One, Do One, Teach One: Utilizing Media and Standardized Patients to Teach Valuable Trauma Screening Skills to Psychiatry Residents. Media Session II, 2024 Association for Academic Psychiatry Annual Meeting, Washington, D.C.

STAFF

Cristin McDermott, MD, Division Head, Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Co-Medical Director, MedicalPsychiatric Integrated Care (IC5) Unit

Ainsley Backman, MD (starting February 2025)

Matthew Johnson, MD

Jessica Stephens, DO

Robert Stine, MD

Lynnette Cardone, PMHNP

Sheryl Combs, PMHNP (starting January 2025)

Ogechi Ebere, PMHNP, Psychiatry APP Team Lead

Joseph (Kwaku) Gyasi, PMHNP

LEADERSHIP

Cristin McDermott, MD, Division Head, Child & Adolescent Psychiatry

Constance Grant, MHA, MSN, RN, NE-BC Senior Director of the Emergency Department and Mental Health Services

Ross Davis, MSPT, MBA, Senior Manager of Business Operations for Mental Health

COMMUNITY PEDIATRICS

Community Pediatrics is the largest division in the Department of Pediatrics consisting of more than 200 providers in practices throughout Connecticut and Western Massachusetts. The academic activities of the division are centered on pediatric primary care education. Practices serve as teaching sites for the core clinical experience of medical students in ambulatory pediatrics. Many physicians also precept medical students, advanced practitioner students, and residents in continuity experiences.

The Division of Community of Pediatrics serves a vital role in fostering the health and well-being of children and their families by focusing on wellness, safety, and behavior and development. 2024 was marked by an unusually high number of atypical pneumonia and other diseases caused by mycoplasma as we continue to navigate post-pandemic medicine. Value based care continued to become a more routine part of providing care to our patients and families.

Many members of the Division of Community Pediatrics are also part of the Connecticut Children’s Care Network, a clinically integrated network that includes primary care providers and Connecticut Children’s subspecialists. Joining this community aligns community pediatricians with the specialists at Connecticut Children’s and streamlines communication through the use of VOALTE and One Call. The Care Network also sponsors bimonthly two-hour Learning Communities that are highly valuable, rich in content, dynamic, interactive, and well attended. This year’s topics included Asthma, Care Coordination, Obesity, Eating Disorders, and Autism. The network is working to build integrated mental health services into pediatric practices in conjunction with a grant from the State of Connecticut.

Biannual division meetings are held virtually and include introductions of new faculty, a clinical update on topics specific to primary care, a review of communication between the subspecialists and primary care providers, and an opportunity to ask questions and share challenges. A robust physician relations team works closely with practices throughout the region to help facilitate timely referrals and communication between the specialists and referring providers and help educate practices about new providers, locations, and updates at Connecticut Children’s. 2024 marked the resumption of in-person gatherings with two highly successful discussions on Mental Health Disorders and Care Coordination.

Our division emphasizes the ongoing education of its members. Our private practice pediatricians are encouraged to stay up-to-date on a broad variety of topics in pediatric medicine by attending grand rounds, participating in the ongoing webinar series Ask the Experts, using the CLASP guidelines on the Connecticut Children’s website, and participating in “Lunch and Learns” sponsored by Connecticut Children’s Continuing Medical Education office. We continue to place medical students and residents in community pediatric offices.

In 2025, we look forward to engaging our community members in student and resident education and have started a biweekly outpatient case conference with cases presented by community pediatricians to residents. 2025 will continue our focus on Care Coordination and Integrated Behavioral Health as two key ways to improve quality of care and decrease costs.

STAFF

Jennifer L. Schwab, MD, Division Head

Matthew G. Abel, MD

Robin Abramowicz, MD

Nicole T. Abramowitz, MD

Robert S. Adamenko, MD

Susan Adeife-Lee, MD

Amy D. Agoglia, MD

Eliyahu Akerman, MD

Roman Alder, MD

Anton M. Alerte, MD

Lauren F. Allison, MD

Jamie L. Alon, MD

Lisa C. Alonso, MD

Dina Amato, MD

Caroline Amin, MD

Marina Arena, MD

Rena L. Aroesty, MD

Richard J. Auerbach, MD

Maryam Azizi, MD

Leon A. Baczeski, MD

Lauren Bader, MD

Tina R. Bafumi, MD

Claire M. Bailey, MD

Kathryn A. Baker, DO

Sherry T. Banack, MD

Meredith W. Barrows, MD

Amy L. Baumer, MD

Shannon Beausoleil, MD

Kristi F. Beck, MD

Lucia Benzoni, DO

Sarah Bertram-Elbaum, MD

Thomas B. Binder, MD

Shawn Binns, MD

Elizabeth M. Bird, MD

Tamika T. Brierley, MD

Alicia A. Briggs, MD

David L. Brown, MD

Nancy B. Brown, MD

Steven J. Brown, MD

Ronald L. Buckman, MD

Olga A. Bulygina, MD

Arvin S. Bundhoo, MD

Karen P. Camera, MD

Keith P. Casey, MD

Christine M. Chaput, DO

Lauren K. Chase, MD

Christine M. Chew, PhD

Elizabeth Cipolla, MD

Carolyn A. Clark, MD

Greer A. Clarke, MD

Alberto Cohen-Abbo, MD

Bruce W. Cohen, MD

Elin R. Cohen, MD

Della M. Corcoran, MD

Cathy L. Corrow, MD

Alison S. Cowl, MD

Steven L. Craig, MD

Michael J. Curi, MD

Nancy K. Cusmano, MD

Lynn M. Czekai, MD

Jason M. Davis, MD

Christopher M. DeSanto, MD

Karen S. Dettmer, MD

Sachin Dhingra, MD

Leo J. DiStefano, MD

Andrea G. Dixon, MD

Alicia M. Dodson, MD

Robert W. Dudley, MD

Allyson N. Duffy, MD

Kari Edelson, DO

Craig R. Elliott, MD

Umit Emre, MD

Jeffrey M. Factor, MD

Frank Fanella, Jr., MD

Mina Farkhondeh, MD

William T. Flynn, MD

Bruce G. Freeman, MD

Traci A. Friedman, MD

Thomas N. Fromson, MD

Carolyn R. Ganeles, MD

Amy Garaffa, MD

Richard W. Geller, MD

Gregory S. Germain, MD

Sarah L. Germani, DO

Mark N. Gilroy, DO

Susan K. Glasser, MD

Karen Goldberg, MD

Carol N. Gorman, MD

Sophia Z. Grant, MD

Stephen S. Grevious, MD

Timothy M. Grogean, MD

David B. Gropper, MD

Jennifer B. Gruen, MD

Eva L. Grunberg, MD

Kimberly Gygi, DO

Evan R. Hack, MD

Felice A. Heller, MD

Hillary Hernandez-Trujillo, MD

Rachel A. Herold, MD

Caitlin Heyden, DO

Dena A. Hoberman, MD

Shannon M. Hogan, DO

Bryan R. Holland, MD

Joy E. Hong, MD

Judy C. Huang-Bulger, MD

Maria Ieni, MD

Shiji A. Isaac, MD

Saima N. Jafri, DO

Peter J. Jannuzzi, MD

Melissa L. Jones, DO

Patricia M. Joyce, MD

Brad A. Jubelirer, MD

Vasanth S. Kainkaryam, MD

Scott M. Kallor, DO

Norine T. Kanter, MD

Edward C. Kavle, MD

Jay D. Kenkare, MD

Anjum Khera, MD

Abraham J. Khorasani, MD

Kimberly J. Kim, MD

Rosemary Klenk, MD

Natalie S. Komaiszko, MD

Lauren B. Kopyt, MD

Kasia Koziol-Dube, MD

Gubbanna V. Kumar, MD

Kishore Kumar, MD

Sarojini C. Kurra, MD

Jaye T. Ladinsky, MD

Jerome E. Lahman, MD

Brian Lamoureux, MD

Christine T. Lamoureux, MD

Julius Landwirth, MD

Seth L. Lapuk, MD

John H. Lavalette, MD

Christopher C. Lawrence, MD

Susan E. Lelko, MD

Noelle M. Leong, MD

Harris B. Leopold, MD

Rebecca L. LePage, MD

Deepa P. Limaye, MD

Foong-Yi Lin, MD

Kathryn E. Litwin, MD

Jennifer R. Lombardi, APRN

Ruth A. Loomis, MD

Janice M. Lopez, MD

Matteo J. Lopreiato, MD

Jennifer Lovin, MD

Douglas MacGilpin, MD

Ana Paula Machado, MD

Christine E. Macken, MD

Aparna Madisetty, MD

Lourdes Maisonet, MD

Sajda Malik, MD

Pushpa Mani, MD

Kathleen A. Marinelli, MD

Laura M. Marks, MD

Elizabeth A. Martin, MD

Linda Mathew, MD

Yesu Kumar Matta, MD

Christopher J. McDermott, MD

Kristin D. McGregor, MD

Swathanthra K. Melekote, MD

Lauren E. Melman, MD

Lisa T. Menillo, MD

Melanie G. Mier, MD

Arpana Mohnani, MD

Alan H. Morelli, MD

David C. Muccino, MD

Jody E. Navitsky, MD

Alyssa Newman, MD

Elizabeth J. Northrop, MD

Glenda Nouman, DO

Laura S. Nowacki, MD

Cliff M. O’Callahan, MD

Frederick V. O’Connor, MD

James O’Connor, MD

Margaret M. O’Neill, MD

Bhawani S. Ojha, MD

Maureen N. Onyirimba, MD

Manuel A. Orta Cobo, MD

Susan Owen Perks, MD

Jeffrey A. Owens, MD

Todd R. Palker, MD

Hemant K. Panchal, MD

James F. Parker, MD

Robert E. Parnes, MD

Christine L. Patterson MD

Robyn E. Pemberton, MD

Jason Perkel, MD

Kenneth Perks, MD

Susan O. Perks, MD

Jenny L. Petrauskas, MD

Laura J. Pickett, MD

Tricia R. Pinto, MD

John G. Pitegoff, MD

Ross W. Porter, MD

Leah G. Post, MD

Priya Phulwani, MD

Ishra Quadri, MD

Aruna Ramanan, MD

Marc P. Ramirez, MD

Terry L. Ramos, MD

Meredith M. Renda, MD

Michael Reiss, PsyD

Lawrence S. Rifkin, MD

Tina M. Roman, MD

Rachel R. Rothschild, MD

Keith R. Ruppel, MD

Vandana Sacheti, MD

Bhavna Sacheti-Singh, MD

Kweku G. Sam, MD

Shikha Sarkar, MD

Krishanthi Satchi, MD

Rajadevi A. Satchi, MD

Julie E. Schiff, MD

Ashley E. Scholhamer, MD

J. Christopher Schuck, MD

Lester R. Schwartz, MD

Gavin Schwarz, MD

Richard A. Segool, MD

Meltem Seli, MD

John H. Senechal, MD

Rachel E. Sheiman, MD

Sarah Siegel, MD

Mary A. Simon, MD

Aaron Slaiby, DO

Marilyn P. Smith, MD

Candra Smith-Slatas, MD

Jonathan E. Sollinger, MD

Courtney L. Souza, MD

Kenneth Spiegelman, MD

Alison B. Sturm, MD

Cindy L. St. Onge, MD

Neil D. Stein, MD

Leah Sterry, DO

Kurt R. Stewart, MD

Lori M. Storch Smith, MD

Carrie S. Streim, MD

Catherine Sullivan, MD

Kirin N. Suri, MD

Jessica Takores, MD

Judith E. Tapper, MD

Richard T. Tenczar, MD

Jody L. Terranova, DO

Charles Thompson, MD

Stephanie T. Tiso, MD

Robert R. Toscano, MD

John Tsalapatanis, MD

Nicholas Tzakas, MD

Richard R. Uluski, MD

Kerline A. Vassell-Klaus, MD

Juan C. Vasquez, MD

Anne Marie F. Villa, MD

Mark Vincent, MD

John H. Walker, MD

Rachna Walia, MD

Ramindra Walia, MD

Matthew S. Warren, MD

Allison H. Whitaker, MD

Anne Willenborg, MD

Jessica L. Williams, MD

Jennifer S. Wilner, MD

Daniel L. Winters, MD

Beth Wittenberg, MD

Janet C. Woodward, MD

Michael E. Yencho, MD

Nancy M. Yip, DO

Richard K. Young, MD

Joseph E. Yunis, MD

Robert W. Zavoski, MD

Sophia Zervas Grant, MD

Barbara Ziogas, MD

Susan M. Amster, PA-C

Jose F. Arraiano, PA-C

Jessica L. Bathel, PA-C

Sara E. Benjamin, APRN

Sherry S. Blair, APRN

Lisa L. Boule, APRN

Lori A. Bryon, PA-C

Heather Buccigross, PA-C

Jennifer B. Burns, APRN

Anna Camacho, APRN

Gretchen E. Carlin, APRN

Susan DeMelis-Turotsy, PAC

Megan E. Drummey, APRN

Tamar Edelkind, APRN

Mark G. Elsesser, PA-C

Marnie B. Frey, APRN

Tristin E. Geist, APRN

Alison M. Gilbert, PA-C

Nikisha B. Hamal, APRN

Emma G. Hanrahan, PA-C

Michelle M. Henry, APRN

Kimberly A. Joerg, APRN

Alpha B. Journal, PA-C

Emilie Koepke Gibbs, PA-C

Nichole L. Kycia, PA-C

Joseph C. LaBell, PA-C

Laura Mandell, APRN

Ashlee T. Mattutini, APRN

Anne S. Mauk, PA-C

Meredith A. McKenna, APRN

Betsy Meyer, PA-C

Mary C. Mieczkowski,,APRN

Rachel C. Mitchell, APRN

Dayna F. Nethercott, PA-C

Lynn E. Nochisaki, APRN

CRITICAL CARE

The Division of Pediatric Critical Care is dedicated to the delivery of state-of-the-art child and family centered care for critically ill and injured children.

The division’s mission is accomplished by a collaborative group of providers that champions a multidisciplinary approach to care, the incorporation of best available evidence into clinical practice, and acquisition of new knowledge through clinical research. Attention to patient safety, continuous performance improvement, and education of physicians, nurses, and other care team members is paramount to our success.

Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) staff members and faculty have been successful clinically, academically, and professionally. Major awards and academic accomplishments among division members include important contributions to several national societies and internal and external collaborations.

Kenneth Banasiak, MD, serves as the assistant director of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) and is a key facilitator in quality review conferences for ECMO and cardiac critical care. Dr. Banasiak is skilled in evidencebased review, serves as a Pediatric Advanced Life Support instructor, and oversees the PICU journal club with a focus on ensuring the PICU is up-to-date on the latest science. He leads the ECMO simulation program to simulate reallife scenarios and improve faculty and trainee skills.

Allison Cowl, MD, is the medical director of the PICU, medical director of Respiratory Care, and medical director of the ECMO and continuous renal replacement programs. She has incorporated new technologies, therapeutics, and collaborations to improve PICU quality of care to meet national benchmarks. The ECMO program has successfully received Gold recognition from the Extracorporeal Life Support Organization. She continues to collaborate with the Pediatric Acute Lung Injury and Sepsis Investigators international network where she investigates various aspects of the care of critically ill patients and is the site director for this multi-institutional research collaborative. Her academic focus is on acute respiratory failure. Dr. Cowl serves as the leader of our comprehensive care multidisciplinary program to recognize, minimize, and manage delirium, promote early mobilization of patients, and liberate them as early as possible from mechanical ventilation support.

Andrea Guardenier, MD, has extensive experience in both Pediatric and Cardiac Critical Care and has worked to improve cardiac and neurocritical care pathways. She was selected as one of the inaugural fellows of the Popik Family Quality and Patient Safety Fellowship Program where she has championed a quality initiative to create situational awareness of current cardiac anatomy by all providers. In addition, she has begun standardizing the use of mucolytics for secretion management in collaboration with our Division of Pulmonology.

Elliot Melendez, MD, is the Division Head of Critical Care with over a decade of experience in critical care quality improvement, specifically in the field of sepsis. He leads the Connecticut Children’s sepsis quality improvement program to engage all disciplines in improving sepsis care and has provided sepsis mentorship for residents. He is involved in the hospital’s overall quality improvement efforts and fosters a model of continuous improvement within the division. His vision for Critical Care places patients and families at the center of clinical conversations in a collaborative and supportive environment. Dr. Melendez aims to improve the well-being of his team by valuing both the clinical and nonclinical efforts that they bring to their everyday work.

Marie Nader, MD, completed her critical care fellowship at Yale–New Haven Pediatric Critical Care unit. She has an interest in Global Health and improving the delivery of care and education in resource-limited settings. She created a virtual pediatric critical care nursing education and simulation curriculum for pediatric critical care nurses in Ghana, a project on the integration of cultural humility in a PICU Nursing learning needs assessment, and presented her work in national and international conferences in 2024 including the World Congress of Pediatric Critical Care. Dr. Nader is responsible for numerous publications, including her manuscript on the nursing simulation distance curriculum which was accepted for publication in Clinical Simulation in Nursing and a manuscript on the development of a multidisciplinary pediatric neurocritical care simulation-based training curriculum in Africa published in Currents. She has taken on mentorship roles with residents and participates in the resident lecture series. She received the 2024 McNeil Teaching Award for her dedication to resident education.

Robert Parker, DO, continues to spearhead novel medical education methods for multidisciplinary providers through immersive simulation-based learning. He serves as an instructor of our Advanced Resuscitation Team training

sessions, PICU lead in the Clinical Pathways Program, a Visual Abstracts Editor for the CHEST organization publishing a dozen visual abstracts this year, and a content creator for numerous international and local medical groups. After piloting a nursing education project, his Rolling Refreshers curriculum was awarded a CRISP grant for further expansion. Dr. Parker completed the Harvard Macy Institute’s prestigious Program for Educators in Health Professions in 2024. He has taken on the role of educator in ultrasound-guided peripheral intravenous line placement and has enhanced the skills of nursing teams throughout Connecticut Children’s.

Deirdre Puccetti, MD, was hired in August 2024. She completed her residency at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, completed a certificate in bioethics at the Harvard Medical School. and completed her training in both Pediatric and Cardiac Critical Care at Boston Children’s. Her academic interest includes the study of end-of-life decisions around the use of noninvasive and invasive respiratory support.

Rosanne Salonia, MD, specializes in the quality and safety of care for children with acute deterioration and reducing the incidence of hospital-acquired conditions. She works as a member of the Emergency Response Committee which oversees the use of the Pediatric Early Warning Score system to focus attention on patients at risk for clinical deterioration. She manages the associated database, coordinates the ongoing evaluation of the MET data, and continues efforts to enhance this system. She is also co-leader of the Code Blue Committee which reviews activations across the institution with a multidisciplinary team to improve patient outcomes and system-related issues. Dr. Salonia oversees the quality improvement initiative on unplanned extubations where she has implemented system changes and successfully reduced unplanned extubations in the PICU.

Sara Sanders, MD, has an academic interest in medical education and serves as core faculty leader for pediatric residents rotating through the PICU. Dr. Sanders has elevated the resident educational experience by revamping the curriculum, including implementing an in-person orientation to help with transition to the PICU rotation and increasing feedback opportunities for rotators. She was appointed an Associate Program Director for the pediatric residency program and received numerous teaching awards from the graduating residency classes

including the Timothy Kelly Acute Care Teaching Award and McNeill Teaching Award. Due to her excellence as an educator, she was selected for the Advancing Pediatric Educator eXcellence (APEX) program from the Pediatric Academic Society. She is co-founder of the Acute Care Interest Group for residents, a mentor to several residents, and is actively involved in resident wellness. She oversees the emergency medicine resident PICU rotation and the UConn medical student PICU rotators. Dr. Sanders helped develop and implement in-unit, multi-disciplinary simulations and participated in high-risk protocol huddles with Jessica Winters, MD.

Adam Silverman, MD, directs the Center for Global Health, developing and maintaining partnerships with pediatric providers and institutions in resource-limited settings to leverage the skills and talents of faculty, staff, and learners at Connecticut Children’s to improve the health of children around the world. Dr. Silverman’s programs incorporate novel tools to facilitate high-quality remote and in-person knowledge and skill acquisition for nurses and doctors who care for severely ill and injured children in low- and middle- income countries. He co-directs the Pediatric Critical Care in Resource-Limited Settings program and has developed the Pediatric Emergency Medicine in Resource-Limited settings program. He continues to organize the university-wide Global Health Symposium with students and colleagues from UConn, the UConn School of Medicine, and UConn Health. Dr. Silverman leads the Global Health Pathway for pediatric residents, organizes a Global Health Boot Camp, and is a mentor to other faculty in their global health activities. He is also a member of the Antimicrobial Stewardship Program and is an attending physician in the emergency department.

Jessica Winters, MD, is the Physician Quality and Safety Officer for the critical care division and leads initiatives to improve patient safety and reduce patient harm in the unit and throughout the hospital. Her main area of focus is on reducing the Central Line Associated Blood Stream Infection rate, and has rallied the organization to convene a multidisciplinary and multiunit CLABSI prevention group. In addition, she is part of the core hospital-wide group of physicians working on several projects to reduce medication error and improve medication safety. She was selected as one of the inaugural fellows of the Popik Family Quality and Patient Safety Fellowship Program in 2024.

PUBLICATIONS

Ardila, SM, Cowl A, et al. “A Targeted Analysis of Serial Cytokine Measures and Nonpulmonary Organ System Failure in Children with Acute Respiratory Failure: Individual Measures and Trajectories Over Time.” Pediatric Critical Care Medicine 24.9 (2023): 727-737.

Gourishetti, S., Kabara, M., Brimacombe, M. and Cowl, A., 2024. 782: The Impact of Socioeconomic Factors on Bronchiolitis Severity and Management in the PICU. Critical Care Medicine, 52(1), p.S363.

Kabara, M., Gourishetti, S., Brimacombe, M. and Cowl, A., 2024. 751: Prediction of Successfully High-Flow Nasal Cannula Management in PICU Patients with Bronchiolitis. Critical Care Medicine, 52(1), p.S348.

Munoz Pareja J., O’Brien N., Fink E., Nader M., Abu- Sawwa R., Simon D., Lang H., Canarie M., Appiah J., Wilmshurst J. (2023). Development of a Multidisciplinary Pediatric Neurocritical Care Simulation-Based Training Curriculum in Africa. Currents.

Nader, M., Silvers, R., Phatak, U., White, L., Jaeger, M., Whitfill, T., Owusu-Sekyere, F., Boateng, G., Lano, G., Canarie, M., Gross, I.T. (2024). Pediatric Critical Care Nursing Empowerment Through Distance Education and Simulation in Accra, Ghana. Clinical Simulation in Nursing. (Accepted)

Perry-Eaddy MA, Braccialarghe K, Cowl A, Melendez E. Can an unplanned extubation checklist solely identify children at-risk for adverse events? A response to the pediatric unplanned extubation risk score. Heart & Lung: The Journal of Cardiopulmonary and Acute Care. 2023 Jul 20.

Walker SB, Winters JM, Schauer JM, Murphy P, Fawcet A, Sanchez-Pinto LN. Performance of Tools and Measures to Predict Fluid Responsiveness in Pediatric Shock and Critical Illness: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Pediatric Critical Care Medicine 2023. DOI: 10.1097/ PCC.0000000000003320. PMID: 37462437.

Winters JM, Brocks R, Chapin CA, Lemoine CP, Superina R, Brandt KA, Sanchez-Pinto LN, Barhight MF. Fluid Balance in Pediatric Postoperative Liver Transplant Recipients. Pediatric Transplantation 2023; 27(4):e14499. DOI: 10.1111/ petr.14499. PMID: 36951112.

STAFF

Elliot Melendez, MD, Division Head

Kenneth Banasiak, MD

Leonard Comeau, MD

Allison Cowl, MD

Andrea Guardenier, MD

Marie Nader, MD

Robert Parker, DO

Deirdre Puccetti, MD

Rosanne Salonia, MD

Sara Sanders, MD

Adam Silverman, MD

Jessica Winters, MD

DEVELOPMENTAL & BEHAVIORAL PEDIATRICS

The Division of Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics is composed of a diverse faculty of seven developmentalbehavioral pediatricians and two advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs). Our clinical services occur in a number of settings including outpatient in Farmington and Shelton and in the community. We provide direct consultation, optimal clinical care, and consultative services to schools and agencies across the state. The division’s mission is to provide comprehensive and compassionate diagnosis and management for children with neurodevelopmental and behavioral problems that range from normative deviations to rare disorders; to educate health care professionals and trainees about these problems; to add to existing knowledge by researching relevant questions in the field; and to offer advocacy and influence public policy.

CLINICAL STAFF ROLES

Sarah Schlegel, MD, serves as Division Head. Ana Garnecho, MD, is the Site Director at the Shelton location and Robert Keder, MD, is the division’s Education Director. Dr. Keder is the division’s core faculty liaison for the residency program and manages formal division education opportunities at all training/learning levels (undergraduate, graduate, and continuing medical education). He is also very engaged in legislative advocacy. In September 2024, Dr. Keder was promoted to Associate Professor in the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Connecticut.

ONGOING CLINICAL PROGRAMS

The Transition to Adulthood with Developmental Services Clinic, directed by Dr. Schlegel and serving patients 15 to 26 years of age and their families, celebrated six years of operation. The clinic is unique in Connecticut and is one of only a few other similar programs in the United States. Two specialized physician-advanced practice provider collaboration pathways are offered to patients in the Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics clinic: one for evaluations of young children (Ann Milanese, MD, and Dana Eisenberg, MA, MSN, APRN, PPCNP-BC); the other for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder evaluation and management (Dr. Schlegel and Keith Ellis, APRN, MPH). Late in 2024, Dr. Keder completed his role as an embedded developmental-behavioral pediatrician in Connecticut Children’s primary care settings. Over his many years of work, he enhanced collaboration and co-

management with primary care providers and improved access to care for our highest-risk patients and families. Representing developmental-behavioral pediatrics, Ms. Eisenberg joined the Connecticut Children’s craniofacial multidisciplinary team in November 2024.

CLINICAL HIGHLIGHTS/ACCOMPLISHMENTS

In addition to in-person appointments the division continues to maintain a robust telemedicine presence (approximately half of all appointments), offering comprehensive virtual access to care to ensure the safety of patients, their families, and faculty and staff.

ONGOING COMMUNITY-BASED CONSULTATION PROGRAMS

For over 30 years, Dr. Milanese has been medical advisor for school districts across Connecticut including the Connecticut Technical High School system. Dr. Milanese has been the medical advisor for Connecticut Birth-to-Three for over 35 years and continued her appointment by Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont to the Connecticut Interagency Birth-to-Three Coordination Council. Additionally, she finished providing daily general pediatrics consultation to the Institute of Living inpatient child psychiatric unit, a role she had held since 1997. Dr. Schlegel continues to direct the School Consultation Service by conducting individual evaluations of medically and developmentally complex students within their school districts. This year, Dr. Keder joined the School Consultation Service. Dr. Schlegel is a governor-appointed member of the Autism Spectrum Disorder Advisory Council.

EDUCATION HIGHLIGHTS/ACCOMPLISHMENTS

• Division physicians continued to provide a comprehensive curriculum for categorical pediatrics residents training at Connecticut Children’s/University of Connecticut, while division advanced practice providers (APPs) maintained a robust developmentalbehavioral pediatrics preceptorship for training APPs.

• The division established an interprofessional steering committee/workgroup for the development of an APP developmental-behavioral pediatrics fellowship.

• In January 2024, Dr. Milanese and Ms. Eisenberg conducted a presentation on child development at Litchfield Montessori School.

• Dr. Keder presented “Bullying Management” at the Society for Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics (SDBP) Invite a Lecturer series in February 2024.

• During the academic year, Dr. Keder taught physical examinations for children with special needs and advocacy for urban youth at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine.

• Dr. Keder taught graduate education to interdisciplinary audiences such as care coordinators, the University of Connecticut Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disorders training program, and public-school staff. Additionally, Dr. Keder was invited to teach public, non-healthcare groups, including insurance company employees and parents/families attending state-offered workshops, and consulted news media.

• At the Connecticut Children’s APP Summit in May 2024, Ms. Eisenberg co-presented “Together Toward Significance: Exploring Value and Meaning in the Work for Advanced Practice Providers”.

• In summer 2024, Dr. Keder was invited to provide faculty member facilitation of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) social media and Youth Mental Health ECHO series.

• At the SDBP Annual Meeting in September 2024, Dr. Keder participated in a roundtable conversation entitled “School Partnerships from A to Z: The Many Roles of Developmental-Behavioral Professionals Working with Schools” and co-presented in a topical symposium entitled “The Art of Influence: Preparing for SDBP’s 2024 Capitol Hill Visits.”

• At the 2024 SDBP Annual Meeting, Dr. Schlegel cohosted the Society’s Transition Special Interest Group (SIG) for which she is co-chair. Dr. Keder co-hosted the meeting of the Society’s School-Age SIG for which he is co-chair. As co-chairs of these SIGs, Drs. Schlegel and Keder arranged virtual programs for SIG members throughout the year.

• In September 2024 Dr. Keder was invited to present at the AAP National Conference and Exhibition for the Section on Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics “Activate Now: Executing the DevelopmentalBehavioral Workforce Action Plan”.

• At the Connecticut Association of School-Based Health Centers Annual Conference in November 2024, Dr. Keder was the keynote speaker (“Clinical Approaches to Navigating Bullying for School-Based Professionals”) and co-presented a workshop entitled “#InItTogether: Interprofessional Trends and Best Practices Related to Addressing Bullying in Schools”.

• Elizabeth Janofsky, MD was awarded a Masters of Bioethics from the University of Pennsylvania at the end of 2024.

ONGOING RESEARCH

Supported by research assistants Rosalie Lyons, BS, and Natalia Suarez, MA, from the Connecticut Children’s Research Institute, Thyde Dumont-Mathieu, MD, MPH, continued work on seven active research projects, three of which are currently externally grant-funded:

• Bridging the Gap: Providing Equitable Early Treatment of ASD [Autism Spectrum Disorder] by Finding Children, Wherever They Are

• Bridging the Gap: Equitable Start to Nutritional and Developmental Health

• Parent Training for Latino Autistic Toddlers: Development and Preliminary Testing

• Strategies to Promote Culturally Effective Screening, Referral and Service Provision in Primary Care Practices and Birth-to-Three Programs

• Decision-Making Process and Experiences with Genetic Testing in Autism Spectrum Disorder: Pilot Study with a Clinically Derived, Diverse Sample of Participants (Co-I: Louisa Kalsner, MD, Division of Neurology)

• Connecting the Dots: An RCT [Randomized Control Trial] Relating Standardized ASD Screening, Intervention Access, and Long-Term Outcomes (PI: Deborah Fein, PhD, University of Connecticut)

• Early Detection of Autism/Pervasion Developmental Disorders (PI: Deborah Fein, PhD, University of Connecticut)

ACADEMIC POSTER PRESENTATION

Dumont-Mathieu T, Barton M, Chuckta R, Suarez N, Fein D. Bridging the Gap: Providing Equitable Early Treatment of

ASD by Finding Children, Wherever They Are. Connecticut Children’s Research Institute Symposium. Hartford, Connecticut; November 2023.

STAFF

Sarah Schlegel, MD, FAAP, Division Head

Mary Ann de Banate, MD, FAAP

Thyde Dumont-Mathieu, MD, MPH, FAAP

Ana Garnecho, MD, FAAP

Elizabeth Janofsky, MD, FAAP

Robert D. Keder, MD, FAAP

Ann Milanese, MD, FAAP

Dana Eisenberg, MA, MSN, PPCNP-BC

Keith Ellis, MPH, MSN, PPNP-BC

DIGESTIVE DISEASES, HEPATOLOGY & NUTRITION

The Division of Digestive Diseases, Hepatology, and Nutrition is committed to cutting edge and innovative clinical care of infants, children, and adolescents; pioneering clinical, translational, and basic research; and the education of the next generation of physicians.

Regional growth continues to be the hallmark of our clinical operation. We now have 14 physicians, three advanced practice nurses, and two psychologists seeing patients on seven clinical campuses in Connecticut and Western Massachusetts. Our newest office in Westport has been a resounding success and the availability of endoscopic procedures in Stamford has eased the travel burden for many families.

CENTERS

Our Center for Pediatric Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), the largest program in the region between Boston and New York, continues to provide care to almost 900 children with Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis annually. The number of new patients with these disorders remains high at around 80-100 per year. Pioneering research at Connecticut Children’s and its collaborating institutions funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) was remarkably successful during the first year of a $14M NIH U01 grant for the CAMEO study (Clinical, imaging, and endoscopic outcomes of children newly diagnosed with Crohn’s disease). This study aims to unravel some of the mysteries underlying the pathogenesis of bowel inflammation and provide tools to utilize precision medicine in its treatment. Jeffrey Hyams, MD, head of the Division of Digestive Diseases, Hepatology and Nutrition, and holder of the Mandell Braunstein Family Endowed Chair in Pediatric Inflammatory Bowel Disease, is a co-principal investigator of this study in which Connecticut Children’s is the clinical coordinating center. The Center is involved in an exciting collaborative study with Sasan Jalili, PhD, at the Jackson Center for Genomic Medicine using Gut-on-a-chip technology.

Our Center for Pediatric Liver Care, directed by Karan Emerick, MD, continues its excellent work in providing care to children with hepatic disorders ranging from chronic hepatitis B and C, metabolic liver disease, autoimmune disease, and acute and chronic liver failure. It provides pre-and post-transplant care to over 40 children. Samantha Lee, APRN, under the guidance of Dr. Emerick and in collaboration with other divisions at Connecticut

Children’s, coordinates the program caring for children with Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease or MASLD. Until recently MASLD was known as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease or fatty liver. Fibroscan® technology, started over 4 years ago, allows the noninvasive evaluation of liver fibrosis in children with chronic liver disorders.

Our Multidisciplinary Intestinal Rehabilitation Team (MIRT) is the only one of its kind in Connecticut. We were thrilled to recruit Jonathan Salazar, MD, from Boston Children’s to become part of the MIRT service. Drs. Salazar, Emerick, and Bella Zeisler, MD, combine their talents to care for this challenging group of infants and children with intestinal failure. Nicole Lewie, RN, and Kate Samela, RD, are integral parts of this team which also facilitates the transition of patients from hospital to home.

Corey Baker, MD, directs the Center for Neurogastroenterology and Motility Disorders. The Center currently offers anorectal and esophageal motility studies and is planning on adding colonic and antroduodenal motility studies in the near future. Our program has pioneered the use of IB-stim, a therapy that was approved by the Food and Drug Administration for treating adolescents with chronic abdominal pain. IB-stim is a non-surgical device that sends barely perceptible electrical impulses into cranial nerve bundles located in the ear that stimulate regions of the brain involved in pain processing. We are one of a few centers in the country currently offering this treatment modality and have successfully used it for multiple patients with previously refractory abdominal pain and nausea.

Drs. Baker, Zeisler, Victoria Grossi, DO, and Peter Townsend, MD, serve as the gastroenterologists in the Aerodigestive Disease Program. This coordinated program of otolaryngologists, pulmonologists, gastroenterologists, and speech therapists cares for children with complex airway, pulmonary, and gastrointestinal disorders.

Sunpreet Kaur, MD, has established a dedicated Eosinophilic Gastrointestinal Disorder program. She is seeing second opinions from the region for children with a variety of eosinophilic disorders including eosinophilic esophagitis. Panamdeep Kaur, MD, is doing general gastroenterology in Danbury, Farmington, and Hartford. Jing Marrero, MD, MPH, a recent graduate of our fellowship program, is seeing patients in Danbury, Westport, Farmington, and Hartford. Under the direction of Sarita Singhal, MD, our South Hadley campus continues

to thrive and attract patients regionally. Dr. Salazar sees general gastroenterology patients in South Hadley.

Logan Jerger, MD is the division’s Patient Quality and Safety Officer. Current important projects include standardization of follow-up care for patients with celiac disease and uniformity in treating anemia in inflammatory bowel disease. Dr. Townsend is our medical director of endoscopy and continues to direct our fecal transplant service.

EDUCATION

The medical education team within our department is involved in teaching GI fellows, pediatric and other residents, and medical students. Katherine Baldwin, MD, serves as fellowship director and Dr. Zeisler serves as associate director. Since 2022 we have expanded our fellowship from three fellows to four over a threeyear training period. Resident education is led by Drs. Townsend and Grossi. Medical student teaching is directed by Drs. Grossi, Baldwin, and Townsend. All GI faculty remain engaged in educating learners as they rotate through the various GI clinical opportunities. The great depth in our pediatric surgical and radiology programs as well as the great variety of clinical disorders and the intimate involvement of our faculty make our educational programs particularly strong.

PSYCHOGASTROENTEROLOGY

Our Program for Pediatric Psychogastroenterology has expanded to include two outstanding fully integrated pediatric psychologists. This highly specialized program supports our delivery of evidence-based care to address the full scope of biopsychosocial factors involved in digestive diseases. Bradley Jerson, PhD, provides fully embedded psychological evaluation and intervention services targeting the gut-brain axis. He is deeply involved in the Center for Neurogastroenterology, coleads our Disorders of Gut-Brain Interaction clinic, and has launched the PRIDE-IBD (Promoting Resilience and Inclusive Disease Experiences) initiative within our Center for Pediatric IBD. Ellen Sejkora, PhD, joined our division in 2023. She provides fully embedded consultation and intervention services and is primarily based in our Westport office where she provides services to families in Western Connecticut and New York. She has expertise in treating youth and young adults with cooccurring neurodevelopmental, autism-spectrum, and gastrointestinal disorders.

PUBLICATIONS

Wang Z, Song X, Waitman LR, Hyams JS, Denson LA. Fitness-for-use of Retrospective Multicenter Electronic Health Records to Conduct Outcome Analysis for Pediatric Ulcerative Colitis Medicine (Baltimore). 2024 Mar 15;103(11):e37395

Rosh JR, Turner D, Hyams JS, Dubinsky M, Griffiths AM, Cohen SA, Hung Lo K, Kim L, Volger S, Zhang R, Strauss R, Conklin LS. Outcomes in Adult Inflammatory Bowel Disease Clinical Trials: Assessment of Similarity Among Participants with Adolescent-onset and Adult-onset Disease. .J Crohns Colitis. 2024 Aug 14;18(8):1250-1260.

Wang Z, Nie J, Song X, Denson LA, Hyams JS. A comparison of Bayesian and frequentist approaches to incorporating clinical and biological information for the prediction of response to standardized pediatric colitis therapy. PLoS One. 2024 Mar 6;19(3):e0295814.

Kader L, Willits AB, Meriano S, Christianson JA, La JH, Feng B, Knight B, Kosova G, Deberry JJ, Coates MD, Hyams JS, Baumbauer KM, Young EE. Identification of ArginineVasopressin Receptor 1a (Avpr1a/Avpr1a) as a Novel Candidate Gene for Chronic Visceral Pain Sheds Light on the Potential Role of Enteric Neurons in the Development of Visceral Hypersensitivity. J Pain. 2024 Sep;25(9):104572.

Olivera PA, Martinez-Lozano H, Leibovitzh H, Xue M, Neustaeter A, Espin-Garcia O, Xu W, Madsen KL, Guttman DS, Bernstein CN, Yerushalmi B, Hyams JS, Abreu MT, Marshall JK, Wrobel I, Mack DR, Jacobson K, Bitton A, Aumais G, Panacionne R, Dieleman LA, Silverberg MS, Steinhart AH, Moayyedi P, Turner D, Griffiths AM, Turpin W, Lee SH, Croitoru K; Crohn’s and Colitis Canada (CCC) Genetic, Environmental, Microbial (GEM) Project Research Consortium. Healthy First-Degree Relatives from Multiplex Families vs Simplex Families Have a Higher Subclinical Intestinal Inflammation, a Distinct Fecal Microbial Signature, and Harbor a Higher Risk of Developing Crohn’s Disease. Gastroenterology. 2024 Sep 3:S00165085(24)05414-

Schirmer M, Stražar M, Avila-Pacheco J, Rojas-Tapias DF, Brown EM, Temple E, Deik A, Bullock K, Jeanfavre S, Pierce K, Jin S, Invernizzi R, Pust MM, Costliow Z, Mack DR, Griffiths AM, Walters T, Boyle BM, Kugathasan S, Vlamakis H, Hyams J, Denson L, Clish CB, Xavier RJ. Linking microbial genes to plasma and stool metabolites uncovers hostmicrobial interactions underlying ulcerative colitis disease course. Cell Host Microbe. 2024 Feb 14;32(2):209-226

Xue M, Leibovitzh H, Jingcheng S, Neustaeter A, Dong M, Xu W, Espin-Garcia O, Griffiths AM, Steinhart AH, Turner D, Huynh HQ, Dieleman LA, Panaccione R, Aumais G, Bressler B, Bitton A, Murthy S, Marshall JK, Hyams JS, Otley A, Bernstein CN, Moayyedi P, El-Matary W, Fich A, Denson LA, Ropeleski MJ, Abreu MT, Deslandres C, Cino M, AvniBiron I, Lee SH, Turpin W; CCC GEM Project Research Consortium; Croitoru K.Environmental Factors Associated With Risk of Crohn’s Disease Development in the Crohn’s and Colitis Canada - Genetic, Environmental, Microbial Project. Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2024 Sep;22(9):18891897.e12

Di Lorenzo C, Khlevner J, Rodriguez-Araujo G, Xie W, Huh SY, Ando M, Hyams JS, Nurko S, Benninga MA, Simon M, Hewson ME, Saps M Efficacy and safety of linaclotide in treating functional constipation in paediatric patients: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicentre, phase 3 trial. .Lancet Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2024 Mar;9(3):238-250.

Di Lorenzo C, Nurko S, Hyams JS, Rodriguez-Araujo G, Almansa C, Shakhnovich V, Saps M, Simon M. Randomized controlled trial of linaclotide in children aged 6-17 years with functional constipation. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr. 2024 May;78(5):1059-1068

Crowley E, Ma C, Guizzetti L, Zou G, Lewindon PJ, Gee MS, Hyams JS, Rosen MJ, von Allmen D, de Buck van Overstraeten A, Shackelton LM, Remillard J, Schleicher L, Dillman JR, Rimola J, Taylor SA, Fletcher JG, Church PC, Feagan BG, Griffiths AM, Jairath V, Greer MC. Recommendations for Standardizing MRI-based Evaluation of Perianal Fistulizing Disease Activity in Pediatric Crohn’s Disease Clinical Trials. Inflamm Bowel Dis. 2024 Mar 1;30(3):357-369.

Geem D, Hercules D, Pelia RS, Venkateswaran S, Griffiths A, Noe JD, Dotson JL, Snapper S, Rabizadeh S, Rosh JR, Baldassano RN, Markowitz JF, Walters TD, Ananthakrishnan A, Sharma G, Denson LA, Hyams JS, Kugathasan S.Progression of Pediatric Crohn’s Disease Is Associated with Anti-Tumor Necrosis Factor Timing and Body Mass Index Z-Score Normalization. Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2024 Feb;22(2):368-376

Turner D, Rosh JR, Cohen SA, Griffiths AM, Hyams JS, Kierkuś J, Adedokun OJ, Strauss R, Kim L, Volger S; UniStar Study Group. Ustekinumab in paediatric patients with moderately to severely active Crohn’s disease: UniStar study long-term extension results. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr. 2024 Aug;79(2):315-324.

Di Lorenzo C, Nurko S, Hyams JS, Rodriguez-Araujo G, Shakhnovich V, Saps M, Simon M Safety and efficacy of linaclotide in children aged 7-17 years with irritable bowel syndrome with constipation. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr. 2024 Mar;78(3):539-547.

Davis TA, Rogers BD, Llanos-Chea A, Krasaelap A, Banks D, Ambartsumyan L, Sanchez RE, Yacob D, Baker C, Rey AP, Desai C, Rottier A, Jayaraman M, Khorrami C, Dorfman L, El-Chammas K, Mansi S, Chiou E, Chumpitazi BP, Balakrishnan K, Puri NB, Rodriguez L, Garza JM, Saps M, Gyawali CP, Patel D Ineffective esophageal motility: Characterization and outcomes across pediatric neurogastroenterology and motility centers in the United States. .J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr. 2024 Sep;79(3):541549.

Marrero J, Jerson B, Brimacombe M, Hopkins D, Hinderer K, Hyams JS. Partnering with school nurses for continuing education in inflammatory bowel disease. J Contin Educ Nurses 2024 doi: 10.3928/00220124-20240927-02

STAFF

Jeffrey Hyams, MD, Division Head

Corey Baker, MD

Katherine Baldwin, MD

Karan Emerick, MD

Victoria Grossi, DO

Logan Jerger, MD

Brad Jerson, PhD

Panam Kaur, MD

Sunpreet Kaur, MD

Jing Marrero, MD

Jonathan Salazar, MD

Ellen Sejkora, PhD

Sarita Singhal, MD

Peter Townsend, MD

Annette Vannilam, MD

Bella Zeisler, MD

Samantha Lee, APRN

Kristin Philipp, APRN

Heidi Sweeney, APRN

Fellows:

Sydney Kuzoian, DO

Viven Solomon, DO

Pyae Naing, MD

Giselle Davila Bernardy, MD

EMERGENCY MEDICINE

The mission of the Division of Emergency Medicine is to provide the highest quality care for acutely ill or injured children. We strive to fulfill this through excellence in clinical care, teaching, and research.

The Emergency Department (ED) at Connecticut Children’s provides the highest level of emergency care for more than 60,000 patients per year. We evaluate and manage every kind of acute presentation, from asthma attacks and suspected child abuse to dysrhythmias and gunshot wounds. Although overall patient acuity and trauma volume continue to be higher than in the preCovid period, we have made significant strides in patient satisfaction and have minimized the number of patients who leave without being seen. Our team leads efforts throughout the institution on quality improvement, patient flow, pathway development, the use of bedside ultrasound, and simulation. Connecticut Children’s Urgent Care Center in Farmington, whose providers are members of the Division of Emergency Medicine, saw a record number of patients in 2024 who sought care for minor illnesses and injuries.

OUR TEAM

The Division of Emergency Medicine is composed of 19 Pediatric Emergency Medicine (PEM) board-certified/ eligible fellowship-trained faculty, one pediatrician, six PEM fellows, and 20 advanced practice providers (APPs). Division Head John Brancato, MD, and Associate Division Head Eric Hoppa, MD, work together to direct clinical operations, educational initiatives, research, patient safety, and quality improvement. Both leaders also participate in multiple other initiatives throughout the institution. This year the division welcomed Hannah Carron, MD, who completed her fellowship at Cincinnati Children’s. We are proud to wish former Division Head John Peng, MD, happiness and health in his retirement.

Members of the Division of Emergency Medicine play an integral role in many areas of the hospital and region. Education and research are core parts of our mission. Faculty members teach and mentor 64 pediatric residents and 54 emergency medicine residents as well as family practice residents, medical students, dental students, and advanced practitioner students. The fellowship in Pediatric Emergency Medicine (a subspecialty of both Emergency Medicine and Pediatrics) is now in its 25th year, led by Program Director Matt Laurich, MD. Dr. Laurich also leads the ED Sepsis Working Group and is a member of a nationwide sepsis learning collaborative.

The Undergraduate Research Assistant Program, which was developed by Sharon Smith, MD, and is taught by our faculty, supports the research productivity of our division. Dr. Smith teaches two honors-level undergraduate courses at the University of Connecticut, serves as the division’s Director of Research, and is the Medical Director of Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) for the institution. Noah Jablow, MD, and Ruchika Jones, MD, share responsibility for orienting, scheduling, and evaluating the large number of medical learners who work in our department. Dr. Jones also serves as Associate Program Director of the PEM fellowship and leads our divisional wellness and community involvement initiatives. Dr. Jablow shares his expertise in Wilderness Medicine through didactic and other sessions at the resident and fellow level. Michael Soltis, MD, is the Medical Director of the Pediatric Critical Care Transport team and serves as ED coordinator for Clinical Forensics and Child Abuse Services. In 2024, Dr. Soltis was named medical advisor for Connecticut’s Emergency Medical Services for Children program.

The Division of Emergency Medicine is a leader in the application of simulation across the institution and with our affiliates. Carla Pruden, MD, is Director of Simulation at Connecticut Children’s and Mariann Kelley, MD, is Director of Simulation Education at the UConn School of Medicine. Together, they lead bimonthly simulation sessions for PEM attendings and fellows; monthly sessions for the trauma team, residents, and fellows; and ad hoc sessions for the Urgent Care staff, medical school, and hospital using high fidelity manikins. Beyond its known utility in medical education, Dr. Pruden used simulation in multiple arenas of the institution to help address systems integration issues and to aid in regulatory readiness. Dr. Kelley, co-chair of the Emergency Response Committee, led an overhaul of the hospital’s Medical Emergency Team response process. Additionally, she led numerous simulation sessions for trainees throughout the hospital.

Henry Chicaiza, MD, and Rahul Shah, MD, lead the division’s Point-Of-Care-Ultrasound (POCUS) program. Dr. Chicaiza has developed an educational curriculum for our fellows, a formal ultrasound credentialing and quality program for attending staff, and a hospitalwide ultrasound-guided IV program. Dr. Chicaiza is also a leader in the Pediatric Emergency Point-of-Care Educational Collaborative (PEPEC), an international group of leaders in pediatric bedside ultrasound who work collaboratively to promote education, research, and best practices in the field. Dr. Shah co-founded the

Pediatric POCUS Workshop and mentored one of our neonatology fellows on the use of POCUS for thoracic/ lung applications.

Steven Rogers, MD, the division’s Director of Emergency Mental Health Services, has worked closely with the Division of Psychiatry and partners in the community to streamline the assessment and disposition process for patients with acute mental/behavioral health concerns. His tireless work includes several publications and national presentations on suicide screening and prevention.

Candice Jersey, DO, is actively engaged in Quality Improvement research. She developed and implemented a tool for assessing food insecurity in families who present for care in our department. She has an active project on the use of a technique to expedite bladder filling for ED patients requiring pelvic ultrasound. Along with PEM fellow Meghan Wilson Frost, MD, Dr. Jersey is leading a quality project to improve support for breastfeeding mothers while they are in the department.

Jonah Mandell, MD, Carol Erickson, APRN, and Ashley Pedneault, APRN, are the core providers at the Urgent Care Center. Dr. Mandell continues to act as an Associate Program Director of the Pediatrics residency program.

Two members of our team hold dual clinical appointments, utilizing their clinical expertise within our group to build natural bridges to other divisions. Jesse Sturm, MD, is the head of the hospital’s Sedation Service, and Adam Silverman, MD, is primarily based in both Critical Care and Global Health.

The division is productive with many poster presentations at national conferences, publications in peer-reviewed journals, and book chapters.

PUBLICATIONS

Carron HG, Valderrama G, Vukovic AA. A Quality Improvement Initiative Using Discharge Education Videos to Improve Communication with Families in a Pediatric Urgent Care. Patient Experience Journal. 2024; 11(3):136144. doi: 10.35680/2372-0247.1988.

Carter EJ, Zavez K, Rogers SC, deMayo R, Harel O, Gerber JS, Aseltine RH. Documented Penicillin Allergies on Antibiotic Selection at Pediatric Emergency Department Visits. Pediatr Emerg Care. 2024 Apr 1;40(4):283-288. doi: 10.1097/PEC.0000000000003023. Epub 2023 Aug 7. PubMed PMID: 37549307.

Hanson HR, Formica M, Laraque-Arena D, Zonfrillo MR, Desai P, O’Neil JO, Unni P, Johnson EL, Cobb P, Agarwal M, Beckworth K, Schroter S, Strotmeyer S, Donnelly KA, Middelberg LK, Morse AM, Dodington J, Latuska RF, Anderson B, Lawson KA, Valente M, Levas MN, Kiragu AW, Monroe K, Ruest SM, Lee LK, Charyk Stewart T, Attridge MM, Haasz M, Jafri M, McIntire A, Rogers SC, Uspal NG, Blanchard A, Hazeltine MD, Riech T, Jennissen C, Model L, Fu Q, Clukies LD, Juang D, Ruda MT, Prince JM, Chao S, Yorkgitis BK, Pomerantz WJ. A multicenter evaluation of pediatric emergency department injury visits during the COVID-19 pandemic. Inj Epidemiol. 2023 Dec 13;10(1):66. doi: 10.1186/s40621-023-00476-z. PubMed PMID: 38093383; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC10717699.

Kelner J, Moote D, Shah R, Anuar A, & Golioto A. (September 2024). Lung Ultrasound Score for Prediction of Surfactant Administration in Preterm Infants Diagnosed with Respiratory Failure. Journal of Perinatology, 44(9):1258-1263. PMID: 39122885

Nocera Kelley M, Lynders W, Pelletier E, Petrucelli M, Emerson B, Tiyyagura GK, Goldman MP. Increasing the use of anxiolysis and analgesia for paediatric procedures in a community emergency department network: a quality improvement initiative. Emergency Medicine Journal 2024;41:116-122. PMID: 38050053.

O’Donnell R, Hinderer KA, Belanger D, Chenard D, Boyle E, Borrup K, Fish M, Brimacombe M, Rogers S. Development and Implementation of a Pediatric Nursing Emergency Behavioral Health Assessment Tool. J Emerg Nurs. 2024 May;50(3):342-353. doi: 10.1016/j.jen.2024.02.005. Epub 2024 Apr 10. PubMed PMID: 38597852.

Rong K, Good A, Chicaiza H, Jones RM. Early Diagnosis of Rare Diaphragmatic Synovial Sarcoma in a Pediatric Patient With Epigastric Pain Using Point-of-Care Ultrasound. Pediatr Emerg Care. 2024 Sep 1;40(9):e240-e241. Epub 2024 Mar 13. PMID: 38471767.

Shah R, Grither A, Cohen S, Morales L, Rabiner J, Riera A. Hair Today, OR Tomorrow: A multicenter case series of gastric bezoars in children diagnosed with POCUS. Published ahead of print, Pediatr Emerg Care. September, 2024. PMID: 39332825

STAFF

ATTENDINGS:

John Brancato, MD, Division Head

Eric Hoppa, MD, Associate Division Head

Hannah Carron, MD

Henry Chicaiza, MD

Andrew Heggland, MD

Noah Jablow, MD

Candice Jersey, DO

Ruchika Jones, MD

Mariann Kelley, MD

V. Matt Laurich, MD

Jonah Mandell, MD

Ashley Notartomaso, MD

Carla Pruden, MD

Steven Rogers, MD

Rahul Shah, MD

Adam Silverman, MD (EM/Critical Care/Global Health)

Sharon Smith, MD

Michael Soltis, MD

Jesse Sturm, MD (EM/Sedation)

Kristin Welch, MD

APRN’S & PA’s:

Sarah Orlando, PA-C, Lead APP

Mandi Boisvert, APRN (EM/Adolescent Medicine)

Chelsea Byrd, PA-C

Carol Erickson, APRN

Amanda Good, APRN

Ann Gorjanc, PA-C

Victoria Greco, PA-C

Jessica Haggett, APRN

Tiffany Henry, APRN

Rachel Jankovsky, PA-C

Garry Lapidus, PA-C

Micaela Lavoie, PA-C

Jennifer Martin, APRN

Laura Miller, APRN

Kezia Meyer, APRN

Ashley Pedneault, APRN

Jillian Scott, APRN

Joseph Stancavage, PA-C

Lisa Tryon, PA-C

Alexis Veith, PA-C

Lauren Wellner, APRN

FELLOWS:

Alexandra Clement, MD, PGY-4

Nicholas Davis, DO, PGY-4

Emily Jonker, DO, PGY-5

Sarah McHugh, MD, PGY-5

Kathleen Felisca, MD, PGY-6

Meghan Wilson Frost, MD PGY-6

ENDOCRINOLOGY AND DIABETES

The Division of Endocrinology and Diabetes is dedicated to advancing clinical and research excellence in endocrinology and diabetes care. Our mission is to develop innovative treatments through cuttingedge clinical and laboratory investigations, including groundbreaking clinical trials. We are committed to delivering the highest quality of patient care while providing exceptional education to medical students, residents, and fellows.

Our outpatient clinics located in Farmington, Glastonbury, Hartford, Shelton, Danbury, and Westport are delivering comprehensive care across Connecticut and our multiple sub-specialty clinics have continued to grow and evolve, reflecting our commitment to specialized patient care. Our fellowship training program is a cornerstone of our educational mission year after year. Under the leadership of Sunitha Sura, MD, as program director and Christine Trapp, MD, as associate program director, the Pediatric Endocrinology Fellowship is now in its 27th year. Our program attracts outstanding fellows who contribute to significant publications and presentations at prestigious local, regional, and national meetings. Caroline Figgie, MD, is in her third year of fellowship after joining us in July 2022. We welcomed Mofesola Modupe, DO, to the division in July 2024 as our first-year fellow.

Since 2021 our division has been structured into three main clinical sections: Endocrinology, Diabetes, and the Glycogen Storage Disease (GSD) & Disorders of Hypoglycemia Program. These clinical sections encompass approximately 60 dedicated team members. The division is led by Division Head and Clinical Director Cem Demirci, MD, the Chase Family Chair of Juvenile Diabetes. Dr. Demirci leads our robust diabetes program and ensures the highest standards of care for patients with diabetes. Emily Germain-Lee, MD, serves as head of Academic Affairs and Research for our division. As an NIH-funded physician-scientist, Dr. Germain-Lee is actively involved with the Connecticut Children’s Research Institute (CCRI) as Director of the Scientific Center for Rare Disease. She is also the director of the Center for Rare Bone Disorders and Co-director of the MD, PhD program at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine. The integration of the Glycogen Storage Disease & Disorders of Hypoglycemia Program in 2021 added a new clinical section to our division with Rebecca Riba-Wolman, MD, serving as Director. Dr. Riba-Wolman has established and grown an outpatient program for patients with GSD and

has achieved sustained international acclaim in both the clinical and research domains.

SUMMARY OF SUBSPECIALTIES WITHIN THE DIVISION OF PEDIATRIC ENDOCRINOLOGY AND DIABETES

The Division of Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes has a unique array of subspecialty clinics dedicated to specific endocrine and metabolic conditions. These clinics are led by 13 faculty members who are engaged in clinical practice and research.

Diabetes Program: A cornerstone of our division is the Diabetes Program which continues to expand each year. Directed by Dr. Demirci, the program provides exemplary care and support for approximately 2,000 children and adolescents with various forms of diabetes including type 1 and type 2 DM, monogenic diabetes, maturity onset diabetes of the young (MODY), permanent neonatal diabetes, cystic fibrosis-related diabetes, and steroidinduced diabetes. The program’s multidisciplinary team includes advanced practice providers, registered nurses, registered dietitians, certified pediatric diabetes educators, a diabetes administrative coordinator, and pediatric social workers. Dr. Demirci established a unique specialty clinic within the Diabetes Program focused on patients who are at highest risk and who are often without adequate support systems in the home setting. He and his team work diligently and passionately to improve these patients’ diabetes control. Dr. Demirci is actively involved in regional diabetes education for healthcare providers, patients, families, and schools. He serves as the organizer and medical director of the annual Connecticut Children’s Diabetes Education Day for school nurses and primary care providers, a CME event since 2011. His commitment led to the establishment of a successful summer day camp for children with diabetes to provide a supportive and educational environment for young patients. The diabetes program has consistently been accredited by the American Association of Diabetes Educators (AADE) and virtually all of the pediatric endocrinologists in the division are involved in providing care within this program. Nordie Bilbao, MD, and Ana Menendez MD, have a diabetes program at their outpatient clinic in Danbury, and Christine Trapp, MD, focuses on patients with Type 2 diabetes.

Gender Program: This program experienced remarkable growth under the leadership of Priya Phulwani, MD, who provides unique specialized care to children and adolescents experiencing gender incongruence. The Gender Program offers comprehensive support to patients and families from Connecticut and beyond. Her team

includes Dr. Menendez and Alexandra Dube, APRN. Dr. Phulwani has a long history of continually advancing the program with state-of-the-art care, clinical management, statewide advocacy, and presentations given locally, regionally, and nationally. She has forged several important collaborations with internal and external partners to improve the health and quality of life of the patients she serves, including the Center for Advanced Reproductive Services and multiple departments at Connecticut Children’s. She has provided educational talks to improve awareness of gender diversity for the Connecticut Department of Children & Families, various health institutions/facilities, and schools. Dr. Phulwani has worked steadily and with great dedication to help Connecticut Children’s achieve the status of “high performer” in the Health Equality Index, a national LGBTQ+ benchmarking tool that evaluates the policies and practices of healthcare facilities related to the equity and inclusion of their LGBTQ+ patients, employees, and visitors. Achieving this status is a testament to her impactful work and commitment to promoting health equity and inclusivity within our institution.

Clinic for Variations of Sexual Development: This clinic, co-directed by Dr. Phulwani, has evolved into a truly interdisciplinary model with visits involving joint meetings of the parent(s) with their child for evaluations by a pediatric urologist, a family support provider, and Dr. Phulwani. The joint patient visits enable better coordination of care and allow for open, clear, and consistent communication. Dr. Phulwani actively participates with members of Medical Genetics, Urology, Plastic Surgery, Adolescent Gynecology, and Psychology. She also advocates extensively for these patients at the local, regional, and national levels.

Glycogen Storage Disease (GSD) & Disorders of Hypoglycemia Program: The mission of this internationally-known program, led by Dr. Riba-Wolman, is to provide dedicated care and diagnostic evaluation for patients with disorders of hypoglycemia and glycogen storage diseases. Dr. Riba-Wolman is involved in international collaborations and has provided national and international presentations on GSD and disorders of hypoglycemia. She established the GSD outpatient program at Connecticut Children’s and has expanded this clinic to include all conditions involving hypoglycemia. The dedicated medical support team for this program includes Karen Loechner, MD, PhD, Julieta Bonvin-Sallago, MD, Amber Barry, RN, as well as Malaya Mount, RD, a metabolic nutritionist with a very extensive background in GSD and GSD-related research. This program provides

comprehensive care to patients with multiple etiologies of hypoglycemia with special attention to patients with glycogen storage diseases and ketotic etiologies of hypoglycemia. Internationally-recognized pioneering gene therapy trials in GSD are underway.

Center for Rare Bone Disorders: This international center for rare bone disorders was established at Connecticut Children’s in 2016 by Dr. Germain-Lee and has built upon her long-standing clinical care and translational laboratory research in this area. Dr. Germain-Lee, an internationally renowned expert on rare bone disorders, serves on the Scientific Advisory Panel of the Rare Bone Disease Alliance, the Scientific Advisory Board of the Osteogenesis Imperfecta (OI) Foundation for the transition of care workgroup, the International Expert Consensus Panel on Pseudohypoparathyroidism and Related Disorders, and serves as an elected member of the Connecticut Academy of Science and Engineering. Through her work as Vice President of the Human Growth Foundation she focuses on expanding education, advocacy, and research for patients with rare bone and growth disorders. She was appointed by the State Legislature to serve on the Rare Disease Advisory Council as well as the Katie Beckett Waiver Program Working Group. The Center for Rare Bone Disorders includes Nancy Dunbar, MD, MPH, Neetu Krishnan, DO, Laleh Ardeshirpour, MD, and Dr. Loechner, all of whom have extensive expertise in bone disorders and who have specific areas of focus within rare bone disease. The center combines clinical care, clinical research, clinical trials, and basic science research to improve the health and quality of life of patients and discover potential new therapies. The center’s faculty give talks and webinars locally, regionally, nationally, and internationally on rare bone disorders.

The Center for Rare Bone Disorders includes two subcenters:

• Albright Center: This is the first and only center dedicated to Albright hereditary osteodystrophy (AHO) worldwide and focuses on the two subtypes of the condition referred to as pseudohypoparathyroidism type 1A and pseudopseudohypoparathyroidism. Patients travel to Connecticut from throughout world to be evaluated by experts at the Albright Center. Dr. Germain-Lee directs this center with Dr. Krishnan serving as Assistant Director. Dr. Germain-Lee’s benchto-bedside research program includes clinical research studies and laboratory investigations on a mouse model she developed that recapitulates the disorder. The team is working toward developing novel therapies.

• Center for Osteogenesis Imperfecta (OI): This center is directed by Dr. Germain-Lee with Dr. Dunbar serving as Co-Director. The Connecticut Children’s OI Center is recognized officially by the OI Foundation and is a premier site in New England and the midAtlantic for patients with OI to be evaluated and treated. The center provides clinical care including state-of-the art DXA scan and infusion therapy capabilities as well as education and support sessions for patients and their families. A virtual group was initiated in 2022 by Drs. Dunbar and Menendez for Spanish-speaking patients. Dr. Loechner, who has extensive expertise in OI, became a part of this center in 2022 upon her arrival at Connecticut Children’s. Dr. Loechner is an off-site principal investigator on a grant studying OI funded by the Marcus Pediatric Cellular Therapies Award at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and Emory University. Dr. Germain-Lee has an established translational research program that includes clinical research studies and basic science laboratory investigations utilizing mouse models of OI. She is working toward developing novel treatments for this condition.

Metabolic Bone Clinic: Dr. Dunbar directs this clinic at Connecticut Children’s and Shriners Hospitals for Children® in Springfield, MA. The clinic focuses on all forms of bone disorders and disorders of mineral metabolism. Dr. Dunbar has developed a focus on bone loss in children with various physical impairments. She is a certified clinical densitometrist through the International Society for Clinical Densitometry and provides official interpretations of DXA scans (for evaluation of bone mineral density) using the state-of-the-art DXA machine at Connecticut Children’s. She has a national reputation through her role on the Editorial Board of the Journal of the Endocrine Society. Members of the clinic include Drs. Loechner, Ardeshirpour, Dunbar, Germain-Lee, and Krishnan who treat patients with various metabolic bone disorders, participate in the Pediatric Endocrine Society Bone and Mineral Working Group, and have been actively involved in working groups within the American Society of Bone and Mineral Research.

Global Health: Dr. Dunbar was crucial to the development of a type 1 diabetes clinic in Haiti along with Comalita Elliott, RN, CDE, working in partnership with local pediatric staff at Hôpital Sacré Coeur in Milot. Their efforts have supported the needs of the program and made it a longstanding success.

Lipid Disorders Clinic: Dr. Sura heads up this unique clinic which is currently in its sixth year of service. The Lipid

Disorders Clinic provides care from a specialized pediatric nutritionist and serves as a regional resource for patients with lipid disorders. It is one of the few lipid clinics in the country that is within a pediatric endocrinology division and focused solely on the management of childhood lipid disorders. Dr. Sura is a member of the National Lipid Association and has given grand rounds and other talks educating practitioners on the management of lipid disorders. She received her American Board of Clinical Lipidology certification from the National Lipid Association and is a member of the Pediatric Endocrine Society’s Lipid Special Interest Group. Dr. Sura is active in educating Connecticut Children’s colleagues and the community on appropriate guidelines for managing lipid abnormalities.

Endocrine Tumors and Cancer Survivorship:

Dr. RibaWolman is Medical Director of Endocrine Oncology at Connecticut Children’s. She is an active member of the New England Childhood Cancer Consortium and is well known for her expertise within New England and beyond. She serves as the endocrinologist for the REACH for the STARS Cancer Survivorship Program, a multidisciplinary clinic in the Hematology-Oncology division for longterm survivors of childhood cancer. In addition, Dr. RibaWolman is a crucial member of the Neuro-Oncology Program, a multidisciplinary clinic involving Oncology, Neurosurgery, and Endocrinology at Connecticut Children’s. She has embarked on clinical research in areas involving endocrine disorders observed in children with cancer.

Pediatric Thyroid Clinic: Dr. Bilbao is Medical Director of the Thyroid Clinic, a multidisciplinary program for treating thyroid nodules and thyroid cancer that includes team members from Endocrinology, Pediatric Surgery, Pathology, Radiology, and Nuclear Medicine. Dr. Bilbao has been active in maintaining updated treatment standards and was responsible for revising the Connecticut Children’s CLASP guidelines for thyroid nodules this year. Dr. Bilbao a member of the American Thyroid Association and has begun to undertake thyroidrelated research.

Turner Syndrome Clinic: Dr. Loechner serves as Director of the Turner Syndrome Clinic, initially established by former Division Head Karen Rubin, MD. This clinic involves a highly specialized interdisciplinary team including a nutritionist, psychologist, and nurse with expertise in Turner Syndrome. Dr. Loechner is a recognized expert in the field and leads the bone health section for the “Adult Comorbidity” group. She is actively involved in

outlining international guidelines for bone health in Turner Syndrome. She is also a member of the Pediatric Endocrine Society Turner Special Interest Group.

Obesity: Drs. Trapp, Menendez, and Phulwani have clinical and research interests in obesity. Dr. Trapp’s national recognition in the field is exemplified by her service as CoChair of the Pediatric Endocrine Society’s Special Interest Group from 2019-2022. Her specific interests include the obesity associated with type 2 diabetes mellitus, co-morbidities secondary to obesity, and conditions involving early onset obesity, specifically Prader-Willi and Bardet-Biedl syndromes. Dr. Menendez was involved in translational research on adipocyte pathophysiology with the mentorship of Christine Finck, MD, and has focused on DEI-related clinical work and research in obesity. Dr. Phulwani is involved clinically in the area of obesity and serves as the endocrinologist in the multidisciplinary Bariatric & Weight Management Clinic, housed in the department of Surgery and directed by Dr. Finck, Surgeonin-Chief.

Adrenal Disorders: Dr. Loechner has a specific interest in adrenal disorders stemming from past research in the area. She is on the Medical Advisory Board for the CARES Foundation to help patients with congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) through education and research, and she has been a part of the adrenal workgroup for the Ultragenyx GSD trial. All providers within endocrinology are active in seeing patients with adrenal disorders.

Newborn Screening Program: Through the tremendous efforts of Dr. Rubin, former Division Head and Director of the Center for Innovation, Connecticut Children’s leads the state’s Newborn Screening Program. Dr. RibaWolman is the endocrinology division’s key leader within Connecticut’s newborn screening program along with our team of dedicated nurses.

RESEARCH

Clinical, Basic Science, & Translational (including Clinical Trials): Research performed in the division is a vital part of the Connecticut Children’s Research Institute (CCRI), specifically within the realms of rare diseases, bone biology, glycogen storage disease, and rare bone disorders. The Scientific Center for Rare Disease at CCRI is headed by Dr. Germain-Lee, an internationally renowned expert whose entire career has focused on rare diseases. She is working alongside Co-Director Carolyn Macica, MS, PhD, (Director of Research Operations & Development at Connecticut Children’s), a scientist with specific expertise

in rare bone disorders. Members of our research teams participate in extensive collaborations with the University of Connecticut School of Medicine and School of Dental Medicine in the areas of laboratory-based, translational, and basic science research. Collaborations with the Jackson Laboratory in Farmington and Bar Harbor are ongoing and we have undertaken a clinical research collaboration with the Institute for Collaboration on Health, Intervention, and Policy (InCHIP) at UConn.

RARE DISEASES

Glycogen Storage Disease (GSD) Clinical Trials: The largest multinational site for gene therapy in GSD is headed by Dr. Riba-Wolman as PI with Dr. Loechner as sub-PI. The first trial of gene therapy for Glycogen Storage Disease (GSD) Type Ia began in July 2018 with David Weinstein, MD, MMSc, as principal investigator and with Connecticut Children’s/University of Connecticut as the lead site. Since the transition to Dr. Riba-Wolman as the Principal Investigator in 2020, our site remains the largest in a multinational trial sponsored by Ultragenyx involving the safety and efficacy of adeno-associated virus (AAV) serotype 8-mediated gene transfer of glucose6-phosphatase in adults with GSD Type Ia. Utilizing new mRNA-based technology and with the sponsorship of Moderna, Dr. Loechner serves as PI for Moderna’s novel Phase I clinical trial for GSD Ia to determine if mRNA infusions are both safely tolerated and efficacious. A repository and other studies for GSD are under the direction of Drs. Riba-Wolman and Germain-Lee along with our colleagues Dr. Loechner, Dr. Bonvin Sallago, and Ms. Mount.

GSD Laboratory Research: Under the direction of Youngmok Lee, PhD, Basic Science Director for GSD, the GSD Laboratory focuses on two types of preclinical research for GSD-Ia, GSD-Ib, GSD-VI, and GSD-IX using disease model animals including: 1) elucidation of pathological mechanisms underlying the complications of GSDs such as liver cancer, steatosis, fibrosis, and immune cell dysfunction; and 2) development of a new gene therapy technology and evaluation of its efficacy and safety. The goal of the research is to understand the pathogenesis in GSDs and to develop new therapeutic strategies for treatment.

Rare Bone Disorders including Musculoskeletal Biology:

Dr. Germain-Lee’s bench-to-bedside research program is focused on the molecular, cellular, and physiological mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of diseases affecting the endocrine system with a particular focus

on rare bone disorders. Dr. Germain-Lee’s overarching goal in her laboratory within the Center for Regenerative Medicine and Skeletal development at UConn Health is to develop new therapies and improve the health and quality of life for children and adults with these disorders. She has ongoing clinical research at Connecticut Children’s involving these same disorders. Through this translational research Dr. Germain-Lee has built an extensive clinical and basic science research program that provides insights into general bone biology, pathways, and processes.

During this past year, Dr. Germain-Lee has furthered her work in several areas. Her group has continued investigations of the pathophysiology of Albright hereditary osteodystrophy (AHO), a rare bone condition caused by heterozygous inactivating mutations in GNAS, a gene that encodes a key signaling component utilized by many G protein-coupled hormones. A major focus of her laboratory’s research during the past year has been to continue their investigations of the role of GNAS in regulating overall bone homeostasis, including the mechanisms underlying the development of heterotopic subcutaneous ossifications caused by loss-of-function mutations in GNAS as well as the aberrant bone regulation that contributes to craniofacial abnormalities occurring in Albright hereditary osteodystrophy.

In addition, Dr. Germain-Lee is collaborating with Se-Jin Lee, MD, PhD, (who holds a joint position at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine and the Jackson Laboratory) examining the role of the myostatin/activin A signaling pathway in regulating bone and muscle. They have shown that targeting key receptors for myostatin and activin A can led to dramatic increases in both muscle and bone mass. Dr. Germain-Lee is currently a PI with Dr. Lee on an NIH R01 grant to continue work examining this pathway in bone and a newly awarded NIH R01 grant focused on muscle for which she is a Co-investigator. Finally, Dr. Germain-Lee and Dr. Lee are PIs on an NIH R21 grant investigating extragonadal functions of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) in regulating bone density and adiposity. The goal of this project is to develop the best strategies to target FSH signaling to treat osteoporosis and/or metabolic dysfunction including diabetes and obesity.

Development of Novel Therapeutics for Bone Loss and Muscle Wasting:

Research efforts have extended beyond Earth with Dr. Germain-Lee and her collaborator Dr. Lee. In 2020 they sent mice to the International Space Station

and continue to examine the role of a novel experimental agent that was created by Dr. Lee that can increase both bone and muscle mass. Microgravity causes bone and muscle loss that mimics the same phenomenon observed in patients who have bone disease, muscle wasting, chronic illnesses, or who are elderly. They collaborated with NASA and were able to demonstrate that severe bone and muscle loss were prevented through the use of this novel experimental agent. They were able to show this previously in 2015 in a mouse model of osteogenesis imperfecta (OI). This experimental molecule has the potential for therapeutic use for astronauts in space and many patients here on Earth who suffer from musclewasting disorders, bone fragility disorders (including OI), or both.

Clinical Trials in Rare Bone Disorders:

Drs. Loechner and Dunbar are involved in a phase 3 clinical trial on OI (sponsored by Ultragenyx) investigating a new drug to treat bone fragility, a well-known problem in patients with OI. Dr. Loechner is the off-site PI on a foundation grant from Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta/Emory University (Marcus Pediatric Cellular Therapies Award) to study the role of mesenchymal stem cells on linear growth and bone health parameters in children with OI. Drs. Dunbar and Germain-Lee are involved in natural history studies involving hypophosphatasia (located at both Connecticut Children’s and Johns Hopkins), a disorder involving poor bone mineralization. Dr. Dunbar has initiated work on a clinical trial involving a novel treatment modality for hypophosphatasia and has delivered national talks on the condition. Drs. Dunbar and Ardeshirpour have studied X-linked hypophosphatemia and have both shared presentations and publications on this condition.

Sturge-Weber Syndrome: In addition to Dr. Germain-Lee’s research on AHO and OI, she has also been investigating the clinical/hormonal phenotype in patients with SturgeWeber Syndrome (SWS) for more than two decades. Working with Anne Comi, MD (Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and Kennedy Krieger Institute), they were the first to demonstrate that these patients have a multitude of hormonal abnormalities. These findings are particularly significant because SWS has been shown to result from somatic activating mutations in the gene encoding a specific G protein, GNAQ, raising the possibility that the hormonal abnormalities identified may be a subset of a wider spectrum of endocrine dysfunction. Dr. Germain-Lee has collaborated with Dr. Comi on preliminary studies on a mouse model of SWS.

OTHER AREAS OF RESEARCH

Diabetes, Metabolism, Obesity: Dr. Demirci and Dr. Trapp are mentoring Dr. Figgie (3rd year fellow) in collaboration with Rebecca Puhl, PhD, from InCHIP at UConn on a project investigating the prevalence of weight bias internalization and disordered eating behaviors in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus. Dr. Demirci has an ongoing collaboration with Derya Unutmaz, MD, a researcher at the Jackson Laboratory, to investigate the intestinal microbiome and the link between food, microbes, and diabetes with the ultimate goal of finding which genes are turned on and off as a result of the interaction between the microbiome and the immune system. Dr. Demirci has also been involved in a collaboration as the clinical lead with Michael Stitzel, PhD, a basic scientist at the Jackson Laboratory who is conducting genomics-related research in type 1 DM.

Dr. Germain-Lee is conducting basic science research in diabetes, metabolism, and obesity in her laboratory at UConn Health. In collaboration with Dr. Lee, she has been carrying out two projects aimed at discovering new strategies to reduce adiposity and improve glucose control. The first project is investigating the mechanisms by which members of the TGF-ß family of signaling molecules regulate body fat. The second project is investigating the roles of these proteins in regulating the ability of the pancreas to produce insulin as well as to improve the responsiveness of peripheral tissues to insulin. The overall goal of this research is to find novel therapeutic approaches to treat metabolic diseases including diabetes and obesity.

Important research investigating the role of inflammatory cytokine expression and adipose tissue dysfunction in obesity was undertaken by Dr. Menendez in the laboratory of Dr. Finck at UConn Health. Dr. Menendez is evaluating the association of certain health risks with obesity with a specific focus on adolescents, a group that has been markedly understudied. Dr. Menendez is currently following a leadership track in DEI that was initiated by UConn Health.

Adrenal: Dr. Loechner has been the site principal investigator with Dr. Bilbao as co-investigator for an industry-sponsored Phase III trial (CAHtalyst Pediatric Study, Neurocrine Biosciences) that is testing a new pharmacologic agent for its ability to treat children with congenital adrenal hyperplasia.

FEDERAL GRANTS

NIH

NIH R01 AR081659 – Principal Investigators: Emily L. Germain-Lee, MD and Se-Jin Lee, MD, PHD. Extracellular regulation of bone mass by transforming growth factor-related ligands and their binding proteins. 7/21/22 –06/30/27.

NIH R21 AG077792 – Principal Investigators: Emily L. Germain-Lee, MD and Se-Jin Lee, MD, PhD. Elucidating extragonadal functions of follicle stimulating hormone using genetic approaches in mice. 9/1/22 – 6/30/25 (NCE).

NIH R01 AR084264 – Co-investigator: Emily L. GermainLee, MD, (Principal Investigator: Se-Jin Lee, MD, PHD). Signaling mechanisms utilized by myostatin and related ligands in skeletal muscle. 4/1/24 – 3/31/29.

OTHER GRANTS

Industry Grants

Eli Lilly – Co-investigator: Emily L. Germain-Lee, MD (Principal Investigator: Se-Jin Lee, MD, PhD). Tissue targets in the regulation of adiposity by myostatin and related ligands. 11/2/2023 –11/1/2025.

State Grants (University of Connecticut)

University of Connecticut CRISP Award – Co-investigator: Emily L. Germain-Lee, MD (Principal Investigator: Olga Salazar, MD). Role of transforming growth factor-ß-signaling pathway on cardiotoxicity from chemotherapeutic agents. 5/1/23 – 10/31/24.

Philanthropic Foundation Grants

Marcus Pediatric Cellular Therapies Award – Off-site Principal Investigator: Karen Loechner, MD, PhD. (Main site: Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta/Emory University). Role of mesenchymal stem cells on linear growth and bone health parameters in children with osteogenesis imperfecta (OI). 10/1/22 – 09/30/26.

PUBLICATIONS

Peer-reviewed articles: Burgwardt N, Healy JM, Menendez A, Regan M, Moote D, Bilbao N, Riba-Wolman R, Brimacombe M, Finck C. (2024) Validating the modified McGill Thyroid Nodule Score for assessment of preoperative risk of pediatric thyroid malignancy. J Pediatr Surg. 2024;59(7):1394-1398.

doi:10.1016/j.jpedsurg.2024.03.037. PMID: 38614945

Majumder S, Moriarty KL, Lee Y, Crombleholme TM. (2024) Placental gene therapy for fetal growth restriction and preeclampsia: preclinical studies and prospects for clinical application. J Clin Med. 2024 Sep 23;13(18):5647. doi: 10.3390/jcm13185647. PMID: 39337133.

Farrell A, Sura SR. Short stature in Klinefelter Syndrome from Aggrecan mutation. JCEM Case Rep. 2024 Oct 3;2(10):luae170. doi: 10.1210/jcemcr/luae170. PMID: 39364324

Invited Chapters:

Trapp CM, Oberfield SE, Witchel SF. (2024, in press).

Congenital adrenal hyperplasia. Radovick S, Misra M (eds): Pediatric Endocrinology: A Practical Clinical Guide, 4th edition; Springer International Publishing AG. Update from 3rd edition.

Germain-Lee EL, Levine MA. (2024, in press).

Pseudohypoparathyroidism; Chap 97. Bilezikian J (editorin-chief): Primer on the Metabolic Bone Diseases and Disorders of Mineral Metabolism, 10th edition, American Society for Bone and Mineral Research, John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Germain-Lee EL, Levine MA. (2024, in press),

Pseudohypoparathyroidism; Chap 22. Radovick S, Misra M (eds): Pediatric Endocrinology: A Practical Clinical Guide, 4th edition; Springer International Publishing AG.

STAFF

Cem Demirci, MD, Division Head, Clinical Director, Director of Type 1 Diabetes Program, Chase Family Chair of Juvenile Diabetes

Emily L. Germain-Lee, MD, Head of Academic Affairs & Research, Director of Center for Rare Bone Disorders (includes Director of Albright Center & Director of OI Center)

Rebecca Riba-Wolman, MD, Director of Glycogen Storage Disease & Disorders of Hypoglycemia Program, Medical Director of Endocrine Oncology

Sunitha Sura, MD, Fellowship Program Director, Director of Lipid Disorders Clinic

Christine Trapp, MD, Fellowship Associate Program Director

Youngmok Lee, PhD, Basic Science Director, Glycogen Storage Disease Program

Nordie Bilbao, MD, Medical Director of Thyroid Clinic

Nancy Dunbar, MD, MPH, Director of Metabolic Bone Disease Clinic Co-director of OI Center

Neetu Krishnan, DO, Assistant Director of Albright Center

Karen Loechner, MD, PhD, Director of Turner Syndrome Clinic

Priya Phulwani, MD, Director of Gender Program, Codirector of Clinic for Variations of Sexual Development

Laleh Ardeshirpour, MD

Ana Menendez, MD

Priya Phulwani, MD

Misha Sodhi, MBBS

Carey Driscoll, APRN, CPNP

Maureen Fearon, APRN, FNP-BC, MSN

Elena Schneider, PA-C

Alexandra Dube, APRN, FNP, MSN

Fellows:

Caroline Figgie, MD

Mofesola Modupe, DO

DIVISION OF EXCELLENCE IN PATIENT SAFETY & CLINICAL QUALITY

The Division of Excellence in Patient Safety and Clinical Quality strives to support Connecticut Children’s partnerships with patients, families, and communities using evidence-based models that seek zero-harm, the highest quality of care, and world-class outcomes. We foster a culture based on equity, continual improvement, and compassionate care through the integration of patient safety and quality across the institution. The division’s goal is to accelerate the transformation of people and systems at Connecticut Children’s to become a nationally recognized leader in patient safety and quality, enabling the vision of Connecticut Children’s to transform children’s health and well-being as one team. We work to drive our culture of safety to the standard of zero-harm, to teach methods of improvement, and to use research to inform our programmatic efforts and innovations.

The faculty of the Division of Excellence in Patient Safety and Clinical Quality continue to be leaders in enhancing the quality and improving the safety of care for children. Leaders in the division collaborate with faculty across Connecticut Children’s and our partner institutions and have a significant regional and national impact. The division grew to 27 faculty members this year with the addition of the 13 faculty members enrolled in the inaugural class (2023-2025) of Popik Family Quality and Patient Safety Fellowship.

The Popik Family Quality and Patient Safety Fellowship was created with the goal of enabling the development of clinicians as quality and safety leaders in the organization through the augmentation of improvement science fundamentals and principle-based organizational excellence training (Organizational Excellence 2.0, 3.0 and 4.0), with additional quality and patient safety operational, strategic, and leadership knowledge and experience. The 2-year fellowship program is led by Division Head Lori Pelletier, PhD, MBA, and Heather Tory, MD, MPH, Associate Chief Quality and Patient Safety Officer. The program is supported by all members of the division faculty through coaching of current fellows and other Organizational Excellence 3.0 and 4.0 participants, teaching during sessions and creating didactic content, and supporting the promotion and expansion of the organizational excellence mindset and methodology throughout the institution. The collaborative design, development, and delivery of the fellowship curriculum, which is aligned with the Institute of Medicine’s Dimensions of Quality and the Institute for Healthcare Improvement’s Framework for Effective Board

Governance of Health System Quality, has been a key success for the division this year.

This year Katerina Dukleska, MD, a Popik Family Quality and Patient Safety Fellow and new faculty member of the division, was recognized with the Physician Quality Cup Award for her quality and safety improvement project supporting the electronic capture of morbidity and mortality cases for both medical and surgical divisions within RedCap. Dr. Dukleska created a dashboard that includes quality metrics to understand trends and evaluate the sustainability of improvement initiatives on an ongoing basis.

Division faculty have had a far-reaching impact on the quality and safety of care for children both within Connecticut Children’s and beyond. We remain an active participant in Solutions for Patient Safety (SPS), a network of over 145 children’s hospitals in the United States and Canada who collaborate to improve safety and reduce harm for children across inpatient and, more recently, outpatient healthcare settings. Faculty members are actively engaged in leading SPS initiatives at Connecticut Children’s including work with hospital acquired conditions (such as central line associated blood stream infections, surgical site infections, unplanned extubations, and medication-related safety events), proactive safety huddles and simulations, and the launch of an ambulatory safety workgroup. They also represent Connecticut Children’s as participants at the SPS regional and national levels.

The Clinical Effectiveness program continues to develop and maintain evidence-based protocols to standardize and improve the care of patients for over 60 conditions managed in the inpatient, emergency, and ambulatory settings, as well as over 40 ambulatory-focused specialist and primary care co-management tools through the Clinical Pathways and Connecticut Children’s Leaders in Advanced Solutions in Pediatrics (CLASP) programs. These pathways and protocols are shared with pediatricians and hospitals in our network and are publicly available, elevating the quality of pediatric health care across the country. Many of our faculty members are content owners of clinical pathways and much of their academic achievement is related to their publication and presentation of clinical pathway-related work. The program has gained increasing national recognition and Program Director Ilana Waynik, MD, has become a nationally recognized leader in pathway program development and implementation.

Our Simulation Program led by Carla Pruden, MD, MPH, is elevating the quality and safety of care at Connecticut Children’s and across our region by providing education and the opportunity to practice low volume but high impact critical scenarios. Dr. Pruden provides hands-on simulation training to help teams learn procedural skills and optimize real-world communication, teamwork, and crisis management. The simulation program supports in situ simulations in a diverse array of care areas including our main campus in Hartford, ambulatory locations, and affiliated and partner institutions. The program has been critical to our expansion efforts, including both our main campus tower addition and our regional service expansions, by incorporating systems integration simulations into existing organizational platforms for the development and support of new clinical service lines and new patient care areas.

Numerous division faculty serve as Physician Quality and Safety Officers (PQSOs) for strategic institutional initiatives. Their quality improvement efforts are aligned with and directly support the priorities of the organization and the metrics on our institutional scorecard as represented in our Performance Improvement Plan.

Connecticut Children’s continues to be recognized as a Level 1 Pediatric Trauma Center and participates in rigorous surgical quality improvement programs, including the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program and the Children’s Surgery Verification program through the American College of Surgery, under the leadership of Brendan Campbell, MD, MPH.

PUBLICATIONS

Bahalkeh E., Chiam TC, Yih Y, Ellison J. (2024). Simulating the effects of access improvement strategies in an outpatient memory clinic with high follow-up volumes. International Journal of Simulation and Process Modeling. (in press).

Bakel LA, Waynik IY, Starmer AJ, Berkwitt AK, Ziniel SI. Clinical Pathways Programs in Children’s Hospitals. Pediatrics. 2024 Nov 13:e2023065553. doi: 10.1542/ peds.2023-065553. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 39533867.

Lewis EC, Komkov S, Rickles J, Saccoccio M, Thomesen M, Turcotte L, Zempsky WT, Waynik I. Decreasing Pain in Hospitalized Patients by Increasing Topical Anesthetic Use for Peripheral IVs. Pediatr Qual Saf. 2024 Aug 9;9(5):e753. doi: 10.1097/pq9.0000000000000753. PMID: 39131230; PMCID: PMC11315564.

Nocera Kelley M, Lynders W, Pelletier E, Petrucelli M, Emerson B, Tiyyagura GK, Goldman MP. Increasing the use of anxiolysis and analgesia for paediatric procedures in a community emergency department network: a quality improvement initiative. Emergency Medicine Journal 2024;41:116-122. PMID: 38050053.

Ogbu EA, Brunner HI, Eloseily E, Butbul Aviel Y, Nanda K, Schmeling H, Tory H, Uziel Y, Viola DO, Wahezi DM, Tarvin SE, Sproles A, Chen C, Ruperto N, Huang B, Grom A, Thornton S; investigators of the PRINTO and PRCSG networks. Biomarker Changes in Response to Tofacitinib Treatment in Patients with Polyarticular Course Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis. Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). 2024 Aug 12. doi: 10.1002/acr.25417. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 39135452.

Tarvin SE, Sherman MA, Kim H, Balmuri N, Brown AG, Chow A, Gewanter HL, de Guzman MM, Huber AM, Kim S, Klein-Gitelman MS, Perron MM, Robinson AB, Sabbagh SE, Savani S, Shenoi S, Spitznagle J, Stingl C, Syverson G, Tory H, Spencer C; Childhood Arthritis and Rheumatology Research Alliance Juvenile Dermatomyositis Workgroup. Childhood Arthritis and Rheumatology Research Alliance Biologic Disease-Modifying Antirheumatic Drug Consensus Treatment Plans for Refractory Moderately Severe Juvenile Dermatomyositis. Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). 2024 Nov;76(11):1532-1539. doi: 10.1002/ acr.25393. Epub 2024 Aug 14. PMID: 38937134.

ORAL PRESENTATIONS

Williams J, Chadwick W and Carrico N. “Unlocking pediatric medication safety: synergistic partnerships and industry collaboration” Clinical Informatics Conference of American Medical Informatics Association. May 2024. Minneapolis, MN. Platform Presentation.

STAFF

Lori Pelletier, PhD, MBA, Division Head, Chief Quality and Patient Safety Officer

Natalie Bezler, MD, Physician Quality and Safety Officer for Chemotherapeutics and Resident Education, Attending Physician in Hematology and Oncology

Brendan Campbell, MD, MPH, Associate Chief Surgical Quality and Patient Safety Officer, Attending Physician in Pediatric Surgery

Tze Chiam, PhD, Senior Director, Health Systems Analytics and Modeling

Jennifer Girotto, PharmD, Co-Director of Antimicrobial Stewardship

Grace Hong, APRN, Clinical Pathways and Division of Infectious Disease

Eric Hoppa, MD, Associate Division Head, Emergency Medicine

Logan Jerger, MD, Physician Quality and Safety Officer for Gastroenterology and Ambulatory Safety, Attending Physician in Gastroenterology

Mariann Kelley, MD, Physician Quality and Safety Officer for Emergency Responses, Attending Physician in Emergency Medicine

Sherene Mason, MD, MBA, Division Head, Nephrology and Physician Quality and Safety Officer for Nephrology and Dialysis

Carla Pruden, MD, MPH, director of Simulation Program, Attending Physician in Emergency Medicine

David Sink, MD, Physician Quality and Safety Officer for Neonatology, Attending Physician in Neonatal Intensive Care

Heather Tory, MD, MPH, Associate Chief Quality and Patient Safety Officer, Attending Physician in Rheumatology

Ilana Waynik, MD, Director of Clinical Effectiveness, Attending Physician in Pediatric Hospital Medicine

FACULTY MEMBERS AND INAUGURAL POPIK FAMILY

QUALITY AND PATIENT SAFETY FELLOWS

Ada Booth, MD, Attending Physician in the Division of Child Abuse Pediatrics and the Suspected Child Abuse and Neglect (SCAN) Program

Anne Dudley, MD, Director of the Myelomeningocele Program and Co-Director of the Posterior Urethral Valves Program (PUV), Attending Physician in Urology

Katerina Dukleska, MD, Attending Physician in Pediatric Surgery

Kara Fluck, PA-C, Pediatric Hospital Medicine

Andrea Guardenier, MD, Attending Physician in Pediatric Critical Care

Taryn Hamre, DNP, APRN, Pain Medicine

Jill Herring, APRN, Clinical Pathways and Pediatric Hospital Medicine

Daniel Herz, MD, Division Head, Urology

Katherine Kavanagh, MD, Attending Physician in Otolaryngology

Maria Ramirez Tovar, MD, Clinical Director for Pediatric Hospital Medicine, Vassar Brothers Medical Center, Nuvance Health

Caleb Wasser, DO, Attending Physician in Primary Care and Pulmonology

Jessica Williams, MD, Physician Quality and Safety Officer for Medication Safety and Medical Director, Weight Management

Jessica Winters, MD, Physician Quality and Safety Officer for Pediatric Critical Care, Attending Physician in Pediatric Critical Care

GENERAL PEDIATRICS

The Division of General Pediatrics is committed to fostering optimal health and well-being of children, families, and communities, and the education of the next generation of pediatricians.

We provide exceptional clinical care in partnership with families, teach evidence-based clinical pediatrics to future pediatric health-care providers, and pursue original research and vigorous advocacy around issues important to children, families and the public. Our activities place special emphasis on caring for children with special healthcare needs including disadvantaged children, children growing up in low-income families, and children with complex and chronic health conditions.

The Division provides pediatric care for most of Hartford’s children across four clinical sites: Primary Care East (East Hartford), West (Farmington), Primary Care South (Hartford) and the Burgdorf/Bank of America Health Center (Hartford). Members of the Division provide ambulatory care to infants, children, adolescents, and young adults, as well as inpatient care in the newborn nurseries at Hartford Hospital in Hartford and John Dempsey Hospital/ University of Connecticut Health Center in Farmington and inpatient consultation at Connecticut Children’s for children with lead poisoning. Our ambulatory services include health supervision, behavioral health care, chronic disease management, and same-day illness care using an NCQA-certified patient centered medical home model. The Division houses innovative, community-wide clinical programs such as the Connecticut Children’s Lead Poisoning Prevention and Treatment Program and the Reach Out and Read early literacy program. Division faculty have gained regional and national prominence for clinical research, education, and program development in the fields of lead poisoning and prevention, integrated behavioral health, early obesity prevention, food insecurity, and emergent literacy promotion. Supported by the Office for Community Child Health (OCCH) and funding from the Help Me Grow National Center, all four primary care locations are participating in an on-going study to promote goal-concordant care.

This year we welcomed two talented new faculty members to the Division. Neveen Al-Said, MD, graduated from Connecticut Children’s Pediatric Residency program and joined the group in August 2024. Melissa Mondello, MD, joined the group in September 2024 after 14 years of clinical practice in Pennsylvania. After many years of providing primary care to the children of East Hartford and

surrounding communities, Latesha Dawson Thomas, MD, left the division to pursue a new role in community pediatric urgent care.

This year Catherine Wiley, MD, retired from her role as Division Head and Andrew Carlson, MD, was appointed interim Division Head of General Pediatrics. He has served as Medical Director of Primary Care at Connecticut Children’s since 2022. Abraham Khorasani, MD, transitioned from Primary Care to the Division of Neonatology to pursue his interests in the newborn nursery. Anton Alerte, MD, continues his role as Associate Dean for Primary Care at the UConn School of Medicine.

Faculty members in the Division play a central role in medical education by providing the majority of pediatric primary care educational experiences for medical students and pediatric residents in the region. Rotating learners from UConn and other institutions include family practice, dental, and psychiatry residents, and students from nurse practitioner, physician assistant, and medical assistant programs. Division members serve on a wide variety of hospital, university, and state committees. Membership on national committees includes the Reach Out and Read National Medical Advisory Committee (Wiley), Reach Out and Read National Book Selection Committee (Brooke Bohn, MD), and the Society for Pediatric Dermatology Education Committee and the American Academy of Pediatrics Section on Dermatology Education Committee (Keri Wallace, MD). Dr. Wallace continues her work as core faculty lead to develop and restructure the pediatric dermatology rotation and curriculum. Division members collaborate in a wide variety of projects, including the Asthma Center’s Easy Breathing© program (Caleb Wasser, DO, Physician Champion) and various co-management protocols with Connecticut Children’s pediatric subspecialists.

While initially a response to the SARS CoV-2 pandemic, primary care now continues to provide care via telehealth across all sites. Faculty members incorporate residents and medical students into this clinical experience. Dr. Carlson continues his work as a core faculty lead in developing a formal primary care telehealth curriculum including training via simulation.

Monica Joyce-Montaudy, APRN, serves as Medical Liaison to Eagle House, providing primary care to children in residential psychiatric care as an extension of our partnership with The Village for Families and Children. Jennifer Haile, MD, was appointed as Associate Program

Director for the Pediatric Residency Program and was promoted to Associate Professor. She continues to serve as Medical Director of the Connecticut Children’s Lead Poisoning Prevention and Treatment Center supported by a grant from the Connecticut Department of Public Health (DPH). Dr. Haile received an 18-month grant from Healthy Homes to address the substantial post-pandemic rise in children with lead poisoning. Dr. Haile continues her appointment to the DPH Lead Poisoning Prevention and Treatment Legislative Workgroup and serves as an ambassador of the Connecticut Children’s Faculty Teaching Academy. Douglas MacGilpin, MD, continues to serve as Medical Director of Hartford Public Schools. Grael O’Brien, MD, MPH is site director for the Continuity Clinic Research Network of the Academic Pediatric Association and has been active on the UConn School of Medicine Curriculum Reform Committee. Dr. Wiley continues her advocacy work in emergent literacy promotion as Medical Director of Reach Out and Read Connecticut. She also serves on the State of Connecticut Behavioral Health Partnership Oversight Council. Nancy Trout, MD, MPH serves on the Childhood Obesity Advisor for Continuing Health (COACH) network of the American Academy of Pediatrics Section on Obesity. She also continues her work on grants from Cigna (Healthier Kids for our Future grant for the “Obesity Prevention and Food is Medicine” initiative in the North Hartford Ascend Pipeline neighborhoods) and Rite Aid (Food Insecurity Screening and Voucher Program in the Emergency Department). Larry Scherzer, MD, served as Chief of Pediatrics and Medical Director of the Newborn Nursery at John Dempsey Hospital/UConn Health. Dr. Wasser was named Co-Chair of the Education Committee for Connecticut Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics. Amy Signore, PhD, continues her role as Associate Chair of the Integrated Primary Care SIG for the Division of Health Psychology of the American Psychological Association.

PUBLICATIONS

Haile J. Pediatric Lead Levels. Urban Service Talks Podcast June 24, 2024. https://www.podbean.com/eas/pb-ikj6w164e144

Longyear, C, Isakoff M, Wallace, K: Infantile Hemangioma. CT Children’s CLASP guideline. (published on-line, Jan 2024).

Stewart, B, Gonzalez, K, Wasser, C. Coral Fluorescing Axillary Plaques Refractory to Topical Antifungal and Antibacterial Treatments. Pediatrics in Review, vol. 45, no. 1, 2024, pp. e1–4, https://doi.org/10.1542/pir.2022-005770.

Velagala, S. Chikara A, Haile J: “Severe Congenital Lead Poisoning” Pediatrics (2024) 154 (Supplement 2): e2024067808H. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2024067808H

Wallace, K. Hair Loss (Alopecia) in ChildrenHealthyChildren.org (published on-line 2/2/2024).

Wallace, K. AAP Pediatric Dermatology Case of the Month October 2024: “Bothersome Bumps” (online): Pediatric Dermatology Case of the Month Current Case (aap.org)

GRANTS

J Haile (PI). Healthy Homes. 7/1/24 - 12/31/26 $187,500

J Haile (PI) CT Department of Public Health. 7/1/22-6/30/27.

$675,630

STAFF

Andrew Carlson, MD, Division Head

Neveen Al-Said, MD

Anton Alerte, MD

Brooke Bohn, MD

Andrew Carlson, MD, Medical Director, Primary Care

Jennifer Haile, MD, Medical Director, Lead Poisoning Treatment and Prevention Program

Shannon Hogan, DO, MPH

Jaye Ladinsky Horowitz, MD

Abraham Khorasani, MD

Ashok Kottarathara, MD

Douglas MacGilpin, MD

Eileen Mercurio, MD

Lisa Menillo, MD

Melissa Mondello, MD

Grael O’Brien, MD, MPH

Chinyere Okoronkwo, MD, MSc

Aruna Ramanan, MD

Marie Sanford, MD

Larry Scherzer, MD, MPH, Medical Director, John Dempsey Hospital Nursery

Latesha Dawson Thomas, MD, CLC

Nancy Trout, MD, MPH

Keri Wallace, MD

Caleb Wasser, DO

Catherine Wiley, MD

Keri Herlan, PhD

Amy Signore, PhD

Heather Wimmer-Haman, PsyD

Darlene Abbate, APRN

Keith Ellis, APRN

Kimberly Griffith, PA-C

Monica Joyce-Montaudy, APRN

HEMATOLOGY-ONCOLOGY

The Hematology-Oncology Division strives to improve the lives of children with cancer and blood disorders by delivering high-quality family-centered academic health care. We continuously improve what we do through discovery and partnerships. We have three broad areas of focus: Family Centered Care, Quality & Safety, and Research & Teaching.

The Division of Hematology-Oncology has continued to excel in our ability to provide the highest quality of care with our focus on the patient and family experience. A talented group of advanced practitioners and nurses are a key component of our service model. Over the past year we have broadened our programs and further developed several areas of expertise in Survivorship, Supportive Care, and Hemophilia and Thrombosis. We also maintained our focus on expanding disease expertise in neuro-oncology, sarcomas and other solid tumors, hematologic malignancies, and in adolescent and young adult oncology. In addition, we have provided cuttingedge research clinical trials within our Advanced Cancer Program for novel therapeutics.

Highlights of our programs include the Comprehensive Fertility and Sexual Health Program at Connecticut Children’s, led by Natasha Frederick, MD, MPH, which aims to meet with all newly diagnosed patients and their families to discuss the potential impact of cancer treatment on fertility and potential fertility preservation opportunities. In partnership with the Center for Advanced Reproductive Services we offer sperm banking, oocyte and embryo cryopreservation, and ovarian tissue cryopreservation. We are also able to offer patients testicular tissue cryopreservation as part of a research program with the University of Pittsburgh. In addition, we are thrilled to report that Dr. Frederick was awarded a K08 grant from the National Cancer Institute to continue her research on improving patient-clinician communication on sexual and reproductive health during cancer.

Our Brain Tumor Program has continued to expand, led by Evan Cantor, MD, as the Director of Neuro-oncology. In coordination with our Neurosurgical team, we provide comprehensive care for patients with brain tumors. The program is supported by Kim Roche, APRN who helps to coordinate care along with nursing, social work, and psychology specialists. A goal of this program includes bringing novel therapeutics to patients with difficult to treat brain tumors and is supported by the laboratory research of Ching Lau, MD, PhD. Based on Dr. Lau’s

research, new data has led to the development of a clinical trial for relapsed medulloblastoma which is now available for institutions to open across the country.

Our Hemostasis and Thrombosis program is a federally funded Hemophilia Treatment Center (HTC). The program is thriving in three locations in Hartford, Farmington, and Shelton. Our team includes administrative support in addition to four physicians, two advanced practice providers, two dedicated HTC nurses, a program manager, and a data manager. We continue to work closely within our region on advancing care for bleeding disorder patients and have a successful 340B pharmacy program which is reinvested into the program to benefit patients and provide additional outreach programming. Our center participates in national research programs including ATHN and the CDC Community Counts Registry. Our Adolescent Bleeding and Clotting (ABC) Disorders clinic, started in 2021, continues to provide interdisciplinary care for young women who require both hematology and adolescent medicine expertise.

Our fellowship program continues to thrive under the leadership of Andrea Orsey, MD, MSCE. We are pleased to have Paul Tomlinson, MD, Shruthishree Sukumar, DO, and Erin Pastor, MD, on our team. We continue to expand our psychology services including neuropsychology, which was supported by our psychology fellow Jenine TulledgeWolff, PhD, who graduated her fellowship on September 16th, 2024.

Finally, in 2024 we were named to Becker’s list of top 100 Great Oncology Programs. Many of our staff have been recognized within our region and beyond:

• Mary Laliberte, LCSW, was awarded the Association of Pediatric Oncology Social Workers Outstanding Leadership Award for her work at the hospital and service on the APOSW Board of Directors

• Kerry Moss, MD, was recognized with the Healthcare Hero Award at the Make a Wish Gala on April 20th

• Nicole McCracken became a member of SOCRA and obtained my Clinical Research Professional Certification

• Michael Isakoff, MD, was elected to serve another five-year term on the Voting Body Steering Committee for the Children’s Oncology Group

• Donna Boruchov, MD, was elected as Co-Chair of the New England Sickle Cell Consortium Education and Clinical Practice Committee

• Julia Gardner, RN, was nominated for the 2024 Nightingale Award

• Natalie Bezler, MD, was elected to serve as the Chair of the American Society of Pediatric Hematology Oncology’s Quality Improvement and Patient Safety Special Interest Group

Additionally, a number of us were invited to be speakers at regional and national meetings:

• Mary Fran McGeary, BSN, RN presented a Nursing Grand Rounds titled “Simulation, Storytelling, and Pediatric End-of-Life Care” at Connecticut Children’s on February 14, 2024

• Mary Keller, RN, MSN presented at Connecticut Children’s Nursing Grands Rounds on February 27, 2024. Ms. Keller also shared a poster presentation at the CT Nursing Research Alliance in October 2024 and won a 3rd Place award for poster presentations of clinical research at the Connecticut Children’s Research Institute’s 4th Annual Symposium in November 2024.

• Karina Engelke, APRN presented at APHON nation conference in Salt Lake City in September 2024. The presentation was titled “Relapsed and Refractory Neuroblastoma: What Now?

• Dr. Boruchov presented at Pediatric Grand Rounds at Day Kimball Hospital in February 2024. The presentation was titled “Updates in Sickle Cell Disease”

• Megan Coco, APRN and Victoria Pohl, APRN, presented on “The Birds, The Bees, and Sickle Cell Disease” focusing on reproductive health concerns for the sickle cell population, including fertility preservation techniques in the setting of new related treatments

• Dr. Isakoff presented “Update on Adolescent and Young Adult Osteosarcoma” and “Update on Osteosarcoma benchmark data for resected and unresected patients on phase II trials” at COG in March 2024

• Dr. Bezler moderated an ASPHO Webinar in which our fellow Dr. Pastor was one of the speakers: Webinar - Do What is Right and Work with Purpose: Paving the Road for Quality Improvement | The American Society of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology (aspho.org)

Research activities were maintained at a high level in our division. Divisional research led to the publication of multiple papers outlined below and the receipt of external research grants including:

• $1.36M K08 Grant from the NCI to Dr. Frederick

• Ms. Roche received a grant from the Connecticut Children’s Foundation to study and support the development of a novel Scanxiety clinical trial.

• National Pediatric Cancer Foundation funding of $44,000 for Dr. Isakoff to fund work as Protocol Chair for the Sunshine Project

• Siddika Mulchan, PsyD, Ms. Coco, and Dr. Boruchov wrote “Pain in Sickle Cell Disease” Chapter 24 in the book “Pain Management in Vulnerable Populations”.

PUBLICATIONS

Oesterheld J, Ferguson W, Kraveka JM, Bergendahl G, Clinch T, Lorenzi E, Berry D, Wada RK, Isakoff MS, Eslin DE, Brown VI, Roberts W, Zage P, Harrod VL, Mitchell DS, Hanson D, Saulnier Sholler GL. Eflornithine as Postimmunotherapy Maintenance in High-Risk Neuroblastoma: Externally Controlled, Propensity ScoreMatched Survival Outcome Comparisons. J Clin Oncol. 2024 Jan 1;42(1):90-102. doi: 10.1200/JCO.22.02875. Epub 2023 Oct 26. PMID: 37883734; PMCID: PMC10730038.

Aglio T, Paul TK, Porter A, Bien K, Hashmi SK, Lyman J, Kaye EC. Longitudinal Impact of a Novel Condolence Expression Curriculum. J Palliat Med. 2024 Jan;27(1):9092. doi: 10.1089/jpm.2023.0304. Epub 2023 Sep 28. PMID: 37768836; PMCID: PMC10790550.

Clairmont CD, Gell JJ, Lau CC. Pediatric Tumors as Disorders of Development: The Case for In Vitro Modeling Based on Human Stem Cells. Cancer Control. 2024 Jan-Dec;31:10732748241270564. doi: 10.1177/10732748241270564. PMID: 39118322; PMCID: PMC11311176.

Keller MC, Needham A, Holden E, Engelke K, Foy K, Hart L, Hinderer K. (2024). We Are Done! Now What?

Exploring End of Treatment Needs of Childhood Cancer Survivors and Their Parents. J Pediatric Hematology/ Oncology Nursing. 2024 Mar-Apr; 41(2):96-106. https:// doi.org/10.1177/27527530231194598. Epub 2024 Jan 18. PMID: 38238967.

Sholler GLS, Bergendahl G, Lewis EC, Kraveka J, Ferguson W, Nagulapally AB, Dykema K, Brown VI, Isakoff MS, Junewick J, Mitchell D, Rawwas J, Roberts W, Eslin D, Oesterheld J, Wada RK, Pastakia D, Harrod V, Ginn K, Saab R, Bielamowicz K, Glover J, Chang E, Hanna GK, Enriquez D, Izatt T, Halperin RF, Moore A, Byron SA, Hendricks WPD,

Trent JM. Molecular-guided therapy for the treatment of patients with relapsed and refractory childhood cancers: a Beat Childhood Cancer Research Consortium trial. Genome Med. 2024 Feb 12;16(1):28. doi: 10.1186/s13073024-01297-5. PMID: 38347552; PMCID: PMC10860258.

Fisher, B., Meyer, A., Brown, A., Conway Keller, M., McKeown, T., Tiller, J., Saylor., & Duffy, E. A. (2024). Evidence-Based Recommendations for Education Provided to Patients and Families Regarding the Adverse Events of ALK and MEK Inhibitors: A Systematic Review From the Children’s Oncology Group. Journal of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Nursing, 41(2), 114-128. https:// doi.org/10.1177/27527530231206101. Epub 2024 Mar 28. PMID: 38549368.

Conway Keller, M., Ayr-Volta, L., Marconi, E., Needham, D., Foy, K., Hart, L., Holden, E., Anuar, A., Engelke, K., & Hinderer, K. (2024). Shooting for the STARS: Implementing an Evidence-based Program to Meet the End of Treatment Needs of Childhood Cancer Survivors and Their Families. Journal of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Nursing, 41(4):240-251. https://doi.org/10.1177/27527530241245636

Mulchan S.S., Coco, M., Boruchov D. (2024). Pain in Sickle Cell Disease. In P.J. Christo, R.M. Gallagher, J.G. Katzman, & K.A. Williams, (Eds.), Pain Management in Vulnerable Populations (pp. 379-89). Oxford University Press. DOI https://doi.org/10.1093/med/9780197649176.001.0001

Zalewski K, Cantor E, Chu R, Mody R, Yanik G, Sedig L. Concurrent primary mediastinal germ cell tumor and acute myeloid leukemia: Case report of sustained remission and review of the literature. Pediatr Blood Cancer. 2024 Jul;71(7):e31012. doi: 10.1002/pbc.31012. Epub 2024 Apr 14. PMID: 38616378.

Qi L, Baxter P, Kogiso M, Zhang H, Braun FK, Lindsay H, Zhao S, Xiao S, Abdallah AS, Suarez M, Huang Z, Teo WY, Yu L, Zhao X, Liu Z, Huang Y, Su JM, Man TK, Lau CC, Perlaky L, Du Y, Li XN. Direct Implantation of Patient Brain Tumor Cells into Matching Locations in Mouse Brains for Patient-Derived Orthotopic Xenograft Model Development. Cancers (Basel). 2024 Apr 28;16(9):1716. doi: 10.3390/cancers16091716. PMID: 38730671; PMCID: PMC11083000.

Edwards CM, Elefant D, Isakoff MS, Gaffar MA. Bilateral tonic pupils secondary to anti-GD2 antibody therapy for neuroblastoma. J AAPOS. 2024 Apr;28(2):103852. doi: 10.1016/j.jaapos.2024.103852. Epub 2024 Feb 17. PMID: 38368925.

Krause S, Ouellet V, Allen D, Allen S, Moss K, Nel HA, Manaseki-Holland S, Lynch I. The potential of micro- and nanoplastics to exacerbate the health impacts and global burden of non-communicable diseases. Cell Rep Med. 2024 Jun 18;5(6):101581. doi: 10.1016/j.xcrm.2024.101581. Epub 2024 May 22. PMID: 38781963; PMCID: PMC11228470.

Coco M, Starkweather AR, Park CL, Henderson W. A Systemic Review of the Psychosocial Aspects of Chronic Pain in Youth With Sickle Cell Disease. Pain Manag Nurs. 2024 Jun;25(3):217-224. doi: 10.1016/j.pmn.2024.03.009. Epub 2024 Apr 20. PMID: 38643039.

Mulchan SS, Theriault CB, DiVietro S, Litt MD, Sukhera J, Tanabe P, Thomas HR, Zempsky WT, Boruchov D, Hirsh AT. Provider Implicit Racial Bias in Pediatric Sickle Cell Disease. J Racial Ethn Health Disparities. 2024 Jul 17. doi: 10.1007/ s40615-024-02086-x. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 39020144.

Gupta A, Dietz MS, Riedel RF, Dhir A, Borinstein SC, Isakoff MS, Aye JM, Rainusso N, Armstrong AE, DuBois SG, Wagner LM, Rosenblum JM, Cohen-Gogo S, Albert CM, Zahler S, Chugh R, Trucco M. Consensus recommendations for systemic therapies in the management of relapsed Ewing sarcoma: A report from the National Ewing Sarcoma Tumor Board. Cancer. 2024 Dec 1;130(23):4028-4039. doi: 10.1002/cncr.35537. Epub 2024 Aug 25. PMID: 39182183.

Chandrakasan S, Allen CE, Bhatla D, Carter J, Chien M, Cooper R, Draper L, Eckstein OS, Hanna R, Hays JA, Hermiston ML, Hinson AP, Hobday PM, Isakoff MS, Jordan MB, Leiding JW, Modica R, Nakano TA, Oladapo A, Patel SA, Pednekar P, Riskalla M, Sarangi SN, Satwani P, Tandra A, Walkovich KJ, Yee JD, Zoref-Lorenz A, Behrens EM; REAL HLH investigators. Emapalumab Treatment in Patients With Rheumatologic Disease-Associated Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis in the United States: A Retrospective Medical Chart Review Study. Arthritis Rheumatol. 2024 Sep 8. doi: 10.1002/art.42985. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 39245963.

Reed DR, Tulpule A, Metts J, Trucco M, Robertson-Tessi M, O’Donohue TJ, Iglesias-Cardenas F, Isakoff MS, Mauguen A, Shukla N, Dela Cruz FS, Tap W, Kentsis A, Morris CD, Hameed M, Honeyman JN, Behr GG, Sulis ML, Ortiz MV, Slotkin E. Pediatric Leukemia Roadmaps Are a Guide for Positive Metastatic Bone Sarcoma Trials. J Clin Oncol. 2024 Sep 1;42(25):2955-2960. doi: 10.1200/ JCO.23.02717. Epub 2024 Jun 6. PMID: 38843482; PMCID: PMC11534082.

Phillips CA, Kennelly R, Carroll C, Gibson F, Elgarten CW, Orsey A, Freedman JL. Survey of international pediatric nutritional supportive care practices: a report from the Pediatric Study Group of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer (MASCC). Support Care Cancer. 2024 Sep 7;32(10):644. doi: 10.1007/s00520-024-08826-3. PMID: 39243282; PMCID: PMC11380636.

Dhir A, Hayashi M, Bodlak A, Oesterheld J, Loeb DM, Mascarenhas L, Isakoff MS, Sandler ES, Borinstein SC, Trucco M, Lagmay JP, Setty BA, Pratilas CA, Caywood E, Metts J, Yin H, Fridley B, Yin J, Laborde J, Reed DR, Adams DL, Wagner LM. Phase II Trial of Gemcitabine and nab-Paclitaxel for Recurrent Osteosarcoma with Serial Monitoring Using Liquid Biopsy: A Report from the National Pediatric Cancer Foundation. Clin Cancer Res. 2024 Oct 3. doi: 10.1158/1078-0432.CCR-24-1339. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 39360936.

Paul TK, Aglio T, Dalgo A, Kaye EC. Narrative Medicine in Hospice and Palliative Care: A Longitudinal Fellowship Curriculum Pilot. Am J Hosp Palliat Care. 2024 Oct;41(10):1161-1165. doi: 10.1177/10499091231223717. Epub 2023 Dec 21. PMID: 38128066; PMCID: PMC11190033.

Bhatla T, Hogan LE, Teachey DT, Bautista F, Moppett J, Velasco Puyó P, Micalizzi C, Rossig C, Shukla N, Gilad G, Locatelli F, Baruchel A, Zwaan CM, Bezler NS, Rubio-SanSimón A, Taussig DC, Raetz EA, Mao ZJ, Wood BL, Alvarez Arias D, Krevvata M, Nnane I, Bandyopadhyay N, Lopez Solano L, Dennis RM, Carson R, Vora A. Daratumumab in pediatric relapsed/refractory acute lymphoblastic leukemia or lymphoblastic lymphoma: the DELPHINUS study. Blood. 2024 Nov 21;144(21):2237-2247. doi: 10.1182/ blood.2024024493. PMID: 39158071.

STAFF

Michael Isakoff, MD, Division Head

Ching Lau, MD, PhD, Scientific Director

Taylor Aglio, MD

Erin Barthel, MD

Natalie Bezler, MD

Donna Boruchov, MD

Evan Cantor, JD, MD

Natasha Frederick, MD, MPH

Joanna Gell, MD

Laura McKay, MD

Kerry Moss, MD

Andrea Orsey, MD, MSCE

Emily Vistica-Sampino, MD

Patrick Ng, PhD

Lauren Ayr-Volta, PhD

Megan Coco, APRN

Grace Clark, PA

Keri Curtis, PA

Karina Engelke, APRN

Jennifer Grande, APRN

Susanne Johnson, APRN

Meredith Lake, APRN

Christine Longyear, APRN

Morgan McCarthy, APRN

Siddika Mulchan, PsyD

Victoria Pohl, APRN

Kimberly Roche, APRN

Katherine Steven, APRN

Amanda Zuse, APRN

Fellows:

Erin Pastor, DO

Shruthishree Sukumar, MD

Paul Tomlinson, MD

Psychology Fellow: Jenine Tulledge-Wolff, Ph.D.

INFECTIOUS DISEASES AND IMMUNOLOGY

The Division of Infectious Diseases and Immunology provides state-of-the-art care for newborns, children, and adolescents in Connecticut and adjacent states. The Division consists of experienced board-certified specialists, APRNs, RNs, social workers, and case workers who are dedicated to the health and wellbeing of children with infectious diseases, immune disorders, HIV, and many other conditions. The integrated team provides services for those seeking preventive therapies and vaccines, pediatric refugees, and families who require travel advice. Members of the Division are involved in several NIHfunded research projects including spirochetal infection, COVID-19-related inflammatory disorders, congenital infections, antimicrobial resistance, and vaccine development.

CLINICAL PROGRAMS

The Division of Infectious Diseases and Immunology provides a wide range of comprehensive inpatient and outpatient consultation services for neonates, children, and youth with common or complex infectious diseases, congenital infections, complications of COVID-19, and congenital and acquired immunodeficiencies including HIV. The Division provides essential services to children before they travel abroad and to new refugees. Division faculty play an important role guiding organizational responses to infectious diseases outbreaks and unexpected surges including COVID-19, mpox, Mycoplasma, parechovirus, RSV, and others. Our team helps to lead the Clinical Pathways Program and the Antibiotic Stewardship Program.

INPATIENT AND OUTPATIENT CONSULTATIONS

Division physicians are available 24/7 for inpatient consultations. In 2024 our patient volume increased above historical norms due to respiratory viral infections and a national surge of Mycoplasma pneumoniae. The division continued to provide both in-person consultations, outpatient consultations, and telemedicine visits. We also provided travel clinic consultations, HIV care, and immunology consultations in our clinic.

REFUGEE CLINIC

In 2024 the Division of Infectious Diseases provided initial medical evaluations and management for refugee families in the greater Hartford area and northern Connecticut within one month of their arrival to the United States. The Child Health Clinic for Refugee, Immigrant and Travel Medicine (Refugee Clinic) at Connecticut Children’s was

established by Melissa Held, MD, in January 2018 to provide the initial medical evaluation and management for refugee children up to age 18 years. Our doctors and staff review available medical records, interview families, assess for any potential infectious diseases, and provide appropriate referrals to other specialists. We assist families in identifying ongoing care with a primary care provider that is convenient for them. We provided essential services to three refugee children in 2024 and 27 children in 2023.

CONGENITAL AND NEONATAL INFECTION CLINIC

Ashley Howard, DO supervises the Congenital and Neonatal Infection Clinic where Infectious Diseases providers consult on a variety of congenitally- or perinatally-acquired infectious diseases. The role of the clinic is to diagnose and manage infants diagnosed with or exposed to diverse infections such as CMV, enterovirus, hepatitis B and C, HIV, HSV, syphilis, and toxoplasmosis. ID providers coordinate care with other subspecialties including neonatology, ophthalmology, audiology, and neurodevelopmental pediatrics. The clinic evaluates at least 10 infants per month. Dr. Howard provides prenatal consultation to pregnant women with suspected or proven fatal infections such as HIV.

CLINICAL PATHWAYS

Numerous clinical care pathways for the management of children with suspected or proven infections were developed or updated during 2024 under the leadership of Grace Hong, APRN, Infectious Diseases and Ilana Waynik, MD, Hospital Medicine. All pathways are based on high quality evidence from contemporary medical literature and undergo regular and standardized metric reviews.

Ms. Hong developed numerous ID-related clinical pathways including management of fever in the neonate 0-28 days old, community acquired pneumonia, HIV PEP, skin and soft tissue infection, and animal bite infections. She serves as the content expert and liaison between the Antimicrobial Stewardship Program, ID, Quality and Safety, and clinical pathway owners for numerous clinical pathways that relate to antimicrobial management or evaluation for infectious diseases. Ms. Hong initiates or contributes to multiple quality improvement initiatives within the ID Division and institutionally including Epic optimizations, work flow standardizations, blood culture management, fungal culture ordering, screening for severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID), and many others.

Ms. Hong leads the implementation of HIV screening and results management within the institution, particularly

in the Emergency Department. She manages multiple quality improvement initiatives within the Division for the federally-funded Ryan White HIV Program at Connecticut Children’s, directed by Juan Salazar, MD, MPH.

Ms. Hong is owner, developer, and manager for numerous COVID-related pathways, including care of the COVID-19 patient in the ED/Inpatient, Inpatient Therapies for COVID positive patients, MIS-C, Long Haul patients in the ambulatory setting, and pathways for the protection of employees and patients. She is the content expert and stakeholder in all COVID-related workflows throughout the institution and at Connecticut Children’s affiliated centers. Additionally, Ms. Hong manages the COVID Long Haul CLASP referral guideline to assist community providers in the diagnosis and management of COVID Long Haul and developed the PANDAS referral guideline to optimize patient care.

ASK THE EXPERTS

John Schreiber, MD, and Ian Michelow, MD, Division Head of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, continued to provide updates on the CME platform Ask the Experts to keep our community informed of the latest scientific and clinical updates regarding COVID-19, RSV, and other respiratory viral infections. The lecture series reaches hundreds of participants during each virtual session and through archived online recordings.

ANTIMICROBIAL STEWARDSHIP PROGRAM (ASP)

Under the leadership of Jennifer Girotto, PharmD, and Dr. Michelow, the ASP at Connecticut Children’s has demonstrated consistent improvement in appropriate antimicrobial usage with a multifaceted approach using detailed electronic audits and feedback from the CDC based on national benchmarks. The program continues to provide guidance for antimicrobial utilization through the Firstline antimicrobial application (web and cell phone app), Clinical Pathways, prospective review and feedback of antimicrobial therapies, antimicrobial restriction processes, and education to healthcare providers. The ASP also oversees the documentation of beta-lactam allergies in patient’s medical records and the adherence is excellent.

In 2024, the ASP and ID Division launched a new initiative to test for penicillin allergy in low-risk hospitalized children who are labelled allergic before they are discharged. The purpose is to remove unnecessary allergy precautions in children who would benefit from using penicillin-based oral therapies. This program is important to counter the

development of antimicrobial resistance in bacteria and to allow children to use preferred, cheaper first-line therapies. The ASP provides institution-wide education about antimicrobial and diagnostic stewardship to improve the quality, safety and cost effectiveness of healthcare. It implemented an updated guideline for restrictions related to empiric antimicrobial use. Members of the ASP continue to educate providers about blood culture identification PCR panels. The ASP committee continues to monitor the use of the Respiratory Biofire PCR panel and provide feedback to users in order to reduce unnecessary use.

The ASP focused on incorporating the latest national guidelines for surgical prophylaxis in clean and cleancontaminated procedures to minimize unnecessary antibiotic use, and significant improvement in relevant benchmarks has been observed.

PEDIATRIC AND YOUTH HIV PROGRAM AND SERVICES

The Pediatric and Youth HIV Program at Connecticut Children’s is directed by Dr. Salazar (PI) and Danielle Warren-Dias, MS and is comprised of a multidisciplinary team of physicians, case managers, nurses, social workers, and health advocates. They continue to provide timely, family-centered, and culturally sensitive care to children, adolescents, and parents infected with or affected by HIV. The HIV Program offers medical, nursing, nutritional, psychosocial, and mental health services to youth in the region and facilitates appropriate community referrals with partner agencies for patients and their families. They also offer a variety of programs designed to prevent the transmission of HIV and improve health outcomes. The program has been continuously funded through the Ryan White program for almost three decades with awards totaling over $20 million from the federal government for the provision of direct HIV patient care services.

Medical Case Management

Medical case management services have been foundational to the Program’s success in retaining HIVpositive patients in care and virally suppressed with improved health outcomes. The clinic-based Medical Case Managers provide an initial assessment of clients’ needs and develop individualized service plans with clients, guardians, and other care providers. Medical Case Managers also coordinate clinical and supportive services.

The medical case management team remains abreast of cutting edge, innovative, and evidence-based practice modalities and augment their skills by participating in

professional development opportunities through trainings and workshops. In the past year, Medical Case Managers provided approximately 2,750 Medical Case Management encounters (including Food Vouchers and Medical Transportation).

Routine HIV Testing at Primary Care Sites/Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) Navigation Services

The Routine Testing/PrEP Navigation initiative continues to serve youth 15-24 years of age through Connecticut Children’s Primary Care Centers. In January 2024, Routine Testing was expanded to the Connecticut Children’s Emergency Room which increased the number of youth screened for HIV and PrEP/PEP. Youth who present at the Emergency Department are offered HIV screenings and referred to the ID Division and PrEP/PEP Navigation Services if HIV positive. Connecticut Children’s is the only hospital in northern Connecticut providing these services for youth and is a leader and pioneer in implementing routing HIV testing in ambulatory and ED settings. Point of Care Testing has been an area of focus for the Program. Over the past year, more than 120 medical providers gained knowledge of HIV Screening processes and PrEP/ PEP Navigation Services.

As a result of the Routine Testing initiative, approximately 877 adolescents have been tested for HIV, 317 youth have been screened for PrEP Navigation Services, and 12 have been referred/enrolled through the Pediatric Youth and Family HIV Program. To date, 75 adolescents have been tested for HIV via the Home/Self HIV Test Kit.

Clinical coordinator Ryan Manthey, RN, and PrEP Navigator Angel Ruiz, developed a CLASP tool that will augment community pediatricians’ knowledge of best practices for the identification and referral of PrEP patients. The CLASP tool went live in July of 2024 and was successfully presented in conjunction with the DPH Routine Testing Tool kit to over 50 pediatric providers. The provider CLASP tool in the community has been successful with over 110 hits by providers. We are hopeful the CLASP tool will continue to grow in 2025. Finally, a PrEP Poster presentation was accepted and displayed at the 10th Illumination Quality Assurance Conference in Spring 2024.

Smart Recovery Group

Connecticut Children’s has enhanced prevention services by implementing status-neutral outreach efforts which include addressing substance use disorders among youth and young adults. A key component for the success of

individuals in recovery is the support of family and friends. Program staff have engaged family and friends of youth in recovery via skills building activities including jewelry making, drip art, golf lessons, nature walks, and bike rides. Over 50 youth, family, and friends participated in skills building activities.

Program staff continue to partner with ConnectCommunity for Addiction Recovery (C-CAR) to provide HIV testing and PrEP Navigation Services to individuals receiving in-person recovery care. Approximately 77 individuals received HIV prevention education including PrEP and eight were tested for HIV.

Hartford

Youth HIV Identification and Linkage Consortium (HYHIL), led by Program Director Ms. Dias, continues to leverage the care continuum to increase positive outcomes and improve health equity for individuals and families affected by HIV, experiencing homelessness or at-risk of experiencing homelessness, and in need of HIV Testing/PrEP and substance use recovery services. Our program received funding for the enhancement of routine HIV testing and PrEP Navigation Services. HYHIL reached over 2000 middle and high school students across Connecticut with HIV prevention and PrEP Navigation Services to students in traditional and non-traditional education settings through interactive preventive education, screening over 671 adolescents/ young adults for HIV.

FELLOWSHIP

Under the direction of Hassan El Chebib, MD, Program Director of the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Fellowship Program, the Division’s Fellowship program has grown in size. We matched Sarah McCullough, DO, in 2023 and she started her combined Medicine-Pediatrics fellowship in July 2024. She started with the UConn Department of Medicine Infectious Diseases fellowship program and will continue her training at Connecticut Children’s in July 2026. The Division also participated in the 2024 Fellowship Match process hosted by the ACGME. The ID Division interviewed 11 highly qualified applicants and successfully matched with a pediatric resident from Dartmouth-Hitchcock Residency Program. This was a major achievement because fewer than 50% of Pediatric ID Fellowships filled their training slots in 2024.

FACULTY RECRUITMENT

We are in the process of recruiting a Medical Director of Infection Prevention and Control to replace Dr. Schreiber when he retires in 2025.

RESEARCH

Division members continued to be highly productive in research and scholarly activities during 2024 as indicated by multiple active grants from the NIH and various Foundations totaling more than $8.5 million. Divisional researchers and their collaborators published 17 peerreviewed papers in prestigious peer-reviewed journals.

Justin D. Radolf, MD, along with M. Anthony Moody, MD, (Duke Human Vaccine Institute), entered the second year of a five-year $3.1 million award from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) at the NIH to develop a vaccine for syphilis. The study team includes researchers from UConn School of Medicine, Connecticut Children’s, the Duke Human Vaccine Institute, the University of Pennsylvania, and the University of Arizona. Kelly L. Hawley, PhD, and Dr. Salazar serve as co-investigators for this grant. The project centers on optimizing protein and mRNA based vaccinogens in preparation for a proper vaccine formulation.

Dr. Hawley entered the third year of a five-year $4.5 million dollar award from the Good Ventures Foundation for the formulation and assessment of a de novo designed, multivalent syphilis vaccine. The study team is exploring novel methods to engineer chimeric vaccinogens for the formulation of a highly protective syphilis vaccine.

Additionally, the Spirochetal Research Laboratory has engaged in a multicenter international project supported by the NIAID to develop a syphilis biorepository. Dr. Hawley, along with an international study team, is focused on the collection of biological specimens from diverse anatomical sites from individuals with early syphilis. This biorepository of specimens will be made available to researchers for investigations related to syphilis diagnostics.

Along with Jenny Hyde, PhD, (Texas A&M University), Melissa Caimano, PhD, and Dr. Radolf received a twoyear $476,000 award from the NIH to study the role of the alternative sigma factor RpoS for persistence of B. burgdorferi in ticks and mammals.

A multicenter international project led by Dr. Salazar entered the final year of a four-year $4.8 million award from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) at the NIH. The project focuses the development of a tool that can easily diagnose children at high risk for Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C), a rare, severe, and sometimes fatal after-

effect of SARS-CoV-2 infection. The study is a collaborative effort involving researchers from the University of Connecticut Health Center, University of Connecticut Storrs, the Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine, New York Department of Health, New York University, the University of Hawaii, the Food and Drug Administration, and Centro de Estudios en Infectología Pediátrica in Cali, Colombia. To target this discovery initiative, Drs. Salazar, Hawley, and their team are using a battery of biological, immunological, and molecular tests to study children and young adults under 21 years of age with mild, moderate, or severe SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Dr. Salazar, Jeffrey Shenberger, MD, (NICU) and UConn Health’s Todd Arnold, PhD, received a University of Connecticut Clinical Research and Innovation Seed Program (CRISP) award for the HART Center Pilot Project. The long-term goal of the HART Center is to establish a state-wide program to facilitate informed medical decision making based on an infant’s unique genomic signature analyzed using long-read whole genome sequencing (LRWGS) during the newborn screening process. The HART Center is a collaboration between Connecticut Children’s, UConn Health, UConn School of Medicine, UConn Storrs, Hartford HealthCare, and the Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine. The pilot project will evaluate infant/ parent couplets to assess infrastructure readiness and process efficiency in the application of LR-WGS during newborn screening.

Dr. Michelow is site PI for an NIH-funded U54 study entitled “Combatting AntiMicrobial Resistance in Africa Using Data Science (CAMRA)”, a 5-year multicenter international study to discover new mechanisms of antimicrobial resistance.

Drs. Howard and Michelow are site PIs for NIH-funded multicenter studies to investigate congenital CMV, enterovirus, and parechovirus

PUBLICATIONS

A Al-Alawi, S Raniga, IC Michelow, L Al Yazidi, Z Al Hinai. Early bone ischemia in pediatric acute hematogenous osteomyelitis associated with progression to chronic osteomyelitis: new insights from gadolinium-enhanced subtraction MRI. Pediatr Infect Dis J. Published online Sep 26, 2024. doi: 10.1097/INF.0000000000004552

RS Gross, T Thaweethai, LC Kleinman, et al, and the RECOVER-Pediatrics Consortium; and the RECOVERPediatrics Group Authors (IC Michelow, JC Salazar).

Characterizing Long COVID in Children and Adolescents. JAMA Published online August 21, 2024.

A Ding, M Osorio, M Teferi, B Gallo Marin, M CruzSánchez, M Lorenz, IC Michelow. A Retrospective Longitudinal Study of Refugees with Eosinophilia at an Academic Center in the US from 2015-2020. Open Forum Infect Dis 2024.

DA Lawrence, A Jadhav, TK Mondal, K Carson, WT Lee, AH Hogan, KW Herbst, IC Michelow, M Brimacombe, JC Salazar and the Connecticut Children’s COVID Collaborative. Inflammatory and autoimmune aspects of Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C): A prospective cohort study. Viruses 2024; 16(6):950

Y Choi, JY Yeh, JK Lee, IC Michelow, S Park. Risk factors associated with Coxiella burnetii in wild boars: a study in South Korea. Prev Vet Med 2024;225:106157

CJ Bearnot, R Laghari, EN Mbong, RF Muhayangabo, K Butler, M Gainey, SM Perera, IC Michelow, O Tang, AC Levine, A Colubri, AR Aluisio. Derivation and Internal Validation of a Mortality Prognostication Machine Learning Model in Ebola Virus Disease Using Iterative Point-of-Care Biomarkers. Open Forum Infect Dis 2024;11(2): ofad689

Howard A, Nishikawa JK, Sánchez. “Minimally symptomatic” congenital cytomegalovirus infection: latest data and emerging concepts. Curr Opin Pediatr 2024 Aug 1;36(4):480-488.

Seña AC, Matoga MM, Yang L, Lopez-Medina E, Aghakanian F, Chen JS, Caimano MJ, Chen W, Garcia Luna JA, Hennelly C, Jiang Y, Juliano JJ, Pospíšilová P, Ramirez LG, Šmajs D, Tucker JD, Vargas F, Zheng H, Hoffman IF, Yang B, Moody MA, Hawley KL, Salazar JC, Radolf JC, Parr JB. “Clinical and genomic diversity of Treponema pallidum subsp. pallidum: A global, multi-center study of early syphilis to inform vaccine research.” Lancet Microbe 2024 Sep;5(9):100871.

Reid TB, Godornes C, Campbell VL, Laing KJ, Tantalo LC, Gomez A, Pholsena TN, Lieberman NAP, Krause TM, Cegielski VI, Culver LA, Nguyen N, Tong DQ, Hawley KL, Greninger AL, Giacani L, Cameron CE, Dombrowski JC, Wald A, Koelle DM. “Treponema pallidum periplasmic and membrane proteins are recognized by circulating and skin CD4+ T cells.” J Infect Dis. 2024 Aug 16;230(2):281-292.

Liu A, Giacani L, Hawley KL, Cameron CE, Seña, A, Konda K, Radolf JD, Klausner JD. “New Pathways in Syphilis

Vaccine Development”. Sex Transm Dis 2024 Jul 22 PrePrint

Salazar JC, Vargas-Cely F, García-Luna JA, Ramirez LG, Bettin E, Romero-Rosas N, Amórtegui MF, Silva S, Oviedo O, Vigil J, La Vake CJ, Galindo X, Ramirez JD, Caimano MJ, Hennelly CM, Aghakhanian F, Moody MA, Seña AC, Parr JB, Hawley KL, López-Medina E, Radolf JD. “Treponema pallidum genetic diversity and its implications for targeted vaccine development: A cross-sectional study of early syphilis cases in southwestern Colombia.” PLoS One. 2024 Jul 19;19(7):e0307600.

Yang L, Zhang X, Chen W, Sena AC, Zheng H, Jiang Y, Zhao P, Chen R, Wang L, Ke W, Salazar JC, Parr JB, Tucker JD, Hawley KL, Caimano MJ, Hennelly CM, Aghakanian F, Zhang F, Chen JS, Moody MA, Radolf JD, Yang B. “Early syphilis in Guangzhou, China: presentation, molecular detection of Treponema pallidum, and genomic sequences in clinical specimens and isolates obtained by rabbit infectivity testing.” J Infect Dis 2024 Jun 17:jiae322.

Bellusci L, Grubbs G, Sait S, Herbst KW, Salazar JC, Khurana S, The Connecticut Children’s COVID Collaborative. “Evolution of the Antigenic Landscape in Children and Young Adults with COVID-19 and MIS-C.” Vaccines 2024 Jun 7; 12(6):638.

Hogan AH, Herbst KW, Defelice C, Schulman N, Adams AM, Carroll CL, Salazar JC. Going viral: Assessing the impact of social media on enrollment in a coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cohort study. Cureus 2024; 16(3):e56096.

Cascio S, Kaefer M, Bagli D, Nelson CP, Nieuwhof-Leppink A, Braga LH, Herbst KW, Garriboli M, Kalfa N, Harper L, Fossum M; ESPU Research Committee. The importance of animal specificity in animal experimentation, part II: Physiological challenges and opportunities in relation to pediatric urology. J Pediatr Urol 2024;20(2):312-314.

Salazar JC and Radolf JD. T-Cell Responses to Treponema pallidum Proteins in Blood and Skin to Advance Syphilis Vaccine Design: Learning From Nature. J Infect Dis 2024 Aug 16;230(2):275-277.

Cabana MD, de Alarcon PA, Allen E, Bean XD, Brophy PD, Cordova de Ortega L, Degnon L, First LR, Dennery PA, Salazar JC, Schleien C, St Geme JW, Parra-Roide L, Walker-Harding LR. Pediatric Department Approaches to Promote Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. J Pediatr 2024 Feb 6:113951. doi: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2024.113951.

STAFF

Clinical Staff:

Ian C. Michelow, MD, MMed, FCPaed, DTM&H, FPIDS, Division Head Infectious Diseases

Hassan El Chebib, MD, Infectious Diseases, Fellowship Program Director

John R. Schreiber, MD, MPH, Infectious Diseases, Medical Director of Infection Control

Juan C. Salazar, MD, MPH, Infectious Diseases

Alex Atkinson, RN, Infectious Diseases

Jennifer Girotto, PharmD, Clinical Pharmacy, Antimicrobial Stewardship Program

Henry M. Feder, Jr., MD, Infectious Diseases

Nilda Fernandez, LMSW, Infectious Diseases, HIV Program Co-Leader

Melissa Held, MD, Infectious Diseases, Associate Dean for Medical Student Affairs, UConn

Hillary Hernandez-Trujillo, MD, Allergy/Immunology

Grace Hong, PNP-BC (APRN), Infectious Diseases, Allergy/Immunology, Clinical Pathways

Ashley Howard, DO, Infectious Diseases

Ryan Manthey, RN, Infectious Diseases

Myrna Millet Saez, MS, HS-BCP, Infectious Diseases, HIV Program

Consuelo Munoz, MS, Infectious Diseases, HIV Program

Angel Ruiz, BS, RC, Infectious Diseases, HIV Program

Gavin Schwarz, MD, Allergy/Immunology

Danielle Warren-Dias, MS, SW, Infectious Diseases, HIV Program Co-Leader

Senior Scientific Advisor, CCMC:

Justin D. Radolf, MD, Internal Medicine and Infectious Diseases

Research Staff:

Melissa J. Caimano, PhD, Infectious Diseases

Kelly Hawley, PhD, Infectious Diseases

Administrative Director, Department of Pediatrics at UConn Health:

Shaylee King, MS, CCRP

Sr. Practice Manager: Wanda Hernandez

Practice Coordinator:

Claudia Alford/ Seithy Mercado, MA

Medical Assistants: Delilah Rodriguez, MA

Ana Valentin, MA

Senior Scientific Research Advisor and Project Manager: Kathy Herbst, MS

Research Assistants:

Emily Bean, BS

Noah Schulman, BS

Stephanie Lesmes, BS

Carlie Defelice, BA

Carolyn Wolf, BS

MEDICAL GENETICS

The mission of the Division of Medical Genetics is to provide high quality, timely, and state-of-the-art genetic consultations, counseling, testing, and interventions for patients from the prenatal period through childhood, adolescence, and into adulthood. Our team diagnoses and manages patients with a broad range of rare and complex disorders including metabolic and neurogenetic diseases. The Division of Medical Genetics at Connecticut Children’s works jointly with members of the Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences and the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Connecticut Health Center.

ADMINISTRATIVE UPDATES

David Whitehead, MD, joined the Division in May 2024 as a full -time clinical geneticist. Dr. Whitehead completed his genetics training at Montefiore Medical Center and is an avid teacher. In addition to seeing children in the general pediatric genetics clinic he will participate in a highly specialized multidisciplinary program with the Division of Hematology/Oncology to provide genetic counseling, testing, and care for children with suspected cancer predisposition syndromes.

DIVISIONAL STRUCTURE & STAFFING

A multidisciplinary Genetics Care Team comprised of clinical geneticists, genetic counselors, and metabolic dieticians provide genetics/genomics expertise and services across the life continuum at Connecticut Children’s. The consolidated care team is comprised of four clinical medical geneticists, genetic counselors, metabolic nutritionists, and a genetic counselor assistant.

CLINICAL PROGRAMS

Our academic, administrative, and clinical offices are located in Farmington where we see pediatric-aged general genetic and neurogenetic patients and both adult and pediatric metabolic patients. Geneticists also participate in multidisciplinary fetal consults at Connecticut Children’s new Fetal Care Center. In collaboration with Hematology-Oncology, a new clinic program for cancer predisposition counseling and testing will begin seeing patients in Hartford in early 2025.

The Neurogenetics Clinic, directed by Division Head Louisa Kalsner, MD, is housed within the Connecticut Children’s Genetics office in Farmington. Children of all ages with a broad range of developmental, neurological, and neurodegenerative disorders, including

intellectual disability, gait abnormalities, structural brain abnormalities, movement disorders, and epilepsy, undergo comprehensive genetic evaluation. We are now able to diagnose numerous ultra-rare disorders which cause neurological disease. Accurate diagnosis is increasingly enabling precision health care and providing guidance for screening of associated health conditions, medication choices for epilepsy, and in some cases treatments such as gene therapy or enzyme replacement therapy for select conditions.

The Autism Neurogenetics Clinic (ASAP Neurogenetics) is the only program of its kind in the region and offers genetic and other testing when indicated for children diagnosed on the spectrum. This highly specialized program allows for comprehensive neurological and genetic evaluation for affected children as well as management of neurological and genetic conditions. Families also receive education and recurrence risk counseling. Led by Dr. Kalsner, the ASAP Neurogenetics Clinic evaluated 248 children with autism in 2024.

Patients with inborn errors of metabolism are seen in a comprehensive clinic in Farmington. Joseph Tucker, MD, leads this program with support from highly trained metabolic dieticians Amanda Mullane, MS, RD, and Katelyn Ware, MS, RD. Children and adults with a variety of conditions including urea cycle disorders, fatty acid oxidation defects, and PKU are closely managed by a multi-disciplinary team.

EDUCATIONAL MISSION

Teaching responsibilities begin with first year medical students and extend through post-graduate students. A substantial number of medical students, residents, fellows, and genetic counselor learners rotate through Genetic clinics and/or attend educational sessions provided by Genetics faculty. Drs. Kalsner and Tucker participate in medical student education by providing monthly didactic lectures to UConn students on topics related to pediatric genetics.

RESEARCH/GRANTS

Dr. Kalsner (investigator) and genetic counselor Michael Peracchio, MS, LCGC, are involved in an ongoing research study in collaboration with the Jackson Laboratory utilizing a new form of technology for whole genome sequencing called long read sequencing. The study involves identification and recruitment of children and young adults with high suspicion for a genetic disorder who have not received a diagnosis through earlier extensive clinical

testing. As of the end of 2024 we have enrolled 22 patients in the study and are in the process of reviewing results in collaboration with the team at the Jackson Laboratory. This study is funded in part by the Connecticut Children’s Genomic Allseq Award.

NATIONAL IMPACT

Dr. Kalsner is a member of the IDMC for an AAV delivery gene therapy treatment designed to deliver a functional GBL1 gene encoding-galactosidase to the brain and peripheral tissues for the treatment of early infantile and late infantile GM1 gangliosidosis (GM1).

Dr. Kalsner is a member of the Katie Beckett Waiver Program Working Group. The group is led by state representative Jillian Gilchrest and state senator Matt Lesser and includes advocates for children with complex medical needs and chronic illness, including parents of children who are enrolled in the program. The working group seeks to address the waiting list for the Katie Beckett Waiver Program and consider if the program is adequately meeting the needs of children with disability and chronic disease in Connecticut.

COLLABORATION WITH THE DPH NEWBORN SCREENING (NBS) LAB & THE CONNECTICUT NEWBORN DIAGNOSIS & TREATMENT NETWORK

Connecticut Children’s Genetics division has assumed an expanded role in newborn screening (NBS) since the statewide network model went live in 2019 with an electronic NBS Registry. The network, funded through the Connecticut Department of Public Health (DPH), is housed in the Pediatric Clinical Genetics Program in Farmington.

The NBS network was planned and implemented by Connecticut Children’s under the leadership of Karen Rubin, MD and serves as the communication link between the DPH NBS laboratory, primary care providers or hospital-based medical providers, five subspecialty clinical care teams at both Connecticut Children’s and Yale New Haven Hospital (Genetics, Endocrinology, Hematology, Neurology, and Immunology), and families. The network responds to all NBS results that are abnormal in the State of Connecticut. Connecticut now screens for more than 60 disorders. Almost half of the abnormal NBS results are for genetic/metabolic disorders, and these are reviewed and interpreted by the Genetics team at Connecticut Children’s.

In the past year, the network received 396 referrals from the DPH NBS lab with 132 abnormal screens in genetics. Our geneticists provided real-time interpretation for these 132 cases, ordered further diagnostic testing when appropriate, and ensured timely initiation of care, with 41 cases confirmed as affected or disease carriers. The network provides genetic counseling services and metabolic dieticians to assist patients and their families identified through NBS as having metabolic disorder with a team that includes two nurse coordinators and a dedicated genetic counselor.

COLLABORATIONS WITH FETAL MEDICINE AND HEMATOLOGY/ONCOLOGY

The Division participates in fetal consultations with the Fetal Medicine program at Connecticut Children’s. A fetus identified to have malformations may have an underlying genetic disorder. Our geneticists participate in collaborative cross-specialty consultations with members of the fetal medicine team and the family to discuss available genetic testing options, suspected and confirmed diagnoses, and prognosis and management during pregnancy and after delivery.

Geneticists are increasingly involved in testing for cancer predisposition syndromes. In 2025, our newest team member Dr. Whitehead will be participating in a collaborative specialty clinic with the Division of Hematology/Oncology. This program will provide genetic counseling and testing when appropriate for children with a suspected genetic cancer predisposition syndrome.

PUBLICATIONS

New kinase-deficient PAK2 variants associated with Knobloch syndrome type 2. Schnur RE, Dvořáček L, Kalsner L, Shapiro FL, Grebeňová D, Yanni D, Wasserman BN; VIGOR; Dyer LM, Antonarakis SE, Kuželová K.Clin Genet. 2024 Oct;106(4):518-524. doi: 10.1111/cge.14578. Epub 2024 Jun 18.PMID: 38894571

A de novo variant in PAK2 detected in an individual with Knobloch type 2 syndrome. Werren EA, Kalsner L, Ewald J, Peracchio M, King C, Vats P, Audano PA, Robinson PN, Adams MD, Kelly MA, Matson AP. bioRxiv [Preprint]. 2024 Apr 22:2024.04.18.590108. doi: 10.1101/2024.04.18.590108. PMID: 38712026

Comprehensive EHMT1 variants analysis broadens genotype-phenotype associations and molecular mechanisms in Kleefstra syndrome. Rots D, Bouman A, Yamada A, Levy M,...Kalsner L, et al. Am J Hum Genet. 2024 Aug 8;111(8):1605-1625. doi: 10.1016/j. ajhg.2024.06.008. Epub 2024 Jul 15. PMID: 39013458

STAFF

Medical Geneticists:

Louisa Kalsner, MD Division Head

David Whitehead, MD

Joseph Tucker, MD

Jaclyn Beirne, MD

Pediatric Genetic Counselors:

Michael Peracchio, MS, LCGC

Virginia Casola, MS, LCGC

Pediatric Genetic Counselor Assistant:

Catherine Silva

Pediatric Metabolic Dietitians:

Sherry Gray, MS, MPH, CD-N

Kaitlyn Ware, MS, RD, CNSC, CD-N

Amanda Mullane MS, RD

Newborn Screening Network Team providing direct support to Genetic on NBS cases

Genetic Counselor:

Ginger Nichols, MS, LCGC

RN Coordinators:

Debra Ellis

Meghan Criscuolo

NEONATAL-PERINATAL MEDICINE

The Division of Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine provides state-of-the-art, high-quality care to our region including at our own Connecticut Children’s Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICUs) as well as in our Neonatal Care Alliance of NICUs and local Hospital Birthing Centers. Our network remains anchored by our Level IV East NICU at Hartford Hospital and the newly opened 16-bed, singleroom South NICU within Connecticut Children’s. This new unit expands NICU bed capacity in Hartford to 48. Our nearly fifty division members continuously improve newborn care in our region by advancing education, training, collaboration, and cutting-edge research.

Faculty in the Division of Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine provide neonatal care and support clinical operations and research activities across our region within:

• Our flagship Connecticut Children’s Level IV NICU in Hartford, CT

• Our Connecticut Children’s Level III NICU at the UConn Health/John Dempsey Hospital in Farmington, CT

• The Level 3 NICU at the Hospital of Central Connecticut in New Britain, CT

• The Level 2 NICU at Eastern Connecticut Health Network in Manchester, CT

• The Level 3 NICU at Danbury Hospital

• The Level 3 NICU at Norwalk Hospital

• The Level 3NICU at St Vincent’s Hospital in Bridgeport, CT

• The Level 3 NICU at Vassar Brother’s Medical Center in Poughkeepsie, NY

• The Level I2 Special Care Nursery at Backus Hospital in Norwich, CT

• Level 1 Birthing Centers and Nurseries in CT at Hartford Hospital, Midstate Medical Center in Meriden, Charlotte Hungerford Hospital in Torrington, Sharon Hospital in Sharon, and Day Kimble Hospital in Putnam

• Level 1 Birthing Centers and Nurseries in NY at Northern Dutchess Hospital in Rhinebeck and Putnam Hospital in Carmel Hamlet

Our faculty members work collaboratively within these centers to bring Connecticut Children’s standard of highest quality neonatal care to patients in centers close to their homes. This year the division welcomed four new faculty members to provide services in Connecticut and New York.

In September, the Division hosted the 8th Annual Symposium on Neonatal Advances at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine. This regional event organized by Mariann Pappagallo, MD, showcases national leaders in neonatal clinical care and research to discuss advances feeding practices and nutrition.The event drew nearly 100 attendees from across the region.

MAJOR RESEARCH ACTIVITIES IN THE DIVISION

Adam Matson MD, MSc, continues to investigate the microbiome and processes whereby bacterial populations and/or bacterial products influence gut health and neonatal outcomes. His most recently published works integrate state-of-the-art sequencing technology to unique properties of the most pathogenic strains of bacteria contributing to necrotizing enterocolitis in premature infants. Dr. Matson’s work is supported by grants from Connecticut Children’s and the University of Connecticut School of Medicine. Additionally, Dr. Matson serves as Director of Connecticut Children’s Neonatal Biorepository.

Hala Saneh, MD, is a junior faculty member whose research focuses on regenerative therapies for neonatal lung diseases. Her current work investigates the use of extracellular vesicles derived from stem cells to regenerate the premature lung in preclinical disease models. She receives funding from a Connecticut Children’s Connection grant. Dr. Saneh works closely with experts in the regenerative medicine field from Connecticut Children’s, UConn, the University of Ottawa, and the University of Vermont.

Naveed Hussain, MBBS, MD, DCH, researches epidemiological and data analytic approaches to evaluate factors associated with improved neonatal outcomes. His projects involve trainees at all levels and produce academic products that have been presented regionally and nationally. He is the Research Director of the Neonatal Division and serves as Connecticut Children’s Global Health Director for Education. Dr. Hussain leads collaborative research with international partners in Mauritius and India.

Shabnam Lainwala, MBBS, PhD, engages in research on preterm infants’ neurodevelopmental, nutritional, and growth outcomes. Her publications investigate the relationship between nutrition and feeding practices in preterm infants and their short and long-term clinical outcomes. She is a co-investigator on studies on growth outcomes and neurodevelopmental outcomes of highrisk preterm infants, the developmental impact of reading books to premature infants, and INCHIP, a UConn Storrs collaboration evaluating the impact of stress of telomere length in mother-infant pairs. Dr. Lainwala also helps lead the New England Neonatal Follow-up Network, a subsection of Vermont Oxford Network.

Jeffrey S. Shenberger, MD, leads research on neonatal outcomes and novel therapies. He is the principal investigator of the Health Analytics and Research Translations Center (HART) Pilot, a collaboration between UConn School of Medicine, The Jackson Laboratory, and Connecticut Children’s, which assesses the practicality of universal newborn genomic screening. The program is funded through the Clinical Research and Innovation Seed Program at UConn. He is a member of the Data Safety Monitoring Board evaluating transfusion-related gut injury in premature infants and the use of neurostimulation to minimize opioid withdrawal in newborns. In addition, Dr. Shenberger is a member of the NIH Extremely Low Gestational Age Newborn study analysis and writing team, and participates in four focus groups for the Children’s Hospitals Neonatal Consortium where he co-leads the group on retinopathy of prematurity.

Ted Rosenkrantz, MD, continues to collaborate with UConn Storrs investigators on hypoxic-ischemic injury in newborns using clinical data and translational models. His team examines the effect of gestational age, sex, and neuroprotective therapies to determine mechanisms of brain injury and assess the effectiveness of therapies in afflicted infants. Dr. Rosenkrantz also includes UConn undergraduate and graduate students on numerous projects examining neonatal chronic lung disease, feeding, and bone growth.

James Moore MD, PhD, leads research in nutrition and GI physiology. He was the US principal investigator for the NIRTURE (Near Infra-Red Spectroscopy Targeted Use to Reduce adverse outcomes in Extremely preterm infants.) He is one of the Organizing Committee members for the new Neonatal Insights: Best Evidence and Practice in Clinical Neonatology due for release in January 2025. In 2024 Dr. Moore continued to serve as a national educator

through lectures at the Specialty Review in Neonatology Course on GI physiology and Nutrition, Neonatal Insider, and the executive board for the Southern Society for Pediatric Research.

Annmarie Golioto, MD, is the principal investigator at Connecticut Children’s for a multisite study testing use of a catheter for Less Invasive Surfactant Administrations for use in infants who are less than 29 weeks gestational age at birth.

QUALITY AND SAFETY IMPROVEMENT

The Division of Neonatology continues to provide the highest quality and safest newborn care within our partner heath systems, Hartford Healthcare, Nuvance, and UConn Health. Our providers serve as medical directors to guide newborn clinical policies and protocols within these partner sites toward best practices and have led initiatives with our partner systems for quality assurance and improvement. Our faculty members lead local quality and safety improvement teams within international collaboratives including Solutions for Patient Safety, the Vermont Oxford Network, and the Children’s Hospital Neonatal Consortium (CHNC). Annmarie Golioto, MD, and David Sink, MD, lead our NICU Central Line Associated Bloodstream Infections (CLABSI) Prevention Team. David Sink, MD, and Kendall Johnson, MD, continue to lead efforts to decrease unplanned extubations in our NICUs to levels below national benchmarks.

Emily Gritz, MD, is leading the development of an interdisciplinary neonatal neurocritical care program in conjunction with our colleagues in the Departments of Neurology, Rehabilitation, Pharmacy, Radiology, and Nursing. This program, based out of our Level IV NICU in Hartford Hospital, will bring the most current, evidencebased care practices to the bedside of our patients at risk for perinatal brain injury. Dr. Gritz spearheads the Neurodevelopmental Follow-up Program initiative to improve rates of early detection of infants with cerebral palsy via use of the Hammersmith Infant Neurologic Examination (HINE).

Marilyn Sanders, MD, and Julie Sheehan, MD, lead the Connecticut Children’s Multidisciplinary Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia (BPD) Collaborative to address the clinical care of infants at risk for requiring long-term positive pressure ventilation.

LEVEL IV HARTFORD NICU EXPANSION

A multidisciplinary team including Drs. Golioto and Shenberger have expanded access to beds in our Hartford-based NICU. This year saw the opening of 16 bed, single-room NICU at Connecticut Children’s Washington Street campus. Ongoing work continues on the single-room NICU in the new tower which is slated to open in 2025 and will increase neonatal capacity to 57 beds.

FETAL MEDICINE

Neonatology continues its collaboration with fetal surgeon Tim Crombleholme, MD, and our Maternal Fetal Medicine colleagues to provide coordinated management in the Fetal Care Center for referred fetuses with anomalies or complex conditions anticipated to require NICU care after birth. A small group of dedicated neonatologists led by DonnaMaria Cortezzo, MD, provides consultative support to families prior to delivery. The multispecialty group has developed detailed care pathways for infants with Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia to provide optimal care and the best possible outcomes.

NEWBORN MEDICINE

Care of newborns continues to be a pillar of clinical practice provided by the division throughout our hospitals. A dedicated team of newborn hospitalists and advanced practitioners at Hartford Hospital led by Sonia Chaudhry, MD, provide newborn care for the more than 4000 infants delivered each year. Neonatologists and advanced practitioners also provide newborn care at UConn, the Hospital of Central Connecticut, Eastern Connecticut Health Network in Manchester, and Backus Hospital in Norwich.

NEONATAL-PERINATAL MEDICINE FELLOWSHIP

Under the leadership of Program Director Jennifer Trzaski, MD, we successfully recruited two first-year fellows who started fellowship in 2024: Jordyn Harler, DO, a former pediatric resident at the University of Texas Health Sciences Center San Antonio and Mandeep Takhar, MD, who completed residency Western Michigan University Homer Stryker School of Medicine. Our fellows presented their academic projects at several regional and national meetings on topics including use of point of care ultrasound for severity of RDS in VLBW infants, use of NIRS in acute kidney injury, and gastroesophageal reflux in VLBW infants. The guidance and leadership of Dr. Trzaski led to an increase in the number of fellows from two to three per year beginning in 2025. This expansion

will provide additional clinical training to coincide with the NICU Tower expansion planned for late 2025.

NEONATAL CRITICAL CARE TRANSPORT TEAM

Under the direction of Marilyn Sanders, MD, the Neonatal Critical Care Transport Team continues to respond to the transport needs of critically ill neonates from referring hospitals across region. Our team provides state-ofthe-art technologies during transport including high frequency ventilation, inhaled nitric oxide, and therapeutic hypothermia. By leveraging our regionalized clinical neonatal network to provide the right care at the right place at the right time, we meet the immediate needs of our patients as close to home as possible. This year the NICU hired Dwight Carlone, BA, FP-C, an expert in transport management, to oversee transport logistics and collect quality data to continually improve our services.

Using our 24-hour One Call system, health care providers from other locations have ready access to a neonatologist to arrange transport of their neonatal patients to the appropriate level of care. Neonatal Advanced Practitioners and Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine Fellows are actively involved in the transport program and managed nearly 450 patients in 2024.

NEONATAL NEURODEVELOPMENTAL FOLLOW UP PROGRAM

Connecticut Children’s Neonatal Neurodevelopmental Follow-Up Program (NNFP) is a regional service supporting all high-risk infants born and discharged from Connecticut Children’s-staffed NICUs in the Greater Hartford, Eastern, and Central Connecticut regions. The program receives referrals from NICUs at St. Francis Hospital as well as Connecticut Children’s ECMO program, Cardiology, Neurosurgery, General Surgery services, and community pediatricians. In 2024, Dr. Lainwala’s team conducted nearly 1000 visits.

The NNFP is an integral part of research in the Neonatology division. The NNFP provides training to neonatal fellows and pediatric residents as part of a continuity clinic experience. Fellows, residents, and medical and undergraduate students have ongoing research and quality improvement projects within the NNFP and many trainees have presented their work at international conferences. The introduction of the Hammersmith Infant Neurologic Examination tool provides means for the early detection of cerebral palsy. Our NNFP group also collaborates with regional children literacy programs and receives grants for books

for preterm children in the NNFP program and NICUs throughout the region.

PUBLICATIONS

Dornette S, Deptola S, Hemmann D, Venkatesan C, Cortezzo DE. Recognition and Management of Delirium in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit: Case Series from a Single Center Level IV ICU. J Child Neurol, In Press, 2024.

Zhao T, Chang X, Biswas SK, Balsbaugh JL, Liddle J, et al (Matson AP 7/9). Pain/stress, mitochondrial dysfunction and neurodevelopment in preterm infants. Dev Neurosci Published online, Jan 29, 2024.

Pyle A, Adams-Hartung SY, Cortezzo DE, et al. Navigating the post-Dobbs landscape: ethical considerations from a perinatal perspective. J Perinatol. 2024 May; 44(5):626634.

Jones M, Simpson S, Beck AE, Cortezzo DE, Thienprayoon R, et al. Racial Inequities in Pediatric Palliative Care Referral among Children with High-Intensity Neurologic Impairment. J Pediatr 2024 Feb 1:113930. Epub ahead of print.

Alur P, Ramarao S, Hitt A, Vig S, Alur R, Hussain N. SexSpecific Differences in Nutrient Intake in Late Preterm Infants. Children (Basel). 2024 Feb 20; 11(3):265.

McLeod RM, Rosenkrantz TS, Fitch RH. Antenatal magnesium sulfate benefits female preterm infants but results in poor male outcomes. Pharmaceuticals 17(218), Feb 7, 2024.

Saneh H, Wanczyk H, Walker J, Finck C. Effectiveness of extracellular vesicles derived from hiPSCs in repairing hyperoxia-induced injury in a fetal murine lung explant model. Stem Cell Res and Ther 15:80, 2024.

Garg PM, Garg PG, Shenberger JS. Is necrotizing enterocolitis and spontaneous intestinal perforation part of the same disease spectrum – new insights? Current Pediatr Rev, In Press, 2024.

Marin T, Moore J. Understanding Near-Infrared Spectroscopy: An Update. Crit Care Nurs Clin North Am 2024 Mar; 36(1):41-50.

Garg PM, Lett K, Ansari MAY, Cunningham H, Ware J, et al (Shenberger JS 12/15). Outcomes by disease onset, sex, and intervention in neonates with SIP and surgical NEC. Pediatr Res. 2024 Mar; 95(4):1009-1021.

Quinones Cardona V, Cohen S, Cook N, Cizmeci MN, Chandel A, et al (Shenberger JS 15/19). The current state of NICU follow-up in the United States: A Children’s Hospital Neonatal Consortium Report. Am J Perinatol, 2024 Apr. PMID: 38458236

Garg PM, Garg P, Shenberger JS. Clinical Utilization of Intestinal Pathology in the Classification of NEC vs. SIP Cases and Prognostication. J Perinatol, Published online Mar 13, 2024.

Randall RL, Balevic SJ, Greenberg RG, Cohen-Wolkowiez M, Thompson EJ, et al (Hussain N 15/20). Opportunistic dried blood spot sampling validates and optimizes a pediatric population pharmacokinetic mode of metronidazole. Antimicrob Agents Chemother, Published online 13 Mar, 2024.

Call C, Oran A, O’Shea TM, Jensen ET, Frazier JA, et al (Shenberger J 7/13). Social determinants of health rather than race impact health-related quality of life in 10 yearold children born extremely premature. Front Pediatr, 2024 Mar 14:12:1359270. PMID: 38550629

HIP Trial Investigators; Blakely ML, Krzyzaniak A, Dassinger MS, Pedroza C, Weitkamp JH, et al (Lainwala S 31/53). Effect of Early vs Late Inguinal Hernia Repair on Serious Adverse Event Rates in Preterm Infants: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA. 2024 Mar 26; 331(12):1035-1044.

Garg PM, Riddick RA, Meilstrup AC, Ware J, Zepponi D, et al (Shenberger J 9/10). Clinical and growth correlates of retinopathy of prematurity in preterm infants with surgical necrotizing enterocolitis and intestinal perforation. J Perinatol, In Press, March 27, 2024.

Alur P, Holla I, Hussain N. Impact of sex, race, and social determinants of health on neonatal outcomes. Front Pediatr. 2024 Apr 9; 12:1377195.

Redmann AJ, Hart CK, Smith MM, Martin C, Borschuk AP, et al (Cortezzo DE 6/7). Provider moral distress in caring for tracheostomy and ventilator dependent children: A single institution cross-sectional evaluation. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2024 Apr; 59(4):880-885. PMID: 38165151.

Dornette S, Deptola S, Hemmann B, Venkatesan C, Cortezzo DE. Recognition and Management of Delirium in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit: Case Series From a Single-Center Level IV Intensive Care Unit. J Child Neurol 2024 May; 39(5-6):171-177.

Garg PM, South AM, Inder T, Shenberger JS. Hypotension: a modifiable risk factor impacting surgical NEC-associated AKI and brain injury in preterm infants. Pediatr Res. 2024 May 7. PMID: 38768643

Garg PP, Weitkamp H, McDonald A, Cilvik S, Mir IN, et al (Shenberger J 8/10). Placenta and intestinal Injury in preterm infants. Am J Perinatol. 2024 Jun 18.

Garg PP, Shenberger J, South AM, Garg PM. Necrotizing Enterocolitis-Associated Acute Kidney Injury-Transforming the Paradigm. Am J Perinatol. 2024 Jun 18. doi: 10.1055/a2330-1244.

Claes D, Markham KB, Cortezzo DE. An Ethical Analysis of Therapy for Severe Congenital Kidney and Urinary Tract Anomalies. Pediatrics. 2024 Jun 1; 153(6):e2023064720.

Lee KS, Massaro A, Wintermark P, Soul J, Natarajan G, Dizon ML, Mietzsch U, Mohammed K, Wu T-W, Chandel A, et al (Shenberger J 11/15). Practice variations for therapeutic hypothermia in neonates with hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy: an international survey. J Pediatr, 2024 June. PMID:38950817

McLeod RM, Rosenkrantz TS, Fitch RH. Protective effects of early neonatal methylxanthine treatment on cognitive and language outcomes in preterm infants with and without high-risk perinatal factors. Dev Neurosci Jul 24.

Neel ML, Bora S, Brachio SS, Dunca A, Vanberbilt D, et al, High Risk Infant Follow-up Networking Group (S Lainwala). Challenges and opportunities in high-risk infant follow-up: netweorking sessiona at the Pediatric Academic Societies. J Pediatr, July 2024.

Jumani T, Mishra P, Robinson T, Shenberger J, Davis JM, et al. Short-term effects of opioid use during therapeutic hypothermia for neonatal encephalopathy. Front Pediatr, In Press, 2024.

Brown J, Chang X, Matson A, Lainwala S, Chen MH, Cong X, et al. Health disparities in preterm births. Front Public Health. 2023 Dec 15; 11:1275776.

Warren EA, Kalsner L, Ewald J, Peracchio M, King C, Vats P, et al, (Matson AP 11/11). A de novo Variant in PAK2 Detected in an Individual with Knobloch Type 2 Syndrome. bioRxiv [Preprint]. 2024 Apr 22:2024.04.18.590108.

Gehl B, Feinn R, Haines K, Hussain N, Lainwala S. Growth

at 2 Years Corrected Age in Preterm Infants Discharged on two Different Breast Milk Enhancements: an Observational Study. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr. 2024; Aug 21.

Venkatesan C, Cortezzo DE, Habli M, Agarwal S. Interdisciplinary Fetal Neurology Care: Currently Practices, Challenges, and Future Directions. Seminars in Fetal and Neonatal Medicine. 2024 Apr 10:101523. doi: 10.1016/j. siny.2024.101523. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38604916.

Kelner J, Moote D, Shah R, Anuar A, Golioto A. Lung Ultrasound Score for Predication of Surfactant Administration in Preterm Infants with Respiratory Failure. J Perinatol 2024, Sept 44(9):1258-1263.

Garg PM, Riddick R, Ansari Ay, Yi J, Pittman I, et al (Shenberger J 9/11). Timing of surgery and associated outcomes in preterm infants with surgical necrotizing enterocolitis and intestinal perforation. J NeonatalPerinatal Med, Mar 2024.

Emmanuel C, Jensen ET, Gower A, Perrin EM, Sanderson K, et al (Shenberger J 8/15). Neonatal inflammation among individuals born extremely preterm: associations with asthma and obesity during childhood. Pediatr Res, June 2024. PMID: 38914762

Call C, Oran A, O’Shea TM, Jensen ET, Frazier JA, et al (Shenberger J 7/13). Health-related quality of life at age 10 years in children born extremely preterm. J Perinatol, 2024 May. PMID: 387600579

Prakesh R, Reyes-Garcia DV, Hansoge SS, Rosenkrantz TS. Therapeutic Hypothermia for Neonates with HypoxicIschemic Encephalopathy in Low- and Lower-MiddleIncome Countries: A Systemic Review and Meta-analysis. J Tropical Pediatr 2024 Aug 70(5)

Prasad U, Johnson K, McGuire S, Haines K, Spizzoucco A, Lainwala S. Quality improvement initiative to achieve early enteral feeds in preterm infants at a level IV neonatal intensive care unit. Nutr Clin Pract. 2024; 1-8. doi:10.1002/ ncp.11236

Yanni D, Scheid A, Sinha CB, Ramsey KW, Hempel B, et al (Pappagallo M 7/12). Improving well-being among women in neonatology. J Perinatol 2024 Aug Davidson J, Malhotra Y, Shay R, Arunachalam A, Sink D, et al. Building a NICU quality & safety infrastructure. Semin Perinatol. 2024 Apr;48(3):151902. Epub 2024 Apr 23. PMID: 38692996

Healy H, Whitesel E, Mao W, Day CL, Murphy TG, et al (Sink DW 14/16). Measuring practice preference variation for quality improvement in neonatal respiratory care. J Perinatol. 2024 Jul;44(7):1001-1008. Epub 2024 Apr 8. PMID: 38589537

Saneh H, Wanczyk H, Walker J, Finck C. Stem cellderived extracellular vesicles: a potential intervention for Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia. Pediatr Res. 2024 Sep 9. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 39251881.

BOOK CHAPTERS

Hagadorn JI. Target Ranges of Oxygen Saturation in Extremely Preterm Infants: The SUPPORT Trial. In: Hay S, Soll RF, Schmidt B, Kirpalani H, Zupancic JF, eds. Fifty Studies Every Neonatologist Should Know. Oxford University Press, New York, NY 2024.

Hagadorn JI. Multicenter Trial of Cryotherapy for Retinopathy of Prematurity: The CRYO ROP Trial. In: Hay S, Soll RF, Schmidt B, Kirpalani H, Zupancic JF, eds. Fifty Studies Every Neonatologist Should Know. Oxford University Press, New York NY, 2024.

STAFF

Jeffrey S. Shenberger, MD, Division Chief, Ross Mayer Endowed Chair

Annmarie Golioto, MD, Regional Director

David W. Sink, MD, Regional Director

Adam Czynski, DO, Nuvance Regional Director

Caroline Amin, MD

Tina Rita Bafumi, MD

Arvin Bundhoo, MD, Medical Director

Sonia Chaudhry, MD, Medical Director

Jean Chelala, MD

Brett Citarella, MD, Medical Director

Denise Clark, MD

DonnaMaria Cortezzo, MD

Dina Elachi, MD, Assistant Medical Director

Victoria Fabrizio, MD

Ahmet Gork, MD

Emily Gritz, MD

Catherine Hansen, MD

Naveed Hussain, MBBS, MD

Carla Jacobson-Kiel, MD, Medical Director

Edward James, MD, Medical Director

Kendall Johnson, MD

Abraham Khorasani, MD

Shabnam Lainwala, MD

Nancy Louis, MD, Medical Director

Mishika Malik, MD

Adam Matson, MD

Arpana Mohnani, MD

James Moore, MD, PhD

Sandra Motta, MD

Amanda Ocran, MD

Mariann Pappagallo, MD

Amy Patel, MD

Priyam Pattnaik, MD

Melissa Posner, MD

Usha Prasad, DO, MPH

Alaina Pyle, MD

Ted S. Rosenkrantz, MD

Allison Sadowski, MD

Marilyn Sanders, MD

Hala Saneh, MD

Shikha Sarkar, MD

Meltem Seli, MD

Julie Sheehan, MD, MPH

Amanda Smith, MD

Morgan Spaight, MD

Poonam Thakore, MD

Leslie I. Wolkoff, MD

Kinga Zgutka, MD

Rhonda Cerritelli, PA-C

Heather Champagne, PA-C

Sabrina Colangelo, PA-C

Katherine Costanzo, PA-C

Nora Croll, PA

Beth Cross, PA

Alexis D’Aloiso, PA-C

Jordan Earl, PA-C

Osagiate Ehi-Adoghe, PA-C

Joshua Evans, PA-C

Pamela Fanning, PA

Denise Filosi, PA-C

James Gerace, PA

Kaitlyn Jones, PA-C

Klaudia Konopka, PA-C

Erin Leishman, PA-C

Matthew Light, PA-C

Megan Lomasney, PA-C

Kimberly Orzech, PA

Iwona Pawlukiewicz, PA

Emery Raynor, PA-C

Sara Renna, PA

Philip Roach, PA

Elizabeth Seils, PA

Lauren Smith, PA

Jacqueline Talbot, PA

Kelsey Vilarino, PA

Danielle Waite, PA-C

Lillian Wallace, PA-C

Heather Walsh, PA

Leslie Zalesny, PA-C

Mackenzie Babb, APRN

Jennifer Battle, APRN

Carol Bogdanowicz, APRN

Renee Brockett, APRN

Heather Brown, APRN

Jacquelyn Browne, APRN

Stephanie Capps, APRN

Jessica Cauchon, APRN

Julia Christofori, APRN

Cristina Clark, APRN

Karen Cleaveland, APRN

Sheryl Combs, APRN

Sheila Crerand, APRN

Joan Crotty-O’Gorman, APRN

Caroline Dempsey, APRN

Brittany Dispensa, APRN

Megan Dushek, APRN

Katie Dwyer, APRN

Megan Fitzimons, APRN

Michelle Foell, APRN

Jeanne Franza, APRN

Krista Ganim, APRN

James Gerace, APRN

Kalin Haley, APRN

Jill Herr, APRN

Krista Kusinski, APRN

Kelley Lavine, APRN

Erin Leishamn, APRN

Matthew Light, APRN

Laura Lissner, APRN

Jennifer Long, APRN

Colleen Low, APRN

Jessie Mangs, APRN

Joanne McConnell, APRN

Karen McGuiness, APRN

Suanne Menick, APRN

Alexis Michael, APRN

Lalainya O’Connell, APRN

Karen O’Brien, APRN

Kristen O’Dell, APRN

Rebecca Pappalardo, APRN

Arti Patel, APRN

Terry Poppiti, APRN

Victoria Pryputniewicz, APRN

Heather Remy, APRN

Megan Richardson, APRN

Jennifer Rogers, APRN

Stacey Rubin, APRN

Rubi Ruiz-Bruzos, APRN

Amy Sienko, APRN

Jessica Simao, APRN

Tayler Simmons, APRN

Sarah Spada, APRN

Kayla St. Hilaire, APRN

Patricia Trehey, APRN

Jenna Trenbeath, APRN

Lindsay Tucker, APRN

Rebecca Valentine, APRN

Jillian Vitale, APRN

Laura Van Dyke, APRN

Erin Vlahakis, APRN

Alyssa Weiss, APRN

Karen Wilkinson, APRN

Mary Young, APRN

Kristi Zuniga Aguilar, APRN

Fellows:

Jacob Kelner, DO

Nazifa Rahman, MD

Surabhi Khasgiwala, MBBS

Zohaib Sayyed, MBBS

Jordyn Harler, DO

Mandeep Takhar, MD

NEPHROLOGY

The mission of the Division of Nephrology is to advance the understanding, prevention, and treatment of pediatric kidney disease through innovative research, excellent patient care, and the highest standards of medical education. We maintain a steadfast commitment to education and advocacy while improving the lives of children affected by kidney disease by fostering collaboration and developing new therapies.

The establishment of our primary office location at 399 Farmington Ave has elevated patient satisfaction by creating a welcoming and convenient care environment. Led by Division Head Sherene Mason, MD, MBA, the Nephrology Division saw significant growth in 2024. Division faculty provided exceptional multidisciplinary care for a diverse array of conditions and positioned the division as a leader in high quality and patient-centered outcomes. Nephrology continues to focus on diagnosis and treatment of kidney-related conditions and diseases by helping patients manage high blood pressure, a risk factor that is related to kidney health and which can lead to further kidney damage if uncontrolled. We continue to collaborate with Hartford Hospital’s Transplant team to manage patients who need or have received a kidney transplant, including monitoring anti-rejection medications and organ function.

ROBERT R. ROSENHEIM FOUNDATION DIALYSIS CENTER

We continue to grow and expand our extracorporeal services. In addition to providing specialized acute and chronic dialysis care, we have expanded our therapeutic apheresis services. Nephrology offers Red Cell Exchange (RCE) therapy for high-risk sickle cell patients, a vital addition to the Division’s Hematology-Nephrology collaboration. Our team was instrumental in providing a unique apheresis therapy that integrated life-saving ECMO for a critically ill infant. We continue to expand our services as we progress toward implementing the innovative Carpediem Dialysis system, allowing treatment of kidney failure in infants – a pioneering step in neonatal nephrology within the state of Connecticut and the New England region. For older children we continue to provide renal replacement therapy in partnership with our pediatric ICU colleagues by utilizing veno-venous hemodiafiltration to meet their needs. These milestones reflect our ongoing commitment to delivering exceptional, life-saving care to children of all ages.

AMBULATORY BLOOD PRESSURE MONITOR

The Division of Nephrology continues to expand its Hypertension and Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring (ABPM) Program, extending its reach and reinforcing our commitment to keeping care close to home. The program has broadened its research capabilities and fostered collaborations both nationally and within multiple divisions at Connecticut Children’s.

This growth highlights our dedication to providing accessible, high-quality care while advancing research and innovation in pediatric hypertension management.

KEY HIGHLIGHTS

• Juliann Reardon, MD, MHS, continues to present regularly to fellows at Yale with a focus on mental health for chronically ill children. Additionally, she serves as a capstone mentor for medical students at Quinnipiac University and is a thesis committee member for a Yale fellow. Dr. Reardon serves as the Subcommittee Chair for the American Academy of Pediatrics Section on Nephrology’s Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion committee.

• Robyn Matloff, MD, MPH, was one of two Connecticut Children’s pediatricians appointed to the Fairfield County Medical Association Board of Trustees. Dr. Matloff was promoted to Senior Ambulatory Pediatric and Community Development Officer for Fairfield County. She currently serves as the Medical Director for Physician Relations for Fairfield County and Eastern New York and will lead oversight for Quality Improvement in our Fairfield County offices. Dr. Matloff will lead physicians, assist with APP onboarding within the region, and provide community outreach and development support. Dr. Matloff will function in the capacity of a medical partner for the Connecticut Children’s Foundation initiatives in Fairfield County and assist with strategic imperatives within community relations and external provider engagement.

• Dr. Mason actively engages in scholarly work as Site Lead for the Pediatric Nephrology Research Consortium (PNRC) and Co-Investigator for CureGN, an NIH-funded multi-institutional prospective study on the impact of glomerular disease in children and adults. Collaborative work within these consortia have afforded Dr. Mason the opportunity to coauthor presentations and articles on IgA Vasculitis as well as Pheochromocytoma and hypertension management in children. She is also a member of the

Strategic Planning Committee for PNRC. As a Steering Committee member of the Group on Women in Medicine and Science (GWIMS) at UConn Health, Dr. Mason participated in organizing the inaugural research symposium and co-authored a poster presentation at the GWIMS/Association of American Medical Colleges’ national meeting.

• Hanan Tawadrous, MD, leads our Pediatric Renal Transplant program in collaboration with the Hartford Hospital Transplant team. She has spearheaded initiatives to improve outcomes for patients receiving a kidney transplant. Dr. Tawadrous is actively engaged in the Transplant Interest Group of the American Society of Pediatric Nephrology where she works collaboratively to investigate topics and advance research for children and adolescents who undergo transplantation.

• Edward Zitnik, DO, is a new and valued member of our faculty who has made significant contributions to our faculty and the broader academic community. He brings a wealth of expertise in Nephrology on topics that include health equity and dyslipidemia in chronic kidney disease. Dr. Zitnik’s dedication to mentoring and teaching medical students enhances the educational environment at Connecticut Children’s.

• Leonela Villegas, MD, MSCE, continues her National Kidney Foundation supported research on health outcomes in pediatric kidney disease. She was featured in the Spring 2024 Brighter Tomorrow Magazine in an article titled “Keeping Kids with Chronic Disease Out of the Hospital”. Dr. Villegas participated as an invited panelist at the Connecticut Association of School Based Health Centers Annual Conference on the topic of Migration Trauma. Her passion for underserved populations led to clinical and advocacy efforts to address systemic barriers to healthcare access for all children regardless of their migration status. She was interviewed in local news coverage regarding Medicaid Expansion for undocumented patients within the state of Connecticut.

PUBLICATIONS

Xiao N, Starr M, Stolfi A, Hamdani G, Hashmat S, Kiessling SG, Sethna C, Kallash M, Matloff R, Woroniecki R, Sanderson K, Yamaguchi I, Cha SD, Semanik MG, Chanchlani R, Flynn JT, Mitsnefes MJ. Blood Pressure Outcomes in NICU-Admitted Infants with Neonatal Hypertension: A Pediatric Nephrology Research Consortium Study. Pediatr. 2024 Jan;264:113765. doi:

10.1016/j.jpeds.2023.113765. Epub 2023 Sep 29.PMID: 37778410

Kizilbash SJ, Connolly H, Bartosh S, Zahr R, Al-Akash S, Chishti A, Mansuri A, Tawadrous H, Jain NG. Probiotic use in pediatric kidney transplant recipients: What are current practices, and are they evidence-based? A pediatric nephrology research consortium study. Pediatr Transplant. 2024 Aug;28(5):e14790. doi: 10.1111/petr.14790.PMID: 38837638

PRESENTATIONS

Poster Presentation: Reardon, J. GRaCEful Discussions: An exploration of physicians’ willingness to explore patients’ Race and Culture Experiences (GRaCE) in clinical care.

CT-AAP Annual Meeting, September 2024.

STAFF

Sherene Mason, MD, MBA, Division Head

Roby Matloff, MD, MPH

Juliann Reardon, MD, MHS

Hanan Tawadrous, MD

Leonela Villegas, MD, MSCE

Edward Zitnik, DO

Sonal Fisco, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC, CPN

Jessica Hinchey, APRN

PEDIATRIC NEUROLOGY

The Division of Neurology has a mission to provide stateof-the-art comprehensive evaluation and treatment for pediatric patients with neurological diseases in the region. Several cutting-edge treatments are provided for our patients with various disease of the nervous system such as brain stimulation, surgery for epilepsy, and geneticbased therapies for neuromuscular diseases such as spinal muscular atrophy and muscular dystrophy. The faculty of the Division educate nurses, medical students, and pediatric and neurology residents. Numerous division members are active in clinical research and publish peer reviewed articles.

In January 2024 we welcomed our new nurse practitioner Jenna Tobin, APRN who sees neurology patients in Hartford and Farmington. The addition of Ms. Tobin further expanded our outpatient neurology services.

The comprehensive Epilepsy Center under the direction of Jennifer Madan Cohen, MD, collaborated with Neurosurgery, Neuropsychology, and Neuroradiology for epilepsy surgery evaluations. The EEG Monitoring Unit (EMU) continues to work at capacity and provide world class service. The epilepsy and EEG teams include Krista Grande, MD, Lila Worden, MD, Mark Schomer, MD, and Niall Mitchel, NP. Dr. Worden offers ketogenic diet for adult epilepsy patients as a unique collaborative service. Connecticut Children’s is an active member of the Pediatric Epilepsy Research Consortium and has participated in several joint research projects with the consortium including a funded study of Biomarkers of Infantile Spasms and a survey of PNES centers. The EEG Lab in Farmington is now an accredited lab by ABRET (American Board of Registered Electrodiagnostic Technicians). We are the only accredited pediatric lab in Connecticut and one of only two in New England (Boston Children’s).

Elizabeth Ng, MD, is Medical Director of the Electrodiagnostic Laboratory (EMG/NCV) and collaborates with Orthopedics and Neurosurgery for diagnostic studies in nerve injuries. This diagnostic service has been accredited by the American Association of Neuromuscular and Electrodiagnostic Medicine (AANEM) with “exemplary status” after completing a formal review through the Electrodiagnostic Laboratory Accreditation Program.

The Movement Disorder program, led by William Yorns, DO, offers chemodenervation treatment. Dr. Yorns

collaborates with Jonathan Martin, MD, in the Division of Neurosurgery to perform dorsal rhizotomy procedures.

Francis DiMario, MD, and William Graf, MD, provide neurology consultations for the Maternal and Fetal Medicine Program.

Cognitive behavioral intervention therapy (CBIT) is offered by Dina Conley, APRN, for headache and Tourette patients.

Multidisciplinary clinics include: the Pediatric CMT Center of Excellence as part of the Inherited Neuropathy Consortium; the MDA Care Center supported by a grant from the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA); and the SMA Care Center sponsored by CureSMA. The Neuromuscular program offers gene therapy for spinal muscular atrophy and Duchenne’s muscular dystrophy. The Neurocutaneous Clinic, directed by Dr. DiMario, is recognized by the TS Alliance and Children’s Tumor Foundation as part of the Neurofibromatosis Clinic Network (NFCN).

The Division’s short-term growth plans have been institutionally approved and include the addition of three more neurologists. We have successfully recruited a pediatric neurologist who will join us in the summer of 2025 after finishing his residency at the Vanderbilt program. Our long-term goal is to initiate a Pediatric Neurology training program

The academic activity of our neurology faculty continued to expand with presentations at national and international conferences, committee memberships, and editorial board participation with several periodicals. Division members serve in various functions for national professional organizations such as the Electrodiagnostic Medicine Committee, Child Neurology Society (CNS) Ethics Committee, American Academy of Neurology Ethics, Law, and Humanities Committee (ELHC), Scientific Review Committee of the Child Neurology Society, and Care Center Committee of CureSMA.

PUBLICATIONS

Graf WD, Epstein LG, Kirschen MP. Use of neurological criteria to declare death in children. Dev Med Child Neurol. 2024 May 8. doi: 10.1111/dmcn.15954. PMID: 38718250 Review.

Graf WD, Cohen BH, Kalsner L, Pearl PL, Sarnat HB, Epstein LG; Ethics Committee of the Child Neurology Society. Fetal anomaly diagnosis and termination of

pregnancy. Dev Med Child Neurol. 2023 Jul;65(7):900907. doi: 10.1111/dmcn.15528. Epub 2023 Feb 2.

Graf WD, Epstein LG. Ethical Issues in Child Neurology. Swaiman’s Pediatric Neurology, Principles and Practice. 6th Edition ISBN : 9780323374828.

Mytinger JR, Albert DVF, Aylward SC, Beatty CW, Bhalla S, et al., Cohen JM, 11/35). A multicenter training and interrater reliability study of the BASED score. Journal of Clinical Neurophysiology, published ahead of print July 11, 2024 [IF 2.4].

Schnur RE, Dvořáček L, Kalsner L, Shapiro FL, Grebeňová D, Yanni D, et al. New kinase-deficient PAK2 variants associated with Knobloch syndrome type 2. Clin Genet. 2024 Oct;106(4):518-524. doi: 10.1111/cge.14578. Epub 2024 Jun 18.PMID: 38894571

Werren EA, Kalsner L, Ewald J, Peracchio M, King C, Vats P, et al. A de novo variant in PAK2 detected in an individual with Knobloch type 2 syndrome. bioRxiv [Preprint]. 2024 Apr 22:2024.04.18.590108. doi: 10.1101/2024.04.18.590108. PMID: 38712026

Rots D, Bouman A, Yamada A, Levy M, Kalsner L, et al. Comprehensive EHMT1 variants analysis broadens genotype-phenotype associations and molecular mechanisms in Kleefstra syndrome. Am J Hum Genet. 2024 Aug 8;111(8):1605-1625. doi: 10.1016/j. ajhg.2024.06.008. Epub 2024 Jul 15. PMID: 39013458.

Andres Fernandez, Jeremy J. Moeller, Dana B. Harrar, Rejean Guerriero, Jay Pathmanathan, et al., (Jennifer Madan Cohen, 7/11). Curriculum Innovation: Design and Implementation of Synchronous and Asynchronous Curricula to Enhance Residents’ EEG Knowledge and Experience Neurol Edu Dec 2023, 2 (4) e200101/

Talai A, Freedman DA, Trott K, Steenari MR, Plioplys S, Kimbley H, Madan Cohen J, Tatachar P, Albert DVF; Pediatric Epilepsy Research Consortium. Talai A, Freedman DA, Trott K, Steenari MR, Plioplys S, Kimbley H, Madan Cohen J, Tatachar P, Albert DVF; Pediatric Epilepsy Research Consortium. Results of a National Delphi consensus on the outpatient management of pediatric psychogenic nonepileptic seizures in the United States. Epilepsy Behav. 2024 Nov;160:110096. Epilepsy Behav. 2024 Nov;160:110096.

Carolina A Chiou 1, Farrah Rajabi, Anne B Fulton, Gyula Acsadi, David M Waitzman, Eric D Gaier: Membrane Frizzled-Related Protein-Related Disease Mimicking Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension. J Neuroophthalmol. 2024 Mar 1;44(1):e26-e28.

FUNDED RESEARCH

Dr. Acsadi (co-investigator): NIH RO3 for gait studies in CMT patients.

Dr. Madan Cohen: PERF (Pediatric Epilepsy Research Consortium) funded multisite study: Biomarkers for Infantile Spasms

STAFF

Gyula Acsadi, MD, PhD, FAAN, Division Head

Francis J. DiMario, Jr., MD

William D. Graf, MD. FAAP, FAAN

Krista Grande, MD

Louisa Kalsner, MD

Jennifer Madan Cohen, MD, FAES

Elizabeth A. Ng, MD, FAAP, FAANEM, FACNS

Mark Schomer, MD

Lila Worden, MD

William Yorns, DO

Richard Young, MD, MPH, FAAN

Edwin Zalneraitis, MD

Constandina Conley, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC

Niall Mitchell, APRN

Jenna Tobin APRN

PAIN & PALLIATIVE MEDICINE

The mission of the Division of Pain and Palliative Medicine is to utilize multidisciplinary expertise to alleviate pain and stress in children afflicted with acute, chronic, or terminal illness.

In 2024 the division worked collaboratively with colleagues across Connecticut Children’s to provide high quality pain and palliative care to children and adolescents. The division continues to be actively engaged in clinical care, education, and research, and have been responsible for publications in numerous nationally renowned journals.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Clare Riotte, DO presented her work on neuroirritability at the 2024 Pediatric Academic Societies Annual Meeting in Toronto, Canada. In addition, William Zempsky, MD, MPH, Division Head of Pain and Palliative Medicine, presented a workshop on the safe and efficacious management of pain without the use of opioids in pediatric patients.

Dr. Zempsky presented three invited lectures at the 2024 International Pediatric Pain Masters course in San Francisco and led a discussion on Sickle Cell Disease at Boston Children’s Annual Pain conference. He also published a new textbook, Managing Pain in Children and Young People – 3rd Edition with colleagues Alison Twycross, Jennifer Stinson, and Abbie Jordan.

RESEARCH AND GRANTS

Dr. Zempsky received grant funding as Co-Investigator for two new studies in 2024: an R66 award from the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health at the NIH for a randomized control trial in Sickle Cell Disease; and UH3 NIH Heal Grant to investigate peer support for adolescents and emerging adults with Sickle Cell pain by promoting engagement in cognitive behavioral therapy.

PUBLICATIONS

Longitudinal Impact of a Novel Condolence Expression Curriculum. Aglio T, Paul TK, Porter A, Bien K, Hashmi SK, Lyman J, Kaye EC. J Palliat Med. 2024 Jan;27(1):90-92. doi: 10.1089/jpm.2023.0304. PMID: 37768836

Narrative Medicine in Hospice and Palliative Care: A Longitudinal Fellowship Curriculum Pilot. Paul TK, Aglio T, Dalgo A, Kaye EC. Am J Hosp Palliat Care. 2024

Oct;41(10):1161-1165. doi: 10.1177/10499091231223717. PMID: 38128066

Buono FD, Larkin K, Zempsky WT, Grau LE, Martin S. Understanding chronic pain in Neurofibromatosis Type 1 using the Neurofibromatosis Pain Module (NFPM). Am J Med Genet A. 2024 Jun;194(6):e63541. doi: 10.1002/ ajmg.a.63541. Epub 2024 Jan 17. PMID: 38234177.

Gross RS, Thaweethai T, Rosenzweig EB, Chan J, Chibnik LB, Cicek MS, Elliott AJ, Flaherman VJ, Foulkes AS, Gage Witvliet M, Gallagher R, Gennaro ML, Jernigan TL, Karlson EW, Katz SD, Kinser PA, Kleinman LC, Lamendola-Essel MF, Milner JD, Mohandas S, Mudumbi PC, Newburger JW, Rhee KE, Salisbury AL, Snowden JN, Stein CR, Stockwell MS, Tantisira KG, Thomason ME, Truong DT, Warburton D, Wood JC, Ahmed S, Akerlundh A, Alshawabkeh AN, Anderson BR, Aschner JL, Atz AM, Aupperle RL, Baker FC, Balaraman V, Banerjee D, Barch DM, Baskin-Sommers A, Bhuiyan S, Bind MC, Bogie AL, Bradford T, Buchbinder NC, Bueler E, Bükülmez H, Casey BJ, Chang L, Chrisant M, Clark DB, Clifton RG, Clouser KN, Cottrell L, Cowan K, D’Sa V, Dapretto M, Dasgupta S, Dehority W, Dionne A, Dummer KB, Elias MD, Esquenazi-Karonika S, Evans DN, Faustino EVS, Fiks AG, Forsha D, Foxe JJ, Friedman NP, Fry G, Gaur S, Gee DG, Gray KM, Handler S, Harahsheh AS, Hasbani K, Heath AC, Hebson C, Heitzeg MM, Hester CM, Hill S, Hobart-Porter L, Hong TKF, Horowitz CR, Hsia DS, Huentelman M, Hummel KD, Irby K, Jacobus J, Jacoby VL, Jone PN, Kaelber DC, Kasmarcak TJ, Kluko MJ, Kosut JS, Laird AR, Landeo-Gutierrez J, Lang SM, Larson CL, Lim PPC, Lisdahl KM, McCrindle BW, McCulloh RJ, McHugh K, Mendelsohn AL, Metz TD, Miller J, Mitchell EC, Morgan LM, Müller-Oehring EM, Nahin ER, Neale MC, Ness-Cochinwala M, Nolan SM, Oliveira CR, Osakwe O, Oster ME, Payne RM, Portman MA, Raissy H, Randall IG, Rao S, Reeder HT, Rosas JM, Russell MW, Sabati AA, Sanil Y, Sato AI, Schechter MS, Selvarangan R, Sexson Tejtel SK, Shakti D, Sharma K, Squeglia LM, Srivastava S, Stevenson MD, Szmuszkovicz J, Talavera-Barber MM, Teufel RJ 2nd, Thacker D, Trachtenberg F, Udosen MM, Warner MR, Watson SE, Werzberger A, Weyer JC, Wood MJ, Yin HS, Zempsky WT, Zimmerman E, Dreyer BP; RECOVER-Pediatric Consortium. Researching COVID to enhance recovery (RECOVER) pediatric study protocol: Rationale, objectives and design. PLoS One. 2024 May 7;19(5):e0285635. doi: 10.1371/journal. pone.0285635. PMID: 38713673; PMCID: PMC11075869.

Mulchan SS, Theriault CB, DiVietro S, Litt MD, Sukhera J, Tanabe P, Thomas HR, Zempsky WT, Boruchov D, Hirsh AT. Provider Implicit Racial Bias in Pediatric Sickle Cell Disease. J Racial Ethn Health Disparities. 2024 Jul 17. doi: 10.1007/s40615-024-02086-x. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 39020144.

Santos M, Zempsky WT, Shmerling J. Moving Beyond Statements to Protect Youth. JAMA. 2024 Aug 20;332(7):529-530. doi: 10.1001/jama.2024.10196. PMID: 39052243.

Lewis EC, Komkov S, Rickles J, Saccoccio M, Thomesen M, Turcotte L, Zempsky WT, Waynik I. Decreasing Pain in Hospitalized Patients by Increasing Topical Anesthetic Use for Peripheral IVs. Pediatr Qual Saf. 2024 Aug 9;9(5):e753. doi: 10.1097/pq9.0000000000000753. PMID: 39131230; PMCID: PMC11315564. Pain Medicine

Gross RS, Thaweethai T, Kleinman LC, Snowden JN, Rosenzweig EB, Milner JD, Tantisira KG, Rhee KE, Jernigan TL, Kinser PA, Salisbury AL, Warburton D, Mohandas S, Wood JC, Newburger JW, Truong DT, Flaherman VJ, Metz TD, Karlson EW, Chibnik LB, Pant DB, Krishnamoorthy A, Gallagher R, Lamendola-Essel MF, Hasson DC, Katz SD, Yin S, Dreyer BP, Carmilani M, Coombs K, Fitzgerald ML, Güthe N, Hornig M, Letts RJ, Peddie AK, Taylor BD; RECOVER-Pediatrics Consortium; RECOVER-Pediatrics Group Authors; Balaraman V, Bogie A, Bukulmez H, Dozor AJ, Eckrich D, Elliott AJ, Evans DN, Farkas JS, Faustino EVS, Fischer L, Gaur S, Harahsheh AS, Hasan UN, Hsia DS, Huerta-Montañez G, Hummel KD, Kadish MP, Kaelber DC, Krishnan S, Kosut JS, Larrabee J, Lim PPC, Michelow IC, Oliveira CR, Raissy H, Rosario-Pabon Z, Ross JL, Sato AI, Stevenson MD, Talavera-Barber MM, Teufel RJ, Weakley KE, Zimmerman E, Bind MC, Chan J, Guan Z, Morse RE, Reeder HT, Akshoomoff N, Aschner JL, Bhattacharjee R, Cottrell LA, Cowan K, D’Sa VA, Fiks AG, Gennaro ML, Irby K, Khare M, Guttierrez JL, McCulloh RJ, Narang S, Ness-Cochinwala M, Nolan S, Palumbo P, Ryu J, Salazar JC, Selvarangan R, Stein CR, Werzberger A, Zempsky WT, Aupperle R, Baker FC, Banich MT, Barch DM, BaskinSommers A, Bjork JM, Bookheimer SY, Brown SA, Casey BJ, Chang L, Clark DB, Dale AM, Dapretto M, Ernst TM, Fair DA, Feldstein Ewing SW, Foxe JJ, Freedman EG, Friedman NP, Garavan H, Gee DG, Gonzalez R, Gray KM, Heitzeg MM, Herting MM, Jacobus J, Laird AR, Larson CL, Lisdahl KM, Luciana M, Luna B, Madden PAF, McGlade EC, Müller-Oehring EM, Nagel BJ, Neale MC, Paulus MP, Potter AS, Renshaw PF, Sowell ER, Squeglia LM, Tapert S, Uddin LQ, Wilson S, Yurgelun-Todd DA, Foulkes AS, Stockwell MS. Characterizing Long COVID in Children and Adolescents. JAMA. 2024 Aug 21:e2412747. doi: 10.1001/ jama.2024.12747. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 39196964; PMCID: PMC11339705.

Theriault CB, Burns T, Goldschneider K, Koka A, Logan D, Weisman SJ, Wilder RT, Windsor RB, Zempsky WT. Pediatric pain physician workforce: an assessment of supply and demand. Front Pain Res (Lausanne). 2024 Oct 15;5:1390736. doi: 10.3389/fpain.2024.1390736. PMID: 39474514; PMCID: PMC11518783.

STAFF

William T. Zempsky, MD, MPH, Division Head

Taylor Aglio, MD

Richelle deMayo, MD

Danielle Gutman Lapin, PhD

Eapen Mathew, MD

Shannon Michel Wynn, MD

Kerry Moss, MD

Kalyani Raghavan, MD

Clare Riotte, DO

Preeti Sandhu, PsyD

Emily Wakefield, PsyD

Taryn Hamre, APRN, DNP

Mallory Fossa, APRN

Melissa Jenkins APRN

PEDIATRIC HOSPITAL MEDICINE

The Division of Pediatric Hospital Medicine (PHM) provides evidence-based, family-focused care for hospitalized children in our region. As our specialty continues to grow, we direct one of the largest PHM programs in New England which now spans five inpatient sites. At Connecticut Children’s we help to shape our own rapid evolution through a commitment to clinical excellence, education, quality, and academic scholarship.

CLINICAL GROWTH

The division has paralleled the rapid growth of PHM nationwide. We started in 2001 with two hospitalists and now have over 45 members of the team comprised of physicians and Advanced Practice Providers (APPs). Our main location remains within Connecticut Children’s Hartford campus and we now lead four other inpatient sites across two states including our unit at St. Mary’s Hospital in Waterbury, as well as our three Nuvance Health based sites within Danbury Hospital, Norwalk Hospital, and Vassar Brothers Medical Center in New York. We are able to manage this expansive coverage due to the capable leadership of our five clinical leaders—Allyson McDermott, MD, (Hartford), Marta Neubauer, MD, (St. Mary’s), Hayley Wolfgruber, MD, (Danbury), Alicia Briggs, MD, (Norwalk) and Maria Ramirez Tovar, MD, (Vassar). Our growth into Fairfield County has been strategically vital and allows us to partner with new specialty clinics in the area.

Our accomplished team of APPs has grown in leaps and bounds this year as the group expanded into a new 24/7 model of coverage to provide expert care to our patients around the clock. After a careful selection process, we added Caroline Ramirez, PA-C, Allison Williams, APRN, and Cassie Skabardonis, APRN, to the PHM faculty. The group’s leader, Basia Adams, DNP, APRN, transitioned her PHM APP leadership role to Christina Giudice, APRN, a rising leader of the APP group. Dr. Adams will focus on her institutional role as Co-Director of the Office of Advanced Practice Providers which has oversight of 200+ APPs at Connecticut Children’s.

EDUCATIONAL EXCELLENCE

We are honored to serve in multiple educational leadership roles at Connecticut Children’s. Emily Hogeland, MD, was chosen as the new Associate Program Director of the pediatric residency program. Joanne Crowley, MD, continues to serve as Director of Undergraduate Pediatric Education for the UConn School

of Medicine. Melanie Rudnick, MD, leads the Quinnipiac Frank H. Netter School of Medicine pediatric clerkships. Our faculty’s dedication to teaching has been rewarded with multiple teaching awards. In 2024 Dr. Hogeland won the prestigious Overall Excellence Award for her teaching of the pediatric residents. Our group has won this top faculty award 11 of the 22 years it has been in place. Our PHM APP leader Christina Giudice received the Frank H. Netter School of Medicine’s Excellence in Faculty Teaching Award from the pediatric medical students of Quinnipiac University in recognition of her exceptional teaching in a unique interdisciplinary model of instruction. There were three faculty recipients of the McNeill Teaching Award, given to Amanda Begley, MD, Alex Hogan, MD, and MacDara Tynan, MD, MBA. Christine Skurkis, MD, was nominated for Outstanding Contributions to Education and Career Development.

We reached a major educational milestone in 2024 as we welcomed our first PHM Fellow, Molly Hagler, MD. She has been a wonderful inaugural Fellow with significant clinical accomplishments and we look forward to welcoming our second Fellow in July 2025. For the first time in our division’s history, we will have a full Fellowship team within PHM.

A FOCUS ON QUALITY

As pediatric hospitalists, quality improvement in the inpatient setting remains a part of our daily work. We work in systems and love to discover ways to improve those systems. An example is our hugely successful Clinical Pathways program which has grown rapidly under the leadership of Ilana Waynik, MD. The program now includes over 60 clinical pathways across different specialties, each providing evidence-based guidance for a specific diagnosis. Our website for pathways received over 50,000 hits in the past year with many coming from outside of our region. As we spread our influence nationally, Dr. Waynik has helped that effort by co-founding the first national evidence-based collaborative to study clinical pathways on a large scale, called “Pathways4Kids.” Her work will help to solidify our leadership in this area.

We have continued to develop future quality leaders as well. In the past year, three individuals from the division were chosen as recipients of the William J. Popik Quality & Safety Fellowship. In this program, Dr. Ramirez Tovar, Jill Herring, APRN, and Kara Denz-Fluck, PA-C, have learned quality improvement and leadership skills which they have translated to the front lines of care. Dr. Ramirez

used these tools to dramatically reduce unnecessary blood testing for neonates with jaundice which decreased neonatal pain and resource utilization.

RESEARCH & INNOVATION

The year included numerous successes in clinical research and scholarly work. Members of the PHM faculty delivered 13 regional talks, 16 national presentations or workshops, and five regional Grand Rounds, as well as publishing seven peer-reviewed manuscripts and four book chapters. Dr. Hogan partnered with our Chair of Pediatrics, Juan Salazar, MD, to help lead the Connecticut location of an eight site multi-million-dollar NIH-funded study to search for biomarkers for MIS-C and Kawasaki’s Disease. Two members of the division, Dr. Hogan and Catherine Sullivan, MD, were promoted to Associate Professor of Pediatrics.

The division continues to innovate in the face of a changing healthcare landscape. In partnership with our psychiatry colleagues, in 2024 we opened the Connecticut Children’s Inpatient Medical/ Psychiatric Integrated Care Unit. This is a 12-bed, state-of-the-art space designed to serve children with both mental health and medical needs who are often difficult to place in appropriate care settings. This unit is one of just a few of its kind in the country and serves as a critical resource for these complex children in need.

We have a saying in our division: “we grow leaders.” As pediatric hospitalists we continue to lead within Connecticut Children’s and far beyond our doors. We remain driven by the core of our daily work which emphasizes putting children and families first in all that we do.

PUBLICATIONS

Hogan AH, Herbst KW, Defelice C, Schulman N, Adams AM, Carroll CL, Salazar JC. Going Viral: Assessing the Impact of Social Media on Enrollment in a Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Cohort Study. Cureus. 2024 Mar 13;16(3):e56096. doi: 10.7759/cureus.56096. PMID: 38618422; PMCID: PMC11009901.

Lawrence DA, Jadhav A, Mondal TK, Carson K, Lee WT, Hogan AH, Herbst KW, Michelow IC, Brimacombe M, Salazar JC, The Connecticut Children’s Covid Collaborative. Inflammatory and Autoimmune Aspects of Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C): A Prospective Cohort Study. Viruses. 2024 Jun 12;16(6):950.

doi: 10.3390/v16060950. PMID: 38932242; PMCID: PMC11209514.

Rogerson CM, White BR, Smith M, Hogan AH, AbuSultaneh S, Carroll CL, Shein SL. Institutional Variability in Respiratory Support Use for Pediatric Critical Asthma: A Multicenter Retrospective Study. Ann Am Thorac Soc. 2024 Apr;21(4):612-619. doi: 10.1513/AnnalsATS.202309807OC. PMID: 38241011; PMCID: PMC10995549.

Rogerson CM, Hogan AH, Waldo B, White BR, Carroll CL, Shein SL. Wide Institutional Variability in the Treatment of Pediatric Critical Asthma: A Multicenter Retrospective Study. Pediatr Crit Care Med. 2024 Jan 1;25(1):37-46. doi: 10.1097/PCC.0000000000003347. Epub 2023 Aug 24. PMID: 37615529.

Lewis EC, Komkov S, Rickles, J, Sacciccio M, Thomesen M, Turcotte L, Zempsky WT, Waynik, I. Decreasing Pain in Hospitalized Patients by Increasing Topical Anesthetic Use for Peripheral IVs. Pediatr Qual Saf. Accepted and awaiting publication.

Bakel LA, Waynik IY, Starmer AJ, Berkwitt AK, Ziniel SI. Clinical Pathways Programs in Children’s Hospitals. Pediatrics. 2024 Nov 13:e2023065553. doi: 10.1542/ peds.2023-065553. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 39533867.

Trost MJ, Allen AH, Naifeh M, Tseng A, McDermott A, Shah S, Winer JC, Hoefgen E, Thomson J, Dudas RA. Characteristics of Pediatric Hospital Medicine Fellowship Program Directors. Hosp Pediatr. 2024 Mar 1;14(3):e144-e149. doi: 10.1542/hpeds.2023-007196. PMID: 38347822.

BOOK CHAPTERS

Im J, Adeyanju O, “Neonatal Conjunctivitis” in Pediatric Hospital Medicine: A High Value Approach. ed. Moises Auron (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Wolters-Kluwer, 2024)

Im J, Adeyanju O, “Murmur/Critical Congenital Heart Disease” in Pediatric Hospital Medicine: A High Value Approach. ed. Moises Auron (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Wolters-Kluwer, 2024)

Adeyanju O, Im J, “Leukocoria – Glaucoma, Retinoblastoma”, in Pediatric Hospital Medicine: A High Value Approach. ed. Moises Auron (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Wolters-Kluwer, 2024)

Adeyanju O, Im J, “Newborn Eye Changes”, in Pediatric Hospital Medicine: A High Value Approach. ed. Moises Auron (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Wolters-Kluwer, 2024)

STAFF

HARTFORD-BASED TEAM:

Anand Sekaran, MD, Division Head & Chair of Pediatrics, Nuvance Health

Allyson McDermott, MD, Clinical Director

Ebla Abd Al-Rahman, MD

Amanda Begley, MD

Joanne Crowley, MD

Kari Edelson, DO

Alex Hogan, MD

Emily Hogeland, MD

Jane Im, MD

Kathy Kalkbrenner, MD

Danice Kuruvilla, MD

Marta Neubauer, MD

Melanie Rudnick, MD

Christine Skurkis, MD

Catherine Sullivan, MD

MacDara Tynan, MD, MBA

Ilana Waynik, MD

Hayley Wolfgruber, MD

Basia Adams, APRN, DNP, lead APP

Christine Giudice, APRN, new lead APP

Rachel Caplan, APRN

Erin Clark, APRN

Kara Denz-Fluck, PA-C

Jill Herring, APRN

Caroline Ramirez, PA-C

Cassie Skabardonis, APRN

Alexis Veith, PA-C

Allison Williams, APRN

ST. MARY’S HOSPITAL TEAM:

Marta Neubauer, MD, Site Director

Marisa Shaker, PA-C, lead APP, St. Mary’s

Crystal Boyce, APRN

Tammie Carey, APRN

Julia Sileo, PA-C

NUVANCE - BASED TEAM

DANBURY HOSPITAL:

Hayley Wolfgruber, MD, Clinical Director

Danice Kuruvilla, MD

Donald Sampson, MD

Jacqueline Talbot, PA-C, lead APP, Danbury

Sheila Crerend, APRN

Beth Cross, PA-C

Alexis D’Aloisio, PA-C

Joshua Evans, PA-C

Leslie Zalesny, PA-C

NORWALK HOSPITAL:

Alicia Briggs, MD, Chair of Pediatrics

Pamela Fanning, PA-C, lead APP, Norwalk

Nora Croll, PA-C

Kimberly Orzech, PA-C

Jennifer Rogers, PA-C

VASSAR BROTHERS MEDICAL CENTER:

Maria Ramirez Tovar, MD, Clinical Director

Karla Dixon, MD

Anila Krovvidi, MD

Jonathan Twiggs, MD

Brandy Arnold-Kreuter, APRN

Hannah Zetlin-Wong, APRN

PEDIATRIC SEDATION

The Center of Procedural Excellence (CoPE) is a six-bed unit within Connecticut Children’s dedicated to providing high-quality procedural sedation for pediatric patients. It is one of only a few centers in New England with space and staff dedicated to non-operating-room pediatric sedation. CoPE opened in March 2016 with generous donations from the Connecticut Children’s Foundation and the UConn HuskyThon. The Sedation Service provides comprehensive high-quality care with a focus on the patient and family experience. In 2024, we provided care for over 1,750 patients requiring sedation for procedures outside of the operating room.

The Sedation division works with nearly all subspecialties at Connecticut Children’s to provide sedation for painful procedures outside of the operating room including bone marrow aspiration/biopsy in Oncology patients, kidney biopsies for Nephrology, imaging for Radiology, catheter placement and minor surgical procedures for Urology and Surgery, central line placement for the PICC line service, and vaccination/lab draws for patients with developmental delays and autism spectrum disorders. In 2024 we expanded our service to provide additional care for patients with chronic pain and chronic headaches who require injections and infusions for longer-term symptom control. Our service utilizes a mixture of intravenous, oral, and inhaled sedative agents to provide mild to deep sedation that is scaled to meet the developmental and procedural needs of each patient.

In 2024 we began to offer additional support for patients with challenging intravenous access. Several nurses and physicians in our division have developed expertise in ultrasound-guided intravenous access. This service, which can be done with or without sedation, helps support patients who have challenging intravenous access for infusions or laboratory draws. Families can be referred for this service by their primary care or subspecialty providers.

Connecticut Children’s CoPE continues as a Sedation Center of Excellence as designated by the Society for Pediatric Sedation, the international multidisciplinary leader in the advancement of pediatric sedation. The designation is a highly competitive award given annually to centers of pediatric sedation that create an “ideal environment for the delivery of safe, effective, efficient, timely and equitable patient-centered pediatric procedural sedation”. We are the first pediatric hospital in New England with this Center of Excellence designation.

We are humbled by our high commendations from patients and families, a testament to our continued efforts to develop a family centered approach to care delivery. Associate medical director Kalyani Raghavan, MBBS, MD, DCH, continues to develop strategies to serve the needs of our patients with autism spectrum disorders. Working with colleagues in Developmental Pediatrics at Connecticut Children’s and with state and national experts, Dr. Raghavan has developed social stories to help prepare patients and families for their procedural sedation. These social stories are available online and can be viewed by families to prepare their child for the visit to Sedation. Dr. Raghavan has received grant funding from Autism Speaks® and other outside foundations to continue this important work. Further developing her expertise in alternative approaches to management of pain and anxiety, Dr. Raghavan is initiating a program to offer options for aromatherapy for patients hospital-wide. To help families prepare for a visit, our child life specialist is available for phone consultations in advance to help develop individualized approaches with the input of family members.

Members of the Sedation Team are involved in leadership and committees at Connecticut Children’s. Leonard Comeau, MD, is chairperson of the Sedation and Analgesia Committee and is responsible for writing and updating sedation policies, updating and overseeing credentialing of the house staff, and monitoring safety and quality of sedation hospital-wide. Members of the Sedation service also participate on hospital committees focused on pain management, the patient and family experience, pediatric palliative care, and quality and safety.

Our educational commitment remains strong. Every UConn Pediatric and Emergency Medicine intern (35 per year) spends a week on a dedicated Sedation rotation. Residents participate in all aspects of patient care, are given hands-on training in airway management, and become credentialed to independently provide moderate sedation.

Our mission is to provide the highest quality care for children undergoing tests and procedures outside the operating room. We aim to utilize sedation medications, distraction techniques, alternative therapies, and a familycentered approach to minimize anxiety and unnecessary discomfort for our patients.

STAFF

Jesse Sturm, MD, MPH, Division Head

Kalyani Raghavan, MBBS, MD, DCH

Kathy Kalkbrenner, MD

Leonard Comeau, MD

PSYCHOLOGY

The mission of the Division of Pediatric Psychology is to be on the forefront of improving the mental health of all of Connecticut’s children through clinical innovation, research, and education. With new programming, collaborations, research, and trainees, 2024 has been a record year for the division.

DIVISION OVERVIEW

The Division of Pediatric Psychology is comprised of twenty-five pediatric psychologists. Many of our psychologists are embedded across divisions at Connecticut Children’s including the Pediatric Obesity Center, Pain & Palliative Medicine, GI, Rheumatology, Adult Congenital Heart Disease, Feeding Team, HematologyOncology, Primary Care, Sleep Medicine, and the NICU; other psychologists participate in our behavioral health-focused clinics including Neuropsychology, the Medical Coping Clinic, the Medical and Mental Wellness Program, the Consultation and Liaison Service, Employee Health, and our newest behavioral health program – the Medical/Psychiatric Integrated Care Unit. Our pediatric psychologists are clinicians, researchers with funding at the national and local level, and educators to trainees, colleagues, and the community. We are dedicated to improving treatment options, testing new therapies, being the voice for mental health in Connecticut, identifying and addressing disparities in care, and training the next generation of providers.

CLINICAL

Divisional hallmarks in 2024 include innovation through the work of our embedded psychologists, strengthening our ability to see children and families quickly in our psychology clinics, and taking care of our team members. In addition, our year was highlighted by the opening of our Medical/Psychiatric Integrated Care Unit. With the hiring of pediatric psychologists Arielle Coopersmith, PsyD and Gail Corneau, PhD, this unit is an integral part of our continuum of mental health services and ensures that kids get the right care at the right time at the right intensity level. On the unit each child receives a customized treatment plan which provides very short-term solutionfocused treatments and long-term care. Beyond assuring that each patient receives thoughtfully tailored individual and family therapy, children also participate in skills groups and Psychotherapeutic groups to help create structure and consistency within their daily schedule and to provide opportunities for patients to learn, practice, relate to and support one another throughout their hospitalization.

Ellen Sejkora, PhD, a pediatric psychologist embedded in the Division of Gastroenterology in Westport, started a “Poop Group”. This group-based parent intervention supports families of children with chronic constipation and stool soiling. Over the course of four weekly visits parents learn how to respond to and prevent accidents in order to help their children have more toileting success. Within the Division of Pain and Palliative Medicine psychologists Danielle Guttman-Lapin, PhD, and Preeti Sandhu, PsyD, are currently working in partnership with Boston Children’s Pain Department to implement a group-based family treatment program, The Comfort Ability, to provide this service to patients in Connecticut. This teen and parent workshop provides up-to-date pain neuroscience education and a review of adaptive coping and CBT skills in a peer-based format. One significant benefit has been allowing families to connect with one another to decrease feelings of isolation as their teens live with chronic pain. The groups are held 4 times per year both in-person and virtually, with telehealth allowing for greater accessibility across the region.

Dr. Sandhu has begun to develop Young Adult programming for 18 and older individuals who are still embedded within the clinic due to their pain diagnosis and are beginning to transition to young adulthood. She has partnered with William Zempsky, MD, MPH and his team to establish pathways for these patients to support their transition and help them identify continued functional care within the adult world. Skills based groups, resources, and clinical pathways have been researched and implemented. One particular area of growth has been the implementation of a Young Adult Peer Process Group; this group has experienced such success that patients have asked for group meetings to be increased from once to twice monthly. The Peer Process Group provides an outlet for these individuals to get together outside of their treatment, establish social connections, and provide support and thoughtful comradery as they navigate living with a chronic illness in a new phase of their life. The goal is to translate this intervention across our system and help develop clear pathways to support this growing population.

Kimberly Maynard, PsyD, increased the range of neuropsychology services through a new collaboration with neurology for brain mapping. This collaboration between neuropsychology, neurology, and neurosurgery helps to expand the epilepsy surgery program and provide the best care for children. Brian Farrell, PsyD, has expanded psychology services through a partnership

with fetal cardiology to support caregivers with medically complex infants. Preliminary data from this partnership shows reduced intensity and frequency of symptoms like anxiety, depression, and trauma, as well as increased efficacy for parents responding to their child’s medical needs. Dr. Farrell has begun to provide similar support in the NICU, with parents receiving services reporting the same positive benefits. Kelly Maynes, PsyD, supported the division of surgery to initiate and facilitate the American College of Surgeon’s first Trauma Informed Care program in Connecticut, a joint partnership between Connecticut Children’s and Hartford Hospital. Amy Signore, PhD, increased the identification of autism spectrum disorder in Primary Care with support from a Graduate Psychology Education grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration, in partnership with Antioch University. This year the group launched a weekly Autism Clinic in Primary Care to ensure children have earlier access to diagnostic and treatment services.

RESEARCH

Our division continued its strength in research and advancing science. Siddika Mulchan, PsyD, resubmitted her K23 through NHLBI for a study titled “Development of a Provider-Focused Intervention to Improve Health Outcomes in Pediatric Sickle Cell Disease (SCD)”. This project is a randomized controlled trial that will test the preliminary efficacy of a communication-enhancement intervention for health care providers in a pediatric SCD outpatient setting. In addition, Dr. Mulchan developed and implemented a Sickle Cell Disease Family Research Advisory Panel (RAP). The RAP is a group of 11 patients with SCD and their caregivers who meet quarterly to provide verbal and written feedback on SCD research at Connecticut Children’s.

Melissa Santos, PhD, Division Head of Pediatric Psychology, created a research home to support community-partnered studies with youth and families in Connecticut. Partners in her Youth Research Home include families, advocates, researchers, healthcare providers, and community organizations. Participants in the Research Home partner with researchers to identify research questions, collect data, analyze study implementation, and assist with dissemination of results. Each part of the research conducted includes the voices of youth. One of the first projects the Research Home implemented was the creation of Beaqen (www. beaqen.org), a secure web portal that offers a multilayered approach to comprehensive evidence-based psychological services, educational materials, peer

mentoring, and support. Beaqen was developed through a state-wide coalition of healthcare providers, community members, and advocates to identify barriers impacting this patient population and support access to services. Dr. Santos was recently awarded a grant from the M&T Foundation to develop a social media campaign focused on resilience in the community. Additionally, Dr. Santos and Connecticut Children’s President and CEO James Shmerling, DHA, co-authored an article in The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) calling for other children’s hospitals to support families, providers, and clinics. Finally, Dr. Santos was named director of the Scientific Center for Child Health Equity Research and Innovative Outcomes at Connecticut Children’s Research Institute.

Emily Wakefield, PsyD, was an invited speaker at the NIH Behavioral and Social Sciences Research Festival to present her work on pain-related stigma as a social determinant of health in diverse pediatric pain populations. Dr. Wakefield developed and facilitates a Chronic Pain Advocacy Group (CPAG) consisting of Black adolescents with chronic pain and their caregivers. The CPAG codeveloped a parent handout entitled “A Guide to School Accommodations” in collaboration with Bonnie Roswig, JD. This important handout has been translated into Spanish and is available as a community resource in EPIC. Dr. Wakefield was invited by the president of the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases to be an Ad Hoc Early Career Council member. She was selected to be among the first cohort of the United States Association for the Study of Pain (USASP) Leadership Academy, which supports leadership skills for the next generation of leaders in the pain field. Additionally, Dr. Wakefield will serve a three-year term on the Advocacy Committee of USASP.

The division leads institutional research and programs to ensure that services rendered at Connecticut Children’s support patients and families in the short and long term. Drs. Coopersmith, Corneau, and Santos are studying the integrated care unit’s patient registry to examine the unit’s ability to reduce symptoms in the short term as well as several years after care has concluded. Dr. Santos led the institution’s development of We Ask Because We Care, a safe and reliable collection of patient demographic data to track and remediate any noted inequities in patient care and outcomes.

Members of the division participated as speakers at many national conferences including Dr. Mulchan (Society

of Pediatric Psychology Annual Conference), Bradley Jerson, PhD, (NASPGHAN), Whit Ryan, PsyD, (American Psychological Association Annual Convention), Dr. Santos (Society of Pediatric Psychology Annual Conference, American psychological Association Annual Convention, ASMBS) and Dr. Wakefield (Society of Pediatric Psychology Annual Conference). Vanessa Laurent, PhD served as a speaker at Connecticut Children’s Grand Rounds on the topic of Childhood Obesity. In addition, Dr. Santos serves on the editorial board of several major journals including the Journal of Pediatric Psychology, Childhood Obesity, Eating Behaviors and Journal of Health Services Psychology.

TRAINING

Our division continued to provide clinical and research supervision to multiple learners at different levels of training through our collaborations with the Institute of Living and other educational institutions. Dr. Signore is Project Director for an American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) grant funded by the Connecticut Department of Public Health, in partnership with Boston Children’s, to deliver didactic and practical education to pediatricians in Connecticut related to the assessment and treatment of mental and behavioral health problems in primary care. She has partnered with Antioch University to train psychology graduate students in integrated primary care. Dr. Jerson continues to expand opportunities for psychology learners from the University of Connecticut, Trinity College, and the Institute of Living within the Program for Pediatric Psychogastroenterology. He teaches UConn fellows, residents, and medical students rotating through the GI Department and actively participates on the scholarly oversight committees of GI fellows to support their professional development, research initiatives, and program development ideas. Michael Reiss, PsyD established a training program with the Institute of Living’s Psychiatry Fellowship program to increase their understanding of pediatric obesity. Dr. Maynes and Jennifer Paul, PhD are actively involved with our learners at the Institute of Living and UConn through their work on the Consultation-Liaison Service.

SUPPORTING OUR TEAM MEMBERS

Dr. Wakefield has focused on efforts to promote and address the needs of women employees and faculty. She supported the Lactation committee’s effort to provide resources and establish lactation rooms for breastfeeding employees returning from parental leave. Dr. Wakefield is

a member of the steering committee for Pediatric Women Relate (PoWER) and co-planned and facilitated two mentoring events for early and mid-career women faculty. In her role as Associate Chair for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Dr. Santos has launched the multicultural affinity group and conducted a series of listening sessions with faculty designed to have open discussions about diversity and its impact on healthcare providers.

Kelly Weber, PsyD, provided multiple trainings at Connecticut Children’s focused on bereavement and trauma-informed medical education. Dr. Weber, Connecticut Children’s first Team Member Psychologist, provided mental health services and emotional health support to almost 200 team members. Dr. Weber will be leaving Connecticut Children’s at the end of 2024 to take a well-deserved sabbatical through her faculty position at the University of Hartford. As she departs, we are excited to welcome Jomary Sepulveda-Betancourt, PsyD, who will expand our team member psychology services by offering Spanish speaking services in 2025.

REACHING OUTSIDE CONNECTICUT CHILDREN’S

Drs. Guttman-Lapin, and Sandhu presented to the organization Kids in Crisis on the topics of “School Refusal: How’d We Get Here and What to Do” and “Stages of Change/Motivational Interviewing with Students Who are Resistant to Coping Skills” respectively. Ellen Sejkora, PhD presented “Gut Feelings: Navigating the World of Abdominal Discomfort” as part of Dartmouth’s Mini Fellowship Series for Pediatric Residents focused on interdisciplinary management of common pediatric illnesses. This presentation focused on management of encopresis and functional abdominal pain with coordination between primary care providers, GI psychology, and GI providers with a on behavioral interventions and integrative medicine approaches to pain management.

Dr. Weber serves as Co-Chair for a regional conference entitled “Trends in the Training Field; Adapting for Action”. She is also a Task Force Committee Member for the Task Force on Training Guidelines in Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology Clinical Child and Pediatric Psychology Training Council (CCaPPTC) in partnership with American Psychological Association Divisions 53 (Society of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology) and 54 (Society of Pediatric Psychology). Dr. Santos continued her national leadership in her role as Past President of the Society of Pediatric Psychology. Dr. Maynes continues

to serve as Co-Chair of Society of Pediatric Psychology Functional Neurologic Symptom Disorder (FNSD) clinical subgroup. Dr. Santos continues to serve as a test item reviewer or the EPPP, the national licensing exam for psychologists.

Lynelle Schneeberg, PsyD continued her national work to translate evidence-based sleep psychology to a broad lay audience. She was cited in Time magazine, Sleepoplis, the Skimm, and participated in a series of segments for Fox 61 to improve the health of children. Dr. Santos was featured in several news outlets including the Wall Street Journal, NBC, Yahoo, and NPR. Dr. Maynes contributed to British Columbia Children’s Hospital/Kelty Mental Health’s publication of “Empowered Parenting” guidelines for purposes of parent and caregiver well-being. Dr. Sandhu continues to lead multiple Connecticut Children’s blog posts to improve children’s health. Dr. Maynes codeveloped Functional Neurological Symptom Disorder (FNSD) fact sheets via the Society of Pediatric Psychology which are now distributed to patients, families, and providers across hospital and ambulatory clinic settings.

THE FUTURE

2024 was a time of rapid growth for our division. As we move into 2025, we look forward to developing a fullspectrum continuum of care in pediatric psychology. We remain committed to providing the finest mental health care treatment for Connecticut’s children.

PROMOTIONS

Drs. Brad Jerson and Emily Wakefield were promoted to Associate Professor in the Department of Peditrics, University of Connecticut School of Medicine.

GRANTS

• Mulchan: Hartford Foundation for Public Giving

• Wakefield: K23

• Santos & Finck: American Diabetes Association Grant

• Santos: Cardinal Grant

• Santos: SAMHSA Grant

• Santos: Connecticut Health Foundation Grant

• Santos: Tow Foundation Grant

• Santos: M&T Bank

PUBLICATIONS

Peer-reviewed Publications:

Mulchan, S.S., Theriault, C.B., DiVietro, S., Litt, M.D., Sukhera, J., Tanabe, P., Thomas, H.R., Zempsky, W.T., Boruchov, D., Hirsh, A.T. (2024). Provider implicit racial bias in pediatric sickle cell disease. Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities. 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40615024-02086-x

Mulchan S.S., Coco, M., Boruchov D. (2024). Pain in Sickle Cell Disease. In P.J. Christo, R.M. Gallagher, J.G. Katzman, & K.A. Williams, (Eds.), Pain Management in Vulnerable Populations (pp. 379-89). Oxford University Press. DOI https://doi.org/10.1093/med/9780197649176.001.0001

Igler EC, Austin JE, Sejkora EKD, Davies WH. Friends’ Perspective: Young Adults’ Reaction to Disclosure of Chronic Illness. J Clin Psychol Med Settings. 2024 Mar;31(1):197-207. doi: 10.1007/s10880-023-09956-2

Quadri, M., Ariza, A. J., Tucker, J. M., Bea, J. W., King, E. C., Kirk, S., ... Santos, M. & POWER Work Group. (2024). Percent Body Fat and Weight Status of Youth Participating in Pediatric Weight Management Programs in the Pediatric Obesity Weight Evaluation Registry. Childhood Obesity.

Theriault, C. B., DiPlacido, J., Zempsky, W. T., & Santos, M. (2024). The Relationship Between Experiences of Pain Among Youth with Obesity and Health-Related Quality of Life: The Role of Functional Limitation, Sleep, and Depressive Symptoms. Childhood Obesity, 20(2), 87-95.

Santos, M., Zempsky, W. T., & Shmerling, J. (2024). Moving Beyond Statements to Protect Youth. JAMA, 332(7), 529530

Schneeberg, L., Rubman, S. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia. In Won, C. Kryger, M. Principles and Practices of Sleep Telemedicine. Elsevier (2024).

Marrero, J., Jerson, B., Brimacombe, M., Hopkins, D., Hinderer, K. A., & Hyams, J. S. (2024). Partnering With School Nurses for Continuing Education in Inflammatory Bowel Disease. The Journal of Continuing Education in Nursing, 1-7.

STAFF

Melissa Santos, PhD, Division Head

Lauren Ayr-Volta, PhD

Arielle Coopersmith, PhD

Gail Corneau, PsyD

Bradley Jerson, PhD

Brian Farrell, PsyD

Danielle Guttman-Lapin, PhD

Keri Herlan, PhD (Village Consultant)

Alicia Hoffman PhD (departed July 2024)

Vanessa Laurent, PhD

Kimberly Maynard, PsyD

Kelly Maynes, PsyD

Siddika Mulchan, PsyD

Jennifer Paul, PhD

Michael Reiss, PsyD

Whit Ryan, PsyD

Preeti Sandhu, PsyD

Lynelle Schneeberg, PsyD

Ellen Sejkora, PhD

Jomary Sepulveda-Betancourt, PsyD

Amy Signore, PhD

Emily Wakefield, PsyD

Kelly Weber, PsyD (departed December 2024)

Heather Wimmer-Haman, PsyD (Village Consultant: departed July 2024)

Jennifer Wolpaw, PhD

Pediatric Psychology Postdoctoral Fellows:

Kendra Brown, PsyD

Abigail Sharer, PhD

Jessica Simmons, PhD

Jenine Tulledge-Wolff, PhD

Anna Weiss, PsyD

PULMONOLOGY & SLEEP MEDICINE

The Division of Pulmonology and Sleep Medicine delivers exceptional care for respiratory and sleep-related illnesses. We employ a dynamic approach that involves the establishment and expansion of cutting-edge clinical programs and centers.

At the heart of our initiatives are the Asthma Center and Severe Asthma Clinic, two vital programs that provide support for patients and families in our community. Beyond providing exceptional care, we are deeply committed to research aimed at uncovering the root causes of asthma with a particular focus on allergic exposures. In 2024 the Severe Asthma Clinic sustained its development and growth through the collaboration of Sanjiv Godse, MD, and Caleb Wasser, MD, two physicians who are deeply dedicated to advancing pediatric asthma care. They are working together to enhance treatment approaches for patients with difficult-to-treat and severe persistent asthma.

Other specialized programs include the Neuromuscular Clinic, a collaborative effort between Pulmonology and Neurology that prioritizes the respiratory needs of children with muscle weakness. The Home Ventilation Clinic, a partnership between Respiratory Therapy and Pulmonology led by Corey Wynn, MD, focuses on providing comprehensive care for these fragile patients. Dr. Wynn also collaborates with Hematology in the Sickle Cell Disease Clinic to address and manage the unique pulmonary complications experienced by patients with Sickle Cell Disease. Amanda Filippelli, APRN, spearheads a collaboration between ENT and Pulmonology to manage patients with recurrent croup.

Our commitment extends to multi-specialty care with centers such as the Aerodigestive Center which provides comprehensive services for patients requiring ENT, GI, and Pulmonary expertise. Jamie Harris, MD, was appointed Pulmonary Director of Bronchoscopy Services at Connecticut Children’s and will lead the initiative to expand our bronchoscopy program, including the development of advanced interventional capabilities.

We are a regional accreditation center for rare pulmonary conditions like Cystic Fibrosis (CF) and Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia (PCD). These centers ensure patients receive all-encompassing care tailored to their unique needs.

CHAMPIONING MEDICAL EDUCATION

A core part of our mission is the education of medical students and residents. This year, we created a collection of dynamic and interactive learning modules for those rotating through pulmonary training. These modules aim to establish a solid foundation of pulmonary knowledge.

We were excited to unveil a new Sleep Fellowship program in collaboration with the University of Connecticut Sleep Division. This initiative signifies our commitment to enhancing expertise in sleep medicine.

PIONEERING RESEARCH

Our commitment to research is evident through The Asthma Center, Division of Sleep Medicine, and the accredited Central Connecticut Cystic Fibrosis Center. These initiatives underscore our dedication to advancing scientific understanding of pulmonary illnesses and their causes and to improving patient outcomes.

ADMINISTRATIVE UPDATES

The Division of Pulmonology and Sleep Medicine has expanded significantly to answer the critical need for pulmonary care in Connecticut. In 2024 we were excited to welcome Dr. Wynn to our faculty. Dr. Wynn completed his Pulmonology Fellowship at Cincinnati Children’s and has significant expertise in bronchoscopy and a passion to care for children with sickle cell disease.

Dr. Godse is the newest addition to our division. A graduate of the Pediatric Pulmonary Fellowship at Yale, Dr. Godse brings a strong commitment to advocating and caring for children with asthma. He will lead the Severe Asthma Clinic with a focus on improving care for children with difficult-to-manage, severe persistent asthma.

We are also excited to welcome new Advanced Practice Providers (APPs) to the division. Kathryn Muccino, APRN has enriched our team with a wealth of experience in both primary care and emergency medicine. To enhance the inpatient care of pulmonary patients and provide outstanding consult services, Emily Tyksinski, APRN and Sabrina Lackowicz, PA have dedicated their efforts to the inpatient setting. They play a vital role in managing the care of hospitalized patients, particularly those in intensive care units who require specialized and prolonged pulmonary support.

INPATIENT/CONSULTATIVE PULMONARY SERVICE

Our commitment to comprehensive care is exemplified by the expansion of our Inpatient/Consultative Pulmonary Service. With the invaluable addition of Ms. Lachowicz, we are well-equipped to meet the escalating demand for ongoing consultative requests.

Specialized Focus on NICU Patients and Collaborative Initiatives:

Ms. Tyskinski and Ms. Lachowicz play a pivotal role in providing longitudinal consultative care to NICU patients. Their efforts are geared towards facilitating a seamless transition from the NICU to home or to Connecticut Children’s main inpatient hospital. Our division is a member of the Severe BPD Consortium Group, a collaboration with neonatology, cardiology, and pulmonology that ensures the provision of optimal support and care for the growing patient population facing severe bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD).

ENHANCING INPATIENT CARE

The addition of APPs to our inpatient service is a key initiative to streamline our consult service, allowing us to respond promptly to consult requests and ensure continuity of care for patients admitted for prolonged periods, frequent admissions, or those in the ICU. We expanded and upgraded our outpatient care services by retrofitting providers’ workspaces to enhance telemedicine visits. This enhancement facilitates care for our patients by providing access to our specialists from the comfort of their homes. Telehealth visits continue to be valuable, especially for complex patients where travel is a challenge.

SEVERE ASTHMA PROGRAM

Our program is dedicated to providing compassionate care to individuals whose daily lives are profoundly impacted by severe asthma. Led by Dr. Wasser, the Severe Asthma program is a multidisciplinary clinic that takes a holistic approach to the comprehensive evaluation of patients. The clinic benefits from leadership that combines medical expertise with a commitment to innovative solutions and operates as a collaborative effort with Debby Foster, RN (nurse coordinator), Deana Phillips, MSW (social worker), Rosalynn Bravo-Cavoli, APRN, and Ms. Foster. This multidisciplinary team is essential for addressing the diverse needs of patients. Upon arrival at the clinic, patients undergo a thorough evaluation from medical, social, and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion perspectives. This comprehensive approach allows us to tailor our

support to each patient’s unique circumstances. The clinic offers a range of support encompassing medical, environmental, and pharmacological interventions, including the latest advancements in biologic medications. Patients receive high-quality medical care and benefit from a holistic support system that addresses the broader aspects of their well-being.

CYSTIC FIBROSIS CENTER

Led by Craig Lapin, MD, Connecticut Children’s Central Connecticut Cystic Fibrosis (CF) Center is one of the top programs in the nation based on clinical outcomes of lung function, nutrition, and adherence to CF guidelines. The team includes our CF nurse, Alyson Alissi, our CF social worker, Ms. Philips, and our nutritionist, Lisa Devine, RD, and offers nutrition screening for families across our CF clinics to ensure all families had adequate supplies to feed their families. In addition, our CF coordinator R.B. Curtis and Drs. Collins and Lapin continues to serve on a number of national committees at the CF Foundation. In 2024 Dr. Collins published an article about the center’s experience improving outcomes in the fibrosis newborn screening program with genetic counseling via telemedicine.

RARE LUNG DISEASE PROGRAMS (INTERSTITIAL LUNG DISEASE, CILIARY DYSKINESIA, SICKLE CELL DISEASE) CENTER

This year marks a significant achievement as the Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia (PCD) Center, under the leadership of Dr. Collins, received accreditation. Under the guidance of Dr. Collins, the multidisciplinary PCD Center operates as a collaborative effort between adult pulmonology at the University of Connecticut, genetics, social work, and nutrition. This approach ensures a comprehensive understanding and management of PCD. Equipped with state-of-the-art technology, the center is adept at assessing patients suspected to have a diagnosis of PCD. Utilizing advanced tools such as the nasal NO device, the center provides accurate diagnoses and facilitates timely and targeted interventions. The PCD Center is committed to offering a holistic, comprehensive evaluation and management strategy for individuals diagnosed with PCD. As the only accredited PCD Center in Connecticut, our facility is a unique resource that provides specialized care and support to individuals affected by PCD.

SICKLE CELL PROGRAM

Dr. Wynn and Donna Boruchov, MD, (Hematology) established a combined Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) clinic to address the unique challenges presented by this complex

disease. Dr. Wynn provides exceptional care and has worked to create a dedicated pathway for the evaluation and management of respiratory and sleep illnesses in individuals with SCD. The combined clinic is designed to address immediate medical needs and prevent future morbidity and mortality. There is ongoing collaboration among various subspecialties for our Rare Lung Disease Program. We are in the process of establishing an accredited PCD center that will allow additional patients to be evaluated, diagnosed, and managed. We are looking forward to refining and expanding the services provided in these clinics in the coming year.

SLEEP MEDICINE PROGRAM

Under the steadfast leadership of Jay Kenkare, MD, the Sleep Medicine program experienced remarkable growth in 2024 with a 25% expansion in patient volume. The program continued its commitment to teaching and education by introducing new diagnostic and therapeutic indications at the sleep lab. Notably, high flow nasal cannula (HFNC) is now used as a treatment for patients with poor adherence to CPAP. Pulmonary fellows and residents from various specialties including Otolaryngology and Developmental Pediatrics now rotate through the Sleep Medicine program on a scheduled basis to foster a multidisciplinary approach.

We established a new clinic that specializes in children needing continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) devices. This multidisciplinary clinic, which includes a sleep technician, child-life specialist, and a sleep physician, addresses every aspect of CPAP use to improve adherence.

From an academic standpoint, the Sleep Center has contributed to publications and presentations including a study on the efficacy of seizure montages as part of polysomnography.

NEUROMUSCULAR RESPIRATORY DISEASE PROGRAM

Dr. Harris, Pulmonary Director for the Neuromuscular Respiratory Disease Program, has played a critical role in the establishment and expansion of this multidisciplinary clinic for patients with neuromuscular respiratory disorders. In collaboration with Neurology, Dr. Harris is actively involved in the revision of both inpatient and outpatient airway clearance protocols. These revisions are designed to enhance the quality of life for patients and reduce the length of stay for inpatients.

AERODIGESTIVE PROGRAM

Dr. Harris, lead pulmonologist at the Aerodigestive Center, and Dr. Wynn continue to be a cornerstone of excellence in our institution. In the past year, the Aerodigestive Center has experienced exponential growth in the number of patients served. This reflects the increasing indications for referral and management, highlighting the center’s pivotal role in addressing complex aerodigestive conditions. Dr. Harris is spearheading efforts to modernize and enhance bronchoscopy services at our center with a strong focus on transitioning to cutting-edge digital technology. His vision includes acquiring a “micro-bronchoscope” to enable advanced procedures for smaller patients and a plan to establish a state-of-the-art interventional bronchoscopy program at our institution.

Central to this initiative is the planned acquisition of a cryo-bronchoscope to introduce bronchoscopic cryotherapy to the center. This advanced technique offers innovative solutions for a wide range of clinical applications including managing malignant and benign central airway obstructions, treating low-grade airway malignancies, performing foreign body removal or cryoextraction, and conducting both endobronchial and transbronchial biopsies.Dr. Harris’s dedication positions our center as a leader in pediatric interventional bronchoscopy.

PEDIATRIC PULMONOLOGY FELLOWSHIP/EDUCATION

Dr. Collins and Umit Emre, MD, have enhanced our Pediatric Pulmonology Fellowship and our educational offerings through the use and interpretation of new pulmonary function testing called IOS/FOT. This creative use of technology has allowed us to integrate nationallyrecognized speakers into our fellowship didactic program. Dr. Collins, the program director, has continued her work with the ACGME Milestones Committee for Pediatric Pulmonology.

Our APRNs, Ms. Filipelli and Ms. Tyksinski, are active educators with both nursing and APRN students. Ms. Filipelli serves as the secretary of the Asthma and Allergy Special Interest Group for the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners.

RESEARCH/PUBLICATIONS

Peer-Reviewed Publications:

Kenkare ZJ, Rearick J, Schramm CM, Murray TS, Collins

MS. A Survey of Cystic Fibrosis Center Recommendations for Nebulizer Cleaning and Disinfection. Respir Care. 2024 Jul 16:respcare.11760. doi: 10.4187/respcare.11760. Online ahead of print.PMID: 39013569

Harris JC, Kenkare JD, Schramm CM. An adolescent with Wolfram syndrome and central sleep apnea. J Clin Sleep Med. 2024 Jul 1;20(7):1205-1208. doi: 10.5664/jcsm.11110. PMID: 38450501

Collins MS, Mansilla-Rivera K. Diagnostic and Therapeutic Advances in Cystic Fibrosis: How Family Physicians Can Partner in Care. Am Fam Physician. 2024 May;109(5):388390.

Chiel LE, Stevens EL, Bishay LC, Collins MS, Rama JA, Edgar L, McLean S, Haynes I, Muzumdar H, Weiss P, Boyer D, Giles BL. Pediatric Pulmonary Milestones 2.0: Development, Lessons Learned, and Future Directions. ATS Sch. 2023 Dec 21;5(1):19-31. doi: 10.34197/atsscholar.2023-0075PS. eCollection 2024 Mar.PMID: 38628297

Zhang A, de Ángel Solá D, Acevedo Flores M, Cao L, Wang L, Kim JG, Tarr PI, Warner BB, Rosario Matos N, Wang L.m. Infants exposed in utero to Hurricane Maria have gut microbiomes with reduced diversity and altered metabolic capacity. Sphere. 2023 Oct 24;8(5):e0013423. doi: 10.1128/msphere.00134-23. Epub 2023 Sep 27.PMID: 37754563

Hollenbach JP, Collins MS, Wasser C, Fedele D. Implementation of standardized asthma management programs in outpatient settings. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol. 2023 May;130(5):571-576. doi: 10.1016/j. anai.2023.01.016. Epub 2023 Jan 23. PMID: 36702245.

Banasiak NC, Keil Heinonen SA, Filippelli AC. The Perfect Storm: Thunderstorm-Related Asthma. The Journal for Nurse Practitioners. Volume 18. April 2022, 399-402.

Banasiak NC, Keil Heinonen SA, Filippelli AC. A SMART Shift in Pediatric Asthma. The journal for nurse practitionaire. Volume 19, June 2023.

Kim J, Gueye-Ndiaye S, Mauer E, Modi VK, Perlman J, Veler H. Polysomnography use in complex term and preterm infants to facilitate evaluation and management in the neonatal intensive care unit. J Clin Sleep Med. 2021 Aug 1;17(8):1653-1663. doi: 10.5664/jcsm.9264. PMID: 33755011; PMCID: PMC8656904.

Morse E, Pereira N, Liu K, Veler H, Maresh A. Management and outcomes of obstructive sleep apnea in infants. Int J Pediatr Otorhinolaryngol. 2023 May;168:111558.

Kochhar R, Modi V, de Silva N, Gueye-Ndiaye S, Neugarten JM, Ward MJ, Gerber LM, An A, Mauer E, Veler H. Polysomnography-guided mandibular distraction osteogenesis in Pierre Robin sequence patients. J Clin Sleep Med. 2022 Jul 1;18(7):1749-1755. doi: 10.5664/ jcsm.9960. PMID: 35332870; PMCID: PMC9243279.oi: 10.1016/j.ijporl.2023.111558. Epub 2023 Apr 15. PMID: 37075592.

Phipatanakul W, Mauger DT, Guilbert TW, Bacharier LB, Durrani S, Jackson DJ, Martinez FD, Fitzpatrick AM, Cunningham A, Kunselman S, Wheatley LM, Bauer C, Davis CM, Geng B, Kloepfer KM, Lapin C, Liu AH, Pongracic JA, Teach SJ, Chmiel J, Gaffin JM, Greenhawt M, Gupta MR, Lai PS, Lemanske RF, Morgan WJ, Sheehan WJ, Stokes J, Thorne PS, Oettgen HC, Israel E; PARK Study Team. Preventing asthma in high-risk kids (PARK) with omalizumab: Design, rationale, methods, lessons learned and adaptation. Contemp Clin Trials. 2021 Jan;100:106228. doi: 10.1016/j.cct.2020.106228. Epub 2020 Nov 24. PMID: 33242697; PMCID: PMC7887056.

Gomes A, Patusco R, Chung M, Dreker MR, Byham-Gray L, Lapin C, Ziegler J. The associations between pediatric weight status and cystic fibrosis-related diabetes status and health-related quality of life among children and young adults with cystic fibrosis: A systematic review. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2021 Aug;56(8):2413-2425. doi: 10.1002/ ppul.25463. Epub 2021 May 18. PMID: 34004081.

Mrosak J, Banasiak K, Edelheit B, Lapin C, Tory H, Collins MS. Polymyxin-B Hemoperfusion as a Novel Treatment for Rapidly Progressive Interstitial Lung Disease in a Pediatric Patient Diagnosed With AntiMDA5 Juvenile Dermatomyositis. J Clin Rheumatol. 2021 Dec 1;27(8S):S480-S484. doi: 10.1097/ RHU.0000000000001191. PMID: 31743264.

Gomes A, Patusco R, Chung M, Dreker MR, Byham-Gray L, Lapin C, Ziegler J. The associations between pediatric weight status and cystic fibrosis-related diabetes status and health-related quality of life among children and young adults with cystic fibrosis: A systematic review. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2021 Aug;56(8):2413-2425. doi: 10.1002/ ppul.25463. Epub 2021 May 18. PMID: 34004081.

Bieniek JM, Lapin CD, Jarvi KA. Genetics of CFTR and male infertility. Transl Androl Urol. 2021 Mar;10(3):1391-1400. doi: 10.21037/tau.2020.04.05. PMID: 33850775; PMCID: PMC8039587.

Phipatanakul W, Mauger DT, Guilbert TW, Bacharier LB, Durrani S, Jackson DJ, Martinez FD, Fitzpatrick AM, Cunningham A, Kunselman S, Wheatley LM, Bauer C, Davis CM, Geng B, Kloepfer KM, Lapin C, Liu AH, Pongracic JA, Teach SJ, Chmiel J, Gaffin JM, Greenhawt M, Gupta MR, Lai PS, Lemanske RF, Morgan WJ, Sheehan WJ, Stokes J, Thorne PS, Oettgen HC, Israel E; PARK Study Team. Preventing asthma in high-risk kids (PARK) with omalizumab: Design, rationale, methods, lessons learned and adaptation. Contemp Clin Trials. 2021 Jan;100:106228. doi: 10.1016/j.cct.2020.106228. Epub 2020 Nov 24. PMID: 33242697; PMCID: PMC7887056.

Gomes A, Lapin C, Ziegler J. Weight Gain and Growth After Fundoplication in the Pediatric Patient: A Case Report in the Pediatric Patient With Cystic Fibrosis and Literature Review. Nutr Clin Pract. 2020 Aug;35(4):745-754. doi: 10.1002/ncp.10475. Epub 2020 Mar 5. PMID: 32141133.

Murray TS, O’Rourke TK Jr, Feinn R, Drapeau G, Collins MS. Nebulizer cleaning and disinfection practices in families with cystic fibrosis: The relationship between attitudes, practice and microbe colonization. J Cyst Fibros. 2019 Nov;18(6):823-828. doi: 10.1016/j.jcf.2019.05.008. Epub 2019 May 22. PMID: 31126899.

Collins MS, Murray TS. Repeated hot water and steam disinfection of pari LC Plus® nebulizers alters nebulizer output. J Cyst Fibros. 2019 Mar;18(2):e17-e18. doi: 10.1016/j.jcf.2019.01.014. Epub 2019 Feb 18. PMID: 30792172.

Collins MS, O’Brien M, Schramm CM, Murray TS. Repeated hot water and steam disinfection of Pari LC Plus® nebulizers alter nebulizer output. J Cyst Fibros. 2019 Mar;18(2):233-235. doi: 10.1016/j.jcf.2018.08.005. Epub 2018 Sep 14. PMID: 30224332.

McLaughlin AV, Bhandari A, Schramm CM. Two vs four puffs of albuterol: does dose change bronchodilator response? J Asthma Allergy. 2019 Jan 31;12:59-65. doi: 10.2147/JAA.S151531. PMID: 30774391; PMCID: PMC6362946.

Kuti JL, Pettit RS, Neu N, Cies JJ, Lapin C, Muhlebach MS, Novak KJ, Nguyen ST, Saiman L, Nicolau DP.

Meropenem time above the MIC exposure is predictive of response in cystic fibrosis children with acute pulmonary exacerbations. Diagn Microbiol Infect Dis. 2018 Jul;91(3):294-297. doi: 10.1016/j.diagmicrobio.2018.01.020. Epub 2018 Feb 24. PMID: 29661528.

Towle D, Baker V, Schramm C, O’Brien M, Collins MS, Feinn R, Murray TS. Ozone disinfection of home nebulizers effectively kills common cystic fibrosis bacterial pathogens. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2018 May;53(5):599-604. doi: 10.1002/ppul.23990. Epub 2018 Mar 15. PMID: 29542874.

PUBLICATIONS - SLEEP MEDICINE

Kenkare J, Schramm C, Ahmad S, Mishra N. Performing in-center titration studies amid the Philips Respironics medical device recall. J Clin Sleep Med. 2022 Jan 1;18(1):337. doi: 10.5664/jcsm.9602. PMID: 34398747; PMCID: PMC8807916.

Brumer E, de Ángel Solá DE, Hogan MJ, Chen L. Persistent Hypoxemia in an Asymptomatic 4-year-old Boy. Pediatr Rev. 2023 May 1;44(5):290-293. doi: 10.1542/pir.2021005293. PMID: 37122046.

Lee S, Zhang A, Flores MA, de Ángel Solá D, Cao L, Bolanos-Rosero B, Wang L, Godoy-Vitorino F, Matos NR, Wang L. Prenatal exposure to Hurricane Maria is associated with an altered infant nasal microbiome. J Allergy Clin Immunol Glob. 2022 Aug;1(3):128-137. doi: 10.1016/j.jacig.2022.05.001. Epub 2022 Jun 2. PMID: 36091489; PMCID: PMC9461092.

Book Chapters:

P. Gardiner, A.Filippelli, T. Low Dog. 2023. ‘Prescribing Botanicals’ in D. Rakel. (ed.) Integrative Medicine. 5th edition. Philadelphia, PA. pp. 836-841.

Veler H. Sleep and Inflammation: Bidirectional Relationship. Sleep Med Clin. 2023 Jun;18(2):213-218. doi: 10.1016/j.jsmc.2023.02.003. Epub 2023 Mar 28. PMID: 37120163.

Veler, H: Guest editor: Pediatric Sleep Clinics 2023

Review Articles:

Bieniek JM, Lapin CD, Jarvi KA. Genetics of CFTR and male infertility. Transl Androl Urol. 2021 Mar;10(3):1391-1400. doi: 10.21037/tau.2020.04.05. PMID: 33850775; PMCID: PMC8039587.

QUALITY IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS

The division participated in 2 QI projects:

1. Improved influenza vaccination rates

2. Ventilator transition of patients on home ventilation

STAFF

Haviva Veler, MD, Division Head

Craig Schramm, MD, Emeritus Division Head

Melanie Sue Collins, MD Director, Cardiopulmonary Function Laboratory

Medical Director, Division of Pediatric Pulmonary and Sleep Medicine Program Director, Pediatric Pulmonology Fellowship Co-Director, Asthma Center Associate Director, Central Connecticut Cystic Fibrosis Center Director, Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia Center

Umit Emre, MD

Sanjiv Godse, MD Co-Director, Severe Asthma Program

Jamie Harris, MD

Director, Neuromuscular Respiratory Program Director, Pulmonary Bronchoscopy Service Lead Pulmonologist, Aerodigestive Program

Jay Kenkare, MD Director, Sleep Medicine Program

Craig Lapin, MD Director, CF Center

Corey Wynn, MD Director, Pulmonology Sickle Cell Clinic Home Ventilation Program

Lynelle Schneeberg, PhD Director, Behavioral Sleep Clinic

Caleb Wasser, MD Co-Director, Severe Asthma Clinic

Tracy Allen, PA-C

Amanda Filippelli, APRN Co-Director, Recurrent Croup Clinic

Emily Tyksinski, APRN

Sabrina Lachowicz, PA

Clinical Directors, Pulmonology Inpatient Operations

RHEUMATOLOGY

In 2024, the Division of Rheumatology continued to provide clinical care in multiple locations with a significant presence in South Hadley, MA and Specialty Care Centers in five locations throughout Connecticut: Danbury, Westport, Farmington, Glastonbury, and Hartford. Our team includes four board-certified pediatric rheumatologists and two nurses who provide outstanding clinical care and participate in research through the Rheumatology Nursing Society.

The Division of Rheumatology completed 4,141 outpatient visits this year and cared for 147 complex inpatients. Our physicians have returned to mainly in-person visits and also offer patients and families visits via telemedicine.

Barbara Edelheit, MD is proud to lead a robust division in which each physician has a specific area of expertise and focus. This year Dr. Edelheit was promoted to Associate Professor of Pediatrics by the University of Connecticut School of Medicine. She has maintained her focus on education and mentorship and remains the faculty advisor for the University of Connecticut student chapter of the American Medical Women’s Association (AMWA), a national organization whose mission is to advance women in medicine and improve women’s health. She has given several invited talks on mentorship this year and she is the National Mentorship Chair for AMWA. Dr. Edelheit was the recipient of two national awards this year in recognition of her work in mentorship, a 2024 AMWA Exceptional Mentor Award and a 2024 AMWA Inspire Award.

Dr. Edelheit continues to lead the Connecticut Children’s Women in Medicine group called PoWER (Pediatric Women Relate) whose goal is to foster a community of women physicians and psychologists at Connecticut Children’s by providing leadership, professional and personal development, and support. The group has now completed a successful fourth year with many wellattended events and greater visibility in our Connecticut Children’s community. She continues to serve as board chair of the Connecticut Children’s Specialty Group (CCSG). Dr. Edelheit also continues to serve as a member of the Connecticut Children’s Care Network Development and Credentialing Committee. Dr. Edelheit serves as PI for inclusion in our national research organization Childhood Arthritis and Rheumatology Research Alliance (CARRA) with participation in their registry and related studies.

Heather Tory, MD, MPH, CPPS, continues to focus on safety and quality improvement within the Rheumatology division while serving as the Associate Chief Quality and Patient Safety Officer for Connecticut Children’s. This year Dr. Tory led initiatives within Rheumatology to standardize processes and documentation to facilitate improved adherence to quality outcome measures for patients with rheumatic disease. She is engaged in work to enhance the morbidity and mortality conference structure within Rheumatology and across the organization. Dr. Tory serves as the rheumatology lead representative for the Kawasaki Disease and MIS-C clinical pathways and, together with Blaine Lapin, MD, she has co-developed a CLASP referral and co-management guideline related to joint swelling in pediatric patients. She is also on the Medical Advisory Council for the Make-A Wish Foundation of Connecticut as the representative for pediatric rheumatology.

Dr. Tory earned national recognition as the chair of the Juvenile Dermatomyositis (JDM) Quality of Care Workgroup of the Childhood Arthritis and Rheumatology Research Alliance (CARRA) under the JDM Committee. She is on the steering committee for the Solutions for Patient Safety (SPS) Ambulatory Foundations Workgroup which is working to establish the structure and process for the development of foundational elements needed for SPS network hospitals to address harm in the ambulatory setting, as has been done for inpatient settings. Dr. Tory leads multiple efforts to reduce harm and enhance quality across Connecticut Children’s including her role as cochair of the Medication Safety Committee, facilitation of the multidisciplinary Pediatric Medicine Quarterly Quality Committee morbidity and mortality conference, cofacilitation of the resident quality improvement curriculum, and most recently co-facilitation and development of the new Popik Family Quality and Safety Fellowship.

Dr. Lapin continues his focus on education and advocacy. He is collaborating with the American College of Rheumatology on a grant-funded project to develop educational materials and best-practices for telemedicine in rheumatology. Dr. Lapin serves as a member of the Connecticut Children’s PEC and CCC committees as the Core Faculty Liaison for the Rheumatology Division. He continues to work with students and residents in clinical teaching and supervision and is mentoring several research projects. Dr. Lapin serves as medical director for the Local Leadership Board of the Connecticut Chapter of the Arthritis Foundation.

Jessica Fennell, MD, has continued to enhance our presence in Fairfield County with clinics in Westport and Danbury. She co-leads the Pediatric Lupus Clinic in Hartford with nephrologist Sherene Mason, MD, to provide continued state-of-the-art care for children and young adults with systemic lupus erythematosus in a multidisciplinary setting. She helped organize the last two Regional Lupus Walks in Connecticut. Dr. Fennell collaborated on a publication with the gastroenterology division this year and presented her work on developing a transition program within the rheumatology division at the Research Poster Symposium and Networking Reception hosted by GWIMS at UConn Health Center and the Rare Disease Symposium hosted by Frank Netter MD, School of Medicine at Quinnipiac. She continues to develop the transition program within the rheumatology division.

PUBLICATIONS

Solomon V, Fennell J, Griffin LM, Zeisler B. Takayasu arteritis in an adolescent with untreated Crohn’s disease: A case report. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr. 2024. doi: 10.1002/jpr3.12121.

Interleukin (IL)-1/IL-6-Inhibitor-Associated Drug Reaction With Eosinophilia and Systemic Symptoms (DReSS) in Systemic Inflammatory Illnesses. Saper VE, Tian L, Verstegen RHJ, Conrad CK, Cidon M, Hopper RK, Kuo CS, Osoegawa K, Baszis K, Bingham CA, Ferguson I, Hahn T, Horne A, Isupova EA, Jones JT, Kasapcopur Ö, KleinGitelman MS, Kostik MM, Ozen S, Phadke O, Prahalad S, Randell RL, Sener S, Stingl C, Abdul-Aziz R, Akoghlanian S, Al Julandani D, Alvarez MB, Bader-Meunier B, BalayDustrude EE, Balboni I, Baxter SK, Berard RA, Bhattad S, Bolaria R, Boneparth A, Cassidy EA, Co DO, Collins KP, Dancey P, Dickinson AM, Edelheit BS, Espada G, Flanagan ER, Imundo LF, Jindal AK, Kim HA, Klaus G, Lake C, Lapin WB, Lawson EF, Marmor I, Mombourquette J, Ogunjimi B, Olveda R, Ombrello MJ, Onel K, Poholek C, Ramanan AV, Ravelli A, Reinhardt A, Robinson AD, Rouster-Stevens K, Saad N, Schneider R, Selmanovic V, Sefic Pasic I, Shenoi S, Shilo NR, Soep JB, Sura A, Taber SF, Tesher M, Tibaldi J, Torok KS, Tsin CM, Vasquez-Canizares N, Villacis Nunez DS, Way EE, Whitehead B, Zemel LS, Sharma S, FernándezViña MA, Mellins ED; CARRA Registry Investigators. J Allergy Clin Immunol Pract. 2024 Nov;12(11):2996-3013.e7. doi: 10.1016/j.jaip.2024.07.002. Epub 2024 Aug 15.PMID: 39002722

Implementation study of the CARRA Uveitis Consensus Treatment Plans: feasibility for clinical practice and applicability for research. Chang MH, Barbar-Smiley F, Akoghlanian S, Drew J, Angeles-Han ST, Quinlan-Waters M, Bohnsack JF, Cooper AM, Edelheit B, Twachtman-Bassett J, Lerman MA, Nanda K, Rabinovich CE, Lo MS; CARRA Uveitis Workgroup and the CARRA Registry Investigators. Pediatr Rheumatol Online J. 2024 Oct 7;22(1):88. doi: 10.1186/s12969-024-01022-x.PMID: 39375683

STAFF

Barbara Edelheit, MD, Division Head

Jessica Fennell, MD

Blaine Lapin, MD

Heather Tory, MD, MPH, CPPS

Ann Mendicino-Wrynn, RN

Tegan Willard, RN

SUBSPECIALTIES

PEDIATRIC SURGICAL SUBSPECIALTIES

ANESTHESIOLOGY

In 2024 the Division of Anesthesiology successfully provided outstanding clinical care to our surgical patients. In collaboration with the various surgical subspecialties, our division follows the mission of Connecticut Children’s: to improve the physical and emotional health of children through family-centered care, research, education and advocacy. We are committed to advancing pediatric anesthesia care, providing cutting edge therapies for the management of acute and chronic pain, and educating the next generation of anesthesiologists and nurse anesthetists. The division’s success depends on the close collaboration of our physicians, nurse anesthetists, advanced practice nurses, and staff.

Our division saw tremendous growth in 2024 aligning with the increasing demands of a robust surgical volume. The division includes 16 full-time board-certified pediatric anesthesiologists led by Division Head Edward (Ted) Cortland, MD, Medical Director Amy Bouchard, DO, and Director of Ambulatory Services Michael Archambault, MD. We were excited to welcome Benjamin Walsh, MD, to our staff in September who returns to us after completing pediatric anesthesia fellowship training at Yale School of Medicine. We also have thirteen highly skilled, experienced, and talented Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists adding their expertise led by Lead by Thomas Miller CRNA. Physicians and nurse anesthetists at Connecticut Children’s enjoy a collaborative and fruitful relationship.

It was a highly productive year clinically for our group, as we saw a record number of cases across our clinical locations. The division provides services at our main operating room at the Connecticut Children’s Hartford campus as well as other sites throughout the area, including our Ambulatory Surgery Center in Farmington. We provided anesthesia for a record number of surgical cases this year, more than 13,000 cases in 2024. The division provided anesthetic care for patients across the pediatric spectrum from fetal/in-utero and neonatal to young adult, as well as providing care for adult congenital patients. We covered cases of varying complexity in all subspecialties including elective and emergent surgery, trauma, GI endoscopy, radiologic imaging, and cardiac catheterization. Our cardiac anesthesia team, led by Dr. Bouchard, provided advanced expertise to a record number of cardiac patients including our ever-expanding adult congenital heart program. In 2024 we continued to witness the growth of the Fetal Surgery program.

In collaboration with our Obstetrical Anesthesiology colleagues from Woodland Anesthesia Associates and Integrated Anesthesia Associates, we provided care for the Fetal Center, led by Timothy Crombleholme, MD. Overall, it was an extremely busy year for our service as we provided world-class clinical care to an unprecedented number of patients at Connecticut Children’s.

Our comprehensive perioperative care would not be possible without the tremendous care and support from our two full time APRNs, Tracy Kunkel and Mallory Breitmaier. These two advanced practice nurses work tirelessly to prepare complex patients for surgery through exhaustive chart reviews, patient and family interviews, and data-gathering to ensure a safe and smooth surgical experience for our patients. Ms. Kunkel and Ms. Breitmaier are instrumental to our division’s ability to provide advanced care.

Education is one of the key missions of our division as we strive to prepare the next generation of physicians, anesthetists, and allied health professionals. Our division educates anesthesiology residents from the University of Connecticut School of Medicine as their primary pediatric site and provides additional training to pediatric, emergency medicine, and OMF trainees. This past year we agreed to host residents from the newly formed Quinnipiac University Anesthesia Residency program as they look to fulfill their pediatric components with us. We are the primary pediatric site for most of Connecticut’s nurse anesthetist students, hosting the Hartford Hospital/ IAA trainees as well as the Quinnipiac SRNAs. We are excited to be hosting students from the Fairfield SRNA program starting this year. Instrumental to our teaching structure is Dr. Archambault, who serves as site director for the UConn and Quinnipiac residency programs and is the UConn Anesthesiology Residency Simulation Director. He serves on several committees within the UConn residency program and works closely with leadership at UConn and Connecticut Children’s to ensure an optimal learning environment for our students and residents. Dr. Archambault collaborates with Katherine Kavanaugh, MD from the Division of Otolaryngology to provide simulationbased training to anesthesia residents, ENT residents, medical students, and other learners. All members of the anesthesiology faculty participate in resident and student education through clinical teaching, lecturing, and mentorship. We value our role in advancing our field through the education of our future clinicians.

The members of the Pediatric Anesthesiology Division have a strong presence in various arenas throughout Connecticut Children’s, as well as the city, state, and national landscape. Our members serve on various key committees throughout the hospital. Some examples include Anil Mathew, MD, who continues as Chair of the Credentials Committee, Drs. Archambault and Cortland, who serve on the Peer Review Committee, and Dr. Archambault and Mark Indelicato MD, MSc, who participate on the Trauma Committee and Quality and Safety Committee. Eapen Mathew, MD, plays a vital role in Connecticut Children’s acute and chronic pain management. As the only board-certified Pediatric Anesthesiologist and Pain Specialist, Dr. Mathew offers unique expertise in managing complex pediatric patients with chronic pain, both as outpatients and in the perioperative setting. He participated in several research endeavors and will be presenting at the World Congress of Anesthesia forum in 2025. Dr. Cortland is finishing his term as the Vice President of the Medical Staff at Connecticut Children’s and will begin his role as President starting in January 2025. Greg Rutkowski, MD, completed his term as President of the Connecticut State Society of Anesthesiology.

STAFF

Edward T. Cortland MD, FAAP Division Director

Amy Bouchard DO, Medical Director

Michael Archambault MD, Director of Ambulatory Anesthesia

Christina Biello DO

Cheryl Bline MD

Craig Bonanni MD

Mark Facchin MD

John Garrison MD

Thomas Golembeski MD

Mark Indelicato MD, MSc

Peter Lam MD

Emma LeWinter MD

Anil Mathew MD

Eapen Mathew MD

Joanna Rothstein MD

Greg Rutkowski MD

Benjamin Walsh MD

Thomas Miller CRNA Lead Certified Registered Nurse

Anesthetist

Heather Allen CRNA

Samantha Anzalone CRNA

Kelly Gorski CRNA

Wendy Lord CRNA

Rachel Medina CRNA

Barry Miller CRNA

Thomas Moore CRNA

Laura Pelullo CRNA

Rachel Petree CRNA

Elyse Sanderson CRNA

Michelle Stevens CRNA

Joshua Yoffe CRNA

OPHTHALMOLOGY

The Division of Ophthalmology started 2024 with three physician assistants, three optometrists, and two pediatric ophthalmologists. Over the course of the year our team was reduced by the relocation of one of our pediatric ophthalmologists and two of our physician assistants.

We continued to provide high quality patient care in our division with one ophthalmologist, three optometrists, and one physician assistant, and initiated aggressive efforts to recruit a Division Head of Pediatric Ophthalmology, additional pediatric ophthalmologists, and new APPs.

At the end of the summer our recruitment efforts were successful: Ricardo La Rocca, MD, joined the division as Division Head of Ophthalmology in December 2024. We also recruited an optometrist who will join our team in January 2025.

CLINICAL INITIATIVES

• Marnie Smith, OD was promoted to Lead Optometrist.

• Sona Hamelin, PA-C was promoted to Lead Physician Assistant

• Our contact lens clinic continues to grow. In 2024 Maria Varela, OD was promoted to Contact Lens Director for the Division of Ophthalmology.

• We continue to provide Emergency Department Fellow rotations

• We continue to provide medical student rotations in Ophthalmology throughout the year to UConn medical students

• We continue to mentor UConn medical students interested in Ophthalmology and involve them in various research projects, which led to publications and poster presentations at national meetings.

» Published article in JAAPOS

» Poster presentation at the annual American Academy of Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus conference in Austin, TX

» Working with UConn medical students on various research projects

• Majida Gaffar, MD, is an active participant in the Ophthalmology Interest Group that works to mentor medical students who are interested in Ophthalmology.

PUBLICATIONS/PRESENTATIONS

Elefant D, Isakoff MS, Gaffar M. Bilateral tonic pupils secondary to anti-GD2 antibody therapy for neuroblastoma. American Association of Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus. 2024 April; 28 (2): 103852

E Mullane, M Gaffar. American Academy of Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus annual conference in April 2024, Austin, TX – Telemedicine as a Safe and Effective Method for Initial Post-Operative Evaluation in Strabismus Surgery.

Majida Gaffar – Oral presentations in Ottawa, Canada

• August 2024 – 44th Costenbader Society Meeting –My Experience with Luminopia

• August 2024 – 44th Costenbader Society Meeting – Panel Discussion on Changes in Pediatric Ophthalmology – Using Mid-levels and Optometrists in the Practice

STAFF

Ricardo La Rocca, MD, Division Head

Majida Gaffar, MD

Michelle Reichle, OD

Marnie Smith, OD

Maria Varela, OD

Sona Hamelin, PA-C

Courtney Scott, PA-C

ORTHOPEDIC SURGERY

The Division of Orthopedic Surgery consists of three services: the General Orthopedic service, Sports Medicine service, and the Center for Motion Analysis. The General Orthopedic service provides the full spectrum of care for children and young adults with orthopedic conditions such as scoliosis and spinal deformities, limb deformity, congenital hip dislocations, clubfeet, congenital hand deformities, children’s fractures, and neuromuscular conditions such as cerebral palsy, spina bifida, and muscle diseases. The Sports Medicine service provides expert care for injured athletes, ligament and cartilage injuries, and offers a variety of injury prevention programs.

The Division of Orthopedic Surgery has a total of 20 clinical providers. There are nine single or dual-fellowshiptrained surgeons: Matthew Brown, MD, Sonia Chaudry, MD, Allison Crepeau, MD, Mark Lee, MD, Phil Mack, MD, Kristen Pierz, MD, Donna Pacicca, MD, and Janet Zahradnik, MD. David Wang, MD, recently joined the division as an invaluable non-operative Sports Medicine physician who spearheads our efforts in concussion management. Brian Smith, MD, who returned to Connecticut Children’s after spending time at Texas Children’s, is a non-operative orthopaedic physician with interest in spine deformity and neuromuscular disease. Our 11 advanced practice providers (APPs) deliver excellent and compassionate patient care in both inpatient and outpatient settings while advancing our research mission: Marta Berube, PA-C, Nicole Chaves, PA-C, Katelyn Colosi, PA-C, Kevin Connolly, PA-C, Kevin Fitzsimmons, PA-C, Rebecca Gotthelf, PA-C, Connor Halloran, PA-C, Erin Malone, PA-C, Anthony Pastore, PA-C, A.J. Ricciuti, PA-C, and Kimberly VanPelt, PA-C.

The division explores a range of pediatric orthopedic pathologies through clinical studies based at Connecticut Children’s or through multicenter projects. In 2024 these studies resulted in 11 published peer-reviewed publications on topics including wide-awake surgery for pediatric hand surgery, gait abnormalities in cerebral palsy, and graft choices for ACL reconstruction. The division also put forth 14 national and international podium/poster presentations and remains an active participant in four national registry studies in sports medicine and one on treatment options for Perthes disease.

The division values its collaborations with other services at Connecticut Children’s and believes such interactions drive research creativity. Joint work with the neurology

division has advanced the understanding of gait mechanics in Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease. Collaboration with our neurosurgeons has allowed the provision of world-class care for a variety of spine pathologies and has continued the provision of state-of-the-art brachial plexus care.

THE CENTER FOR MOTION ANALYSIS

The Center for Motion Analysis (CMA), one of the few labs in the nation to be fully certified by the Commission for Motion Laboratory Accreditation, is under the medical direction of Dr. Pierz. Zahra Bassiri, PhD joined the lab as Lead Engineer and will be instrumental to its technical innovation by supporting the continued focus on cutting edge motion analysis research. Excellence in the CMA is made possible by the amazing dedication of Lauren Bargmann, gait engineer, experienced physical therapists Jennifer Rodriguez-MacClintock and Lindsey Schilberg and world-renowned kinesiologist Sylvia Õunpuu. The CMA provides a wide variety of clinical diagnostic services, from the evaluation of children with neurologic disorders that affect walking to understanding the recovery of normal coordination and strength in athletes who have undergone orthopedic surgery. As part of its core mission, the CMA strives to improve the understanding of human motion through a robust research program. In 2024, the CMA published five peer-reviewed articles, two of which were multicenter efforts in collaboration with other children’s hospitals, and participated in numerous podium presentations and invited speakerships.

SPORTS MEDICINE

The Sports Medicine service provides high quality care to athletes from youth sports to the collegiate level and beyond. The service is composed of Drs. Brown, Crepeau, Pacicca and Wang, along with a number of outstanding athletic trainers and the Connecticut Children’s Sports Medicine Physical Therapy group. The service offers care to patients with the range of sports-related injuries including ligament or meniscal injuries, joint or patellar instability, concussion, and cartilage injury. The team offers the state of the art in patella stabilization techniques and novel, biologically-enhanced anterior cruciate ligament repair techniques, and have been simultaneously investigating the outcomes of these interventions.

In collaboration with the Center for Motion Analysis and Sports Medicine Physical Therapy, the team continues to develop safer return-to-sport protocols after ACL reconstruction. The Sports Medicine team is involved in

multiple large national studies on juvenile osteochondritis dissecans of the knee and elbow.

EDUCATION

Education is primary to the mission of the division and is instrumental to our research efforts. Our orthopedic surgeons train and educate orthopedic residents from the University of Connecticut Health Center and Maimonides Medical Center in New York along with local and visiting medical students. In addition, the Division maintains an ACGME-accredited/POSNA-accredited one-year Fellowship in Pediatric Orthopedics.

The Pediatric Orthopedic Surgery Fellowship, directed by Dr. Lee, is entering its ninth year of formal ACGME accreditation and has graduated five fellows, four of whom are currently in independent practice. Recent graduates have all contributed peer-reviewed works to orthopedics with the most recent graduate, Chong Weng, MD, evaluating the effect of Schorth physical therapy on scoliosis bracing efficacy.

The research activities of the division are spearheaded by the tireless work of Adam Weaver, PT who joined Orthopedic Surgery earlier this year as a Research Associate. He continues to explore his own clinical interests while advancing the research pursuits of our investigators.

HONORS & ACHIEVEMENTS

Other notable achievements in the Division of Orthopedic Surgery during 2024 include the following:

• Sports medicine and physical therapy service presented four podium presentations at the annual Pediatric Research in Sports Medicine Conference (PRISM)

• Dr. Brown received a $50,000 grant from the Connecticut Children’s Connection Awards for future research in meniscal biology

• Dr. Bassiri finished in 2nd place at the WE24 Society of Women Engineers National Competition

PUBLICATIONS

Weaver A, Kuenze C, ACL Reconstruction Rehabilitation Outcomes Workgroup, Thompson X. Isokinetic Knee Strength and Patient Reported Outcome Measures Differ between Graft Types in Adolescents with ACL Reconstruction: A Multi-Center Study by the ARROW Group. Ortho J Sports Med. Accepted Nov 22, 2024.

Ricciuti A, Colosi K, Fitzsimmons K, Brown M. Patellofemoral Instability in the Pediatric and Adolescent Population: From Causes to Treatments. Children (Basel) 2024 Oct 18;11(10):1261. doi: 10.3390/children11101261. PMID: 39457226; PMCID: PMC11506652.

Georgiadis AG, Davids JR, Goodbody CM, Howard JJ, Karamitopoulos MS, Payares-Lizano M, Pierz KA, Rhodes JT, Shore BJ, Shrader MW, Tabaie SA, Thompson RM, Torres-Izquierdo B, Wimberly RL, Hosseinzadeh P; Research in Neuromuscular Orthopaedics (RINO) Study Group. Reliability of a Photo-Based Modified Foot Posture Index (MFPI) in Quantifying Severity of Foot Deformity in Children With Cerebral Palsy. J Pediatr Orthop. 2024 Sep 11. PMID: 39256907.

Gurbuz SZ, Rahman MM, Bassiri Z, Martelli D. Overview of Radar-Based Gait Parameter Estimation Techniques for Fall Risk Assessment. IEEE Open J Eng Med Biol. 2024 Jun 3;5:735-749. doi: 10.1109/OJEMB.2024.3408078. PMID: 39184960; PMCID: PMC11342925.

Ulman S, Loewen AM, Erdman AL, Õunpuu S, Chafetz R, Tulchin-Francis K, Wren TAL. Lower-extremity kinematics and kinetics differ based on drop vertical jump variation: An assessment of methodology for a return-to-play protocol using motion analysis. Gait Posture. 2024 Feb;108:132-138. doi: 10.1016/j.gaitpost.2023.11.021. Epub 2023 Nov 28. PMID: 38042067.

Weaver A, Harkey M, Pacicca D, Crepeau A, Brown M Werner B, Diduch D, Kuneze C. The Effects of Lateral Extra-Articular Tenodesis or Anterolateral Ligament Reconstruction on Thigh Muscle Strength in Adolescent Patients with ACL Reconstruction. Orthopedic Journal of Sports Medicine. November 2024

Chaudhry S. Value-Driven Pediatric Supracondylar Humerus Fracture Care: Implementing EvidenceBased Practices. J Am Acad Orthop Surg Glob Res Rev. 2024 Mar 28;8(4):e24.00058. doi: 10.5435/ JAAOSGlobal-D-24-00058. PMID: 38547045; PMCID: PMC10980363.

Kashikar-Zuck S, Thomas S, Bonnette S, Gibler RC, DiCesare C, Schille A, Hulburt T, Briggs MS, Ounpuu S, Myer GD; FIT Teens Clinical Trial Study Group. Comparison of Pain Characteristics, Strength, and Movement Patterns in Adolescents With Juvenile Fibromyalgia and High Versus Low Fear of Movement. J Pain. 2024 May 31:104586. doi: 10.1016/j.jpain.2024.104586. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38823603.

Rethlefsen SA, Ounpuu S, Rodriguez-MacClintic J, Hanson A, Ciccodicola EM, Pierz KA, Wren TAL. Is a Three-component Video-based Version of the Foot Posture Index Valid for Assessing Pediatric Patients With Orthopaedic and Neurologic Foot Conditions? Clin Orthop Relat Res. 2024 May 9. doi: 10.1097/ CORR.0000000000003110. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38843519.

Weaver A, Dunkle Z, Giampetruzzi N, Prue J, Roman D, Pacicca D. Clinical Commentary: Blood Flow Restriction training in the young athlete. April 2024. HSS Musculoskeletal Journal.

Cherelstein RE, Ulman S, Kuenze CM, Harkey MS, Arrow, Butler LS. Greater changes in self-reported activity level are associated with decreased quality of life in patients following an anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. Phys Ther Sport. 2024;67:149-154.

Butler L, Greenberg E, Giampetruzzi N, Link M, Prati V, Weaver A, Saper M. Comparison of physical therapy utilization, timing of return-to-sport test completion, and hop test performance by age and between sexes in youth athletes after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. Phys Ther Sport. 2024 Feb 14;67:1-6.

STAFF

Orthopedics and Sports Medicine:

Mark C. Lee, MD, Division Head

Matthew Brown, MD

Sonia Chaudhry, MD

Allison E. Crepeau, MD

Philip W. Mack, MD

Donna Pacicca, MD

Kristan Pierz, MD

Brian Smith, MD

David Wang, MD

Janet Zahradnik, MD

Marta Berube, PA-C

Nicole Chaves, MHS, PA-C

Katelyn Colosi, PA-C

Kevin Connolly, PA-C

Kevin Fitzsimmons, PA-C

Sarah Florence, PA-C

Rebecca Gotthelf, PA-C

Connor Halloran, PA-C

Erin Malone, PA-C

Anthony Pastore, MS, PA-C

Kimberly VanPelt, PA-C

OTOLARYNGOLOGY – HEAD AND NECK SURGERY

The Division of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery provides cutting edge and innovative clinical care of infants, children, and adolescents. We are national leaders in our field and educate the next generation of pediatric otolaryngologists through our collaboration with the University of Connecticut School of Medicine Otolaryngology Residency and Pediatric Otolaryngology Fellowship. We have active outpatient offices at the Connecticut Children’s Hartford campus, as well as satellite locations in Farmington, Glastonbury, and Westport, CT and South Hadley, MA.

Over the past year, we have seen tremendous growth in our ambulatory services. Referrals for otolaryngology services surged this past year with continued challenges to meet the level of requested consultations. Overall, the Division provided care to a record number of patients and families, with 15,600 outpatient visits and 3667 surgical cases. Moreover, we expanded services in areas of western Massachusetts and Fairfield County, CT. To meet the needs of our patients and families we have added new nurses and providers and anticipate our division continuing to grow in 2025. Academically, our faculty have been active locally, regionally, and nationally. It has truly been a great year for the division of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery.

Christopher Grindle, MD, serves as the Medical Director of the Division of Otolaryngology and oversees the continued development of the division and its growth. He is the fellowship director for Pediatric Otolaryngology and has spearheaded the development of our curriculum for developing and training future pediatric otolaryngologists. He is a member of the Informatics Committee for the American Academy of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery. He has ongoing research projects on the microbiome of middle ear effusion. In 2024 Dr. Grindle presented at the American Society of Pediatric Otolaryngology’s annual meeting.

Nancy Grover, MD, continues as the Co-Medical Director of the Connecticut Children’s multidisciplinary Sleep Apnea Clinic in collaboration with sleep medicine, sleep psychology, and weight management colleagues. The program has demonstrated year over year growth. Dr. Grover had several national presentations related to the work of this group including at the American Academy of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery. Additionally, she had a peer reviewed publication and national oral

presentation looking at patient education materials and generative AI. She continues to work on a randomized controlled study for children with mild obstructive sleep apnea.

Katherine Kavanagh, MD, serves as the Director of Simulation for the University of Connecticut Otolaryngology residency program and the Director of Research for the Division of Pediatric Otolaryngology, and became the Medical Director for the division in October 2024. She is the chair of the Simulation Education Committee for the American Academy of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery Foundation. She also serves on the Academy’s Education Steering Committee and the Annual Program Committee – both of which shape the future of otolaryngologic training and practice. She is on the executive board of the Connecticut ENT Society where she serves as Treasurer. This past year, she celebrated her 10th year as Director of the multidisciplinary Airway Conference – a monthly conference focused on improving medical and surgical management of patients with difficult airways. Dr. Kavanagh is the Co-Director for Connecticut Children’s Office of Faculty Development. She was awarded the 2024 Outstanding Faculty Scholarship Award by the University of Connecticut Otolaryngology residency program.

Amy Hughes, MD, leads the division’s efforts to care for patients with sialorrhea (drooling). The number of outpatient visits and surgical procedures for drooling continues to increase year over year. She serves on the Academy of Cerebral Palsy and Developmental Medicine sialorrhea care pathway team and is a member of the American Academy of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery salivary gland committee. Dr. Hughes was active academically with presentations at several local and national meetings in 2024. Dr. Hughes expanded her role in the division in October 2024, becoming the Director of the University of Connecticut School of Medicine Pediatric Otolaryngology Fellowship program.

Nicole Murray, MD, is the Director of Connecticut Children’s Aerodigestive Team and the Division Head of the Division of Airway, Voice and Swallowing Disorders. Under her leadership, the division continues to expand its ability to care for these complicated patients. Dr. Murray is the co-chair of the Connecticut Children’s PPE Task Force, which provided vital guidance to Connecticut Children’s faculty during the COVID-19 pandemic. She is the President of the Children’s Medical Staff Executive Committee. She also serves as Chair of the Clinical

Competency Committee for the University of Connecticut Otolaryngology residency program.

Scott R. Schoem, MD, MBA, is the Director of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery and oversees the strategic marketing and expansion of the division. He continued in his role as Associate Director of Surgical Clinical Affairs where he mentors other division chiefs and young surgeons and maximizes operating room efficiency. He is now immediate Past-President of the Connecticut Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics. He continues his passion on advocacy for children’s healthcare with focus on HPV vaccination. He was appointed by the CT DPH Commissioner to serve as consultant to the state congenital CMV Taskforce. Dr. Schoem had several projects presented at American Society of Pediatric Otolaryngology’s annual meeting.

As the Division of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery heads into 2025 there are several changes to the division. After 25 years as Division Head, Dr. Schoem has stepped down from that role. Dr. Schoem impacted the lives of countless children and families through his care and through the care of the division that he built over the years. We are grateful for his leadership and his service to the community at Connecticut Children’s and beyond. As of October 1, 2024, Dr. Grindle assumed the role of Division Head and Dr. Kavanagh was appointed the new Medical Director of the division. As we look to the future, we look forward to building upon the strong foundations that were put in place by Dr. Schoem.

OTOLARYNGOLOGY FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM

The Pediatric Otolaryngology Fellowship Program graduated its second fellow, Ruwaa Samarrai, MD, in 2024. She was an active participant in the program’s academic mission both locally and nationally. In October of 2024, Dr. Hughes assumed the role of Program Director for the fellowship program. We look forward to the great years ahead under her leadership.

PUBLICATIONS

Peer-Review Journals:

Mulry E, Grover N. Socioeconomic determinants of moderate and severe obstructive sleep apnea in children: A pre and post COVID analysis. Int J Pediatr Otorhinolaryngol. 2024 Jul;182:112002. doi: 10.1016/j. ijporl.2024.112002. Epub 2024 Jun 3. PMID: 38850596. Orb Q, Pesch M, Allen C, et al. Congenital cytomegalovirus testing outcomes from the ValEAR trial. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2024;170(5):1430-1441.

Samarrai R, Rahman K, Parham K. Clinical Biomarkers in Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery: Autoimmune Diseases. Ear Nose Throat J. 2024 Jan;103(1):29-35. doi: 10.1177/01455613211033121. Epub 2021 Jul 19. PMID: 34281418.

Samarrai R, Rahman K, Parham K. Clinical Biomarkers in Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery. Ear Nose Throat J. 2024 May;103(5):NP301-NP311. doi: 10.1177/01455613211050698. Epub 2021 Oct 25. PMID: 34694171.

Book Chapters:

Schoem SR, Rosbe K, Tabtabai R. Aerodigestive Foreign Bodies and Caustic Ingestion. In Cummings, et al Textbook on Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery. 8th Ed, 2024.

Murray N. Sinonasal Manifestations of Cystic Fibrosis. In: Otolaryngology and Facial Plastic Surgery, Medscape Reference (formerly eMedicine World Medical Library), eMedicine.medscape.com, Inc. 2024.

STAFF

Scott Schoem, MD, MBA, FAAP, Division Head

Christopher Grindle, MD, FAAP

Nancy Grover, MD

Amy Hughes, MD, FAAP

Katherine Kavanagh, MD, FAAP

Nicole Murray, MD, FAAP

Rebecca Strong, APRN

Christine Harrington, PA-C

Elizabeth Oblon, PA-C

Cristina Boisvert, DNP, FNP, CLC

Irsa Wenceslao, APRN

Alyssa Brana, PA-C

PEDIATRIC & ADULT CONGENITAL CARDIOTHORACIC SURGERY

The Cardiothoracic Surgery team led by Dennis Mello, MD, provides world-class surgical care and support to the children and adults of Connecticut born with congenital heart disease.

Our program provides state-of-the-art management of complex congenital heart defects across the entire age spectrum from newborns to adults, including a collaboration with the adult cardiothoracic surgery team at Hartford Hospital. The Pediatric Cardiothoracic Surgery service strives for discovery, teamwork, integrity, and excellence in cardiac surgical care. Cardiothoracic Surgery, Pediatric Cardiac Anesthesia, the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU), and Pediatric Cardiology work together in a strong collaborative effort to provide a uniform standard of care to patients with congenital heart disease who are seeking surgery.

Dr. Mello, Division Head, is a board-certified congenital heart surgeon and provides perioperative cardiac surgical care to all patients with congenital heart disease. Dr. Mello is supported by two excellent and highly skilled physician assistants, Jill Sullivan, PA-C and Kathleen Kellerman, PA-C, who help navigate the operative and post-operative care, respectively, of our patients. We have been able to safely perform complex procedures in the operating room as well as cardiac catheterization lab with appropriate surgical coverage at all times. Our surgical volumes continue to increase and we are performing the most congenital heart surgeries of any program within the state.

NEONATAL AND PEDIATRIC HEART SURGERY

Our team has regularly been performing numerous complex congenital heart surgeries including Norwood operations for hypoplastic left heart syndrome as well as other neonatal operations such as an arterial switch and truncus arteriosus repair with excellent outcomes. We have experienced an increase in the level of case complexity across our patient spectrum and continue to provide high-quality care to the patients we serve.

ADULT CONGENITAL HEART DISEASE SURGERY

We strive to attain excellence in our surgical care of adults with congenital heart disease (ACHD) in collaboration with adult congenital cardiology as well as the adult cardiothoracic surgeons at Hartford Hospital. Robert Hagberg, MD, an experienced adult heart surgeon and chief of Cardiac Surgery at Hartford Hospital, is an integral partner in helping provide care for adult patients

with congenital heart disease. He and his partners often collaborate with our Connecticut Children’s congenital heart surgeons to perform ACHD surgeries. This association further strengthens our commitment to provide surgical services to all congenital heart disease patients regardless of age within the region and statewide.

CONGENITAL CARDIAC INTENSIVE CARE

Monika Gupta, MD, a cardiac-trained intensivist, and D’Anna Obey, PA-C a cardiac ICU midlevel provider, played an instrumental role in our creation of a dedicated congenital cardiac intensive care unit.

QUALITY & OUTCOMES

Our surgical data and operative outcomes are periodically submitted to the Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) Congenital Cardiac Surgery Database (www.sts.org). This database includes more than 94 percent of the congenital cardiac surgery programs in North America and helps establish outcome and quality benchmarks. We continue to rank very well within these objective benchmarks.

In order to improve communications and enhance patient care efficacy, we implemented cardiac surgery ICU rounds. Monthly mortality and morbidity presentations and quarterly quality STS reviews are performed for continuous review of the surgical program.

EDUCATION

We continue to provide ongoing educational support to PICU nursing and ancillary staff through a congenital heart surgery lecture series on a monthly basis. These efforts have been extended to our NICU colleagues to continue to improve care for patients with congenital heart disease. We are also in the process of establishing our first UConn Integrated Cardiac Surgery Residency Program.

STAFF

Dennis Mello, MD, Division Head, Pediatric and Adult Congenital Cardiac Surgery

Kenneth Warner, MD, Congenital Heart Surgeon (through 9/30/2023)

Robert Hagberg, MD, Chief of Cardiac Surgery, Hartford Hospital

Monica Gupta, MD, Cardiac Intensivist

Jill Sullivan, MS, PA-C

Kathleen Kellerman, PA-C

D’Anna Obey, PA-C

NEUROSURGERY

The Division of Pediatric Neurosurgery is committed to the following core values:

• We are dedicated to the delivery of comprehensive, compassionate, and timely family-centered care to our patients and families.

• We collaborate with and respect all members of our regional community.

• We are regional, national, and international leaders in advocacy and scholarship.

The Division of Pediatric Neurosurgery had another outstanding year in 2024 with continued contributions to Connecticut Children’s and the UConn School of Medicine. We provided more than 3,700 outpatient clinic visits and 300 surgical procedures to children in Western New England. Our division continues to be the only facility in Connecticut providing the option of fetal closure of children with open neural tube defects. Surgical epilepsy volume increased 50% over 2024. We continue to offer outpatient services at multiple sites to include Westport Connecticut and South Hadley Massachusetts.

The neurosurgery division benchmarks our quality and safety metrics against programs nationally through participation in the American College of Surgeons (ACS) National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP-P) and the Hydrocephalus Research Network’s quality program (HCRNq). We continue to collaborate nationally with researchers on topics including Chiari malformation, craniosynostosis, early onset scoliosis, and neuro-oncology. We currently enjoy membership to the Park-Reeve Syringomyelia Research Consortium, the Synostosis Research Group (SynRG), the Pediatric Spine Study Group, and the Advancing Treatment for Pediatric Craniopharyngioma Consortium (ATPC).

Neurosurgery continues to set the standard for divisional contributions to research, mentorship, and advocacy. Highlights include:

• Promotion of Markus Bookland, MD, and David Hersh, MD, to Associate Professor of Surgery at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine.

• 9 publications in peer-reviewed journals.

• Our work was again selected for feature on the cover of a major neurosurgical journal in 2024.

• Five medical students presented oral abstracts at the AANS/CNS Section for Pediatric Neurosurgery in December 2024, approximately 10% of the total podium presentations at this meeting.

• Dr. Hersh was awarded a $435,000 Department of Defense grant for ‘In Situ Use of Acoustic Radiation Force and Cell Therapy to Heal Large-Scale Cranial Defects’.

• Division Head Jonathan Martin, MD, continues to serve an important advocacy role nationally to reduce pediatric firearm injuries through participation on the American College of Surgeons Firearm Strategy (FAST) Team, Healthcare Coalition for Firearm Injury Prevention HCFIP) Advocacy Workgroup, and leadership of the American Society of Pediatric Neurosurgeons Task Force on Firearm Violence.

PUBLICATIONS

Hersh DS, Anderson MG, Pindrik JA. Growing body of literature on the increase in sinogenic and otogenic intracranial infections. J Neurosurgery: Pediatrics1, no. aop (2024): 1-2.

Anderson, M. G., P. Mannam, N. K. Leclair, J. E. Martin, M. J. Bookland, B. J. Kelley, I. U. Kureshi, and D. S. Hersh. “Healthcare transition in pediatric neurosurgery: lessons learned from a pilot program for patients with hydrocephalus and spina bifida.” Neurosurgical Focus 57, no. 2 (2024): E10-E10.

Deliege, Lara, Alessandra Carriero, Juling Ong, Greg James, Owase Jeelani, David Dunaway, Petronella Stoltz et al. “A computational modelling tool for prediction of head reshaping following endoscopic strip craniectomy and helmet therapy for the treatment of scaphocephaly.” Computers in biology and medicine 177: 108633.

Taylor AM, Lombardi JT, Patel A, et al. PAT-11. Feasibility of brain tumor of brain tumor classification by enzymatic DNA enzymatic DNA methylation sequencing analysis of cell-free DNA obtained from cerebrospinal fluid. Neuro Oncol. 2024;26(Suppl 4):0. Published 2024 Jun 18. doi:10.1093/neuonc/noae064.714

Prince, Eric W, John R. Apps, John Jeang, Keanu Chee, Stephen Medlin, Eric M. Jackson, Roy Dudley et al. Unraveling the complexity of the senescenceassociated secretory phenotype in adamantinomatous craniopharyngioma using multimodal machine learning analysis. Neuro-oncology 26, no. 6 (2024): 1109-1123.

Sun, Lisa R., Lori C. Jordan, Edward R. Smith, Philipp R. Aldana, Matthew P. Kirschen, Kristin Guilliams, Nalin Gupta et al. Pediatric moyamoya revascularization perioperative care: a modified Delphi study. Neurocritical care 40, no. 2 (2024): 587-602.

Anderson, Hanna, David S. Hersh, and Yusuf Khan. The potential role of mechanotransduction in the management of pediatric calvarial bone flap repair. Biotechnology and Bioengineering 121, no. 1 (2024): 3952.

Yahanda, Alexander T., Joyce Koueik, Laurie L. Ackerman, P. David Adelson, Gregory W. Albert, Philipp R. Aldana, Tord D. Alden et al. The role of occipital condyle and atlas anomalies on occipital cervical fusion outcomes in Chiari malformation type I with syringomyelia: a study from the Park-Reeves Syringomyelia Research Consortium. Journal of Neurosurgery: Pediatrics 1, no. aop (2024): 1-9.

Anderson, Megan G., Amirul Anuar, Krystal L. Tomei, Jason M. Schwalb, Katie O. Orrico, Dimitri Sigounas, Ross C. Puffer, Michael A. Bohl, Russell R. Lonser, and Jonathan E. Martin. Survey of United States neurosurgeons on firearm injury prevention. Journal of Neurosurgery 140, no. 6 (2023): 1672-1682.

STAFF

Jonathan Martin, MD, FAANS, FACS, FAAP, Division Head, Associate Director of Trauma, Connecticut Children’s Secretary, Section on Neurological Surgery, American Academy of Pediatrics

Markus Bookland, MD, FAANS, FAAP, Associate Director of Research and Academic Affairs, Department of Surgery, Connecticut Children’s

David Hersh, MD, FAANS, FAAP

Allison Labelle, APRN

Petronella Stolz, APRN, DNP

Bethany Simonetti, APRN

Affiliated Faculty:

Evan Cantor, MD, Neuro-oncology

Mark Lee, MD, Orthopaedic Surgery/Complex Spine Service

Charles Castiglione, MD, Craniofacial Surgery

Christopher Hughes, MD, Craniofacial Surgery

Belachew Tessema, MD, Otolaryngology /Endonasal Sinus Surgery

Martin Ollenschleger, MD, Neurointerventional Radiology

Sonia Chaudhry, MD, Orthopaedic Surgery/Peripheral Nerve

Jennifer Madan Cohen, MD, Epilepsy /Neurology

Helaine Bertsch, MD, Radiation Oncology

PEDIATRIC SURGERY

The mission of the Pediatric Surgery division is to provide high quality family-centered surgical and trauma care. The Division of Pediatric Surgery offers a full range of clinical services for pediatric patients from newborns to young adults. This includes prenatal consultations, treatment of congenital anomalies, head and neck surgery, surgery of the chest and abdomen, pediatric gynecology, nonreconstructive urology, surgical oncology, bariatric surgery, treatment of chest wall deformities, and trauma including burn care. Pediatric surgeons see patients in Hartford, Farmington, Danbury, and Westport, to allow easier access to care for our patient families. The Pediatric Surgery team performs outpatient procedures at the Connecticut Children’s Ambulatory Surgery Center in Farmington. Same-day outpatient visits continue to be available at our Hartford office for any urgent problems and at our satellites whenever a pediatric surgeon is on site. Additionally, we are committed to offering families outpatient appointments within one week of referral for non-urgent needs.

The Division of Pediatric Surgery continues to develop innovative ways to provide high quality acute and elective surgical care for infants, children, and adolescents across a broad range of surgical conditions. The division remains steadfastly committed to providing family-centered, evidence-based care along with innovative research and world-class clinical education. The breadth and scope of the pediatric surgical care we provide makes our division a foundational part of the clinical care that Connecticut Children’s provides.

Connecticut Children’s continues to be one of only two centers in New England that is verified by the American College of Surgeons as Level I Pediatric Trauma Center and a Level I Children’s Surgery Center. Data collected through both the pediatric trauma (TQIP) and children’s surgery programs (NSQIP) allow us to track important quality metrics and benchmark Connecticut Children’s outcomes against other US children’s hospitals. These insights guide institutional quality improvement work and improve patient outcomes.

The Bariatric Surgical Program continues to grow and was reaccredited by the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program, the combined accreditation program of the American College of Surgeons and the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery. Connecticut Children’s is the first

pediatric program in Connecticut to receive this distinction and one of a select few pediatric-only centers in the nation. The program has completed nearly 175 sleeve gastrectomies since its inception and routinely utilizes robotic surgical approaches. The program has completed 40 robotic gastric sleeve procedures and has expanded the robotics program to include cases such as robotic inguinal hernia repairs with mesh, paraesophageal hernia repairs, Heller esophagomyotomies, cholecystectomies, adrenalectomies, and urachal cyst excisions.

The Multidisciplinary Thyroid Group, including pediatric surgeons Drs. Finck, Weiss, and Healy and pediatric endocrinologists Nordie Bilbao, MD, and Rebecca RibaWolman, MD, facilitates the evaluation of children with thyroid diseases and allows them to be rapidly and simultaneously evaluated by a pediatric surgeon and a pediatric endocrinologist. Since 2014 this group has completed 101 thyroid operations and in 2024, they published “Validating the Modified McGill Thyroid Nodule Score for Assessment of Preoperative Risk of Pediatric Thyroid Malignancy” in the Journal of Pediatric Surgery

Brendan Campbell, MD, MPH has held the Donald W. Hight Endowed Chair in Pediatric Surgery since 2017 and has led the division since 2022. Dr. Campbell is one of only 100 surgeons nationally to serve on the American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma, where he chairs the Injury Prevention and Control Committee and serves on the Executive Committee. At the American College of Surgeons’ Clinical Congress in San Francisco in October 2024 he was awarded the Surgeons’ Award for Service to Safety by the National Safety Council for his “commitment to and leadership in the prevention of injuries for all ages.”

Christine Rader, MD, continues her role as Assistant Dean for Academic Affairs at Connecticut Children’s where she provides educational oversight for both the medical and surgical house staff. She also leads the Chest Wall Deformities Program which provides state-of-the-art care for children with chest wall deformities, specifically pectus excavatum and pectus carinatum.

James Healy, MD, serves as the UConn Integrated Surgical Residency site director and assistant program director for the Pediatric Surgical fellowship. Dr. Healy continues to work with the multidisciplinary weight management program to increase safety and efficiency of care for bariatric patients who present for weight loss surgery. This includes multiple quality improvement projects aimed at

addressing patient comfort, reduction of narcotic usage, decreased length of stay, and avoidance of complications and nutrient deficiencies. He was elected Vice President of the Connecticut Chapter of the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery and serves on the American Pediatric Surgical Association bariatric program building subcommittee.

Richard Weiss, MD, participates as an ex officio member of the American Pediatric Surgical Association Practice Committee which monitors the practice of pediatric surgery in North America, reports trends in practice patterns, and offers guidance to members for improvements and optimization of care delivery. He continues his role as an advisor for the American Pediatric Surgical Association to the AMA/Specialty RVS Update Committee and is a member of the executive council of the Connecticut Chapter of the American College of Surgeons.

J. Leslie Knod, MD, cultivates her passion for advocacy regionally as Vice Chair of the American Pediatric Surgical Association Health Policy and Advocacy Committee, and locally through Connecticut Children’s Public Policy Council. She is the Core Faculty Leader for the UConn Pediatrics Rotation in Surgery and serves as faculty instructor for the International Pediatric Surgery Endosurgery Mastery Learning Advanced™ Hands-on Course. Through the Eastern Pediatric Surgical Network, Dr. Knod is investigating esophageal surveillance practices in esophageal atresia patients. She serves as Co-Chair for Connecticut Children’s Esophageal Atresia Collaborative.

Katerina Dukleska, MD, continues in her role as the Surgical Site Director for the Quinnipiac University Pediatrics clerkship and the UConn Pediatric Surgery Rotation. She is a Core Faculty Leader for the UConn General Surgery Residency and has organized the Surgery Intern Boot Camp for the last three years. She has participated in the Popik Family Quality and Patient Safety Fellowship where she developed an electronic safety event tracking and evaluation system. This innovative system led to her receiving the Physician Quality Cup Award at the 2024 Medical Staff Annual Meeting. She also serves as a member of the Specialty Advisory Council in pediatric surgery for the American College of Surgeon National Quality Improvement Program.

PEDIATRIC SURGERY FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM

In August of 2023, Danielle Dougherty, MD, began her two-year clinical fellowship in pediatric surgery after

receiving additional subspecialty surgical training at the University of Michigan in Surgical Critical Care and Fetal Medicine. Avila Azalia, MD, who will complete her training in general surgery at Memorial Healthcare System in Pembroke Pines, Florida this summer, will start as our next fellow in August 2025.

EDUCATION

We create outstanding learning opportunities in pediatric surgery and trauma for general surgery and surgical subspecialty residents from the University of Connecticut affiliated residency programs and for rotating general surgery residents from Stamford Hospital, Waterbury Hospital, St. Mary’s Hospital, and Danbury Hospital. Each year, several UConn Pediatric residents participate in elective rotations on the pediatric surgery service. We also incorporate medical students from both UConn and Quinnipiac University. A pediatric surgery fellowship program has been offered at Connecticut Children’s since 2011.

All eight of our pediatric surgeons are Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) Instructors and participate as instructors at ATLS courses taught throughout the year for residents, fellows, APPs, and physicians in the northeast. Drs. Campbell and Knod are both instructors for the Advanced Trauma Operative Management (ATOM) course which is a live-animal model course that teaches proper operative techniques for managing penetrating injuries to the chest and abdomen.

RESEARCH

Dr. Finck’s research laboratory focuses on innovation and tissue engineering of organs, including the lungs and the esophagus. Over the last year, her lab, in partnership with a lab at the University of Vermont, has received grant funding from the Department of Defense for work on the clinical development of a novel pleural and tracheal sealant. Her research team submitted a patent for a prosthetic device for tissue regeneration.

The division is participating in several clinical studies through the Eastern Pediatric Surgical Network (EPSN), a consortium of children’s hospitals on the East Coast that are working collaboratively to study low-frequency childhood diseases. Connecticut Children’s is the lead site for evaluating cases of long gap/pure esophageal atresia (Dr. Finck) and post-repair surveillance (Dr. Knod). Other EPSN studies include central line infection (Dr. Knod), appendicitis (Drs. Campbell & Dukleska), and pediatric thyroid disease (Dr. Healy). The division is active in several

other IRB-approved studies related to pediatric trauma, quality improvement, health services, and injury prevention research under the leadership of Drs. Campbell and Dukleska, and basic science research through Dr. Finck’s lab at the UConn Health Center.

THE FUTURE

For 2025, the Division of Pediatric Surgery will continue to expand its regional footprint in Southern New England, with a continued emphasis on Fairfield County with satellite clinics in Danbury and Westport. We will expand our niche programs that leverage our expertise in minimally invasive surgery, chest wall deformities, pediatric burn care, bariatric surgery, thyroid disease, and pilonidal sinus disease. We will continue to facilitate in-person access for patients by offering outpatient clinic visits within one week, as well as evening and Saturday clinic options, to make it easier for families to have access to high quality pediatric surgical care.

PUBLICATIONS

Waddle SD, Thomas A, Campbell BT, Betz ME, Johnson JK, Royan R, Ellyin A, Jang A, Crandall ML, Stey AM. Exploratory qualitative study of firearm storage practices among surgeons in the USA: contexts and motivations. Inj Prev. 2024 Aug 29:ip-2023-045205. doi: 10.1136/ip-2023045205. Online ahead of print.

Cramm SL, Graham DA, Feng C, Allukian M, Blakely ML, Chandler NM, Cowles RA, Kunisaki SM, Lipskar AM, Russell RT, Santore MT, Campbell BT, Commander SJ, DeFazio JR, Dukleska K, Echols JC, Esparaz JR, Gerall C, Griggs CL, Hanna DN, He K, Keane OA, McLean SE, Pace E, Scholz S, Sferra SR, Tracy ET, Zhang L, Rangel SJ; Eastern Pediatric Surgery Network. Use of antipseudomonal antibiotics is not associated with lower rates of postoperative drainage procedures or more favorable culture profiles in children with complicated appendicitis: results from a multicenter regional research consortium. Ann Surg. 2024 June 1;279(6)1070-1076. doi: 10.1097/SLA.0000000000006152. Epub 2023 Nov 16.

Thomas AC, Royan R, Nathens AB, Campbell BT, Reddy S, Spitzer S, Hamad D, Jang A, Stey AM. Patient and hospital characteristics associated with admission among patients with minor isolated extremity firearm injuries: a propensitymatched analysis. Ann Surg Open. 2024 May 6;5(2):e430. doi: 10.1097/AS9.0000000000000430.

Cramm SL, Graham DA, Blakely ML, Kunisaki SM, Chandler NM, Cowles RA, Feng C, He K, Russell RT, Allukian M,

Campbell BT, Commander SJ, DeFazio JR, Dukleska K, Echols JC, Esparaz JR, Gerall C, Griggs CL, Hanna DN, Keane OA, Lipskar AM, McLean SE, Pace E, Santore MT, Scholz S, Sferra SR, Tracy ET, Zhang L, Rangel SJ, Eastern Pediatric Surgery Network. Postoperative antibiotics, outcomes and resource use in children with gangrenous appendicitis. JAMA Surg. 2024 May 1;159(5):511-517. doi: 10.1001/jamasurg.2023.7754.

Kirkendoll SD, Silver CM, Stey AM, Nathens AB, Jackson K, Campbell BT. Surgeon views on firearm safety counseling in clinical practice: a cross-sectional survey. J Trauma Acute Care Surg. 2024 Mar 1;96(3):455-460. doi:10.1097/ TA.0000000000004197. Epub 2023 Nov 7.

Henry MC, Ehrlich PF, Flynn O’Brien KT, Griggs C, Hartman HA, Kotagal M, Masiakos P, Naik-Mathuri B, Sathya C, Stevens J, Thomas A, Trinidad S, Williams R, Campbell BT. Pediatric Surgery Firearm Injury Collaborative Symposium. J Pediatr Surg. 2024 Jan;59(1):68-73. doi: 10.1016/j. jpedsurg.2023.09.031. Epub 2023 Sep 27. PMID: 37875380 Review.

Campbell BT. Invited commentary: improved survival for children injured by firearms. J Am Coll Surg. 2023 Nov 1;237(5):749-750. doi:10.1097/XCS.0000000000000810. Epub 2023 Aug 24.

Knod JL, Sathya C, Griggs CL, Henry MC, Froehlich M, Zallen G, Coakley BA, Masiakos PT, Gow KW, Naik-Mathuria B; APSA/AAP Advocacy Committee. Promoting Firearm Injury Prevention and Advocacy as Pediatric Surgeons: A Call to Action From the APSA/AAP Advocacy Committee. J Pediatr Surg. 2024 Jun;59(6):1135-1141. doi: 10.1016/j. jpedsurg.2023.11.013. Epub 2023 Dec 5. PMID: 38160188.

Mannava SV, Brar A, Patwardhan U, Godfrey J, Berdan E, Gow K, Knod JL. Bridging the Knowledge Gap: A Toolkit on Reproductive Rights for Pediatric Surgeons in the PostDobbs Era. J Pediatr Surg. 2024 Jul;59(7):1374-1377. doi: 0.1016/j.jpedsurg.2024.03.029. Epub 2024 Mar 16. PMID: 38589273.

Finck C, Zendejas B, Knod JL, Tramontozzi P, Jungbauer D, Anderson M, Middlesworth W, Scholz S, Kunisaki SM. Perioperative management and outcomes in long-gap esophageal atresia: a retrospective analysis from the Eastern Pediatric Surgery Network. Journal of Pediatric Surgery Open, Volume 3, October 2023.

Saneh H, Wanczyk H, Walker J, Finck C. Stem cell-

derived extracellular vesicles: a potential intervention for bronchopulmonary dysplasia. Pediatr Res. 2024 Sep 9. doi: 10.1038/s41390-024-03471-2. Online ahead of print.

Burgwardt N, Healy JM, Menendez A, Regan M, Moote D, Bilbao N, Riba-Wolman R, Brimacombe M, Finck C. Validating the modified McGill Thyroid Nodule Score for Assessment of Preoperative Risk of Pediatric Thyroid Malignancy. J Pediatr Surg. 2024 Jul;59(7):1394-1398. doi:10.1016/j.jpedsurg.2024.03.037. Epub 2024 Mar 24.

Saneh H, Wanczyk H, Walker J, Finck C. Effectiveness of extracellular vesicles derived from hiPSCs in repairing hyperoxia-induced injury in a fetal murine lung explant model. Stem Cell Res Ther. 2024 Mar 14;15(1):80. doi:10.1186/s13287-024-03687-3. PMID: 38486338.

Fahy AS, Klima DA, Gillam MM, Aprahamian CJ, Kim SS, Kokoska ER, Teeple EA, Weiss RG, Escobar MA Jr. Locum tenens and pediatric surgery: a position statement and practice guidelines from the American Pediatric Surgical Association (APSA). J Pediatr Surg, 2024 Oct;59(10):161567. doi:10.1016/j.pedsurg.2024.04.021. Epub 2024 May 8.

Krinock D, Siddiqui S, Vandewalle R, Witte A, Flynn-OBrien K, Patwardhan UM, Ignacio RC, Knod JL, Dukleska K, Livingston MH, Scholz S, Bosley M, Neff L, Alemayehu H. “Surgery First” vs. “Endoscopy First” for Pediatric Choledocholithiasis Presenting at the End of the Week - A CARES Working Group Study. J Pediatr Surg. 2024 Sep 24:161959. doi: 10.1016/j.jpedsurg.2024.161959. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 39370383.

Brar A, Mannava SV, Patwardhan UM, Sullins VF, Berdan EA, Greves CD, Gow KW, Carlisle E, Tsao K, Hunter C, Baerg JE, Knod JL. Navigating the Impact of the Dobbs Decision: Perspectives from Pediatric Surgeons on Reproductive Health Care. J Am Coll Surg. 2024 September 1:239(3):309-316. PMID: 38577986 doi:10.1097/ XCS.0000000000001092.

Rauh J, Dantes G, Wallace M, Collings A, Sanin GD, Cambronero GE, Bosley ME, Ganapathy AS, Patterson JW, Ignacio R, Knod JL, Slater B, Callier K, Livingston MH, Alemayehu H, Dukleska K, Scholz S, Santore MT, Zamora IJ, Neff LP. Transcystic Laparoscopic Common Bile Duct Exploration for Pediatric Patients with Choledocholithiasis: A Multi-Center Study. J Pediatr Surg. 2024;59(3):389-392. doi:10.1016/j.jpedsurg.2023.10.046.

Ryan ML, Knod JL, Pandya SR. Creation of Threedimensional Anatomic Models in Pediatric Surgical Patients Using Cross-sectional Imaging: A Demonstration of Low-cost Methods and Applications. J Pediatr Surg. 2024 Mar;59(3):426-431. PMID: 37981543 doi:10.1016/j. jpedsurg.2023.10.053.

Rauh JL, Wood EC, Dantes G, Alemayehu H, Wallace M, Zamora IJ, Callier K, Slater BJ, Witte A, Flynn-OBrien K, Patwardhan UM, Neff L, Ignacio R; CARES Working Group Consortium. Patient Safety and Radiation Exposure in Transcystic Laparoscopic Common Bile Duct Exploration: A CARES Working Group Multicenter Study J Pediatr Surg. 2024 Dec;59(12):161669. doi: 10.1016/j. jpedsurg.2024.08.009. Epub 2024 Aug 6. PMID: 39232946.

Rauh JL, Dantes G, Alemayehu H, Wallace M, Zamora IJ, Callier K, Slater BJ, Krinock D, Siddiqui S, Witte A, Flynn-OBrien K, Patwardhan UM, Ignacio R, Gomez MK, Neff LP; CARES Working Group. Reducing MRCP Utilization Through a “Surgery First” Approach for Pediatric Choledocholithiasis: A CARES Working Group Retrospective Study. J Pediatr Surg. 2024 Dec;59(12):161668. doi: 10.1016/j. jpedsurg.2024.08.008. Epub 2024 Aug 8. PMID: 39232947.

STAFF

Christine Finck, MD, Surgeon-in-Chief

Brendan T. Campbell, MD, MPH

Clinical Director, Pediatric Surgery Division

Medical Director, Pediatric Trauma Program

Medical Director, Injury Prevention Center

Michael Bourque, MD, emeritus

Jacob Campbell, DO, MPH

Medical Director, ECMO Program

Katerina Dukleska, MD

James Healy, MD, MHS

Donald W. Hight, MD, emeritus

J. Leslie Knod, MD

Christine Rader, MD

Medical Director, Chest Wall Deformities Program

Richard G. Weiss, MD

Elisabeth Campbell, PA

Nicole Dietzel, PA

Evan Fusaro, PA

Abby Theriaque, APRN

Alyssa Gersten, APRN

Anthony Angotta, PA

Sarah Wende, PA

Pediatric Surgery Fellow: Danielle Dougherty, MD

PEDIATRIC UROLOGY

The Division of Pediatric Urology provides comprehensive and cutting-edge care to the children of Connecticut. Our team sees patients in Hartford, Farmington, Glastonbury, Danbury, and Westport and performs surgical procedures in Hartford, Farmington, and Stamford. We are committed to providing world-class urologic care close to home and have developed a Comprehensive Continence Center on the main campus in Hartford and the new Connecticut Children’s facility in Westport.

Courtney Rowe, MD, FAAP, has an active clinical and research career. She received the first Connecticut Children’s Connection Grant from the Foundation for her work to develop a novel urethra stent to improve healing after surgery or injury. On a national level, she serves as the chair-elect of the Patient Education Committee of the Urology Care Foundation, the nonprofit arm of the American Urologic Association.

Anne Dudley, MD, FACS, is the Pediatric Urology site director for the University of Connecticut Urology Residency Program and serves on the Medical Staff Executive Committee. She continues to expand the clinical volume and geographical reach of the multidisciplinary Spina Bifida Clinic which serves as the only clinic in the state that is a certified Spina Bifida Association Clinic Care Partner. Dr. Dudley was promoted to the rank of Associate Professor of Pediatrics at UConn School of Medicine.

Daniel Herz, MD, MS, FAAP, FACS, is the Division Head of Urology. Since joining Connecticut Children’s with more than 25 years of clinical and research experience, the Division of Urology has expanded clinical volume in Hartford and has taken advantage of newly expanded clinical access in the new Connecticut Children’s facility in Westport. Dr. Herz’s was appointed to the rank of Associate Professor of Pediatrics at UConn School of Medicine.

One of the continued highlights of our division is hosting the annual Howard I. Hochman, MD, PhD Endowed Lectureship in Pediatric Urology in honor of the late Dr. Hochman, a founding member of our Urology division. This annual lectureship celebrates Dr. Hochman’s legacy of dedication to resident teaching and patient care. We were delighted to welcome Alireza Alam, MD, as our 3rd annual speaker. We timed the 2024 Hochman Lecture to coincide with a complex Bladder Exstrophy and Epispadias

reconstruction during which Dr. Alam functioned as a mentor and surgical coach to the lead surgeon, Dr. Rowe. All clinical and academic outcomes surrounding this even were a resounding success.

CLINICAL CARE

The Division of Pediatric Urology continues to be a leader in providing the full range of next-generation urologic care to our community. We offer robotic surgical procedures with a dedicated pediatric Da Vinci Xi and have partnered with our colleagues in the Division of Radiology to provide the most advanced options including MR Urogram using a dedicated 3T MRI and Contract Enhanced Voiding Ultrasound (CEVUS) for radiation-free diagnosis of vesicoureteral reflux. We formed Connecticut’s first multi-institutional regional partnership focused on care for children with bladder and cloacal exstrophy. We provided families with the latest collaborative care within multidisciplinary clinics including the GUPPE Clinic for patients with variations of sexual development, the Spina Bifida Clinic for patients with myelomeningocele, the ROCKS Clinic for patients with kidney stones, the Prenatal Clinic, and the PUV Clinic for patients with posterior urethral valves. We also offer the Connecticut Children’s Continence Program for the management of nonneurogenic voiding issues with both a physician and an advanced practice provider (APP). In 2024, we added and extended this program to the new Connecticut Children’s facility in Westport. With a multidisciplinary approach, we offer Urological, Nephrological and Physical Therapy evaluation and treatment including pelvic floor therapy for voiding dysfunction. We continue to successfully leverage telehealth opportunities to provide urologic care from the comfort of home.

Our advanced video urodynamics suite has state-of-theart equipment including air catheters to streamline this complex procedure and allow for efficient evaluation of neurogenic and non-neurogenic voiding. We continue to offer hypnotherapy for patients with voiding concerns.

EDUCATION

Our division provides education to the next generation of surgeons. We mentor residents from the University of Connecticut Department of Urology and provide exposure to pediatric urological surgical care to interns, junior residents, and experienced senior residents in basic and advanced pediatric urology. As the residency pediatric site director, Dr. Dudley has streamlined evaluations for trainees and serves as an examiner for mock oral boards.

She works closely with University of Connecticut medical students as a Capstone mentor for research and a Clinical Longitudinal Immersion in the Community (CLIC) flex instructor for surgical experience and training. Dr. Dudley is involved in national educational efforts where she authored the core curriculum for American Urologic Association Resident Reference on cryptorchidism.

Our division has had multiple national and international educational events. Dr. Rowe continues to serve as a regional and national mentor for Urological Surgery residents and fellows in her roles at the American Urologic Association Urology Care Foundation Educational Council.

RESEARCH

Dr. Rowe’s lab continues its work in translational research and regenerative medicine. With strong collaborative support at UConn, Dr. Rowe received a Department of Defense Discovery Grant in regenerative tissue technology. This grant will provide support for continued research on urethral healing along with continued training in research methodology.

Dr. Dudley continues as director for the Society of Fetal Urology Prenatal Hydronephrosis Registry. This national multi-institutional collaboration is a publication powerhouse that is reshaping our national perspective on care for patients with hydronephrosis. Dr. Dudley continues to serve as co-principal investigator of the testicular tissue cryopreservation protocol which preserves fertility options for children undergoing oncologic treatment.

As a part of their involvement in the Organizational Excellence 3.0 program, Drs. Dudley and Herz have embarked on quality improvement research. Dr. Dudley created interventions to improve the nutritional assessment for children with Myelomeningocele and created mechanisms for tracking nutritional elements before and after the intervention. Dr. Herz created an intervention to improve newborn circumcision care and prevent the need for circumcision repair and created a clinical pathway and picture library to help newborn circumcision providers identify at-risk anatomy for the need for circumcision revision. Both research projects were poster presentations at 2024 10th Annual Illuminations Conference and are in the review process for publication in quality improvement journals.

DIVISIONAL FUTURE

The Division of Pediatric Urology is actively seeking additional surgeons to serve on the main campus in Hartford and the Westport facility. We also expect to transfer our primary clinic space in Harford to a renovated 2J to expand access to Urology care.

PUBLICATIONS

Dudley AG. Nutritional Aspects of Spina Bifida Care: Optimizing Medical Management and Surgical Healing. Curr Urol Rep 2024: 26(1). PMID: 39347846

Wehbi EJ, Davis-Dao CA, Williamson SH, Herndon CDA, Chamberlin JD, Dudley AG, Cannon S, Lockwood GM, Kern NG, Zee RS, Braga LH, Welch V, Chuang KW, McGrath M, Stephany HA, Khoury AE. The conundrum of high grade hydronephrosis with non-obstructive drainage on diuretic renography. J Ped Urol 2024: Suppl 1:S1117.

Meier KM, Mata C, Kaar JL, Rensing AJ, Dudley AG, Carrasco A Jr, Drzewiecki BA, Vanderbrink BA, Streur CS, Bagli DJ, Chalmbers DJ, Wilcox DT, Yerkes EB, Lau GA, Vricella GJ, Hecht SL, Copp HL, Pohl HG, Franco I, Ahn J, Wiener JS, Singer JS, Long CJ, Keays MA, Daughtery MR, Fuchs ME, Austin PF, Wu CQ, Zee RS, Misseri R, Tanaka ST, Bauer SB, Rove KO. Expert Consensus on Pediatric Urodynamics Reporting Using Modified Delphi Technique. J Urol 2024, (Online ahead of print) PMID: 38700226

Herz D, Pelletier L, Tovar MR, Dudley AG, Saccocio M. Improving Circumcision Care and Reducing the Need for Circumcision Revision. Connecticut Children’s 10th Annual Illuminations Conference. May 2024, Columbus OH.

STAFF

Daniel Herz, MD, Division Head

Courtney Rowe, MD

Anne Dudley, MD

Erin Floridia, PA

Nick Rodrigue, APRN

Kelly Reilly, APRN

PLASTIC SURGERY

In Plastic Surgery and Craniofacial Surgery our surgical volume has continued to increase, comprising a full spectrum of plastic and reconstructive procedures. Our plastic surgeons frequently collaborate with other surgical specialists to provide state-of-the-art multidisciplinary surgical care. Common surgical procedures performed include complex wound closures including flaps and grafts, craniofacial reconstruction, craniofacial fracture repair, cleft lip/palate reconstruction, breast surgery/ reconstruction, body contouring, skin/soft tissue tumor excision/repair, upper extremity/hand surgery/ reconstruction, and treatment of vascular anomalies. We continue to routinely incorporate telehealth visits for consults and follow-up visits whenever necessary and appropriate.

The Division of Plastic Surgery showed continued growth and development in 2024. Ema Zubovic, MD, was recruited to join our staff. With her arrival, we are able to expand our current clinical offerings and grow new services for the future. Dr. Zubovic provides clinical care in Westport one day per week. Jacqueline Marquart, RN, also joined us this year as part of the expanding nursing resources for our division.

Lauren Schmidtberg, PA-C, and Melissa Condren, APRN. continue to share advanced practitioner roles in Hartford and Farmington. Nichole Buswell, APRN, remains largely based in the Westport region to expand our continuity of care for Fairfield County. Ms. Schmidtberg was named to Lead APP – Plastic Surgery this year and will adopt administrative oversight for our APP team. Ms. Condren was awarded the 2024 APP Excellence Award.

Over the past year clinical services were expanded in our division and new clinical pathways in plastic surgery and craniofacial surgery were introduced. Christopher Hughes MD, MPH, continues as Division Head of both Plastic Surgery and Craniofacial Surgery. He was inducted as a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons (FACS) this year.

EDUCATION AND RESEARCH

Education and research remain a priority of the division. We provide clinical education and guidance for general surgery residents, orthopedic residents, and oral and maxillofacial surgery (OMFS) residents. With Division mentorship, one general surgical resident is applying to a

plastic surgery training program this year. Several research projects with medical students and residents are ongoing. We published in peer-reviewed journals over the past year, and we presented our data at both local and national conferences. In addition, Dr. Hughes provided educational lectures for residents and peers at a local, regional, state, national, and international levels over the past year.

Ms. Schmidtberg led an innovative inaugural course in partnership with Ethicon and Hartford Healthcare designed to provide hands-on suturing training specifically for APPs across multiple institutions.

Residents from General Surgery, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, and ENT participated in clinical experiences in Plastic Surgery. We have established a visiting plastic surgery resident rotation for 2025, and have established shadowing experiences for undergraduate and medical students from the University of Connecticut. Active teaching occurs during daily patient rounds, in the clinic/ office setting, the emergency room, the operating room, and during planned teaching conferences. Several residents and medical students are involved in research projects with Alan Babigian, MD, Dr. Hughes, and Charles Castiglione, MD.

CLINICAL SERVICES

Ms. Schmidtberg, Ms. Condren, and Ms. Buswell, shared division duties in 2024 and facilitated the expansion of services provided. The division has increased and streamlined the treatment of breast and chest wall deformities, as well as post-bariatric-surgery weight-loss deformities. Ear molding for infants with protruding or malformed ears continues to be offered with expanded treatment options.The division continues to participate in the Vascular Anomalies Team.

We have a continued partnership with a multidisciplinary wound clinic (Pediatric and Adolescent Wound [PAWs] Clinic) in collaboration with Christine Rader, MD, from Pediatric Surgery. The expansion of the Fetal Center has created additional downstream volume, and we have been actively partnering with Neurosurgery to provide surgical reconstruction for a growing number of babies born with myelomeningocele defects. Across the spectrum of service offerings, we continue to see demand for growth beyond clinical capacity.

Our Craniofacial Team provides comprehensive evaluation and treatment for patients of all ages with congenital or acquired deformities of the head and neck. Active

team members come from many disciplines including Plastic Surgery, Pediatric Neurosurgery, Pediatric Otolaryngology, Pediatric Ophthalmology, Pediatric Dentistry, Orthodontics, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Developmental Pediatrics, Social Work, and Speech and Language Pathology. We have recruited new Team members in Orthodontics with Andy Kuhlberg DMD, and in Developmental Pediatrics with Dana Eisenberg, APRN.

Clinical pathways for cleft lip and palate patients have been updated and modified with excellent results. We presented our data from the adoption of novel pain control pathways for our patients with cleft lip and palate at the New England Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons Annual Meeting in Bretton Woods, NH, in June 2024. A manuscript is in preparation. Clinical research protocols have been established for common cleft lip and palate operations.

Craniosynostosis reconstruction, performed by Drs. Hughes and Charles Castiglione MD, MBA, and by Jonathan Martin, MD, Markus Bookland, MD, and David Hersh, MD, of Pediatric Neurosurgery, is also common. Virtual surgical planning for cranial reconstruction and for mandibular distraction is now routine. In addition, the multidisciplinary Craniofacial Trauma Team, under the leadership of Drs. Castiglione and Norman Cavanagh, MD, DMD, provides comprehensive treatment for all craniomaxillofacial injuries at both Connecticut Children’s and Hartford Hospital.

Four affiliate staff plastic surgeons, Duffield Ashmead, MD, Alan Babigian, MD, David Bass, MD, and Steven Smith, MD, are fellowship-trained hand surgeons who perform all types of upper extremity and hand surgery. Dr. Zubovic will supplement clinical expertise in pediatric hand-related disease including trauma surgery and reconstruction for acquired and congenital deformities.

Plastic surgeons continued their involvement in global surgery this past year. Our efforts were beginning to rebound after COVID, but political instability in Ecuador has caused us to pause our efforts there in 2024. We anticipate continuing to provide surgical care in collaboration with our partner NGO Hands Across the World in the future. Dr. Hughes is a member of the Center for Global Health at Connecticut Children’s and leads the global surgical arm. He continues to provide educational and research opportunities for students and residents interested in global surgery. Dr. Hughes and Michael Archambault, MD, are developing partnerships

in Belmopan, Belize for future incorporation into global health activities across multiple specialties at Connecticut Children’s.

PUBLICATIONS

In addition to publishing, Drs. Babigian, Hughes, and Castiglione presented papers locally, regionally, and nationally in 2024. Presentations focused on the management of complex craniofacial anomalies and the use of small mobile operating room spaces for global surgery. Dr. Hughes is the plastic surgery editor for Connecticut Medicine: The Journal of the Connecticut State Medical Society and is a reviewer for the Journal of Craniofacial Surgery, Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Journal, and Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Global Open. Dr. Castiglione is a reviewer for three journals: the American Journal of Cosmetic Surgery, Craniomaxillofacial Trauma & Reconstruction, and the Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery. Drs. Babigian, Hughes, and Castiglione are members of the executive council of the New England Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, and Dr. Hughes was elected to be a Counselor for 2024. In addition, he was nominated to hold the inaugural title of Historian for the New England Society.

PRESENTATIONS

Schmidtberg L, Euen J, Drayton KD, Maloney M, Castiglione CL, Hughes CD. A Standardized Perioperative Pain Protocol Reduces Opioid Exposure and Length of Stay Following Cleft Palatoplasty. New England Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons Annual Meeting, June 2024; Bretton Woods, NH.

Hughes CD. Cleft Palatoplasty (or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Furlow). Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Grand Rounds, Harvard Plastic Surgery January 2024; Boston, MA

PUBLICATIONS

Drayton KD, Dang HQ, Echeverria AR, Martin JE, Weiner HL, Hughes CD. Repeat exchange autologous cranioplasty for recurrent benign osteoma – Meta-analysis and literature review. J Craniofac Surg 2024 (in press).

Jerliu L, Taritsa IC, Foppiani J, Lee D, Hersh D, Hughes CD, Lin SJ. The not fade away phenomenon: two cases of delayed non-absorption of biodegradable fixation in craniosynostosis and a review of the literature. Plast Reconstr Glob Open 2024 (in press).

STAFF

Christopher Hughes MD, MPH, FACS

Division Head of Plastic Surgery and Director of Craniofacial Team

Ema Zubovic MD

Charles Castiglione MD, MBA

Lauren Schmidtberg, PA-C, MMSc

Melissa Condren, DNP, APRN, CPNP

Nichole Buswell, APRN, PNP-BC

Affiliate Staff:

Brian Allen, MD

Duffield Ashmead, MD

Alan Babigian, MD

David Bass, MD

Alex Cech, MD

Orlando Delucia, MD

Steven Smith, MD

Daniella Vega, MD

CENTERS

AERODIGESTIVE MEDICINE

Aerodigestive Medicine, also known as The Center for Airway, Voice, and Swallowing, was born at Connecticut Children’s in 2011, and has grown ever since. We were designated a subdivision within Otolaryngology in 2017, and in 2021 we grew into an independent multidisciplinary division which was the first of its kind at Connecticut Children’s. The mission of the division is to provide state of-the-art care for children with complex and interrelated disorders affecting airway, breathing, swallowing, and growth.

This multidisciplinary division consists of pediatric medical and surgical subspecialists from Otolaryngology, Pulmonology, Gastroenterology, Speech/Language (Swallow) Pathology, and General Surgery. Our clinical services begin with a coordinated visit with specialists and concurrent diagnostic tests or interventions. For many patients the next step in evaluation and treatment is coordinated surgical endoscopy (a “triple scope”). Our synchronized and collaborative approach yields more comprehensive and sophisticated treatment for this complex and vulnerable population. Patients and families who seek treatment at our center require fewer doctor visits and missed days of school or work; fewer exposures to anesthesia; less time to effective treatment; and, by combining surgical procedures and minimizing off-target testing, families generally see fewer out-of-pocket medical costs.

We offer Aerodigestive appointments in Farmington, Glastonbury, and Hartford. Full Aerodigestive Team clinics are held four times monthly (Hartford, Farmington) and focused specialty clinics are offered in-person and virtually throughout the month: Airway Clinics are held twice weekly (Hartford), Voice Clinics are held twice monthly (Glastonbury, Farmington), and Swallow Clinics are held twice monthly (Hartford, Farmington). Our team performs coordinated surgical endoscopies together twice monthly in Hartford. We expanded our coverage to include inpatient services for our main campus, NICU, and NICU West at John Dempsey Hospital/UConn in Farmington. This year we were especially proud to successfully launch a new Aero Specialty Clinic, our Croup Clinic, where we see recurrent croup and chronic cough patients with pulmonary and ENT coordinated visits. This clinic is offered once monthly in Farmington.

We experienced significant growth in our division this year as we welcomed Sanjiv Godse, MD, to our

Pulmonary physician team and Alyssa Brana, PA-C, to our Otolaryngology Advanced Practice Provider team. Our Gastroenterology team is now supported by Registered Dietitian Reanna Plourde, MS, RD. Our team and patient population are now supported by an additional Aerodigestive nurse, Emily Nguyen, RN, MSN.

We remain excited and proud of our growing Esophageal Atresia Collaborative which was developed with our Pediatric Surgery colleagues. This collaboration breaks down silos in care with optimized and standardized care at multiple phases in life. This year brought progress in our research efforts with Christine Finck, MD, and J. Leslie Knod, MD, serving as Principal Investigators for the Eastern Pediatric Surgery Network (EPSN), a multi-center, multi-disciplinary study consortium investigating practice patterns of surveillance and outcomes and enrolling patients into prospective studies.

We continue to grow our international reputation as Aerodigestive leaders with Katherine Kavanagh, MD, being invited as a speaker on Laryngeal Cleft Diagnosis and Repair at the LXXX Chilean Congress of Otolaryngology in Valdivia, Chile in November 2024. Christine Finck, MD, worked closely with Harvard Regenerative Technologies on building a scaffold for esophageal replacement and serves as the Chief Medical Officer for the company with two active sites recruiting patients for a clinical trial. She has trained surgeons to use the scaffold locally, nationally, and internationally, including a surgeon from China.

Division Head Nicole Murray, MD, continues to serve as President of Connecticut Children’s Medical Staff. Dr. Kavanagh continues to serve the American Academy of Otolaryngology as the Chair of the Simulation Education Committee. Corey Baker, MD, serves the North American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition as the Co-Chair the Neurogastroenterology and Motility Committee Webinar Series.

We are proud of our Speech/Swallow Therapy team members for two big accomplishments this year. Katie McLoughlin, MS, CCC-SLP, and Sara Burnham, MA, CCCSLP, won a Culture of Safety Honorable Mention at the 2024 Illuminations Conference for their work “The Effect of Body Position on Oropharyngeal Swallow in Infants.”

Katie Fields, MS, CCC-SLP, is now a credentialed certified Lactation Counselor to help us better serve that most vulnerable dyad: the breastfeeding mother/infant.

SCHOLARLY ACTIVITY

Poster Presentations:

Harris JC. “What’s your guess? Do CF team members’ guesses of elexacaftor/tezacaftor/ivacaftor’s impact of decreasing outpatient and inpatient exacerbations correlate too actual?” North American Cystic Fibrosis Conference. Boston, MA, September, 2024.

C Baker, C Stark, S Izhar, D Patel, L Elmansy, E Gershon, L Rodriguez. The Natural History of Pediatric Globus Sensation: A Multicenter Retrospective Review. Digestive Disease Week 2024, Washington, DC, May, 2024.

Davis T, et al. (including C. Baker), A Centralized Interpretation of De-identified pediatric High-Resolution Manometry studies from a Multicenter Cohort: Chicago Classification V4.0 Protocol is often not followed, but diagnosis changes are mostly non-actionable. Digestive Disease Week 2024, Washington, DC, May, 2024.

Kuzoian S, Kaur S, Dukleska K, Baker C. Colonoscopy Prep with a Twist- A Rare Complication of a Malone Appendicostomy. NASPGAHN 2024, Hollywood, FL, November, 2024.

Baker C, Patel D, Izhar S, Elmansy L, Gershon E, Nardella R, Rodriguez L. The Natural History of Pediatric Functional Dysphagia: A Multicenter Retrospective Review. NASPGHAN 2024. Hollywood, FL, November, 2024.

McLoughlin K, Tocco L, Burnham S. “The Effect of Body Position on Oropharyngeal Swallow in Infants. Illuminations, Hartford CT, June, 2024.

Podium Presentations:

Burgwardt N, Finck C, Baker C, Zeisler B, Hamilton-Hall M, Knod JL. Esophageal Atresia Collaborative: Single Institution’s Initiative to Implement Surveillance Guidelines through Multidisciplinary Specialty Clinic for Longitudinal Management of Esophageal Atresia Patients; Annual IPEG Conference, Henderson, NV, June, 2024.

Wynn C. “Cracking the Chronic Cough Code,” Connecticut ENT Society and Connecticut Allergy Society Combined Spring Meeting, Plantsville, CT, May, 2024.

Wynn C. “Asthma Updates”. Connecticut ENT Society and Connecticut Allergy Society Combined Spring Meeting, Aqua Turf Club, Plantsville, CT, May, 2024.

Kavanagh K. “Laryngeal Cleft” LXXX Congreso Chileno do Otorrinolaringologia y Cirugia de Cabeza y Cuello, (Chilean Congress of Otolaryngology), Valdivia, Chile, Nov, 2024.

Nathan A, mentored by L. Knod and N. Murray. “A Tale of Two Tracheas,” New England Otolaryngology Society, Waltham, MA, Dec, 2024.

Book Chapters:

Murray N. Sinonasal Manifestations of Cystic Fibrosis. In: Otolaryngology and Facial Plastic Surgery, Medscape Reference (formerly eMedicine World Medical Library), eMedicine.medscape.com, Inc. 2024.

PUBLICATIONS

Davis TA, Rogers BD, Llanos-Chea A, Krasaelap A, Banks D, Ambartsumyan L, Sanchez R, Yacob D, Baker C Rey AP, Desai C, Rottier A, Jayaraman M, Khorrami C, Dorfman L, El-Chammas K, Mansi S, Chiou E, Chumpitazi BP, Balakrishnan K, Puri NB, Rodriguez L, Garza JM, Saps M, Gyawali CP, Patel D. Ineffective esophageal motility: characterization and outcomes across pediatric neurogastroenterology and motility centers in the United States. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr. 2024;79:541-549.

Baker C, Silvernale C, Hartnick C, Zar-Kessler C. Upper Esophageal Sphincter Dysfunction in Children with Type 1 Laryngeal Cleft after Failed Primary Cleft Repair. Biomolecules. 2024; 14(1):15

Solomon V, Fennell J Griffin LM, Zeisler B. Takayasu arteritis in an adolescent with untreated Crohn’s disease: a case report. Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition Rep. 2024;1 4.doi:10.1002/jpr3.121214.

Harris JC, Kenkare JD, Schramm CM. An adolescent with Wolfram syndrome and central sleep apnea. J Clin Sleep Med. 2024 Jul 1;20(7):1205-1208. doi: 10.5664/jcsm.11110. PMID: 38450501; PMCID: PMC11217631.

Galantini G, Samarrai R, Hughes A, Kavanagh K. TikTok Tracheostomy Video Analysis of Quality, Credibility, and Readability. Cureus. 2024 May 18;16(5):e60548. doi: 10.7759/cureus.60548. PMID: 38887329; PMCID: PMC11181735.

Saneh H, Wanczyk H, Walker, Finck C. Stem cellderived extracellular vesicles: a potential intervention for Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia. Pediatr Res. 2024 Sep 9.

doi: 10.1038/s41390-024-03471-2. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 39251881.

Saneh H, Wanczyk H, Walker J, Finck C. Effectiveness of extracellular vesicles derived from hiPSCs in repairing hyperoxia-induced injury in a fetal murine lung explant model. Stem Cell Res Ther. 2024 Mar 14;15(1):80. doi: 10.1186/s13287-024-03687-3. PMID: 38486338; PMCID: PMC10941466.

Burgwardt N, Healy JM, Menendez A, Regan M, Moote D, Bilbao N, Riba-Wolman R, Brimacombe M, Finck C. Validating the Modified McGill Thyroid Nodule Score for Assessment of Preoperative Risk of Pediatric Thyroid Malignancy. J Pediatr Surg. 2024 Jul;59(7):1394-1398. doi: 10.1016/j.jpedsurg.2024.03.037. Epub 2024 Mar 24. PMID: 38614945.

STAFF

Administrative:

Nicole Murray, MD, Director

Claribel Vega, Practice Coordinator

Rebecca Strong, CPNP, APRN, Clinical Coordinator

Barbara Mulholland, RN, BSN, CPN, CNRN, Nursing Coordinator

Emily Nguyen RN, MSN, Nurse

Pediatric Otolaryngology:

Nicole Murray, MD

Katherine Kavanagh, MD

Amy Hughes, MD

Alyssa Brana, PA-C

Rebecca Strong, CPNP, APRN

Pediatric Gastroenterology:

Bella Zeisler, MD

Corey Baker, MD

Victoria Grossi, DO

Peter Townsend, MD

Pediatric Pulmonology:

Jamie Harris, MD

Craig Lapin, MD

Corey Wynn, MD

Sanjiv Godse, MD

Amanda Filippelli, CPNP, APRN

Pediatric Surgery:

Leslie Knod, MD

Christine Finck, MD

Speech/Language Pathology:

Sara Burnham, MA, CCC-SLP

Kerri Byron MS, CCC-SLP

Kamie Chapman, MS, CCC-SLP

Kathryn Fields, MS, CCC-SLP

Katie McLoughlin, MS, CCC-SLP

Jodi Urzua MS, CCC-SLP

Family Support Clinician:

Anna Maria Mennella, LMSW

Registered Dietitian:

Reanna Plourde, MS RD CLC

ASTHMA CENTER

The Asthma Center is the region’s leader in pediatric asthma research and its premier resource for evidencebased asthma programs. The Center is dedicated to improving the health and well-being of children and families through community-based collaborative research and programs. We facilitate program dissemination and outcomes assessment of clinical and translational research conducted by investigators within community settings including schools, homes, community organizations, hospitals, and ambulatory practice settings. The Asthma Center is committed to training investigators and community members in community-based research.

In 2024 the Asthma Center continued efforts to reduce asthma health disparities and their determinants by conducting multifaceted, interdisciplinary, and collaborative research on critical contemporary health issues facing children with asthma and establishing optimal models of health management and best practices. We re-invigorated our relationship with the Department of Public Health and look forward to building on that collaboration in 2025.

EASY BREATHING

The Easy Breathing program responded to numerous requests from the primary care community in 2024 to receive education on the 2020 Focused Updates to the Asthma Management Guidelines. A CME module was developed by an asthma expert from the Division of Primary Care (Caleb Wasser, DO) on how to implement single maintenance and reliever therapy (SMART) in the pediatric primary care setting. Dr. Wasser, the Easy Breathing Physician Champion, and Melanie Sue Collins, MD, co-director of the Asthma Center, delivered more than ten SMART therapy CMEs to pediatric practices across Connecticut.

SMART therapy is a paradigm shift in asthma management that reduces the need for two therapies (an inhaled corticosteroid ICS and a short-acting-beta-agonist SABA) with a new approach that utilizes a single combination inhaler for both maintenance and relief. This shift in Asthma Management Guidelines led to significant confusion in the medical community. To address this need, several Lunch & Learns, Evening Lectures, and other webinars were delivered to the primary care community by experts in the Asthma Center. Specific highlights include Dr. Collins delivering a Grand Rounds on the Updated Asthma Guidelines to Day Kimball Hospital as well as the annual lecture with the Connecticut

Children’s Care Network. The Center gained national exposure when Jessica Hollenbach, PhD, co-director of the Asthma Center, and Dr. Wasser presented at the Pediatric Academic Society 2024 national meeting on the implementation of SMART therapy in primary care settings. In addition, Drs. Collins and Hollenbach co-developed a continuing education module in collaboration with the UConn School of Pharmacy. Released in April 2022, this course has been taken by 586 pharmacists and 5676 technicians to date. (SMARTen Up: Asthma Management Guidelines)

EASY BREATHING FOR SCHOOLS

The Asthma Center’s Easy Breathing for Schools program is a multipronged asthma education toolkit that reduces asthma-related school absenteeism and improves asthma control and inhaler technique. In 2024, with support from the Department of Education’s North Hartford Ascend Pipeline grant (PI Paul Dworkin, MD), Asthma Center staff continued to build capacity to support school nurses serving students with asthma in the North End of Hartford. Capacity building efforts led to establishing standardized workflows for data collection and sharing. Based on feedback from school nurses the program was simplified to the delivery and monitoring of inhaler technique skills to make it easier to adopt.

MENTORSHIP

Dr. Hollenbach continued to provide mentorship to a UConn medical student, Ms. Abigail Tulchinsky. Ms Tulchinsky’s project is focused on field-testing a novel asthma treatment plan that adheres to SMART therapy and is understandable to patients with asthma and their caregivers. Ms. Tulchinsky presented her findings at the Connecticut Children’s Research Institute Annual Research Day. Her project will culminate with publication of the final results and dissemination of the SMART treatment plan to Easy Breathing providers.

Drs. Hollenbach and Collins entered into a new mentoring program with a Quinnipiac University medical student, Ms. Maya Puar. Ms. Puar will be conducting her capstone project with the Asthma Center and the emergency department at Connecticut Children’s. She will develop and evaluate a quality improvement initiative on the resumption of SMART therapy after an asthma-related ED visit.

PUBLICATIONS

Becene I, Rinne GR, Schetter CD, Hollenbach JP. Prenatal stress and hair cortisol in a sample of Latina women.

Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2024 Jun;164:107017. doi: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2024.107017. Epub 2024 Mar 4. PMID: 38503196; PMCID: PMC11373737.

Kenkare ZJ, Rearick J, Schramm CM, Murray TS, Collins MS. A Survey of Cystic Fibrosis Center Recommendations for Nebulizer Cleaning and Disinfection. Respir Care. 2024 Nov 18;69(12):1543-1547. doi: 10.4187/respcare.11760. PMID: 39013569; PMCID: PMC11572992.

Stewart BP, Gonzalez K, Wasser C. Coral Fluorescing Axillary Plaques Refractory to Topical Antifungal and Antibacterial Treatments. Pediatr Rev. 2024 Jan 1;45(1):e1e4. doi: 10.1542/pir.2022-005770. PMID: 38161161.

STAFF

Jessica Hollenbach, PhD, Co-Director, Asthma Center

Melanie Sue Collins, MD, Co-Director, Asthma Center

Michelle M. Cloutier, MD, Founder, Asthma Center, Professor Emerita

Caleb Wasser, DO, Physician Champion, Easy Breathing

Sigrid Almeida, BS, Research Associate I

Judiana Seda, BS, Administrative Project Coordinator

Kailee Martin, Data Entry Specialist

CENTER FOR GLOBAL HEALTH

The Center for Global Health (CGH) at Connecticut Children’s continues to be a leader in advancing the well-being of infants and children in resource-limited settings around the world. Through a commitment to sustainable capacity-building efforts, the Center fosters partnerships that create lasting improvements in global pediatric care. By engaging trainees, staff, and faculty in meaningful work, CGH instills a shared vision of global citizenship where the knowledge and expertise developed at Connecticut Children’s contribute to the health and future of children worldwide. Our initiatives promote increased global health participation, cultural humility, and engagement with the ultimate goal of improving child health locally and internationally.

The Center’s leadership remains under the direction of Adam Silverman, MD, who continues to spearhead initiatives that impact pediatric care in underserved regions. Dr. Silverman has dedicated his efforts to global volunteer work in countries such as Haiti, Ethiopia, Rwanda, and Mauritius. As president of Medical Education Resources Unlimited, Dr. Silverman oversees the development of hybrid medical education platforms that provide pediatricians with advanced training in critical care, emergency medicine, and neonatal care.

Cliff O’Callahan, MD, continues his collaboration with the University of Rwanda Medical School by providing pediatric education and resident mentorship for students from various institutions. He maintains his long-standing work in Guatemala with Concern America, a program he founded over 30 years ago.

Lisa LeBon, RRT, oversees allied health professionals and plays a vital role in the Center’s global initiatives by ensuring the inclusion of respiratory therapy in capacity-building efforts across various regions.

Nancy Dunbar, MD, an endocrinologist, continues her impactful work with Haitian pediatricians with a focus on diabetes care for children and the logistical challenges of providing insulin and medical supplies in resourceconstrained environments.

Stephen Mahier, RN, is responsible for nursing activities and remains a key figure in advancing nursing education and practice within the global health initiatives of the Center.

Melissa Held, MD, leads the Connecticut Children’s Pediatric Refugee Clinic and organizes medical missions

to rural areas of the Dominican Republic through Centro Fundación Guanin, offering medical students and residents hands-on experience in resource-limited settings.

Christopher Hughes, MD, is responsible for the Center’s surgical activities and is involved in providing essential surgical care to children in underserved areas around the world.

Naveed Hussain, MD, has expanded the Neonatal Nurses’ Essential Training and Skills program, a crucial initiative aimed at providing neonatal nurses in India, Uganda, Jamaica, and Mauritius with the expertise and tools needed to improve neonatal care in their home countries.

Arvin Bundhoo, MD, continues his work with the Ministry of Health in Mauritius to enhance care for critically ill children and infants through collaboration and capacity building.

Brendan Campbell, MD, works with multi-disciplinary teams in Haiti to provide surgical care for children facing lifethreatening anomalies and malformations at Hospital Sacre Coeur in Milot, Haiti.

CGH also benefits from its relationship with the Office for Community Child Health (OCCH) which enables the sharing of innovations and methodologies developed in global health initiatives with local programs in Connecticut. Through this collaboration, Connecticut Children’s is able to bring international health practices into the community, create mutual benefits, and foster a global approach to child health.

The annual Global Health Symposium, hosted in collaboration with the student-led Global Health Spaces on Campus organization, UConn Health Center, and Connecticut Children’s, was a great success. The 2024 symposium focused on “Social and Environmental Determinants of Health” and attracted a large and engaged audience.

COLLABORATIONS AND PARTNERSHIPS

The Center continues to form meaningful, sustainable partnerships with institutions and organizations dedicated to improving child health worldwide. Some of the key collaborations include:

• Justinien University Hospital and Konbit Santé in CapHaitian, Haiti

• St. Damien Pediatric Hospital and the St. Damien Collaborative in Port-au-Prince, Haiti

• Hospital Sacre Coeur Pediatric Diabetes Program with CRUDEM in Milot, Haiti

• NICE Foundation “Cool the Kids” program in Hyderabad, India

• University Teaching Hospital of Kigali (CHUK) in Kigali, Rwanda

• Government Hospitals, including the ENT Hospital PICU in Vacoas-Phoenix, Mauritius

• St. Paul’s Hospital Millennium Medical College in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

STAFF

The CGH team is comprised of dedicated professionals committed to advancing the health of children locally and globally. The team includes:

Adam Silverman, MD, FAAP – Director, Center for Global Health, Emergency Medicine and Critical Care Physician

Brendan Campbell, MD, MPH, FACS – Director of Trauma, Pediatric Surgeon, Pediatric Surgical Quality and Safety Officer

Nancy Dunbar, MD, MPH, FAAP – Endocrinologist

Melissa Held, MD – Infectious Diseases & Immunology Physician

Victor Herson, MD – Neonatologist

Christopher Hughes, MD, MPH – Pediatric Plastic Surgery & Global Surgery Associate Director, CGH

Naveed Hussain, MD – Neonatologist and Associate Director of the CGH

Lisa LeBon, RRT – Respiratory Therapist and Associate Director of the CGH

Cliff O’Callahan, MD, PhD, FAAP – Pediatric Faculty and Director of Nurseries, Middlesex Hospital; Professor of Pediatrics, University of Connecticut School of Medicine; Assistant Professor, Family Medicine, Frank H. Netter MD School of Medicine, Quinnipiac University

Juan C. Salazar, MD, MPH, FAAP – Physician-inChief and Executive Vice President, Academic Affairs, Connecticut Children’s

Kristin Welch, MD – Emergency Medicine Physician

Stephen Mahier, BSN, RN – PICU Nurse and Associate Director of the CGH

Ian C. Michelow, MD, FCPaed – Division Head Pediatric Infectious Diseases and Immunology

FETAL CARE CENTER

The mission of the Fetal Care Center is to provide stateof-the-art fetal surgical interventions and comprehensive prenatal diagnostic imaging for the entire range of prenatal conditions, which may benefit from fetal assessment or intervention. The Center offers clinical services for fetal patients from diagnosis as early as 15 weeks’ gestation to delivery. This includes prenatal consultations covering the entire spectrum of prenatal diagnoses from anomalies of the central nervous system such as myelomeningocele, to fetal chest lesions such as congenital pulmonary airway malformations, congenital diaphragmatic hernia, and bronchopulmonary sequestrations, to genitourinary conditions such as bladder outlet obstruction and fetal renal failure. Fetal Surgery treats complications in twins and high order multiples with Twin-Twin Transfusion Syndrome, Twin Anemia Polycythemia Sequence, and Twin Reversed Arterial Perfusion Sequence. Fetal Surgery also performs Ex-utero Intrapartum Treatment (EXIT) procedures for a broad range of conditions compromising the fetus at birth.

Led by Director Timothy Crombleholme, MD, the Fetal Surgery Center was established in May of 2023 and includes all faculty active in prenatal diagnosis and treatment. The Center has made significant progress in terms of volume of prenatal consultations as well as performing open fetal surgery for myelomeningocele, fetoscopic surgery for twin-twin transfusion syndrome, ultrasound guided radiofrequency ablation for twin reversed arterial perfusion sequence, and fetoscopic and fetal thoracoscopic treatment of hydropic congenital pulmonary airway malformations. The section of Fetal Surgery has led the Fetal Care Center at Connecticut Children’s in gaining admission to the North American Fetal Therapy Network and is actively participating in multiple research efforts sponsored by NAFTnet. We are the only truly comprehensive fetal center in New England and the only one to have obtained IRB and FDA approval for the IDE for the use of Fetoscopic Endoluminal Tracheal Occlusion balloon to treat the most severe cases of congenital diaphragmatic hernia.

FETAL CARDIOLOGY

The Fetal Care Center has brought exciting progress and new pathologies to Connecticut Children’s. The Division of Cardiology collaborates with the Fetal Care Center on many important initiatives including development of assessment protocols for complex pathologies,

coordination of prenatal and postnatal care, and regional outreach. Cardiology partners with the Fetal Care Center on management of fetuses with cardiac arrhythmias and work is underway to establish Connecticut Children’s as a center for in-utero pacing interventions in select patients. In collaboration with the Fetal Care Center and other divisions, cardiology helped produce the clinical pathway for management of infants with congenital diaphragmatic hernia using an evidence-based approach to optimize care for these complex patients. With increasing volumes and plans for expansion of the Fetal Care Center in the new tower, this partnership has an exciting future on the frontiers of fetal medicine and will allow more families to receive state-of-the-art care at Connecticut Children’s.

EDUCATION

We create outstanding learning opportunities for trainees at all levels in pediatric surgery, maternal fetal medicine, neonatology, pediatric cardiology, obstetrics and gynecology, pediatric radiology, neurology, and neurosurgery. Once a month we have an educational conference, which provides a grand rounds style presentation of topics in prenatal diagnosis and fetal intervention. These web-based meetings are open to all members of the Connecticut Children’s community and are archived on the Fetal Care Center website. Recent talks have included topics such as Ethics of Fetal Intervention, Fetal Arrythmias, Twin to Twin Transfusion Syndrome, Congenital Anomalies of the Kidneys, and Urinary Tract (CAKUT). David Hersh, MD, was the 2024 recipient of the Timothy R. Brown Award for Excellence in Teaching in an Allied Pediatric Field.

MATERNAL FETAL MEDICINE AND PEDIATRIC SURGERY FELLOWSHIPS

Kristen Moriarty, MD, began her fellowship in August 2023 after completing her residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Connecticut. She rotates through the Fetal Care Center as part of her fellowship training in Maternal Fetal Medicine. Dr. Moriarty is working in Dr. Crombleholme’s laboratory on placental gene therapy for pre-eclampsia and is enrolled in the Translational Research Master’s Program with Dr. Crombleholme as her advisor.

Danielle Dougherty, MD, started her Pediatric Surgery fellowship in August 2023. She participates in prenatal team meetings in diagnoses specific to Pediatric Surgery and on fetal surgical cases relevant to her fellowship training.

We are in discussions with the Maternal Fetal Medicine fellowship program at Lehigh Valley Hospital to have their fellows rotate through the Fetal Care Center.

RESEARCH

Endothelial cell dysfunction mediated by NF-kB in placental insufficiency

This work follows on our preliminary data demonstrating that the placental insufficiency in animal models of fetal growth restriction is mediated by a previously unrecognized endothelial cell dysfunction mediated by NF-kB due to deficiency of IGF-1.

Placental gene therapy with IGF-1 to correct placental insufficiency

We have demonstrated the ability of intra-placental gene transfer of IGF-1 to correct placental insufficiency and prevent development of obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease in adult animals. We have replicated this work in rat, mouse, and rabbit models.

Placental gene therapy with IGF-1 to correct preeclampsia

The endothelial cell dysfunction that we have found to play a role in placental insufficiency may be operative in preeclampsia. In collaboration with Jennifer Somme, PhD at the Colorado State School of Veterinary Medicine, we are using the BPH/5 mouse model of preeclampsia in which we are applying the mesenteric uterine artery ligation model of placental insufficiency to create a model of preeclampsia and placental insufficiency. We will examine the role of NF-kB and the response to intraplacental gene transfer of IGF-1 to prevent preeclampsia.

Fetal gene therapy to correct glycogen storage disease 1a

Youngmok Lee, PhD, has developed AAV gene transfer to successfully treat GSD postnatally. In light of a mouse model so severe that the mice do not survive the immediate postnatal period due to profound hypoglycemia, we are collaboratively developing a fetal gene transfer strategy using codon-optimized and serotype-specific AAV for fetal liver gene transfer in this severe GSD-1a mouse model.

Robotic fetoscopic repair of myelomeningocele in sheep

David Hersh, MD, has a Connecticut Children’s Connection grant and Foundation support to study the development of a single access robotic fetoscopic repair

of fetal myelomeningocele in fetal lambs. This work focuses on improving outcomes of fetal MMC repair through a single 15mm port.

CLINICAL RESEARCH PROGRAMS

FETO

for

Severe CDH

We have IRB and FDA approval for an IDE to perform fetoscopic endoluminal tracheal occlusion in high risk left and right CDH. We are part of the North American FETO Consortium, a 10-member group of fetal centers that perform FETO who are pooling their patients in a North American FETO registry sponsored by NAFTnet.

Gastroschisis Outcomes of Delivery (GOOD) study

Led by Dr. Crombleholme as site PI, this is an NIH sponsored prospective randomized trial comparing early to late delivery of gastroschisis on a battery of outcomes.

FMMC

The fetal MMC registry is sponsored by NAFTnet and includes all MMCs repaired at fetal centers including both prenatal and postnatal outcomes. Drs. Hersh and Crombleholme are reviewing data on outcomes of mothers with BMI >35<40 who undergo fetal MMC repair as well as comparing the outcomes of prenatal repair of myelomeningoceles compared to myeloschisis.

Fetal Arrhythmia Program

In collaboration with Shailendra Upadhyay, MD, Irsay, James Enos, MD, and Dr. Crombleholme, we are developing a team to assess fetal arrhythmias which put the fetus at risk for the development of hydrops due to compromised cardiac function including tachyarrhythmia and bradyarrhythmias.

Fetal Renal Failure Program

In collaboration with our Maternal Fetal Medicine specialists (Drs. Andrew Healy, Elizabeth Morgan, Erica Hammer, and Richard Wagner), DonnaMaria Cortezzo, MD, of Neonatology and Sherene Mason, MD, of Pediatric Nephrology we have developed a comprehensive treatment program for fetuses with fetal renal failure due to a broad spectrum of anomalies. This entails serial amnioinfusions, either by needle or amnioport, to restore amniotic fluid dynamics and foster lung development, including transition to postnatal life with support of peritoneal dialysis.

CURRENT GRANT FUNDING

Gastroschisis Outcomes of Delivery (GOOD) Study

Project Number: R01 HD104607

Name of PD/PI: Amy Wagner (Contact PI), site PI Timothy M Crombleholme, MD

Source of Support: NIH/Medical College of Wisconsin

Primary Place of Performance: Hartford, CT

Community Project Funding/Congressionally Directed

Spending - Construction

Connecticut Children’s has received DHHS funding to support the replacement of a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Facility for the purpose of non-invasively imaging the body’s internal structures to aid in the diagnosis, treatment planning, and monitoring of various pediatric health conditions ranging from congenital abnormalities and injuries to neurological disorders and cancers.

Status of Support: Active

Project Number: CE152413

Name of PD/PI: Schicker, Reaghan

Role: Clinical Lead

Source of Support: DHHS, Congressionally Directed

Spending

Primary Place of Performance: Connecticut Children’s, Hartford, CT

Performing robotic (fetoscopic) techniques for pregnant mothers of fetuses with spinal dysraphism (spina bifida)

Name of Individual: Hersh, David, Crombleholme, Timothy Commons ID: CROMBLEHOLME

Connecticut Children’s Connection Grant

Status: Active

Dates: 3/29/2023 – 3/29/2024

Name of PI: David Hersh, MD

Award amount: $65,000

Project: “Robot-assisted fetal surgery for myelomeningocele”

UConn Clinical Research and Innovation Seed Program (CRISP)

Status: Active

Dates: 6/1/2023 – 6/1/2024

Name of PI: David Hersh, MD

Award amount: $10,000

Project: “Application of virtual reality interventions in post-operative recovery of a pediatric scoliosis patient population”

Foundation Special Project Fund

Status: Active

Dates: 9-1-24 – 9-1-26

Name of PI: Timothy M Crombleholme, MD Award amount: $500,000

Project: “Single access robot-assisted fetal surgery for myelomeningocele in sheep”

Back to Bedside Grant through the American Council of Graduate Medical Education

Status: Active

Dates: 9-1-24=9-1-25

Name of PI: Kristen Moriarty, MD Award Amount: $15,000

Project: Bringing Residents, Fellows and Nurses Back to the Bedside to Support a Mother’s Road to Recovery: Interdisciplinary Trauma-Informed Care Curriculum for Perinatal Care

PENDING GRANTS

Endothelial Cell Dysfunction in Placental Insufficiency: Correction by IGF-1 Placental Gene Transfer.

Dates: 1-1-2025 to 1-1-2027

Name of PI: Crombleholme TM, Co-investigators: Lee, Y, Majumder S Award amount: $200,000

March of Dimes Discovery Grant

PUBLICATIONS

BOOKS:

Crombleholme, TM, Lim F-Y, Rintoul N, Simpson L (eds) Fetal and Neonatal Surgery and Medicine, McGraw Hill, 2024

PEER REVIEWED ARTICLES:

Bergh E, Ryan G, Johnson A, Lim F-Y, Crombleholme TM, Ruano R, SanzCortez M, Hedrick HL, Baschat A, Schenone M. Fetoscopic endoluminal tracheal occlusion (FETO) for severe left-sided congenital diaphragmatic hernia: the North American Fetal Therapy Network (NAFTNet) FETO Consortium Experience Obstet Gynecol 2024 in press

Crombleholme TM, Smith JD, Eapen R, Al-Kubaisi M, Magee K. Successful Postnatal Tracheobronchoplasty for Unilateral Congenital High Airway Obstruction Syndrome due to Mainstem Bronchial Atresia. Fetal Diagn Ther. 2024;51(4):411-418

Hersh DS, Anderson MG, Pindrik JA. Letter to the Editor. Growing body of literature on the increase in sinogenic and otogenic intracranial infections. J Neurosurg Pediatr. 2024 Oct 25:1-2. Online ahead of print.

Anderson MG, Mannam P, Leclair NK, Martin JE, Bookland MJ, Kelley BJ, Kureshi IU, Hersh DS. Healthcare transition in pediatric neurosurgery: lessons learned from a pilot program for patients with hydrocephalus and spina bifida. Neurosurg Focus. 2024 Aug 1;57(2):E10. doi: 10.3171/2024.5.FOCUS24214.

Deliege L, Carriero A, Ong J, James G, Jeelani O, Dunaway D, Stoltz P, Hersh D, Martin J, Carroll K, Chamis M, Schievano S, Bookland M, Borghi A. A computational modelling tool for prediction of head reshaping following endoscopic strip craniectomy and helmet therapy for the treatment of scaphocephaly. Comput Biol Med. 2024 Jul;177:108633. doi: 10.1016/j.compbiomed.2024.108633. Online ahead of print.

Prince EW, Apps JR, Jeang J, Chee K, Medlin S, Jackson EM, Dudley R, Limbrick D, Naftel R, Johnston J, Feldstein N, Prolo LM, Ginn K, Niazi T, Smith A, Kilburn L, Chern J, Leonard J, Lam S, Hersh DS, Gonzalez-Meljem JM, Amani V, Donson AM, Mitra SS, Bandohpadhayay P, MartinezBarbera JP, Hankinson TC. Unraveling the Complexity of the Senescence-Associated Secretory Phenotype in Adamantinomatous Craniopharyngioma Using MultiModal Machine Learning Analysis. Neuro Oncol. 2024 Jun 3;26(6):1109-1123. doi: 10.1093/neuonc/noae015. Online ahead of print.

Majumder S*, Moriarty KL*, Lee Y, Crombleholme TM Placental Gene Therapy for Fetal Growth Restriction and Preeclampsia: Preclinical Studies and Prospects for Clinical Application. J Clin Med. 2024 Sep 23; 13(18):5647.https:// doi.org/10.3390/jcm13185647 (*Both Authors equally contributed)

Moriarty KL, Oyenuga RO, Olafuyi O, Schwartz DA. Causes and Effects of COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy Among Pregnant Women and its Association with Adverse Maternal, Placental, and Perinatal Outcomes. Yale J Biol Med. 2024 Mar 29;97(1):73-84. doi: 10.59249/LPOQ5146. PMID: 38559465; PMCID: PMC10964823. https://doi. org/10.59249/LPOQ5146

Raynal EA, Pallotto I, Brady J, Cortezzo DE, Lipstein EA. Balancing Survival and Suffering: Factors Influencing Parental Decision Making after Periviable Consultation.

Journal of Perinatology. Epub ahead of print. 2023 Nov. doi:10.1038/s41372-024-02166-0.

Dornette S, Deptola S, Hemmann D, Venkatesan C, Cortezzo DE. In Response to Concerns in Reference to the Papern “Recognition and Management of Delirium in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit: Case Series from a Single Center Level IV ICU.” Journal of Child Neurology. 2024 Sep 16:8830738241282099. doi: 10.1177/08830738241282099. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 39285722.

Claes D, Markham KB, Cortezzo DE. An Ethical Analysis of Therapy for Severe Congenital Kidney and Urinary Tract Anomalies. Pediatrics. 2024 Jun 1;153(6):e2023064720. doi: 10.1542/peds.2023-064720. PMID: 38784992.

Venkatesan C, Cortezzo DE, Habli M, Agarwal S. Interdisciplinary Fetal Neurology Care: Currently Practices, Challenges, and Future Directions. Seminars in Fetal and Neonatal Medicine. 2024 Feb;29(1):101523. doi: 10.1016/j. siny.2024.101523. Epub 2024 Apr 10. PMID: 38604916.

Dornette S, Deptola S, Hemmann D, Venkatesan C, Cortezzo DE. Recognition and Management of Delirium in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit: Case Series from a Single Center Level IV ICU. Journal of Child Neurology. 2024 Apr 17:8830738241246693. doi: 10.1177/08830738241246693. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38629166.

Jones M, Simpson S, Beck AE, Cortezzo DE, Thienprayoon R, Sims Corely A, Thomson J. Racial Inequities in Pediatric Palliative Care Referral among Children with High-Intensity Neurologic Impairment. Journal of Pediatrics. 2024 May;268:113930. doi: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2024.113930. Epub 2024 Feb 1. PMID: 38309525.

Pyle A, Adams-Hartung S, Brunelli L, Cortezzo DE, Fry J, Henner N, Laventhal N, Lin M, Sullivan K, Wraight L. Navigating the Post-Dobbs Landscape: Ethical Considerations From A Perinatal Perspective. Journal of Perinatology. 2024 May;44(5):628-634. doi: 10.1038/ s41372-024-01884-9. Epub 2024 Jan 29. PMID: 38287137.

Redmann A, Hart C, Smith M, Martin C, Borschuk A, Cortezzo DE, Benscoter D. Provider Moral Distress in Caring for Tracheostomy and Ventilator Dependent Children: A Cross-sectional Evaluation. Pediatric Pulmonary. 2024 Apr;59(4):880-885. doi: 10.1002/ ppul.26839. Epub 2024 Jan 2. PMID: 38165151.

Shields AD, Vidosh J, Minard C, et al. Obstetric Life Support Education for Maternal Cardiac Arrest: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Netw Open. 2024;7(11):e2445295. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.45295

Shields AD, Vidosh JD, Thomson B, Minard C, Annis K, Kavanagh L, Roth C, Lutgendorf MA, Rahm S, Becker LR, Mosesso V, Schaeffer B, Gresens A, Epley S, Wagner R, Streitz M, Bhalala U, Melvin LM, Deering S, Nielsen P. Validation of a simulation-based Curriculum for Maternal Medical Emergencies and Maternal Cardiac Arrest. Obstet Gynecol. 2023 Nov 1;142(5):1189-1198. PMID 37708515

Morgan E, Chung G, Seokwon J, Clifton B, Wernimont S, Alejandro E. Gene and Protein Expression of Placental Nutrient-Stress Sensor Proteins in Fetal Growth Restriction. Stresses 2024, 4(2), 308-319.

Qiao L, Welch CL, Hernan R, Wynn J, Krishnan US, Zalieckas JM, Buchmiller T, Khlevner J, De A, FarkouhKaroleski C, Wagner AJ, Heydweiller A, Mueller A, de Klein A, Warner BW, Maj C, Chung D, McCulley DJ, Schindel D, Potoka D, Fialkowski E, Schulz F, Kipfmuller F, Lim F-Y, Magielsen F, Mychaliska GB, Aspelund G, Reutter HM, Needelman H, Schnater JM, Fisher JC, Azarow K, Elfiky M, Nothen MM, Danko ME, Li M, Kosinski P, Wijnen MH, Cusick RA, Soffer SZ, Cochius-Den SCM, Schaible T, Crombleholme TM, Duron VP, Donahoe PK, Chung WK: Common variants increase risk for congenital diaphragmatic hernia within the context of de novo variants. AJHG 111(11); 2362-2381, 2024

Cooper S, Borgida A, Thacker S, Hammer E, Haribharan A, Panier H, Maas K, Lin Q, Kuo C, Yuan H, Blanck N, Campbell W, Zhou Y. Oral origin of the placenta microbiome in pregnant women with preeclampsia. Front Bacteriol. Sec Molecular Bacteriology and Microbiome. March 13, 2024.

Book Chapters:

Hersh DS, Hughes CD. Endoscopic Correction of Coronal Synostosis. Chapter in: Comprehensive Craniosynostosis Care. Taub PJ, Morgenstern P (ed). In press

Hersh DS, Boop FA. Diastematomyelia. Chapter in: Neurosurgical Operative Atlas: Pediatric Neurosurgery, 3e. Kobets A, Keating R (ed). In press. Hersh DS. Encephaloceles. Chapter in: Fetal and Neonatal Surgery and Medicine. Crombleholme TM, Lim FY, Peiro JL, Simpson L, Rintoul NE (eds). 2024; McGraw Hill, New York, NY.

Crombleholme TM: Open Fetal Surgery in Fetal and Neonatal Surgery and Medicine. Crombleholme TM, Lim FY, Peiro JL, Simpson L, Rintoul NE (eds). 2024; McGraw Hill, New York, NY.

Crombleholme TM: Ex-Utero Intrapartum Treatment (EXIT) Procedures in Fetal and Neonatal Surgery and Medicine. Crombleholme TM, Lim FY, Peiro JL, Simpson L, Rintoul NE (eds). 2024; McGraw Hill, New York, NY.

Crombleholme TM: Congenital Pulmonary Airway Malformation in Fetal and Neonatal Surgery and Medicine. Crombleholme TM, Lim FY, Peiro JL, Simpson L, Rintoul NE (eds). 2024; McGraw Hill, New York, NY.

Finck C, Hammer ES, Crombleholme TM: Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia in Fetal and Neonatal Surgery and Medicine. Crombleholme TM, Lim FY, Peiro JL, Simpson L, Rintoul NE (eds). 2024; McGraw Hill, New York, NY.

Flibotte J, Stevenson CB, Lim F-Y, Crombleholme TM: Myelomeningocele in Fetal and Neonatal Surgery and Medicine. Crombleholme TM, Lim FY, Peiro JL, Simpson L, Rintoul NE (eds). 2024; McGraw Hill, New York, NY.

Crombleholme TM: Amniotic Band Syndrome in Fetal and Neonatal Surgery and Medicine. Crombleholme TM, Lim FY, Peiro JL, Simpson L, Rintoul NE (eds). 2024; McGraw Hill, New York, NY.

INTERNATIONAL PRESENTATIONS

Crombleholme TM: Lessons Learned: Six Fetal Care Centers and 30 Years in Fetal Surgery. Presented at the 41st annual International Fetal Medicine and Surgery Society, September 24th, 2024, Cork, Ireland

Moriarty, Kristen, et al. COVID-19 Infection in Pregnancy and Analysis of Newborn Anthropometric Measurements with Findings of Reduced Head Circumference with Infection in Third Trimester. Inaugural Society for Maternal Fetal Medicine Global Congress (2024), 26 Sept. 2024, Rome, Italy.

Moriarty, Kristen, et al. Racial Disparities in COVID-19 Symptomatology, Severity and Treatment in Pregnancy. Inaugural Society for Maternal Fetal Medicine Global Congress (2024), 26 Sept. 2024, Rome, Italy.

Francesca CS, Morgan E (presenting author), et al. Effects of maternal stress on placental 11 HSD2 mRNA and protein in fetal growth restriction. Society of Maternal Fetal Medicine Global Congress, Rome Italy. September 2024. Poster presentation

NATIONAL PRESENTATIONS

Anderson MG, Pindrik JA, Michelow IC, Anuar A, Lehmann H, Haught J, Tanaka T, Moore A, Northam WT, Lopes C, Danielpour M, Garcia CM, Kaufman CB, Garcia DM, Chern JJ, Newman S, Patel SK, Mierke S, Iqbal O, Okeiff H, Akbari SH, Trout J, Rizvi AY, Roberts O, Haastrup MO, Notarianni C, Proctor C, DeCuypere M, Votoupal M, Dziugan K, McCrea H, Lu VM, Piatt J, Lopez K, Gernsback J, Omini M, Ravindra VM, Gonda DD, Forseth K, Ackerman LL, Witten AJ, Gadgil N, Rampalli I, Governale LS, Megan EH Still, James Botros, Ariana Barkley, Albert Tu, Sharini Sam Chee, Kevin Sun, Howard Silberstein, Catherine Jay, Robert Bollo, Allison Ludwick, Kurtis Auguste, Pen C, Tomei KL, Rothstein BD, Tovar-Spinoza Z, Koutsouras GW, Sandberg GI, Yu B, Dewan MC, Monsour M, Tye G, Dunbar E, Pisapia J, Zeller S, Hersh DS. Pediatric sinogenic and otogenic intracranial infections requiring neurosurgical intervention: changes associated with the COVID-19 pandemic among 31 North American centers. 2024 AANS/CNS Section on Pediatric Neurological Surgery Annual Meeting. 2024; New York, NY.

Anderson MG, Pindrik JA, Michelow IC, Anuar A, Lehmann H, Haught J, Tanaka T, Moore A, Northam WT, Lopes C, Danielpour M, Garcia CM, Kaufman CB, Garcia DM, Chern JJ, Newman S, Patel SK, Mierke S, Iqbal O, Okeiff H, Akbari SH, Trout J, Rizvi AY, Roberts O, Haastrup MO, Notarianni C, Proctor C, DeCuypere M, Votoupal M, Dziugan K, McCrea H, Lu VM, Piatt J, Lopez K, Gernsback J, Omini M, Ravindra VM, Gonda DD, Forseth K, Ackerman LL, Witten AJ, Gadgil N, Rampalli I, Governale LS, Megan EH Still, James Botros, Ariana Barkley, Albert Tu, Sharini Sam Chee, Kevin Sun, Howard Silberstein, Catherine Jay, Robert Bollo, Allison Ludwick, Kurtis Auguste, Pen C, Tomei KL, Rothstein BD, Tovar-Spinoza Z, Koutsouras GW, Sandberg GI, Yu B, Dewan MC, Monsour M, Tye G, Dunbar E, Pisapia J, Zeller S, Hersh DS. Management of septic cerebral venous sinus thrombosis in the setting of sinogenic and otogenic intracranial infections among 31 North American centers. 2024 AANS/CNS Section on Pediatric Neurological Surgery Annual Meeting. 2024; New York, NY.

Anderson MG, Lambert WA, Alexander M, Ayers J, Anuar A, Swett KR, Gonsalves L, Cantor E, Martin JE, Bookland MJ, Hersh DS. Demographic and social determinants of the interval from symptom onset to diagnosis of pediatric brain tumors: a study of the Connecticut Brain Tumor Registry. 2024 AANS/CNS Section on Pediatric Neurological Surgery Annual Meeting. 2024; New York, NY.

Caron G, Zamora R, Stoltz P, Hersh DS, Bookland M. Exploring the spectrum of trigonocephaly: outcomes of metopic ridge and metopic craniosynostosis. 2024 AANS/ CNS Section on Pediatric Neurological Surgery Annual Meeting. 2024; New York, NY.

Zamora R, Stoltz P, Hersh DS, Bookland M. Evaluating orbital dystopia correction over time in unicoronal craniosynostosis: insights from transcanthal line angle (TCLA) measurements. 2024 AANS/CNS Section on Pediatric Neurological Surgery Annual Meeting. 2024; New York, NY.

Shin, Jimin, Zhang A, Hersh DS, Cantor E. Cutaneous toxicity profiles of MEK inhibitor targeted therapy for pediatric low-grade gliomas. 2024 AANS Annual Meeting. 2024; Chicago, IL.

Hersh DS. Late infections. Hydrocephalus Clinical Research Network 2024 Fall Meeting. November 7, 2024. Deer Valley, UT.

Hersh DS. Pathway to pediatric neurosurgery. Netter School of Medicine Surgery Interest Group. November 4, 2024. North Haven, CT.

Hersh DS. Principal investigators’ insight on clinical research. Research Education Series. March 8, 2024. Hartford, CT.

Cortezzo DE. Role of Palliative Care in Fetal Counseling. Part of the session Uncertainty in Outcomes-Fetal Neurology Counseling. (Webinar for Fetal GlobalCast on Fetal Neurology, October 2024).

Cortezzo DE. Constraints on Available Neonatal-Perinatal Care Options. Part of a 4 hour session we were asked to develop on When External Factors Limit Options: Caring for Birthing Families. (Platform presentation, faculty member at the American Academy of Pediatrics National Conference and Exhibition, Orlando, FL, September, 2024).

Cortezzo DE. Pain and Symptom Management at the End of Life. (Educational session for an international training course, 2024 Next-Level Perinatal Palliative Care Training Course, Columbia University, New York City, NY, September 2024).

Cortezzo DE. Difficult Conversations in the NICU. (Educational session for an international training course,

2024 Next-Level Perinatal Palliative Care Training Course, Columbia University, New York City, NY, September 2024).

Faculty member for 2024 Next-Level Perinatal Palliative Care Training Course, a 3-day international educational course at Columbia University with over 100 attendees from more than 10 countries. September 18-20, 2021

POSTERS

Angelo S. Shin J, Brady J, Martin J, Bookland M, Hersh DS Intracranial pressure trends following endoscopic third ventriculostomy as predictors of long-term ETV success. 2024 AANS/CNS Section on Pediatric Neurological Surgery Annual Meeting. 2024; New York, NY.

Mannam P, Vazquez M, Mittelman D, Knapp E, Carpenter W, Tyburski J, Halloran P, Lambert W, Astur R, Zempsky W, Lee M, Hersh DS. Implementation of virtual reality for postoperative recovery in an adolescent idiopathic scoliosis population: a preliminary analysis.2024 AANS/CNS Section on Pediatric Neurological Surgery Annual Meeting. 2024; New York, NY.

Roberts C, Anderson M, Hersh DS, Pindrik J, Anuar A, Tanaka T, Moore A, Northam W, Lopes C, Danielpour M, Garcia C, Kaufman C, Garcia D, Chern J, Newman S, Patel S, Mierke S, Iqbal M, OKeiff H, Akari SH, Trout J, Rizvi AY, Roberts O, Haastrup M, Notarianni C, Proctor C, DeCuypere M, Votoupal M, Dziugan K, McCrea H, Lu VM, Lehmann H, Haught J, Piatt J, Lopez K, Gernsback J, Omini M, Ravindra VM, Gonda DD, Forseth K, Ackerman L, Witten A, Gadgil N, Rampalli I, Governale L, Still M, Botros J, Barkley A, Tu A, Sam Chee S, Sun K, Silberstein H, Jay C, Bollo R, Ludwick A, Auguste K, Pen C, Tomei KL, Rothstein B, Tovar-Spinoza Z, Koutsouras G, Sandberg D, Yu B, Dewan M, Monsour M, Tye G, Dunbar E, Pisapia J, Zeller S, Spader H. The impact of social determinants of health on intracranial infections during the COVID-19 pandemic. 2024 AANS/CNS Section on Pediatric Neurological Surgery Annual Meeting. 2024; New York, NY.

Taylor AM, Lombardi JT, Patel A, Tamariz A, Martin J, Bookland MJ, Hersh DS, Cantor E, Song X, Sahm F, Ng PK, Gell JJ, Lau CC. Feasibility of brain tumor classification by enzymatic DNA methylation sequencing analysis of cell free DNA obtained from cerebrospinal fluid. Connecticut

Children’s Research Institute Annual Symposium. 2024; Hartford, CT.

Cohen S, Zhang J, Yan K, Meskin K, Angelis D, Carroll L, Couture D, Dereddy N, Dirks P, Dizon M, Foy A, Hersh D, Heuer G, Jano E, Yee Ling C, Mietzch U, Sewell E, Stefanescu B, Vesoulis Z, Lee S. A retrospective evaluation of high-flow intracranial arteriovenous malformation in neonates: clinical management and outcomes in North America. 2024 Children’s Hospital Neonatal Consortium Annual Symposium. October 2024; Denver, CO.

Moriarty, K, Wang, A., Shields, A. Crisscross Heart Syndrome. Ultracon 2024. Austin, Texas, April 2024.

Moriarty, K, Manfredi K, Wagner R, Shields, A. Kabuki Syndrome. Ultracon 2024. Austin, Texas, April 2024.

Moriarty, K et al, A. COVID-19 and Newborn Anthropometric Measurements with Findings of Reduced Head Circumference. Ultracon 2024. Austin, Texas, April 2024.

Moriarty, K, Zachariah, R, Tse, B, Wagner, R, Shields, A. Outcomes in Fetal Growth Restriction with Abdominal Circumference <10% vs. ≥ 10% at time of Diagnosis and Before Delivery. Ultracon 2024. Austin, Texas, April 2024.

Simpson S, Mena K, Cortezzo DE, Beck A, Miller E, Greenberg J. Disparities in Antenatal Counseling for Mothers of Periviable Infants. (Poster Presentation, Health Equity Day: Widening the Equity Lens a Multidimensional Day of Learning, Cincinnati, Ohio, April 2, 2024).

Raynal E, Pallotto I, Brady J, Cortezzo DE, Lipstein E. “It’s Doing More Harm Than Good,” yet, “Even a Slight Chance at Survival…:How Do Parents Choose When Faced with Periviable Delivery? (Poster Presentation, Pediatric Academic Society Annual Assembly, Toronto, Canada, May 6, 2024).

Simpson S, Mena K, Cortezzo DE, Beck A, Miller E, Greenberg J. Disparities in Antenatal Counseling for Mothers of Periviable Infants. (Poster Presentation, Pediatric Academic Society Annual Assembly, Toronto, Canada, May 5, 2024).

Simpson S, Mena K, Cortezzo DE, Beck A, Miller E, Greenberg J. Disparities in Prenatal Counseling and Decision-Making Regarding Resuscitation in High-Mortality Neonatal Populations. (Poster Presentation, Pediatric Academic Society Annual Assembly, Toronto, Canada, May 4, 2024).

STAFF

Clinical Staff:

Timothy M Crombleholme, MD, Division Head, Fetal Surgery, Director Fetal Care Center

Andrew Healy, MD, Medical Director, Maternal Fetal Medicine, Fetal Care Center

Erica Hammer, MD, Maternal Fetal Medicine

Elizabeth Morgan, MD, Maternal Fetal Medicine

Richard Wagner, MD, Maternal Fetal Medicine

DonnaMaria Cortezzo, MD Neonatal Lead, Fetal Care Center

David Hersh, MD, Fetal and Pediatric Neurosurgery

James Enos, MD, Fetal Echocardiography Lead, Fetal Care Center

Jennifer Humphrey, RN, MSN, Coordinator Fetal Care Center

Allie Madden, RN, Hartford Hospital Coordinator for Fetal Care Center

Leeza Swierzewski, RDMS, RDCS, Sonographer

Angela Bower, RDMS, Sonographer

Jamila Howes, Administrative Coordinator

Research Staff:

Sanjukta Majumder, PhD, Sr. Research Scientist

Kristen Moriarty, MD, Maternal Fetal Medicine Fellow

PEDIATRIC OBESITY CENTER FOR TREATMENT, RESEARCH AND EDUCATION

Now in our second decade, the vision of the Pediatric Obesity Center is to be at the forefront of care for families suffering with obesity by providing innovative clinical service, cutting-edge research initiatives, and tailored education for the next generation of providers. Our mission is to treat the whole child and our specialists help children and their families change behaviors to accomplish their goals.

CENTER OVERVIEW

The Pediatric Obesity Center is an interdisciplinary team of surgeons, board certified weight management pediatricians and specialized advanced practitioners, pediatric psychologists, endocrinologists, dietitians, and physical therapists. Our team members are clinicians and researchers who seek to understand the causes of obesity and find innovative ways to treat the disease through research and education of trainees, students, families, and communities. We are dedicated to improving care and creating new, effective, and culturally sensitive treatment options for youth and their families.

PEDIATRIC OBESITY CENTER: CLINICAL

We offer medical and surgical treatment programs that help children and families achieve a healthier lifestyle. Connecticut Children’s is the only hospital in the state designated as a Center of Excellence for Adolescent Bariatric Surgery by the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program. Our services include a multidisciplinary framework for the care of patients with obesity including specialized medical intervention, nutritional support, behavioral management, physical therapy, and surgical intervention. In 2024, we experienced unprecedented volumes in our clinics and completed 24 surgical weight loss procedures.

Our medical weight management team is proud to serve patients across Connecticut and surrounding states. We have embraced the updated national obesity care guidelines and integrated these best practices into our comprehensive treatment of children with obesity. We collaborated with many of our referring pediatricians and family practitioners to help them adopt these new guidelines in their daily work. Our team delivered a Grand Rounds presentation in February 2024 entitled “Children suffering from obesity: a panel discussion on an epidemic”

to share insights with our referring providers and local colleagues on the best practices and rapidly evolving tools available within a tertiary care team dedicated to treating the most common chronic disease of childhood. We were selected as the pediatric care delivery partner for children of Blue Cross state employees to provide multidisciplinary care and medication treatment for their members. Our focus on improving children’s health translates into improvements in weight management and emotional, physical, and metabolic health.

Our surgical team surpassed a milestone this year having completed more than 175 sleeve gastrectomy cases since the initiation of our program. We continue to refine and improve our processes and patient experience. Our ERAS (Enhanced Recovery After Surgery) protocol decreased the average length of hospital stay from four days to less than two days. Our robotic surgical program continues to expand as this platform allows greater patient comfort, greater precision, and enhanced view of anatomy, as well as articulating laparoscopic instruments that further our ability to provide patients the best possible care. Our surgical physician assistant, Anthony Angotta, PA-C, trained as an assistant on the robot to enhance our ability to perform more of these procedures. James Healy, MD, MHS, is the Vice President of the Connecticut Chapter of the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery. He also serves on the national APSA bariatric program building subcommittee.

PEDIATRIC OBESITY CENTER: EDUCATION

The Pediatric Obesity Center is delighted to have postdoctoral fellow Abigail Sharer provide care to our patients during her fellowship training. Educating the next generation of providers caring for children with obesity is a central mission of the Center. We also continue to partner with Hartford Hospital in their obesity medicine fellowship and serve as a clinical site for medical students and residents.

PEDIATRIC OBESITY CENTER: RESEARCH

Melissa Santos, PhD, continued to expand her research in the care of youth with obesity with funding from the American Diabetes Association, in addition to funding she has received from other organizations including SAMHSA, the Tow Foundation, and the Connecticut Health Foundation to focus on improving care for the whole child. Dr. Santos is a recognized expert in pediatric obesity with multiple publications and invitations to speak

at leading national conferences including ASMBS, the Society of Pediatric Psychology Annual Conference, and the American Psychological Association Convention. She shared her expertise with various media outlets including NBC, WNPR, and CT Insider. Dr. Santos serves on the editorial board of several journals including Eating Behaviors and Childhood Obesity and was selected to participate in several statewide initiatives including the State of Connecticut’s Racial Equity Task Force, the Healthcare Disparities Group, and two committees with the Connecticut Hospital Association.

PEDIATRIC OBESITY CENTER: SERVICE

Micaela Sturm, PT, DPT, worked with members of the Sacred Heart Exercise Science Faculty to develop a community exercise class for kids in the Fairfield area. This program launched in September and is designed to inspire kids (8-17 years) to embrace an active lifestyle through fitness and fun. Led by Rich Marcello, MS, CSCS, a renowned sports scientist from the Pioneer Performance Center, the goal is for each child to gain confidence, build strength, and learn the joys of staying active

PUBLICATIONS

Quadri M, Ariza AJ, Tucker JM, Bea JW, King EC, Kirk S, … Santos, M. & POWER Work Group. (2024). Percent Body Fat and Weight Status of Youth Participating in Pediatric Weight Management Programs in the Pediatric Obesity Weight Evaluation Registry. Childhood Obesity.

Theriault, C. B., DiPlacido, J., Zempsky, W. T., & Santos, M. (2024). The Relationship Between Experiences of Pain Among Youth with Obesity and Health-Related Quality of Life: The Role of Functional Limitation, Sleep, and Depressive Symptoms. Childhood Obesity, 20(2), 87-95.

Santos, M., Zempsky, W. T., & Shmerling, J. (2024). JAMA, 332(7), 529-530

GRANTS

Santos & Finck: American Diabetes Association Grant

Santos: Cardinal Grant

Santos: SAMHSA Grant

Santos: Connecticut Health Foundation Grant

Santos: Tow Foundation Grant

Santos: M&T Bank

ACTIVE STUDIES

• Obesity Program Prospective Database

• Actively working on understanding the metabolic signature of children with obesity both before and after surgery- open IRB for enrollment

• Establishment of the Pediatric Obesity Weight Evaluation Registry (POWER): A Prospective Pilot Project of Children and Adolescents Presenting for Weight Management

• Pain and Obesity: The Development of PAW (Pain and Weight) Treatment

• Understanding the key differences between the different sources of mesenchymal stem cells

• Observing efficacy of weight-based management in adolescents

• Adolescent Bariatric Surgery: Teen and Provider Perspectives

• Bariatric Mobile (Bari-Mobile) Study

• Bariatric Surgery Data and Outcome Registry

• Developing a patient and provider evidence-based care pathway for youth with obesity.

• Training to Establish an Alliance Centered on Hope (TEACH) QPR Program

• IC5 Patient Registry

• Determining the Mechanism by Which Maternal Illness Uncertainty Contributes to Child Illness Uncertainty in Children and Adolescents with Epilepsy

STAFF

Medical Providers: Jessica Williams, MD, FAAP, D-ABOM

Robert Rosenberg, MD, D-ABOM

Surgical Providers: Christine Finck, MD; FACS James Healy, MD; MHS; FACS

Endocrinology Providers:

Priya Phulwani, MD

Psychology Providers:

Melissa Santos, PhD

Michael Reiss, PsyD

Vanessa Laurent, PhD

Abigail Sharer, PhD, Postdoctoral Fellow

Advanced Practice Providers:

Anthony Angotta, PA-C

Darlene Abbate, APRN

Nutrition Providers:

Valerie Becker, MS, RD, CDN

Anastasia Stergos, RD, CDN

Physical Therapy Providers:

Micaela Sturm PT, DPT

Emily Briganti PT, DPT

Ashley Barnas PT, DPT

Jennifer Garcia PT, DPT

Practice Coordinator :

Megan Trudel, LPN, MBSCR

DEPARTMENTS

DEPARTMENTS

PATHOLOGY & LABORATORY MEDICINE

ANATOMIC PATHOLOGY

HISTOPATHOLOGY

Connecticut Children’s surgical specimen volume totaled 3,388, representing a 4.7% increase from FY23. The number of specimens requiring on-site frozen sections at Connecticut Children’s totaled 92 in FY24, nine more than the previous year. The Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine (DPLM) at Hartford Hospital provided Pathology Services for Connecticut Children’s including on-site frozen sections; handling of anatomic and clinical pathology specimens including neuropathology and cytopathology; hematopathology services; performance of pediatric autopsies; and pathology support for multiple interdisciplinary conferences including Pediatric Solid Tumor Board, Pediatric Neuropathology Tumor Board, Pediatric Hematopathology conference, Pediatric GI pathology conference, Pediatric Thyroid Program meeting, and Neonatal/Perinatal conference. In addition, our department performs triaging of pediatric tumors for the Children Oncology Group, assessment and triaging of pediatric medical renal biopsies, and provides samples of pediatric tumors for Connecticut Children’s Biorepository Bank.

We continue to expand laboratory offerings in immunohistochemistry and molecular pathology. We have implemented slide controls for IHC testing which has reduced the cost of testing. HH IHC laboratory continues to be the central hub of all IHC testing for the majority of HHC hospital laboratories.

CYTOLOGY

The Hartford Hospital Cytology team continues to support the Cytology Fine Needle Aspiration (FNA) and Columbia Renal Biopsy adequacy needs of the Connecticut Children’s. In 2024 Cytology volume for Connecticut Children’s increased approximately 2.3% with a total volume of 135 cytology specimens, including 24 rapid onsite evaluations. We evaluated 22 Columbia Renal Biopsy cases in 2024.

MOLECULAR PATHOLOGY

The Molecular Pathology department completed the first half of the validation to convert existing custom solid tumor NGS panels to Pan Solid Tumor RNA/DNA panels, which expanded NGS content to include 137 gene targets on the FusionPlex (RNA) panel and 185 gene targets on the VariantPlex (DNA) panel. The expanded

FusionPlex panel, which includes sarcoma panel content, went live in May 2023. The 185-gene DNA VariantPlex panel, which includes an algorithm for assessing tumor mutational burden (TMB), microsatellite instability (MSI), and a complete list of genes required for homologous recombination deficiency (HRD) went live in the first quarter of 2024.

The NGS analysis software - Archer Analysis Unlimited –continues to run on a cloud-based platform to streamline analysis for all NGS assays. This update has provided faster analysis runtimes, additional workflows for TMB, new settings within DNA structural variants, and better filtering of background variants.

The new Rapid Myeloid Panel with FLT3 for use on the MassARRAY went live in October 2023. This customdesigned panel includes 67 assays covering 46 actionable variants spread over the genes CALR, IDH1, IDH2, JAK2, KRAS, MPL, NPM1, and NRAS and provides actionable results to clinicians in 48-72 hours. A similar panel for solid tumors is in the final stages of validation for the Molecular Division which will include targetable variants critical for initiating therapy, with a focus on the lung tumor type and cross-functionality with other tumor types including melanoma and colorectal.

CLINICAL PATHOLOGY

Transfusion Medicine/Blood Bank

It was a very busy year for HH transfusion services with significant increases in the total number of products transfused. Increased component volume was led by platelets (14.5%), red cells (11.1%), and plasma and cryoprecipitate (7.5%). Over the past 10 years the volume of major Heart and Vascular Institute (HVI) procedures has tripled, with annual increases of 6% to 7% and 2031 procedures performed in 2024. To minimize product wastage, initiatives to optimize “just in time” delivery of platelets to the O.R. via the tube system are being trialed.

Life Star’s pre-hospital transfusion program includes routine provision of two units of plasma and two units of red cells carried in the helicopters based at Midstate Medical Center and Backus Hospital. The transition to liquid plasma from thawed plasma was successfully introduced to the standing orders at Hartford, Backus and Midstate for care of our trauma patients, including product carried by Life Star. The composition of liquid plasma differs from FFP/thawed plasma in that it lacks labile factors such as complement and labile coagulation factors 5 and 8 which are not essential to promote hemostasis

or stem fibrinolysis. The longer shelf-life of liquid plasma (25 days vs. 5 days for thawed plasma and FFP) has greatly facilitated inventory management of this perishable resource and is estimated to have reduced each facilities plasma discard rate by 20% to 25%.

In the summer of 2024, the RI/CT Blood Center trialed deployment of a mobile, modular collection “Pod” in a heavily trafficked area between the HH and Connecticut Children’s campuses. The response was overwhelming, with over 200 productive donor collections over a twoweek period including several “lapsed” and “first time” blood donors who were attracted to the convenience of the collection site. Future engagements of the mobile “Donor Pod” are being planned for the coming fiscal year.

POINT OF CARE

The Point of Care team at Hartford Hospital implemented iSTAT testing in the Neuro ICU in May 2024 to aid in the diagnosis of Diabetes Insipidus following the resection of pituitary tumors. Ultrasound staff was trained in urine pregnancy testin, to improve the workflow in the ED setting.

The 2024 Medical Mission event was held at Hartford Public High School in November 2024. For the first time, laboratory staff volunteered to be trained as testing personnel. By the end of the mission volunteers had provided 488 visitors with Glucose and Cholesterol screening.

MICROBIOLOGY

Over the course of 2024 the Hartford Healthcare Ancillary Microbiology Laboratory at Newington implemented the following instruments and/or assays:

• Electronic ordering with labels for microbiology was completed within Epic Optime Navigator for HOCC, Midstate, HH, and WHSC during 2024.

• Updated or created new culture or diagnostic assay test codes for the following: urine comprehensive culture (UCOMP) for cystoscopy, nephrostomy, and suprapubic OR collected samples; HIV-1 Qualitative Assay; HIV Testing Algorithm Change; Bone Marrow Culture; Cepheid Xpert MRSA/SA SSTI (Skin and Soft Tissue Infections); Cepheid Xpert MVP Assay; Congenital CMV Testing for Saliva and Urine Samples; placenta cultures (vaginal (VAGDEL) and cesarean (CESDEL)); labor & delivery syphilis algorithm (LDSYPH).

• Replaced the Luminex Aries with the Diasorin MDx

for VZVNAA CSF & Dermal; and HSVNAA for CSF and cCMV Saliva & Urine.

• Completed the Selux rapid phenotypic antibiotic susceptibility testing (AST) for isolates evaluation.

• SREQ in Sunquest to facilitate transmission of laboratory comments into Epic for provider visibility.

• Evaluated and implemented the Brucker MBT Mycobacteria extraction kit to save time.

• Evaluated and implemented the NG-Test CARBA-5 antigen assay to replace the Cepheid CARBAR PCR for Enterobacterials and Pseudomonas aeruginosa carbapenem resistant isolates.

• Validated higher heat, lower fixation time for AFB smears reducing from 2 hours to 30 minutes, improving workflow.

• Installed and verified 8 new BACTEC Blood Culture Bottle instruments, replacing aged instruments.

• Switched to Abbott Alinity HAV Ab IgG II assay from the original assay for improved performance.

• Performed evaluation, completed validation, and implementation of Candida spp. MIC antifungal susceptibility testing.

• Installed DiaSorin Liaison XL and Phadia 250 instruments to replace the Bioplex and DSX (2) instruments. Training and verifications initiated in FY24.

• Installed (2) new MALDI Biotyper Sirius Instruments to replace the (2) aged instruments in FY2024. Training completed and implementation occurring in FY2025.

• Worked with informatics and others across HHC partners to create a BPA and laboratory ordering panel for Blood Culture utilization to address the shortage in blood bottles. This drastically reduced blood culture utilization.

• New MGIT instrument installed FY2024 for AFB liquid broth tube incubation. Verification to occur FY25.

DEPARTMENT GOALS

FY25 will see the initiation of a multi-year facility project across the Hartford Hospital campus. Departments across the hospital including the laboratory will take part in meetings to discuss improvement ideas including floor layouts, innovative new instrumentation and testing, and workflow efficiencies.

Some FY24 Clinical Care Redesign projects will continue to be monitored in FY25 and new ideas will be evaluated and added to our tracker. Workflows in Molecular Pathology and Flow Cytometry are currently being evaluated to determine opportunities for improvements and streamlining processes. Testing will continue to improve proper utilization practices such as those that auto-reflex to specialty testing including Cytology assessment, blood smears, or ABO confirmation testing.

A major goal for the hospital system and laboratory is to gain a better understanding of proper blood product utilization and wastage through our newly formed Transfusion Committee. This team, primarily formed by pathologists and clinicians, will review blood usage and wastage data to determine where process changes may be beneficial.

STAFF CHANGES AND PLANNED RECRUITMENT

In 2024 we successfully recruited Vandita Johari, MD, in clinical pathology to assume the role of medical director on January 1st, 2025. For 2025, we recruited Harshita Mehrotra, MD, to support thoracic pathology. Dr. Mehrotra is currently finishing up a thoracic pathology fellowship at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.

PERTINENT SUB-SPECIALIZATION

1. There is a wide range of sub-specialization in the department. Within Anatomic Pathology there is sub-specialization as follows: neuropathology (3), cytopathology (6), pediatric pathology (1), molecular pathology (1), and dermatopathology (1). Additional members within AP have specialty skills in organ systems for which there is no board certification. These include breast pathology, GI pathology, GU pathology, gynecologic pathology, pulmonary pathology, head and neck pathology, and soft tissue/ bone tumor pathology. Four members of the department are board-certified in hematopathology to provide support in Hematology and Hematopathology.

2. In other areas of Clinical Pathology, two staff members provide support in transfusion medicine. One is board-certified in transfusion medicine and the other has specialty expertise in coagulation. There is one PhD board-certified member in each of the following disciplines: microbiology, chemistry, molecular pathology/cytogenetics, and immunopathology.

PUBLICATIONS/PRESENTATIONS AT CONFERENCES

Pandey R (presenter), Fournier D, OConnor T, Grandpre K, Root G, Shirvalkar A, Tolkacheva K, Meraney A, Araneta III R, Earle J. Artificial Intelligence-Enabled Label-free Multispectral Imaging for Detrusor Muscle Identification in Transurethral Resection of Bladder Tumor Procedure, Control Number: 4045543, to be presented at Optica Biophotonics Congress: Biomedical Optics meeting in April 2024 in Fort Lauderdale FL

Balarezo F, Wang KW, A case of congenital disseminated malignant rhabdoid tumor, mimicking a vascular lesion. Cureus, April 2024. PMID: 38752074; PMCID: PMC11095981; DOI: 10.7759/cureus.58337

Balarezo F, Wang KW, Shabbir J, Glomski K. Pediatric papillary thyroid carcinoma with STRN::ALK fusion with morphologic features suggestive of cribriformmorular carcinoma: a rare diagnostic challenge. Poster presentation. Society for Pediatric Pathology Fall Meeting, October 2023

Shabbir J, Earle J, Glomski K, Mnayer LO, Schipper B, Ligato S. Gastroblastoma with a novel ACTB:GLI1 gene fusion in a 19-year-old male. Virchows Arch. 2024 May;484(5):859-864. doi: 10.1007/s00428-024-03742-7. Epub 2024 Jan 23. PMID: 38260988.

Jones D, Reddi HV, Earle J, He R, Kip S, Klees RF, Mullaney S, Brown S, Datta V, Deshpande P, Ostrander E, Cancer Molecular Testing: Principles of Oncology Test Interpretation, Laboratory and Assay Design, and Clinical Consultation. 1st ed. CLSI report MM26 (ISBN 978-168440-236-6 [Print]; ISBN 978-1-68440-237-3 [Electronic]). Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute, USA, 2024

Monroe HL, El Jabbour T. Educational Case: Acetaminophen hepatotoxicity: Pathophysiology and evaluation of acute liver failure. Academic Pathology 2024. DOI:10.1016/j.acpath.2024.100146. PMID: 39309105

Liu Y, El Jabbour T, Somma J, Nakanishi Y, Ligato S, Lee H, Fu ZY. Blastomas of the digestive system in adults: A review. World Journal of Gastrointestinal Surgery 2024. DOI:10.4240/wjgs.v16.i4.1030. PMID: 38690053.

Qi X, Kuan K, El Jabbour T, Lo Y, Liu Q, Fang Y. Retrospective analysis of discordant results between histology and other clinical diagnostic tests on helicobacter pylori infection. World Journal of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy 2024. DOI: 10.4253/wjge.v16.i2.64. PMID: 38464820.

Ibrahim E, Akrmah M, Ligato S. Does a Positive Appendiceal Resection Margin in Low-Grade Appendiceal Mucinous Neoplasms, Warrant Additional Surgery? Our Institution Experience and Literature Review. Ann Surg Oncol. 2023 Nov;30(12):7189-7195. doi: 10.1245/s10434023-13930-5. Epub 2023 Jul 21. PMID: 37477747.

Ibrahim E, RepolletOtero P, Ligato S. Key Cytopathological features predictive of upper biliary tract malignancies in small biopsies obtained by peroral-cholangioscopy. Poster presentation at USCAP 2024 Meeting Baltimore, MD

Schechter S, Ligato S, Gonzalez RS, Westerhoff M et al. GLI1 in Situ hybridization supports histomorphology in diagnosing Plexiform Fibromyxoma and Gastroblastoma. Poster presentation at USCAP 2024 Meeting Baltimore, MD

Wang KW, Mandavilli S. Adolescent superficial CD34positive fibroblastic tumor with unique morphology and IHC profile. 60th Annual Meeting of ASDP 2023

Akrmah M, Ibrahim E, Mnayer LO, Ligato S. Solitary fibrous tumor occurring in the colon as submucosal mesenchymal lesion: report of two cases and review of the literature. Clin J Gastroenterol. 2024 Jun;17(3):396400. doi: 10.1007/s12328-024-01936-9. Epub 2024 Mar 12. PMID: 38472638.

Wang KW, Caruso A, Mnayer LO, Shi Y, Earle J, Comparison of ERBB2 and MDM2 Gene Amplification Analysis by Next-Generation Sequencing Copy Number Variation and Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization in Solid Tumors, Poster presentation AMP Annual Meeting November 2023, Salt Lake City, UT, Poster number ST148, Abstract Number 1577496

Mukashaka P, Sheridan TB, Foroughi Pour A, Chuang JH. SAMPLER: unsupervised representations for rapid analysis of whole slide tissue images. EBioMedicine 2024;99:104908.

White BS, Woo XY, Koc S, Sheridan TB, Neuhauser SB, Wang S, Evrard YA, Chen L, Foroughi Pour A, Landua JD, Mashl RJ, Davies SR, Fang B, Raso MG, Evans KW, Bailey MH, Chen Y, Xiao M, Rubinstein JC, Sanderson BJ, Lloyd MW, Domanskyi S, Dobrolecki LE, Fujita M, Fujimoto J, Xiao G, Fields RC, Mudd JL, Xu X, Hollingshead MG, Jiwani S, Acevedo S; PDXNet Consortium; Davis-Dusenbery BN, Robinson PN, Moscow JA, Doroshow JH, Mitsiades N, Kaochar S, Pan CX, Carvajal-Carmona LG, Welm AL, Welm

BE, Govindan R, Li S, Davies MA, Roth JA, Meric-Bernstam F, Xie Y, Herlyn M, Ding L, Lewis MT, Bult CJ, Dean DA 2nd, Chuang JH. A pan-cancer patient-derived xenograft histology image repository with genomic and pathologic annotations enables deep learning analysis. Cancer Research 2024;84:2060-2072

Zhou J, Sheridan TB, Domanskyi S, Cowles SL, Park S, Putra I, Anczukow O, Chuang JH, Rubinstein JC. Unveiling the spatial landscape of tumor and stroma heterogeneity in colorectal cancer with spatial transcriptomics. Cancer Research 2024;84(6_Suppl): Abstract nr 1150. Poster presentation at the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting in April 2024.

STAFF

Srinivas Mandavilli, MD, Chief of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine

Ronald Araneta, MD

Margaret Assaad, MD

Fabiola Balarezo, MD, Program Director of Residency Program

Joseph A. DiGiuseppe, MD, PhD, Division Director, Hematopathology

Jonathan Earle, MD

Tony El Jabbour, MD

Mary Fiel-Gan, MD, Director of Anatomic Pathology

Krzysztof Glomski, MD, PhD, Director of Immunohistochemistry Lab

Koorosh Haghayeghi, MD

Vandita Johari, MD. Director of Transfusion Medicine; Medical Director of Laboratory

Saverio Ligato, MD

Gregory S. Makowski, PhD, DABCC, FACB, Vice-President of Laboratory Services, HHC

Laila Mnayer, PhD, Director of Molecular Pathology

Amity Roberts, PhD, D (ABMM), Director of Microbiology

Peter Shen, MD

Bradford Sherburne, MD, Director of Transfusion

Medicine; Medical Director of Laboratory

Todd Sheridan, MD

Yong Shi, PhD

Xianyuan Song, MD, PhD

Dean Uphoff, MD

Theresa Voytek, MD. Director of Cytopathology

RADIOLOGY

The Department of Pediatric Radiology provides a full spectrum of imaging services and minimally invasive image-guided procedures and is integral to the clinical activities at Connecticut Children’s. We continuously strive to optimize image quality and the patient/family experience, balancing the unique needs and challenges of our pediatric patients with the responsibility of reducing radiation dose and usage of sedation or anesthesia. Our dedicated and interdisciplinary teams of skilled and experienced technologists, sonographers, nurses, practitioners, and physicians work every day to help our young patients obtain safe, high-quality care.

Our department participates in the Image Gently Alliance to minimize radiation exposure to patients by utilizing best practice techniques. We follow the American College of Radiology (ACR) Appropriateness Criteria® for evidencebased guidance to optimize diagnostic imaging for children. Using digital radiography and other low-dose imaging equipment, such as the EOS imaging system in our orthopedic division, we are able to bring down the radiation dose for our most commonly performed examinations.

We are committed to maintaining the highest quality throughout a wide range of imaging modalities from digital radiography to state-of-the-art magnetic resonance imaging. The department has taken steps to remain continuously accredited through the ACR in ultrasound, CT, and MRI. Our teams are dedicated to providing diagnostic and interventional services with around-theclock coverage for uninterrupted care to the children we serve.

ULTRASOUND

The Ultrasound section provides fast, accessible, and high-quality imaging without a need for radiation or sedation. We offer extended appointment times at our Hartford campus on weekdays and weekends to meet the scheduling needs of our patients and families. Ultrasound imaging by our subspecialty-trained sonographers is available at our Farmington, Danbury, and Westport locations for greater community access to these expertly performed examinations. We have also incorporated the new technique of contrast-enhanced ultrasound using microsphere bubbles to evaluate urological conditions or characterization of tissue abnormalities, providing an alternate or complementary imaging

strategy to fluoroscopy, CT, and MRI. We are also using other innovative applications of ultrasound such as for gastrointestinal pathologies.

FLUOROSCOPY

Fluoroscopy is an important tool for diagnosis and procedural guidance in a variety of conditions including gastrointestinal, genitourinary, cardiopulmonary, and musculoskeletal disorders. Fluoroscopy provides benefits to children of all ages from neonates in our intensive care to young adults. We perform this examination at the Hartford campus using flat-panel technology with pulsed fluoroscopy, allowing for significant radiation dose reduction with improved image quality. Fluoroscopy is used in the operating room to help our surgical teams every day. The equipment we use is in alignment with our philosophy to “Image Gently and Step Lightly” to minimize ionizing radiation for patients and staff. This goal is facilitated by rigorous monitoring and technical adjustments guided by advanced dose monitoring software.

COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY

Our department upgraded our CT system to a state-ofthe-art ultra-fast scanner. This versatile new CT scanner provides increased speed, better image quality, and further dose-lowering capabilities including advanced intelligent deep learning reconstruction and spectral imaging. The new technology allows more robust CT angiographic studies which are crucial for the evaluation of complex congenital heart disease and other vascular pathologies that require exquisite spatial resolution. Rapid acquisition helps to minimize the need for sedation and anesthesia when performing these exams. Our CT scanning techniques are monitored to ensure dose optimization for children of all sizes. We participate in the ACR Dose Index Registry which enables us to benchmark our CT doses with other facilities.

MRI

The MRI section offers sophisticated facilities with both 1.5T and 3T field strength units at Connecticut Children’s Hartford campus. The 3T MRI system provides advanced cardiac and neurologic imaging including functional brain MRI. Other specialized imaging protocols include quantitative liver imaging, whole body MRI, and functional imaging of the urinary tract. A replacement 1.5T MRI is tentatively scheduled for completion in Spring 2026 and will provide AI technology for faster exams and improved image quality.

Fetal MRI services support the mission of the Fetal Care Center. We aim to continuously refine the quality of our studies and evaluate newer techniques to optimize our examinations. For example, we have piloted the usage of an iron-based intravenous (IV) contrast agent, Ferumoxytol, that allows for advanced MR angiographic imaging with results that are superior to conventional gadolinium-based IV contrast. We are seeking to leverage newer MRI techniques to expand non-IV contrast and rapid diagnostic examinations to decrease the need for IV catheter placement and pharmacological sedation.

Our team of dedicated MRI technologists are highly skilled at working with children and expectant mothers to put them at ease before, during, and after an MRI examination. The ability to provide movie and music streaming during the examinations helps both children and adult patients undergo their MRI studies comfortably without sedation when possible. For more technically challenging or lengthy studies, the Sedation Service and the Division of Anesthesia offer outstanding resources to help our children undergo their examinations in all modalities. A full-time Child Life Specialist enhances the patient and family experience during their visit.

INTERVENTIONAL RADIOLOGY

Interventional Radiologists (IR) and Advanced Practitioners with specialized expertise perform minimally invasive image-guided procedures on site at Connecticut Children’s. Advanced technologies including a hybrid operating room and CT fluoroscopy help optimize the care we provide. The range of medical conditions amenable to image-guided therapeutic and diagnostic procedures is extensive and constantly evolving. Our highly skilled teams are able to provide interventions encompassing diseases affecting the vascular, gastrointestinal, hepatobiliary, genitourinary, pulmonary, musculoskeletal, and central nervous systems. The IR section collaborates with other medical and surgical specialties to support our sickest patients by providing minimally-invasive procedures to alleviate difficult to treat infections, helping to guide our colleagues through complex anatomy, and assisting with diagnosis to guide future treatment. The IR team receives full support from nursing, sedation, and anesthesia services to deliver care to our patients with the least amount of discomfort.

EDUCATION

Education is a major component of the activities of the Division of Pediatric Radiology. Radiology residents from

Hartford Hospital, UConn, and St. Vincent’s Hospital Bridgeport receive pediatric radiology training in our department. We host elective rotations for UConn pediatric residents, pediatric subspecialty fellows, and medical students. Additionally, the department engages in the education of sonography and radiography technology students. Didactic lectures and case presentations provide teaching to our residents, medical students, and radiology staff. We actively participate in clinical care and teaching conferences in collaboration with the other divisions throughout the hospital. Through these activities, the Division of Radiology seeks to deliver optimized, patientand family-centered care to the children we serve.

PROFESSIONAL RECOGNITION

Douglas Moote, MD, is a member of the Connecticut Children’s Medical Staff Executive Committee.

Shanshan Bao, MD, is a member of the Connecticut Children’s Peer Review Committee.

Lindsay Griffin, MD, is Chair of the Society of Pediatric Radiology (SPR) MRI committee and a member on the SPR Cardiac and SPR Physician Wellness committees and a member of Radiology: Cardiothoracic Editorial Board. Dr. Griffin participates on the Radiology Society of North America Pediatrics Education Exhibit Committee, International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine education committee and the Society for Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance Pediatric/Congenital Heart Disease committee. Dr. Griffin is a reviewer for Pediatric Radiology, Pediatric Pulmonology, Radiology: Cardiothoracic Editorial Board, Journal of Cardiac Magnetic Resonance, and British Journal of Radiology. Dr. Griffin is the Interim Program Director for the Hartford Hospital Radiology Residency Program.

Pamela Ketwaroo, MD, is the recipient of the Star Award for Excellence in Patient Care, Baylor College of Medicine, May 2024.

Sobia Mirza, MD, was recognized as the Radiology Wellness Director and Contrast Enhanced Ultrasound Director at Children’s National Hospital, 2024.

PUBLICATIONS

Beverstock A, Ketwaroo P, Lucena M Preterm Newborn with Blue Abdominal Discoloration on the First Newborn Day, Accepted to NeoReviews September 2024.

Dadoun S, Demmler-Harrison G, Ketwaroo P, Castro E,

Sanz Cortes M. Congenital Toxoplasmosis of the brain caused by infection in late pregnancy. The Lancet; March 2024 Vol 403 (10431), 1081-1082.

Morin CE, Karakas P, Vorona G, Sreedher G, Brian JM, Chavhan GB, Chung T, Griffin LM, Kaplan SL, Moore M, Schenker K, Subramanian S, Aquino M. The Society for Pediatric Radiology Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Emergency and Trauma Imaging Committees’ consensus protocol recommendation for rapid MRI for evaluating suspected appendicitis in children. Pediatr Radiol. 2024 Jan;54(1):12-19. doi: 10.1007/s00247-023-05819-y. Epub 2023 Dec 4. PMID: 38049531.

PRESENTATIONS

Beverstock A, Ketwaroo P, Lucena M Preterm Newborn with Blue Abdominal Discoloration on the First Newborn Day, Texas Pediatric Society October 2024. **Awarded First Prize

King A, Lee T, Kesdani S, Sanz-Cortes M, Sutton C, Donepudi R, Nassr A, Bedwell J, Mehta D, Ketwaroo P, Belfort M. Development of a Clinical Pathway in Management of Prenatal Diagnosis of Airway Concerns, Presented at Fetal Medicine Foundation, Lisbon, Portugal, June 2024.

R Corroenne, A Nassr, R Donepudi, B Johnson, P Ketwaroo, A King, J Munoz, C Buskmiller, M Belfort, M Sanz. Slice-to-Volume registration (SVR) of the fetal lungs to assess observed/expected Total Fetal Lungs Volume (O/E TFLV) in fetuses with congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) who underwent Fetoscopic Endo Tracheal Occlusion (FETO), Submitted to ISUOG 2024.

R Corroenne, L Benitez, L Delgadillo, A Nassr, R Donepudi, B Johnson, P Ketwaroo, A Mehollin-Ray, J Munoz, C Buskmiller, M Belfort, M Sanz. Prediction of survival in left-sided Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia (CDH) fetuses: Which method is better using Observed to Expected Total Fetal Lung Volumes (O/E TFLV)?, Submitted to ISUOG 2024.

Donepudi R, Ketwaroo P, et al. Does prenatal assessment of degree of mediastinal shift in congenital lung malformations help predict need for emergent surgery? Accepted for oral presentation at UltraCon/AIUM 2024.

Lowe C, Kratimenos P, Ruffini L, Mirza S, Kim J, Bulas D, Anwar T, Tsuchida T, Pearl M. Cranial Ultrasound Findings and Utility in the Management of Hemispheric Strokes in

Young Infants with Hemimeganlencephaly and Seizures Treated by Serial Transarterial Embolization. Presented at SPR April 2024.

INVITED TALKS

Ketwaroo P, “Mandible & Syndromes in the Fetus,” Invited talk, SPR Fetal Imaging Course, October 2024.

Ketwaroo P, “Fetal MRI in Congenital Heart Disease,” Invited talk, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin, Ireland September 2024.

Ketwaroo P, “Fetal MRI in Congenital Heart Disease,” Invited talk, Adult Congenital Heart Disease/Women’s Heart Health Conference at TCH, September 2024.

Ketwaroo P, “Imaging the Neonate: A Primer for the Clinician,” Invited talk, BCM Neonatology Fellowship Orientation Lecture Series July 2024.

Ketwaroo, P “Fetal Craniofacial Anomalies,” Invited talk, Society for Maternal Fetal Medicine February 2024.

National Meeting Participant

Griffin, L “MRI protocol session”, SPR Annual Meeting 2024 in Miami FL

Griffin, L “MRI in Acute Appendicitis” American Roentgen Ray Society Annual Meeting 2024 in Boston, MA

PRACTICE QUALITY IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS

Cepeda de Jesus GN, Herbst T. Enhancing Radiology Residency Training: A Focus on Clinical Electives.

Diaz Perez K. Documentation and Follow-up Instructions for Contrast Infiltrates.

Hartmann M. Creating a Central Database to Promote Resident Scholarly Activity.

La Perla R. Nucs Protocolling: A Quick Reference Guide.

Phillips E, Kaliney R. Marking the Site of Concern on Radiographs for Osteomyelitis Identification.

POSTER

Peterson S, Patel A, Dukleska K, Moote D. A Case Review of Congenital Internal Hernias. Poster Accepted at the American Roentgen Ray Society Annual Meeting, May 2024.

Peterson S, Patel A, Kaliney R. Carpal Coalition Combination Case Collection. European Society of Musculoskeletal Radiology 33rd Annual Scientific Meeting, June 2024.

STAFF

Douglas Moote, MD, Division Head Pediatric Radiology, Connecticut Children’s

Shanshan Bao, MD, Clinical Director for Body Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Johanna Chang, MD, Assistant Clinical Director for Body Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Lindsay Griffin, MD, Clinical Director for Computed Tomography Services

Pamela Ketwaroo, MD, Clinical Director for Fetal MRI

Anna Golja, MD, Clinical Director for Pediatric Neuroradiology

Pallavi Nadendla, MD, Clinical Director for Interventional Radiology

Prasanta Karak, MD, Clinical Director for Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging

Sobia Mirza, MD, Clinical Director for Musculoskeletal Imaging

Steven Lee, MD, Chief of Radiology, Hartford Hospital

Martin Ollenschleger, MD, Clinical Director of Neurointerventional Radiology

Molly Mable, PA-C, RT(R), Fluoroscopy and Interventional Radiology

COMMUNITY CHILD

OFFICE OF COMMUNITY CHILD HEALTH

Connecticut Children’s Office for Community Child Health (the Office) (OCCH) is nationally recognized as a pioneer in promoting children’s optimal health, development, and well-being through a cross-sector approach that builds stronger child-serving systems, strengthens families, and advances equity. Under the leadership of Paul H. Dworkin, MD, the Office shapes federal, state, and local policy regarding children’s services, builds partnerships between internal and external programs across all sectors that influence child health and development, and cultivates innovations to support children and families at risk for adverse health and life outcomes. The Office oversees 17 community-oriented programs that address the diverse needs of children and families, including both medical and basic needs, as part of Connecticut Children’s commitment to promoting children’s optimal health, development, and well-being.

The Office for Community Child Health leverages a comprehensive suite of research and evaluation methodologies to advance impactful child development initiatives.

To assess and visualize community-wide health trends and the impact of its work, OCCH employs Social Network Analysis (SNA), Population Health data collection, and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) mapping. SNA, used by programs like Help Me Grow (HMG) National Center and North Hartford Ascend (Ascend), illuminates connections between service providers and residents to show how these relationships shape resource access and community support networks. Population Health data collection (Ascend) provides a broad view of health trends and disparities across communities to enable targeted, data-informed interventions. GIS mapping further enhances these insights by allowing programs like the Injury Prevention Center (IPC) and Ascend to identify highrisk areas, monitor health patterns, and direct resources based on geographic data.

To ensure that programs are community-centered, OCCH integrates Human-Centered Design (HCD) and Implementation Science. HCD, led by the Childhood Prosperity Lab, actively incorporates community feedback at every stage of program design, aligning initiatives with community needs to build trust and increase impact. Programs like the Lab and HMG apply Implementation Science frameworks to translate evidence-based practices into adaptable, scalable solutions to ensure that programs are both effective and resilient.

OCCH measures its impact through Return-on-Investment (ROI) analysis and proximate measures. ROI assessments demonstrate economic value by comparing program costs with benefits such as reduced utilization of highcost services and improved community productivity to highlight the fiscal efficiency of OCCH’s work. Proximate measures, like improved school attendance or timely preventive care, provide immediate indicators of program success and connect short-term actions to long-term health outcomes.

Together, these methodologies enable OCCH to continually refine its initiatives, maximize impact, and meet community needs with rigor and adaptability. Through this integrated approach OCCH drives meaningful, data-driven improvements in child health, development, and wellbeing outcomes.

OCCH Programs

Center for Global Health (CGH): The Center for Global Health (CGH) improves the lives of infants and children in resource-limited settings through sustainable, capacitybuilding initiatives. Under the leadership of Adam Silverman, MD, the CGH fosters a culture of global citizenship at Connecticut Children’s to engage trainees, staff, and faculty in impactful work.

Cliff O’Callahan, MD, collaborates with the University of Rwanda Medical School on pediatric education and supports initiatives in Guatemala. Nancy Dunbar, MD, works with Haitian pediatricians to provide essential diabetes care. Melissa Held, MD, oversees the Pediatric Refugee Clinic and leads medical outreach in the Dominican Republic. Naveed Hussain, MD, develops training programs for neonatal nurses in India, Uganda, Jamaica, and Mauritius, while Arvin Bundhoo, MD, focuses on improving care for critically ill children in Mauritius. Brendan Campbell, MD, participates in surgical missions in Haiti to address critical health needs.

The CGH also hosts an annual Global Health Symposium in collaboration with various partners to explore vital themes in the global health landscape.

The Center’s work includes collaborations, partnerships, and sustainable volunteering opportunities with organizations including:

• Justinien University Hospital, as volunteers with Konbit Sante in Cap-Haitian, Haiti

• St. Damien Pediatric Hospital, as members of the St. Damien Collaborative in Port-au-Prince, Haiti

• Hospital Sacre Coeur Pediatric Diabetes Program, as volunteers with CRUDEM in Milot, Haiti

• NICE Foundation “Cool the Kids” program in Hyderabad, India

• The University Teaching Hospital of Kigali (CHUK) in Kigali, Rwanda

• ENT Hospital PICU in Vacoas-Phoenix, Mauritius

• St. Paul’s Hospital Millennium Medical College in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Childhood Prosperity Lab (the Lab): Childhood Prosperity Lab (the Lab) is an innovation hub that incubates, accelerates, and advances social innovations with the potential to significantly impact the social drivers of health and promote health equity. Select highlights from 2024 include:

• Facilitated eight Masterminds with changemakers addressing various social determinants of health.

• Published eight blogs on Advancing Kids emphasizing the importance of social innovation as a strategy to address social determinants of health.

• Co-led the design, implementation, and evaluation of a national Systems Leadership Learning Community in collaboration with Help Me Grow National Center and Collective Impact Forum.

• Seven abstracts were accepted for oral and poster presentations at six conferences.

• Facilitated five introductory trainings on the Strengthening Families Protective Factors Framework.

• Launched a Strengthening Families Protective Factors Framework Community of Practice in collaboration with North Hartford Ascend.

• Leveraged human-centered design to elevate and integrate the voices and priorities of the community and other key stakeholders.

CLASP Co-Management: Through the CLASP CoManagement Program, Connecticut Children’s specialists assist primary care providers in expanding the care they deliver to patients. This support includes providing up-todate, first-line management for common diagnoses, clear indications for referral to specialists, patient handouts, and other resources. The co-management structure aims to broaden the scope of practice for primary care providers, reduce unnecessary testing and treatment, and minimize

low-value specialist referrals to improving timely access to care.

The CLASP program employs a structured committee of seven community pediatricians from across Connecticut to facilitate continuous improvement. This collaborative effort has led to updates of all existing tools and the development of new ones. Regular communication with referring providers regarding new and updated tools has been standardized. As a result, the number of verified CLASP users has increased to 758 with 18,000 visits to the CLASP website. The top five CLASP tools accessed most frequently include those for lipid abnormalities, obesity and screening for co-morbidities, migraines, steatotic liver disease, and early onset pubic hair.

Connecticut Children’s Center for Care Coordination (the Center): The Center provides supportive and targeted care coordination for children and youth with highrisk medical conditions and complex social stressors. It collaborates with community providers, Connecticut Children’s patients, and the Connecticut Children’s Care Network of community pediatricians. Key activities include:

• Providing targeted, comprehensive, and culturally competent care coordination for children who screen positive for rare conditions during newborn screening.

• Partnering with Healthy Homes to deliver care coordination for children and youth identified through the Hartford NEAR (Neighborhood Environmental Assessments and Restoration) grant.

• Offering care coordination support and consultation to children and youth with special health care needs and their community pediatric practices through the North Hartford Ascend Pipeline Grant and the Help Me Grow Goal Concordant Care/JPB Foundation grant.

• Expanding behavioral health care coordination to support Emergency Department discharges, Zero Suicide screenings, and complex inpatient referrals.

• Supporting three outpatient mental health clinics at Connecticut Children’s—the Behavioral Health Transitions Clinic, the Medical Coping Clinic, and the Intensive Outpatient Clinic—by connecting families to outpatient care.

• Distributing over $85,000 to nearly 250 families facing economic challenges for basic needs, medications, and equipment not covered by insurance.

• Actively participating in the Care Coordination Collaborative Model, a program of the Office, to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of care coordination throughout north central Connecticut.

• Providing care coordination support through the Newborn Screening Network focusing on Genetics, Hematology (Sickle Cell), and Endocrine areas.

• Training staff in Motivational Interviewing to enhance support for families receiving care coordination to help families identify meaningful goals when working with care coordinators.

Connecticut Children’s Healthy Homes Program (Healthy Homes): In 2024, Healthy Homes strengthened partnerships with multiple grant collaborators across Connecticut to create lead-safe and healthy environments for families. The program’s expertise led to selection for several prestigious state and regional presentations to showcase the critical role of housing as a foundation for health and highlight the direct impact of safe living conditions on overall well-being and public health outcomes.

The Building for Health initiative successfully secured a $180,000 planning grant from the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving to facilitate the addition of several new program partners who are integrating the Healthy Home’s framework into their systems.

Connecticut Newborn Screening Network (the Network): The Connecticut Newborn Screening (NBS) Network (the Network) achieved a significant milestone by completing a three-year project funded by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). This project aimed to implement and evaluate a comprehensive, family-centered, long-term follow-up (LTFU) model and has shown promising results. Outcomes from the LTFU processes introduced in the early childhood cohort (birth to 4 years) demonstrated significant and sustainable improvements in the timeliness of care, as well as in additional key performance metrics established by each specialty care team.

The Network’s success in this project set a positive trajectory for future endeavors.

The Network’s leadership in national efforts related to NBS LTFU is a testament to its influence and recognition in the field. As an active participation in national workgroups, the Network has helped establish a uniform definition of LTFU

and standardized metrics for data collection. Innovations from the Network have been acknowledged by federal committees and professional societies with invitations for Network staff to brief national leaders on their insights.

Easy Breathing: In 2024, the Easy Breathing program responded to numerous requests from the primary care community for education on the 2020 Focused Updates to the Asthma Management Guidelines. An asthma expert from the Division of Primary Care, Caleb Wasser, DO, delivered a continuing medical education module (CME) on implementing single maintenance and reliever therapy (SMART) in the pediatric primary care setting. With this SMART CME module, Dr. Wasser, the Easy Breathing Physician Champion, and Co-Director Melanie Sue Collins, MD, conducted over ten SMART therapy CMEs for pediatric practices across the state.

Shifts in the 2020 Focused Updates to the Asthma Management Guidelines caused significant confusion within the medical community. To address this expert from the Asthma Center hosted several lunch & learns, evening lectures, and other webinars for the primary care community. Notable highlights include Dr. Collins delivering a Grand Rounds on the Updated Asthma Guidelines at Day Kimball Hospital and presenting the annual lecture with the Connecticut Children’s Care Network. National exposure was gained when Co-Director Jessica Hollenbach, PhD, and Dr. Wasser presented on the implementation of SMART therapy in primary care settings at the Pediatric Academic Society’s national meeting.

Given that SMART therapy represents a major shift in prescribing practices, Dr. Collins and Dr. Hollenbach codeveloped a continuing education module in collaboration with the UConn School of Pharmacy. Released in April 2022, this course has been completed by 586 pharmacists and 5,676 technicians to date (SMARTen Up: Asthma Management Guidelines).

The Easy Breathing for Schools program is a multipronged asthma education toolkit designed to reduce asthmarelated school absenteeism and improve asthma control and inhaler technique. In 2024, with support from the US Department of Education’s Promise Neighborhoods grant to OCCH (North Hartford Ascend), Asthma Center staff continued to build capacity to support school nurses serving students with asthma in Hartford’s North End. Capacity-building efforts resulted in the establishment of standardized workflows for data collection and sharing.

Based on feedback from school nurses the program was simplified to facilitate adoption. Rather than requiring school nurses to evaluate students with asthma using five separate tools, the focus shifted to delivering and monitoring inhaler technique skills coupled with monitoring school absences.

Hartford Youth Health Identification and Linkage Consortium (HYHIL): HYHIL continues to leverage the care continuum to enhance positive outcomes and improve health equity for individuals and families affected by HIV, those experiencing homelessness, and those at risk of becoming homeless. The program received funding to enhance routine HIV testing and PrEP Navigation Services and ambulatory/medical case management services.

• HYHIL reached over 3,400 middle and high school students across Connecticut with HIV prevention and PrEP Navigation Services in both traditional and nontraditional educational settings through interactive preventive education.

• The program screened over 600 adolescents and young adults for HIV, provided 75 individuals with HIV Home Testing Kits, and enrolled 11 youths in PrEP Navigation Services.

• Program and clinical staff presented:

» A poster presentation entitled “Improving HIV Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) Access and Uptake” at the Illumination Conference in spring 2024.

» Information on Routine Testing and PrEP Navigation Services at the Division of Community Pediatrics meeting in spring 2024.

• The Routine HIV Testing/PrEP Navigation initiative has been implemented in the Emergency Room at Connecticut Children’s. Grace A. Hong, APRN championed a clinical pathway in EPIC in collaboration with Information Systems to ensure a seamless process linking patients to critical support services via Infectious Disease medical case managers and PrEP Navigators.

• Program staff conducted numerous outreach efforts focused on the Promise Zone neighborhoods of North Hartford Ascend, reaching over 800 individuals with HIV and substance use prevention information.

• The program director has been actively involved in DEI initiatives in collaboration with the OCCH Equity Committee and serves as co-chair of the DEI subcommittee.

Help Me Grow National Center: The Help Me Grow (HMG) National Center, the implementation hub for the HMG Model that has been deployed in over 130 communities across 30 states and D.C., achieved the following successes in 2024:

• Cultivating Systems Leadership Learning Community: This initiative aims to enhance understanding and application of systems change and systems leadership competencies.

• HMG Affiliate Advisory Board: The first-ever HMG Affiliate Board was assembled to serve as a critical partner to HMG National by providing affiliate voices and perspectives in key national-level discussions.

• ECDHS: Acts as a core partner for the HRSA-funded Evidence to Impact Center and has assumed leadership in early childhood system-building efforts across three states.

• Targeted Universalism: Collaborated with Seed Collaborative to understand affiliate experiences, preferences, and priorities in promoting equity through HMG.

• Goal Concordant Care: Continued year two of this project by adapting, developing, and testing clinical workflows and protocols to tailor and individualize pediatric primary care goals in partnership with families.

• Forum 2024: Hosted a virtual forum on December 10 with participation of approximately 500 registrants.

Injury Prevention Center (IPC): Founded in 1990, the Injury Prevention Center has served the children and families of Connecticut for nearly thirty-five years through research, community programs, education and training, and policy advocacy. The mission of the IPC is to keep children and families safe and injury-free. In fulfilling its academic role, the Center focuses on research to prevent suicide, community violence, firearm violence, domestic violence, and child maltreatment. Community programs address a broad spectrum of safety issues and aim to implement evidence-based interventions. Safe Kids Connecticut, undertaken in collaboration with the Connecticut Elks Association, is a hallmark program dedicated to preventing injuries in children ages 0-19. The Hayley Petit Injury & Violence Prevention Fellowship, an educational initiative for undergraduate women, supports the goal of inspiring the next generation of researchers. Policy and advocacy efforts continue to drive meaningful change in Connecticut with recent initiatives focused on reducing firearm violence and

establishing an office within the Department of Public Health to address this issue.

In 2024 the Injury Prevention Center, under the leadership of Kevin Borrup, DrPH, JD, MPA, and with $1,000,000 in research support from the Tow Foundation, collaborated with the Emergency Department to begin preparations for a clinical trial aimed at reducing violence perpetration and victimization among children and young adults. This intervention seeks to enhance connections to community supports for children with high rates of violence exposure in Hartford. The research aims to build evidence for the efficacy of early identification and intervention as strategies for reducing violence perpetration and victimization.

Nationally, the Connecticut Children’s Injury Prevention Center team is active within the American Public Health Association and is a member of the Society for the Advancement of Violence and Injury Research (SAVIR). The team participates in national and regional discussions regarding research opportunities and priorities and advocates for a strengthened collective approach to injury prevention. Dr. Borrup was recently elected Chair-Elect of the Injury Control and Emergency Health Services (ICEHS) section of the American Public Health Association and serves on the Council of Centers for SAVIR.

North Hartford Ascend (Ascend): North Hartford Ascend (Ascend) is a place-based initiative funded by a US Department of Education Promise Neighborhoods grant which focuses on prenatal-through-career systems change. The program aims to ensure that children and families living in the North Hartford Promise Zone have access to the supports they need to reach their full potential. Key highlights for 2024 include:

• Facilitating a Community Branding Strategy and launching a new brand identity.

• Hosting 10 community conversations and over 12 Ascend Community Workshops that align with the interests, goals, and priorities of community members.

• Participating in over 15 community activities and events.

• Launching the Ascend website and Community Resource Map designed in collaboration with the community using human-centered design methodology.

• Hosting 10 Service Provider Monthly Engagement meetings to connect with affiliated organizations.

• Launching the Ascend Affiliate Capacity Building Strategy to promote shared practices and enhance the capacity of organizations to adopt key concepts and methods.

• Conducting a Social Network Analysis that demonstrated the deepening quality of relationships between affiliated organizations during the first two years of the grant.

• Initiating a range of data collection and evaluation activities including quarterly aggregate data collection and individual-level data linkage.

Person-Centered Medical Home (PCMH):

The National Committee for Quality Assurance recertified Connecticut Children’s Primary Care South (including Hartford, East Hartford, and Farmington PCMH locations) in May 2024. In alignment with the Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) model, universal screening is conducted to identify, evaluate, and manage behavioral and developmental concerns during all well-child visits. An integrated behavioral-medical care model is employed featuring on-site psychologists and care coordinators. This year, Amy Signore, PhD, implemented a grant from Antioch University to train psychologists in increasing the early detection and evaluation of autism within the medical home. Connecticut Children’s PCMH sites function as laboratories for various programs of the Office. Social Drivers of Health (SDOH) screening was implemented for all new families and young adult patients. This initiative complements participation in the project “Goal-Concordant Care and the Pediatric Well-Visit” which aims to enhance clinician-parent partnerships in identifying and supporting parental goals, supported by funding to the Help Me Grow National Center from the JPB Foundation.

Resident Education in Advocacy and Community Health (REACH):

The REACH program remains active in advocacy efforts. An introduction to advocacy was offered this year for residents and medical students. During this period, a resident and medical students published opeds and submitted testimony for various bills during the state legislative session. The REACH program continues to collaborate with several community groups including Hands on Hartford, the YMCA nursery schools, Capitol Squash, KNOX Community Garden, and CREC. A recent partnership was formed with the Stowe Early Education Center in Enfield.

Resident Abbagale Bond, DO, was elected as the resident liaison for CATCH (Community Access to Child Health)

Grants in the district, and Shannon Blemings, MD, was featured on the Advancing Kids blog. The advocacy committee has been revitalized with many passionate residents to enhance awareness of advocacy opportunities throughout the residency, including a weekly advocacy corner in the resident newsletter. Future initiatives within the Office include increasing resident presence at meetings, fostering connections with the Office’s advisory board members, and maintaining ongoing conversations with other OCCH members to improve the program and expand advocacy experiences for residents.

Start Childhood Off Right (SCOR): To address rising levels of food insecurity and promote increased consumption of fruits and vegetables, SCOR continued the Produce Prescription Program to screen families for food insecurity in the Connecticut Children’s Emergency Department (ED). This initiative is funded by the Healthier Kids for Our Future grant from the Cigna Foundation. Families who screen positive receive a voucher for fresh fruits and vegetables that is redeemable at four partner community grocery stores in Hartford, along with information about available food resources.

In 2023, SCOR expanded this program to the Connecticut Children’s primary care office in Hartford and, in 2024, the program was extended to include all three primary care offices. Collaboration with the Epic team enabled the incorporation of routine food insecurity screening into the registration process. To date, the initiative has distributed over 1,750 vouchers to children and families experiencing food insecurity. SCOR was awarded a $50,000 grant from the Rite Aid Foundation to further expand this program and ensure that all families visiting the ED and primary care can be screened for food insecurity and connected with essential resources.

OCCH PUBLICATIONS (inclusive of grey literature)

Center for Global Health:

Silverman, A. (2024, July 11). Global Health Symposium 2024: Connecting pediatric care and social determinants of health. Connecticut Children’s Global Health Symposium 2024: Connecting Pediatric Care and Social Determinants of Health | Connecticut Children’s (connecticutchildrens.org)

Childhood Prosperity Lab:

Anderson, A. (2024, June 28). Community health & Mister Rogers’ neighborhood. Connecticut Children’s Community Health & Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood |

Connecticut Children’s (connecticutchildrens.org)

Anderson, A. (2024, March 20). Free housing for early educators! The first early care and education (ECE) innovation of its kind. Connecticut Children’s. Free Housing for Early Educators! The First Early Care and Education (ECE) Innovation of its Kind | Connecticut Children’s (connecticutchildrens.org)

Rose, J. M., & Anderson, A. (2024, February 14). Shifting the paradigm: Elevating assets and strengthening families’ protective factors. Connecticut Children’s. Shifting the Paradigm: Elevating Assets and Strengthening Families’ Protective Factors | Connecticut Children’s (connecticutchildrens.org)

Rose, J. M., & Anderson, A. (2024, March 6). Advancing social innovations: Mastermind sessions with Childhood Prosperity Lab. Connecticut Children’s. Advancing Social Innovations: Mastermind Sessions with Childhood Prosperity Lab | Connecticut Children’s (connecticutchildrens.org)

Rose, J. M., & Anderson, A. (2024, April 17). Collaboration in action: Creating a services map to improve program accessibility and utilization in Hartford. Connecticut Children’s. Collaboration in Action: Creating a Services Map to Improve Program Accessibility and Utilization in Hartford | Connecticut Children’s (connecticutchildrens. org)

Rose, J. M., Anderson, A. (2024, April 29). Childhood conversations: Together we will. Connecticut Children’s. Childhood Conversations: Together We Will | Connecticut Children’s (connecticutchildrens.org)

Easy Breathing :

Becene, I., Rinne, G. R., Schetter, C. D., Hollenbach, JP (2024). Prenatal stress and hair cortisol in a sample of Latina women. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 164, 107017. Prenatal stress and hair cortisol in a sample of Latina women.

Collins, MS., Mansilla-Rivera, K. (2024). Diagnostic and therapeutic advances in cystic fibrosis: How family physicians can partner in care. American Family Physician, 109(5), 388-390. PMID: 38804748 Diagnostic and Therapeutic Advances in Cystic Fibrosis: How Family Physicians Can Partner in Care

Hollenbach, J., Collins, MS. (2024, May 15). Easy breathing: A tool to aid in the diagnosis and treatment of asthma in children. Connecticut Children’s Easy Breathing: A Tool to Aid in the Diagnosis and Treatment of Asthma in Children | Connecticut Children’s (connecticutchildrens.org)

Hollenbach, J., Collins, MS. (2024, August 1). 3 steps to a safe school year for children with asthma. Connecticut Children’s. 3 Steps to a Safe School Year for Children with Asthma | Connecticut Children’s (connecticutchildrens. org)

Kenkare, Z. J., Rearick, J., Schramm, C. M., Murray, T. S., Collins, MS. (2024). A survey of cystic fibrosis center recommendations for nebulizer cleaning and disinfection. Respiratory Care. Advance online publication. A Survey of Cystic Fibrosis Center Recommendations for Nebulizer Cleaning and Disinfection.

Stewart, B. P., Gonzalez, K., & Wasser, C. (2024). Coral fluorescing axillary plaques refractory to topical antifungal and antibacterial treatments. Pediatric Reviews, 45(1), e1e4. Coral Fluorescing Axillary Plaques Refractory to Topical Antifungal and Antibacterial Treatments.

Help Me Grow National Center:

Martini-Carvell K, Miller MC, Dworkin PH. Methodological progress note: Social network analysis as a community health research tool. J Hosp Med. 2024 Jun 30. doi: 10.1002/jhm.13451. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38946204.

Healthy Homes:

Corcoran, C., Figueroa, E. (2024, April 16). Building healthy futures: Celebrating the impact of Connecticut Children’s Healthy Homes Program. Connecticut Children’s. Building Healthy Futures: Celebrating the Impact of Connecticut Children’s Healthy Homes Program | Connecticut Children’s (connecticutchildrens.org)

Injury Prevention Center:

Beebe, R., Fish, M. C., Grasso, D., Bernstein, B., DiVietro, S., & Stover, C. S. (2023). Reducing family violence through child welfare intervention: a propensity score-matched study of fathers for change. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 38(21-22), 11666-11691.

Brewer, J. M., Carpenter, S., Rogers, S., Clinton, H., Borrup, K., DeJoseph, M. E., & Campbell, B. T. (2023). The epidemiology of pediatric suicide deaths in Connecticut, a ten-year review. Connecticut Medicine, 87(2).

Cotter, G., Morreale, K., Valdegas, A., Fish, M., Beebe, R., Grasso, D., & Tseng, W. L. (2024). Associations between trauma exposure and irritability within the family unit: a network approach. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry

DiVietro, S., Hunter, A. A., Schwab-Reese, L., Green, C., & Aseltine, R. (2024). Disparities among pediatric firearm suicides in the United States: an analysis of the National Violent Death Reporting System, 2014 to 2018. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 08862605241229719.

Hunter, A. A., Schwab-Reese, L., DiVietro, S., & Green, C. (2023). An examination of factors contributing to the racial disparity and disproportionality of paediatric firearm-related homicide: a mixed-methods analysis using the national violent death reporting system (NVDRS). Injury Prevention, 29(3), 268-271.

O’Donnell, R., Hinderer, K. A., Belanger, D., Chenard, D., Boyle, E., Borrup, K., & Rogers, S. (2024). Development and implementation of a pediatric nursing emergency behavioral health assessment tool. Journal of Emergency Nursing, 50(3), 342-353.

Stover, C. S., Holland, M. L., Martin, E., Modanesi, E., Fish, M. C., & Beebe, R. (2024). Comparing in person to telehealth delivery of a family violence intervention. Clinical Psychology & Psychotherapy, 31(4), e3034.

Connecticut Newborn Screening Network:

Raboin K, Ellis D, Nichols G, Hughes M, Brimacombe M, & Rubin K. Advancing newborn screening long-term followup: Integration of Epic-based registries, dashboards, and efficient workflows. International Journal of Neonatal Screening. 2024; 10(2):27. https://doi.org/10.3390/ ijns10020027

Kellar-Guenther, Y., Barringer, L., Raboin, K., Nichols, G., Chou, K. Y. F., Nguyen, K., Burke, A. R., Fawbush, S., Meyer, J. B., Dorsey, M., Brower, A., Chan, K., Lietsch, M., Taylor, J., Caggana, M., & Sontag, M. K. (2024). Defining the minimal long-term follow-up data elements for newborn screening. International Journal of Neonatal Screening, 10(2), 37. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijns10020037

Start Childhood Off Right (SCOR):

Trout, N. (2024, August 28). Bridging healthcare and food insecurity: A unified approach. Connecticut Children’s Bridging Healthcare and Food Insecurity: A Unified Approach | Connecticut Children’s (connecticutchildrens. org)

GRANTS, GIFTS AND AWARDS:

Connecticut Children’s Center for Care Coordination:

• Department of Public Health (DPH), Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs, $418,001 annually, totaling $2,090,005 over five years, funded by both state and federal resources.

Educating Practices:

• Connecticut Department of Public Health, Educating Practices, $51,450, January 1, 2024 through December 31, 2024

Help Me Grow National Center:

• CDC National Partners Cooperative Agreement Grant, $1M total, disbursed between August 1, 2024 and July 31, 2025

• HRSA Maternal and Child Health Bureau-funded Grant, $175K total, disbursed between April 1, 2024 and March 31, 2029

Healthy Homes:

• Connecticut Department of Public Health, ARPA Lead Safe Housing Grant, $15.0M

Injury Prevention Center:

• CT Elks Association, Safe Kids Connecticut, $75,000

• Petit Family Foundation, Hayley Petit Injury & Violence Prevention Fellowship, $75,000

• Connecticut Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Intimate Partner Violence and Maternal Mortality in Connecticut, $15,000

• CT Department of Children and Families, Intimate Partner Violence Support Project, $240,000

• City of Hartford, Hospital-based Violence Intervention Program (HVIP) Strengthening Collaborative, 20222026, $2.4 million over 3 years

• CT Department of Public Health, Community Violence Intervention Grant Program, $2.1 million over 3 years

• CT Department of Public Health, Community Violence Intervention Grant Program – Second Round, $2.3 million over 1 year

• Connecticut Department of Transportation, Watch for Me CT, $380,000

• Connecticut Department of Transportation, Look Before You Lock, $225,000

• Connecticut Department of Transportation, Child Passenger Safety (CPS) Supports, $75,000

• Hartford Hospital, Injury and Violence Prevention Program, $122,000

• Tow Foundation, Strengthening Connections to Opportunities for Prevention Engagement (SCOPE), $1 million over two years

Office for Community Child Health:

• Hartford Foundation, Building for Health, $180,000 over two years

CORE FACULTY LISTED BY PROGRAM

Administrative:

Paul Dworkin, MD, Executive Vice President for Community Child Health, Connecticut Children’s; Founding Director, HMG National Center; Professor Emeritus of Pediatrics

Laura Marin Ruiz, DDS, MHA, Program Business Consultant

Kimberly Martini-Carvell, MA, Executive Director, Help Me Grow National Center, Associate Director, Office for Community Child Health

Scott Orsey MS, MBA, Associate Director, Office for Community Child Health

Luis Rivera, MSW, Community Relations Manager

Carling Willis, MS, Community Health and DEI Communications Manager

Center for Global Health:

Adam Silverman, MD, Associate Professor of Pediatrics

Brendan Campbell, MD, Professor of Surgery

Cliff O’Callahan, Professor of Pediatrics

Ian Michelow, MD, Professor of Pediatrics

Juan Salazar, MD, Professor of Pediatrics

Kristin Welch, MD, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics

Melissa Held, MD, Professor of Pediatrics

Naveed Hussain, MD, Professor of Pediatrics

Nancy Dunbar, MD, Associate Professor of Pediatrics

Christopher Hughes, MD, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics

Stephen Mahier, BSN, RN

Lisa LeBon MAE, RRT

Childhood Prosperity Lab:

Jacquelyn Rose, MPH, Director

Annika Anderson, MPH, Program Specialist

CLASP Co-Management:

Ilana Waynik, MD, Director of Clinical Effectiveness; Associate Professor of Pediatrics

Karen Rubin, MD, Program/CLASP Founder, Professor Emeritus of Pediatrics

Grace Hong, APRN, Senior Development Specialist, Clinical Effectiveness Program

Mellissa Molcan, BSN, RN, CCRN, CLASP Tool Specialist, Clinical Data Coordinator

Connecticut Children’s Center for Care Coordination:

Allison Matthews-Wilson, LCSW, Director

Kristin McCormack, Manager Regional Care and Care Management Operations

Daisy Vega, RN, Manager

Nancy Caperino, LCSW, Care Coordinator

Amanda Gemme, BS, Care Coordinator

Mary Mattaliano, RN, Care Coordinator

Connecticut Children’s Healthy Homes Program:

Alba Cruz, MPH, Construction Manager

Amalyn Morales, BS, Relocation Education Coordinator

Chris Corcoran, Senior Manager

Esther Figueroa, Assistant Manager

Jessica Rios, Program Coordinator

Natalie Knight, Administrative Assistant II

Pam Sanchez, Relocation Education Coordinator

Rosa Alvarado, Referral Coordinator

Tavanna Hansberry, Relocation Education Coordinator

Connecticut Newborn Screening Network:

Karen Rubin, MD, Medical Director, Professor Emeritus of Pediatrics

Debra Ellis, RN, BSN, Program Manager

Katie Raboin, RN, MSN, Senior Nurse Analyst

Ginger Nichols, LCGC, MS, Genetic Counselor

Meghan Criscuolo, RN, BSN, Nurse Coordinator

Niharika Locke, RN, BSN, Nurse Coordinator

Easy Breathing:

Jessica Hollenbach, PhD, Co-Director, Asthma Center, Assistant Professor

Melanie Sue Collins, MD, Co-Director, Asthma Center, Associate Clinical Professor

Educating Practices:

David M. Krol, MD, MPH, Program Director

Katie Wilson, Program Coordinator

Hartford Youth Identification and Linkage Consortium:

Danielle Warren-Dias, MS, CCHW, Community Health Program Director

Nilda Fernandez, LMSW, Community Health Program Director

Help Me Grow National Center:

Kimberly Martini-Carvell, MA, Executive Director

Sara Sibley, MBA, Associate Director of Business Development & Operations

Melissa Passarelli, MA, Associate Director of Implementation & System-Building

Melissa Miller, MPH, PMP, Associate Director of Impact & Network Performance

Sarah Zucker, BA, Associate Director of Strategic Partnerships & Network Relations

Laraib Humayun, LMSW, MPH, Program Manager of Implementation & System-Building

Morgan Reiss, LMSW, Senior Program Specialist of Communications & Policy

Skyley Parizek, MPH, Program Specialist of Business & Administration

Brittany Stuart, MPH, Program Specialist of Implementation & System-Building

Gabrielle Hamel, BA (start date 10/28/24), Program Specialist of Communications & Network Relations

Chandni Patel, BA (start date 11/11/24), Program Coordinator of Impact & Network Performance

Healthy Homes:

Alba Cruz, MPH, Construction Manager

Amalyn Morales, BS, Relocation Education Coordinator

Chris Corcoran, Senior Manager

Esther Figueroa, Assistant Manager

Jessica Rios, Program Coordinator

Natalie Knight, Administrative Assistant II

Pam Sanchez, Relocation Education Coordinator

Rosa Alvarado, Referral Coordinator

Tavanna Hansberry, Relocation Education Coordinator

Injury Prevention Center:

Kelsey Arias, MPH, Program Coordinator, Community Violence Intervention Grant Program

Renee Beavers, LMSW, Hospital-based Violence Intervention Program (HVIP) Specialist

Rebecca Beebe, PhD, Research Scientist & Assistant Professor of Pediatrics

Kevin Borrup, DrPH, JD, MPA, Executive Director & Assistant Professor of Pediatrics

Brendan Campbell, MD, MPH, Donald W. Hight Endowed Chair of Pediatric Surgery, Chief Surgical Quality Officer, Research Scientist, Professor of Surgery and Pediatrics Medical Director of the Injury Prevention Center

Meghan Fish, MA, Research Associate

Susan DiVietro, PhD, Research Scientist & Assistant Professor of Pediatrics

Katerina Dukleska, MD, Research Scientist & Assistant Professor of Pediatric Surgery

Sarah Gedeon, MSW, Hospital-based Violence Intervention Program (HVIP) Research Assistant II

Damion Grasso, PhD, Research Scientist & Associate Professor of Psychiatry

Amy Hunter, MPH, PhD, Research Scientist & Assistant Professor of Public Health Sciences

J. Leslie Knod, MD, Research Scientist & Assistant Professor of Surgery and Pediatrics

Sydney Osborne, MPH, Program Coordinator, Child Passenger Safety

Steven C. Rogers, MD, Research Scientist & Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine

Elizabeth Sagan, Program Specialist, Safe Kids Connecticut

Sharon Smith, MD, Research Scientist & Professor of Pediatrics

Anna Stern, Program Assistant

Amy Watkins, MPH, Assistant Manager, Injury Prevention Center

Kristen Volz, MS, Program Coordinator

North Hartford Ascend:

Paul Dworkin, MD, Project Director, Professor Emeritus of Pediatrics

Jacquelyn Rose, MPH, Deputy Project Director Chelsey Logan, Administrative Program Coordinator

Person Centered Medical Home:

Catherine Wiley, MD, Program Medical Director, Professor of Pediatrics

Cynthia O’Brien RN, Consulting Program Manager, Nurse Manager

Andrew Carlson, MD, Primary Care Medical Director, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics

Shana Lowery, MBA, Practice Manager

Barbara Rodriguez, MA, PCMH QI Team representative

Brooke Bohn, MD, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics

Jennifer Haile, MD, Associate Professor of Pediatrics

Shannon Hogan, DO, MPH, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics

Ashok Kottarathara, MD, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics

Jaye Ladinsky, MD, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics

Douglas MacGilpin, MD, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics

Chinyere Okoronkwo, MD, MSc, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics

Aruna Ramanan, MD, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics

Marie Sanford, MD, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics

Larry Scherzer, MD MPH, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics

Nancy Trout, MD, MPH, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics

Keri Wallace, MD, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics

Caleb Wasser, DO, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics

Darlene Abbate, APRN

Monica Joyce-Montaudy, APRN

Kimberly Griffith, PA-C

Keri Herlan PhD

Amy Signore PhD

J-ada Serrano, LCSW

Angela Easterling, Care Coordinator

Sheyla Rosado, Care Coordinator

Darwin Garcia-Nunez, LMSW, Social Work Care Coordinator

Resident Education in Advocacy and Community Health:

Jonah Mandell, DO, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics

Start Childhood Off Right:

Stacy Chandna, MS, CIP, Co-Director

Nancy Trout, MD, MPH, Co-Director, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics

ACADEMIC

AFFAIRS

Connecticut Children’s strives to encourage, support, and recognize the academic activities and achievements of its Departments of Pediatrics and Surgery faculty and staff. The mission of our Academic Affairs office is to empower faculty, medical learners, and community providers to succeed in their academic endeavors, professional development, medical education, research, and quality improvement pursuits by providing critical and timely administrative, technical, and educational support.

It is with great pride that we present the 2024 Academic Annual Report showcasing the numerous achievements across our academic and research teams. This report is a testament to the dedication, hard work, collaboration, and passion of team members and learners at Connecticut Children’s. Our teams continue to exemplify One Team Culture, as evidenced by our shared successes throughout the last year. Our contributions in support of the strategies outlined in the Health Compass 2027 helped to ensure the successful implementation of our institutional strategic plan.

In the pages that follow, I would like to share just a few of our many academic and research accomplishments that made 2024 such an important year for our faculty, educators, scientists, and students. In May we were excited to welcome Dennis Durbin, MD, MSCE, President of the Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, who toured our research facilities and provided invaluable insights for our long-term scientific vision planning. In November we held the CCRI’s fourth annual Research Symposium, a full day of lectures preceded by an evening of judged poster presentations with tremendous turnout and abstract submissions from our faculty and trainees. We increased our presence at the Pediatric Academic Societies meeting in Toronto, Canada, with our new and improved exhibition drawing attendees to our booth from across North America. We were proud to celebrate the promotion of Kierstyn Connors

as a new manager in academic affairs. Leaders from our Medical Education team had significant breakthroughs, including the standardization of processes for medical student registration and onboarding which improved the overall experience for students at Connecticut Children’s. Our CME program maintains accreditation through the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education. We welcomed 54 new faculty members to the Departments of Pediatrics and Surgery and celebrated 16 new faculty academic promotions, including three junior promotions and three new appointments. Throughout the annual report we will list many more significant accomplishments that are too numerous to name here.

I am sincerely grateful to be surrounded by an incredible team of dedicated and talented leaders and colleagues in academic affairs and research. A special thank you to the following team members for always going above and beyond in their efforts to transform children’s health and wellbeing: Markus Bookland, MD; Alixandra Borgert, MRA, MBA, CRA; Neal Breen, MBA; Michael Brimacombe, PhD; Francis DiMario, MD, Stacy Chandna, MS, CIP; Danielle Chenard, MPH; Marianne Custer, BS, C-TAGME; Kimberly Davey, MBA; Kathy Herbst, MS; Jessica Hollenbach, PhD; James Gallagher, JD; Dana Jungbauer, MD; Garry Lapidus, PA-C, MPH; Esperanza Lesmes; Carolyn Macica, PhD; Brett Maddux; Hendriana Nielsen, RD, RN; Alison Oville, CCRC, CHRC; James Santanelli, MS, MPH; Shaylee King, MS, CCRP; William Zempsky, MD; and Carrie Zevetchin, MS. I am continually energized and inspired to work alongside this talented group and I am grateful for the opportunity to serve under the steadfast leadership of Surgeon-in-Chief Christine Finck, MD, FACS and Chair of the Department of Pediatrics & Physician-in-Chief Juan C. Salazar, MD, MPH.

As we continued construction on our new tower, 2024 served as a banner year for the ongoing growth across our key performance indicators of our scientific and educational programs. This tremendous growth is a

reflection of the diligence, commitment, and expertise of the teams who made it possible. It is with a sense of optimism and excitement that we look to the great work ahead, work that will continue our tradition of excellence in training the next generation of pediatric scientists and healthcare providers.

Annamarie Beaulieu, MPH, MBA Vice President, Academic Affairs, Connecticut Children’s Research Institute

STAFF

Annamarie Beaulieu, MPH, MBA Vice President, Academic Affairs Connecticut Children’s Research Institute

Alixandra Borgert, MBA, MRA, CRA, PMP Senior Manager, Research Institute & Center for Innovation

Stacy Chandna, MS, CIP, Director Office of Research Quality Assurance

Marianne Custer, BS, C-TAGME Administrative Director Medical Education

Kimberly Davey, MB Director Office for Sponsored Programs and Research Finance

Esperanza Lesmes Sr. Program Manager, Academic Administration

Carolyn Macica, MS, PhD, Director of Research Operations & Development

Alison Oville, BA, CCRC, CHRC, Director, Clinical Trials

Tokuji Okamoto

Administrative Assistant IV

ACADEMIC ADMINISTRATION

The Department of Pediatrics has a very strong presence and administrative support on both the University of Connecticut Health Center (UConn Health) and Connecticut Children’s campuses. With faculty based at multiple institutions, administration of the Department of Pediatrics is comprised of centrally managed academic functions for affiliated faculty, and decentralized business and research management functions for all faculty.

The Office of Academic Administration manages academic appointments, reappointments and promotions; coordinates the academic merit plan and the physician appraisal for affiliated faculty; academic faculty contracts; and in collaboration with the Vice President for Academic Affairs and the Marketing Department at Connecticut Children’s produces the Departments of Pediatrics and Surgical Subspecialties Annual Report and the Faculty Resource Guide. The Pediatric academic office staff based at UConn Health serves as the key support and logistical link between the decentralized offices within other institutions/departments, and UConn Health’s administrative and financial offices. Research and other faculty activity is administered by office staff where the faculty members are based, such as the Office for Sponsored Programs, and the Department of Research at Connecticut Children’s.

Shaylee King, MS, CCRP, Administrative Director of the Department of Pediatrics and her team at UConn Health manage academic budgets, including in-residence faculty, tenured faculty support, components of the residency budget, discretionary accounts, and the UConn Healthbased sponsored programs. The administrative team at UConn Health consists of Administrative Officer Laurie Papacs, MA, MBA and Administrative Program Assistant 2, Satophia Brown

FACULTY APPOINTMENTS & PROMOTIONS

FACULTY APPOINTMENTS:

New Faculty Members

Anesthesiology: Emma LeWinter, MD, Benjamin Walsh, DO; Cardiology: Marise D’Souza, MD, Frank Han, MD; Jeremiah D. Joyce, MD, Leif Lovig, MD, Shalin Parekh, MD; Cardiothoracic Surgery: Randy M. Stevens, MD; Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics: Mary Ann de Banate, MD; Digestive Diseases, Hepatology and Nutrition: Jing Marrero, MD, Jonathan Salazar, MD,

Annette Vannilam, MD (Westport); Emergency Medicine: Hannah Carron, MD, Kathleen Felisca, MD; Endocrinology and Diabetes: Ana Menendez, MD; Genetics: David Whitehead, MD; Hematology/Oncology: Megan Coco, PhD; Hospital Medicine: Julia Ciarlo, MD (Med/Psych Unit), Ryan Ciarlo, MD, Kari Edelson, DO, Janelle Singh, MBBS, Jonathan Twiggs, DO, (NY); Maternal Fetal Medicine: Andrew Healy, MD; Neonatology: Carla Bystricky, MD, Dina Elachi, MD (NY), Veronica Fabrizio, DO, Amanda Ocran, MD, Allison Sadowski, MD, Meghan Wilson, Kinga Zgutka, MD; Nephrology: Edward Zitnik, DO; Ophthalmology: Herb Becker, MD, Orthopedics and Sports Medicine: Brian G. Smith, MD, David Wang, MD; Pediatric Critical Care: Daniel Fisher, MD, Marie Nader, MD, Deirdre Puccetti, MD; Physical Therapy/ Sports Medicine: Dylan P. Roman, PT, DPT, Adam Weaver, DPT; Plastic Surgery: Emma Zubovic, MD; Primary Care: Naveen Al-Said, DO, Melissa Mondello, MD; Psychiatry: Matthew C. Johnson, MD, Jessica J. Stephens. DO; Psychology: Arielle Coopersmith, PsyD, Gail Corneau, PhD, Brian Farrell, PsyD, Alicia Hoffman, PhD, Jennifer Meltzer Wolpaw, PhD, Whit Ryan, PsyD, Ellen K.D. Sejkora, PhD, Amy Signore, PhD; Pulmonary Medicine: Sanjiv Godse, MD, Surgery: Jacob Campbell, MD

Community-based Faculty

Keith P. Casey, MD, Eileen Lawrence, MD, Joy Hong, MD, Afton Turner, MD, Kaitlin Quallen, MD, from the Clinical Longitudinal Immersion in the Community (CLIC), UConn Health, Frederic Bernstein, MD, (ECHN); Veronica Fabrizio, MD

Joint Appointments

Sasan Jalili, PhD

PROMOTIONS & APPOINTMENTS:

Senior Rank

Lisa Namerow, MD promoted to Clinical Professor of Psychiatry and Pediatrics. Barbara Edelheit, MD, Jennifer Haile, MD, Alexander Hogan, MD, Bradley Jerson, PhD, Robert Keder, MD, Adam Matson, MD, Rebecca RibaWolman, MD, and Emily Wakefield, PsyD, were promoted to Associate Professor of Pediatrics. Markus Bookland, MD, Anne Dudley, MD, Majida Gaffar, MD, and David Hersh, were promoted to Associate Professor of Surgery

Jeffrey Schenberger, MD, appointed as Professor of Pediatrics. DonnaMaria Cortezzo, MD, and Sunpreet Kaur, MD, were appointed as Associate Professor of Pediatrics

Junior Rank Promotions

Julieta Bonvin Sallago, MD and Amy Signore, PhD, were promoted to Assistant Professor of Pediatrics. Julie Schiff was promoted to Assistant Clinical Professor of Pediatrics

STAFF

Shaylee King, MS, CCRP

Administrative Director, Department of Pediatrics, UConn Health

Esperanza Lesmes

Senior Program Manager, Academic Administration, Connecticut Children’s

Laurie Papacs, MA, MBA

Administrative Officer, Department of Pediatrics, UConn Health

Satophia Brown

Administrative Program Assistant 2, Department of Pediatrics, UConn Health

MEDICAL EDUCATION

The Office of Medical Education at Connecticut Children’s is inclusive of Undergraduate (UME), Graduate (GME), and Continuing (CME) Medical Education. The office celebrated many successes in 2024 as outlined in each of the respective areas and continuously provides dedicated support and guidance to the institution on all matters relating to medical education.

In academic year 2024, our office partnered with 77 sponsored programs across 15 institutions and facilitated the registration, onboarding and scheduling to provide training for 306 medical students, 473 residents, and 73 fellows. We provided 9,836 CME credits reaching 819 physician and 548 non-physician learners.

The Edwin Zalneraitis Teaching Academy continues to bring together promising and passionate educators, promote their pursuit of excellence in scholarship & education, and build a home for committed educators. Through a partnership with the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine & Science, our educators are benefitting from cutting-edge resources.

Areeba Rehman accepted the Medical Education Registration role with the Office of Medical Education beginning in April, 2024.

Zuleyka Bonilla was promoted to the Administrative Assistant II role with the Office of Medical Education starting December, 2024. Zuleyka’s former role as Resident Team Assistant with our team has provided her with a broad understanding of our medical education needs and a strong foundation for her new role.

STAFF

Andrea Orsey, MD, MSCE, MS-HPEd Associate Chair for Education

Edwin Zalneraitis, MD Advisor to the Chair

Marianne Custer, BS

Administrative Director Medical Education

Alexxus Hall, MS

Administrative Assistant II (through September ’24)

Zuleyka Bonilla

Administrative Assistant II (’24)

Areeba Rehman

Medical Education Registration Coordinator

CONTINUING MEDICAL EDUCATION (CME)

The office of Continuing Medical Education (CME) at Connecticut Children’s was all about innovation and creation, streamlining and revising processes, and fostering new relationships within the medical education world in 2024. The office had a year of positive change and process clarity, which will ultimately affect the change in learner’s competence, performance, and patient care outcomes over time.

Building upon an already strong portfolio of annual CME events, the office introduced several new symposia, and had continued success in hosting our annual conferences. The Second Annual Connecticut Children’s Pediatric Health Symposium took place on February 1, 2024 and was a full day, virtual conference for interdisciplinary healthcare clinicians caring for pediatric patients. The symposium yielded 175 participants, and reached physicians in California, Illinois, Massachusetts, New York, Tennessee, and of course all throughout Connecticut. The First Pediatric Point-of-Care Ultrasound Workshop took place on Friday, April 5, 2024. Twenty-Five Pediatric healthcare providers, who manage acutely/critically ill children with a novice understanding of Point-of-Care Ultrasound (POCUS), came together to participate in a hands-on skill-building course, provided by regional specialists in their field. We continued the POCUS themed education with the 2024 P2Network Annual Conference, which took place on Tuesday, April 30 and May 1, 2024. The conference focused on Research, Education, and Global health, and wielded 112 attendees in Toronto, Canada. The newest addition to our year was The First Advanced Practice Provider Suture Course that took place on Monday, September 16, 2024. Twenty-Five attendees honed their basic to advanced suturing skills in a full day course. Our mental and behavioral health-related CME events at the Pond House Café continue to prove impactful in 2024 with both spring and winter sessions, discussing Comorbidities in Children’s mental health treatment and providing mental and behavioral health resources to those in the community. The community physicians are always overjoyed to get together in person and share best practices and innovative ideas.

The office of CME had many thought-provoking speakers as part of our Pediatric Grand Rounds, Ask the Experts: Practical Updates in Pediatric Care and Pediatric Podcast Pearls series in 2024. A few highlights being Dr. Joseph Schneider’s presentation on “Creative Artificial Intelligence”, Dr. Patience White’s lecture on “Transition from Pediatric Health Care: The Role of Physicians”, and a fantastic Grand Rounds talk by Dr. Francisco Sylvester on “Connecticut

Children’s and the Path to the IBD Treatment Alphabet Soup”. Over 300 learners tuned into our on-demand learning recordings to catch these engaging and impactful presentations.

Our Traveling Grand Round Speaker bureau series continued to provide timely and thorough Pediatric lecture topics to our participating partner hospital audiences. Along with Middlesex Health and Day Kimball Hospital, our newest participant involved in the Traveling Grand Rounds series was Danbury Hospital in the fall of 2024.

Our office is always trying to make the process of participating and implementing continued medical education an easier one for our Activity directors, education planners, and learners. Over the past year, we added facets to our CME application process, which introduced an educational format component that will assist us in providing the most cutting edge and interactive education for our adult learners. We also fine-tuned our evaluation process in order to provide more timely and relevant feedback to our activity directors, in order to improve the outcomes, they are hoping to achieve with their education.

Alyssia Rosa joined our team in January as a CME operations coordinator, and has been an essential part of the team in 2024. She has played a huge role of streamlining the evaluation process, providing necessary support to the 48 RSS activity administrators, and setting the team up for success in our future program updates.

The Connecticut Children’s Office of CME is proud to be a part of the world of medical education. At Connecticut Children’s, we continue to improve and build upon what we have already accomplished and created, using innovation and thoughtfulness to provide clinically relevant education in hopes to improve the care for children and families in our community and beyond.

STAFF

Kenneth Spiegelman, MD Medical Director Continuing Medical Education

Marianne Custer, BS Administrative Director Medical Education

Katherine Joy, BA Program Coordinator III

Alyssia Rosa Program Coordinator

Vivian Bronson, BS Program Coordinator

GRADUATE MEDICAL EDUCATION

In 2024, the Graduate Medical Education program directors and program coordinators effectively administered our accredited pediatric residency program in addition to 13 pediatric and surgical subspecialty fellowship programs (12 accredited and one nonaccredited), and supported 64 pediatric residents and 27 fellows. All accredited GME programs successfully achieved continued accreditation through 2025.

The coordinator team demonstrated ingenuity and innovation by continuously updating the recruitment processes to align with national trends and provide a unique recruitment experience to applicants. Through frequent modifications of the websites and content, they have increased the marketability of programs across the continuum of graduate medical education and effectively conducted 346 residency applicant interviews across 32 days and 169 fellowship applicant interviews across 58 days. The pediatric residency program successfully filled 22 of 22 available residency positions and graduated 21 residents. The pediatric fellowship programs successfully filled eight of 13 available fellowship positions and graduated eight fellows.

The continued success of our residency and fellowship programs would not be possible without the efforts and commitment of our incredible program leadership and administration team.

Kierstyn Connors, BS, C-TAGME was appointed the Graduate Medical Education (GME) Manager in August 2024. Kierstyn joined the medical education team as a fellowship program coordinator in 2017 and has dedicated her career to improving both the training experience for her fellows as well as the working environment for her fellow coordinators. In 2023, Kierstyn was promoted to fellowship program coordinator III where she continued to serve as an integral member for our team of both fellowship and residency program coordinators at Connecticut Children’s.

Allison Williams, BA, C-TAGME was promoted to Pediatric Fellowship Program Coordinator II in March 2024.

Alexxus Hall, MS was promoted to Pediatric Fellowship Program Coordinator I in September 2024. Alexxus excelled as the administrative assistant over the last year and was instrumental in providing critical support to the graduate medical education team.

STAFF

Marianne Custer, BS Administrative Director Medical Education

Kierstyn Connors, BA, C-TAGME

Graduate Medical Education Manager (promoted August ‘24)

Amanda Ross, BS, C-TAGME

Graduate Medical Education Manager (March ’23— July’24)

Pediatric Residency Program: Crista Aresti

Residency Program Coordinator I1

Thalia Flores, BS

Residency Program Coordinator I

Jazzerae Morton

Resident Team Assistant I

Sabra Nalubanga

Resident Team Assistant I

Zuleyka Bonilla

Resident Team Assistant I (through November ’24)

Osarieme Oni

Resident Team Assistant I (through July ‘24)

Cameron Welch

Resident Team Assistant I (through September ‘24)

Pediatric Fellowship Programs:

Vivian Bronson

Fellowship Program Coordinator I

Alexxus Hall, MS Fellowship Program Coordinator I

Brittany Valentine, BS Fellowship Program Coordinator I

Allison Williams, BA, C-TAGME Fellowship Program Coordinator II

PEDIATRIC RESIDENCY

The Pediatric Residency Program continued with its uninterrupted record of full, continuing accreditation with no citations from the Pediatric Review Committee of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME). This represents one of the strongest records of accreditation standing in the nation.

In 2024 the program had an extremely successful recruitment with the addition of 22 highly qualified new interns to the program. Graduates were, once again, placed in competitive fellowship programs and outstanding pediatric practices. The program had an excellent pass rate on the American Board of Pediatrics certifying examination over the past year at 90 percent (national average 82 percent). ACGME surveys and program surveys of faculty were very positive with multiple areas showing significant improvement after the initiation and work of the Connecticut Children’s Task Force.

PROGRAM IMPROVEMENTS THAT WERE PLANNED AND IMPLEMENTED DURING THE YEAR

Increasing Pediatric Residency Program Board Preparation and Structured Learning.

The Pediatric Residency Program has continued to work on improving the educational content and structured learning of the program with multiple new initiatives including the implementation of a new academic half day. The program continued the outpatient case-based conference series which has been very well received and engages our primary care faculty at Connecticut Children’s and community pediatricians. This robust effort has been led by Jennifer Haile, MD, Brooke Bohn, MD, Julie Schiff, MD, Jenny Schwab, MD, Kayla Gonzalez, MD, and Jonah Mandell, DO. The positive results from this initiative were presented at the national Association of Pediatric Program Director’s Meeting. In addition, the program instituted a Nuts-and-Bolts curriculum in July and August which has a case-based format to help educate new interns on the essential topics in pediatrics in an interactive and collaborative manner. The program incorporated more case-based learning into the new academic half day throughout the year and more simulation, all of which has been positively received.

Movement to a new Pediatric Resident Schedule

Like many programs nationally, our program moved to a hybrid X+Y model to balance inpatient service and primary care continuity clinic experience. Residents have more

ability to focus on giving high quality patient care in both the inpatient and outpatient setting by removing continuity clinic from inpatient rotations. In addition, residents are continuing their involvement in community organizations throughout the year in their longitudinal advocacy experiences which involve residents going to area preschools, high schools, food pantries, and community gardens.

Aims for the program have been implemented and reviewed annually for the accreditation process and to allow for coordination of the program aims with the Department of Pediatrics strategic plan:

Through flexibility and individualization, the Pediatric Residency Program prepares residents for success in any of the career possibilities in Pediatrics. The University of Connecticut Pediatric Residency Program strives to provide the broadest possible spectrum of core and discretionary activities and allows its residents to take advantage of any opportunities they might choose. The graduates’ career choices historically have reflected this intent and it is the aim of the program to sustain its “pluripotential” educational experience as the landscape of Pediatrics evolves.

The Pediatric Residency Program offers a resident learning environment that promotes wellness and reduces burnout to sustain wellness and meaning in residents’ professional and personal lives throughout their careers. The Pediatric Residency Program embraces the challenge of creating a learning environment that promotes wellness through proper self-care, connectedness, and meaning in work. Residents and faculty are learning to maintain their health and well-being and to bring meaning to their professional and personal lives in the face of the challenges brought on by their profession.

The Pediatric Residency Program graduates are able to advocate effectively for their patients and families during their residency experience and throughout their careers. Engagement in community advocacy through the core community longitudinal experience prepares pediatric residents to reach beyond the provision of care to address social determinants of health for their individual patients, families, and for the populations they serve as a whole. The program’s Resident Advocacy and Community Health (REACH) pathway further educates those whose career focus is advocacy at the highest possible level of community and child health.

Graduates of the program acquire advanced skills and abilities in quality improvement and safety activities. The Pediatric Residency Program develops and promotes a strong resident commitment to reduce error and harm and to promote the highest quality of care possible. Residents demonstrate the acquisition of knowledge in these areas as reflected on their standard examinations; more importantly, they actively identify safety opportunities and participate in addressing them.

Pediatric Residents by Level for 2023-2024

Chief Residents Post-Graduate

Samuel Crooks, MD Pediatric Cardiology

Kayla Gonzalez, MD Pediatric Hospital Medicine

Harley Markel, MD Primary Care

PL-3 Graduated 2024

Neveen Al-Said, DO Primary Care

Kaitlyn Anderson, MD Primary Care

Adriana Bodlak, MD Primary Care

Sarah Burley, DO Primary Care

Lauren Costigan, MD Chief Resident

Matthew Cummins, MD Pediatric Cardiology

Lindzey Faust, DO Primary Care

SravyaGourishetti, DO Pediatric Critical Care

Chief Residents Cont.

PL-2

Kriti Badola, DO

Rebecca Basch, DO

Nicholas Bhaskaran, DO, MBS

Melanie Byra, DO

Timothy Counce Jr., DO, MPH, MS

Elisabeth Ekman, DO

Antoinette Farrell, MD

Annina Giannuzzi, DO

Shanze Gilani, DO

Paolyne Meza, DO

Genesis Michel, DO, MS

Katherine Murphy, MD

Risa Park, DO

Haya Qutob, DO, MS

Jessica Serventi-Gleeson, MD, MPH

Amanpreet Singh, MD

Scholarly Accomplishments

Residents who presented abstracts at national meetings:

Ariana Adamski, MD, Rebecca Basch, MD, Lauren Costigan, MD, Matthew Cummins, MD, Elisabeth Ekman, MD, Antoinette Farrell, MD, Kayla Gonzalez, MD, Sravya Gourishetti, DO, Megan Kabara, DO, Christina Mallery, MD, Nickolas Mancini, MD, Katherine Murphy, MD, Marissa Rodenstein, MD, Jessica Serventi-Gleeson, MD, MPH, Courtney Stark, DO.

Chief Residents Post-Graduate

Einar Helgason, MD Pediatric Infectious Disease

Omar Ibarra Aleman, DO NICU

JordanJohnstone, DO Pediatric Cardiology

MeganKabara, DO Pediatric Critical Care

Andrea Lizarazo, DO Chief Resident

Eugenia Loverde, MD Primary Care

Christina Mallery, DO Pediatric Sports Medicine

Nickolas Mancini, MD Pediatric Emergency Medicine

Lindsay, Oliver DO Primary Care

Marissa Rodenstein, MD Pediatric Endocrinology

Grace Schwantes, MD Chief Resident

Sydney Sherman, DO NICU

Susan Washburn, MD Primary Care

Frederique Sirois, DO

Courtney Stark, DO

Jenna Sugar, DO

McKenna Tierney, DO

PL-1

Lauren Barton-Dandridge, DO

Catrina Cattaneo, DO

Lilliana Colon Sanchez, MD

Marco Carcamo, MD

Katrina Hillam, MD

Vivien Ikwuazom, MD

Lillian James, MD

Jagriti Jha, MD

Rachel John, DO

Tahmina Karimyar, MD

Zachary Kircher, MD

Jessica Kroner, DO

Susan Lama, MD

Victoria Li, MD

Ioana Moldovan, MD

Emily Molloy, MD

Leah Pinsky, DO

Kayla Provenzano, MD

Sangkavi Ravichandran, MD

Alexandra Schlosser, MD

Fatima Shahbaz, MD

Manish Sharma, MD

PEDIATRIC SURGICAL AND SUBSPECIALTY FELLOWSHIP PROGRAMS

The University of Connecticut School of Medicinesponsored 11 accredited pediatric surgical and subspecialty fellowship programs and one non-accredited pediatric surgical research fellowship at Connecticut Children’s. These programs continue to graduate exceptionally trained specialty physicians who enter practice throughout the country. Our fellows continue to make strides in the medical education community by being awarded multiple travel grants and awards to attend national and international meetings. Their perseverance and commitment to excellence are highlighted throughout their work and contributions to the educational learning environment.

PEDIATRIC CARDIOLOGY

The Pediatric Cardiology Fellowship Program is entering its 3rd year since accreditation. Led by Alex Golden, MD, MMM, the Program provides a strong foundational training in all of the pediatric cardiology subspecialties including cardiac catheterization, echocardiography, cardiac MRI/ CT, fetal cardiology, electrophysiology, cardiac critical care, outpatient cardiology, heart failure/transplant, and adult congenital cardiology.

James Wiley, DO, is our third-year fellow. He was the 2024 recipient of the Fellow Teaching Award as well as the Award for Outstanding Fellow Role Model. He is leading research projects in RV-LV interactions and NT pro-BNP interpretation in pediatric patients. He was an oral presenter at the New England Congenital Cardiology Association in October 2024 where he reviewed several recent hot-topic articles in pediatric cardiology. He presented a poster of his research “Impact of Improving RV Hemodynamics on LV function” at the Pediatric Cardiac Intensive Care Society meeting in San Diego in November 2024.

In July 2025, the program will welcome Andrew Kahnauth, MD, who will be joining us from the Pediatric Residency program at The Children’s Hospital at SUNY Downstate in Brooklyn, NY. Andrew completed his medical school training at St. George’s University School of Medicine.

PEDIATRIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE

Led by Matt Laurich, MD, the Pediatric Emergency Medicine Fellowship is in its 24th year. The fellowship

has six fellows and two tracks: a three-year fellowship for graduates of Pediatric residencies, and a two-year track for graduates of Emergency Medicine residencies.

Edgar Flores, MD, graduated from the fellowship in June 2024. As a fellow at UConn/Connecticut Children’s, Dr. Flores completed a research project on the Utility of Urinalysis in the Evaluation of Pediatric Males Presenting with Acute Scrotal Pain. He presented his findings at the Eastern Society of Pediatric Research and Pediatric Academic Society Annual Meetings. Upon graduation Dr. Flores began a fellowship in Point of Care Emergency Ultrasound at Cohen Children’s Medical Center in New Hyde Park, NY.

Susana Collazo, MD, graduated from the fellowship in June 2024. As a fellow Dr. Collazo conducted two research projects: Pediatric Opioid Poisonings in Connecticut and Changes in Pediatric Toxic Ingestions During the Covid-19 Pandemic. She presented her findings at the Eastern Society of Pediatric Research and Pediatric Academic Society Annual Meetings. Upon graduation Dr. Collazo accepted a faculty position at Cooper Medical School of Rowan University where she works clinically at Children’s Regional Hospital in Camden, NJ

Kathleen Felisca, MD, is currently a third-year fellow. In 2023 she presented her research on Assessing Drowning Risk Factors in Patients Presenting to the Pediatric Emergency Room at the Pediatric Academic Society Annual Meetings in Toronto, Canada as well as locally at the Connecticut Children’s Research Institute’s Rapid Research Forum.

Meghan Wilson Frost, MD, is currently a third-year fellow. In 2023 she presented her research on Examination of State Gun Legislation Policies and Pediatric Firearm Mortality at the Pediatric Academic Society Annual Meetings in Toronto, Canada as well as locally at the Connecticut Children’s Research Institute’s Rapid Research Forum.

Emily Jonker, DO, and Sarah McHugh, MD, are our second-year fellows.

The fellowship program welcomed two excellent new fellows in July 2024. Alexandra Clement, MD, completed her Pediatric Residency at Children’s Hospital at Montefiore after having graduated from the University of Connecticut School of Medicine. Nicholas Davis, DO,

completed his Emergency Medicine Residency at SUNY Upstate in Syracuse prior to joining us.

On Match Day, December 4, 2024, we successfully matched with our future fellows who will be joining us in July 2025:

Lauren Costigan, MD, is currently completing her Pediatric Residency at UConn/Connecticut Children’s after having graduated from Chicago Medical School at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science.

Keanna Chang, MD, is currently completing her Pediatric Residency at Westchester Medical Center after having graduated from University of Connecticut School of Medicine.

Bridget Dahlberg, DO, is currently completing her Pediatric Residency at Children’s Hospital of Michigan after having graduated from Western University of Health Sciences College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific.

PEDIATRIC ENDOCRINOLOGY

Led by program director Sunitha Sura, MD, and associate program director Christine Trapp, MD, the Pediatric Endocrinology Fellowship Program is now in its 27th year. We are successful in recruiting and training excellent fellows in the management of pediatric patients with diabetes and endocrine disorders. Our fellows have been engaged in meaningful research experiences, mentored by published, NIH-funded investigators in clinical, basic science, and translational research. Their research has culminated in publications in peer-reviewed journals and invitations to national and international meetings to present their work. We continue to place fellows in academic positions upon graduation.

This year we completed a curriculum related to cultural competency. Two of our URM division members, Ana Menendez, MD, (fellow graduated in August 2023) and Julieta Bonvin-Sallago, MS, led a series of academic sessions focused on cultural identity, cultural competency, and effective communication skills when working with diverse populations with a particular focus on Type 1 diabetes mellitus, pediatric obesity and nutrition, and individuals with disabilities.

We are continually working to enhance the fellowship experience. In 2024 we started a two-week adult endocrinology elective for our fellows to gain exposure

to patients with rare endocrine tumors, complex bone disorders, performance of thyroid ultrasounds, and to establish closer relationships with our adult colleagues for improved transition of care for pediatric patients. Our PIP this year is focused on genetic testing in the context of endocrine conditions.

Caroline Figgie, MD, is our third-year fellow who joined us in July 2022. She completed her pediatric residency at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine/ Rainbow Babies in Cleveland, OH. She is pursing clinical research under the mentorship of Cem Demirci, MD, Christine Trapp, MD, and Rebecca Puhl, PhD. Her research focus is examining the prevalence of weight bias internalization and association with glycemic control in children and adolescents with Type 1 diabetes mellitus. She presented on the management of diabetes insipidus with dilute vasopressin infusion during chemotherapy hyperhydration at the Pediatric Endocrine Society annual meeting in May 2024 and at the CCRI research symposium in November 2024.

She presented a poster entitled “Perithyroidal Lipoma: Case Report in an Adolescent Male with Euthyroid Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis” at the 2024 Rare Disease Symposium in October 2024 at the Frank H. Netter MD School of Medicine at Quinnipiac University. Dr. Figgie has been an integral part of our annual 2-week Pathfinders diabetes camp in Meriden, CT. She has been leading a Quality Improvement project focused on improving depression and anxiety screening in clinic patients with Type 1 diabetes mellitus.

Mofesola Modupe, DO, joined us as a first-year fellow in July 2024. She completed her pediatric residency at the University of Illinois College of Medicine, Peoria, IL. In addition to developing her clinical expertise this year, she has devoted her research time to exploring potential projects in glycogen storage and rare bone disorders. She is working on an abstract of a rare case of pseudohypoparathyroidism Type1b with severe hypocalcemia and multiple vertebral fractures that she will be submitting to the Pediatric Endocrine Society scientific annual meeting that will take place in May 2025.

PEDIATRIC GASTROENTEROLOGY

The fellowship program in Pediatric Gastroenterology (GI) is now in its 14th year. After six outstanding years of leadership as Program Director, Bella Zeisler, MD, has passed the torch to Katherine Baldwin, MD, who previously

served as Associate Program Director. Dr. Zeisler led many years of successful recruitment and was responsible for the program’s growth and increased emphasis on fellow wellness and academic rigor. Dr. Zeisler will remain involved in the Fellowship Program in the role of Associate Program Director while continuing her broader leadership role as the GI division’s Medical Director.

Jeffrey Hyams, MD, an internationally recognized clinician and researcher in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and Division Head of Digestive Diseases, Hepatology, and Nutrition, serves as primary research mentor to many of our fellows and graduates. This year marked the first year of his Clinical, Imaging, and Endoscopic Outcomes (CAMEO) study of children newly diagnosed with Crohn’s disease), a multi-million-dollar U grant from the NIH. Our fellows are supported by a number of faculty members with strong backgrounds in research and have continued to receive recognition and awards for their research at international and national meetings. They have all contributed to work in quality and safety and presented at Illuminations for the past two years:

Kuzoian S, Marrero J, Solomon V, Naing P. Optimizing Anemia Screening Pediatric Inflammatory Bowel Disease. Poster presented at Connecticut Children’s Illuminations Quality, Patient Safety, and Transformation Conference. June 2024.

Kuzoian S, Hashmi M, Marrero J, Solomon V. Increasing Pediatric Resident Nutrition and Formula Knowledge with Live Interactive Sessions. Poster presented at Connecticut Children’s Illuminations Quality, Patient Safety, and Transformation Conference. June 2023.

Our graduates continue to successfully transition into faculty positions, including leading subspecialty clinics:

Chelsea Lepus, DO, (2022 graduate) accepted a position at Yale New Haven Hospital to lead their newly established Intestinal Rehabilitation Program. She has transitioned well to her faculty role. Prior to graduating, Dr. Lepus focused her clinical time on learning the care of intestinal rehabilitation patients. She was prolific in her scholarly activity and published on topics pertaining to nutrition in patients with short bowel syndrome. She also published a study looking at the use MRI in patients with IBD.

Mariyam Hashmi, MBBS, (2023 graduate) completed additional training in advanced motility procedures under the leadership of Corey Baker, MD. The focus of her primary research project was GI motility disorders in children. She now directs the motility program within the pediatric gastroenterology division at the University of Kentucky.

Jing Marrero, MD, (2024 graduate) stayed on as faculty at Connecticut Children’s. Her primary research project was an educational program for school nurses around the care of IBD patients. Her secondary project examined the use of Dupilumab in the use of eosinophilic esophagitis. She recently presented this work on this at the Rare Disease Symposium at Quinnipiac’s Netter School and won the Young Investigator Award for her innovative research.

CURRENT FELLOWS

Viven Solomon, DO, our third-year fellow, joined the program in July 2022 after completing her pediatric residency at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine in June 2022. She completed her medical education at New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine. Her primary research project is utilizing Fibroscan technology to assess if any changes to the liver are seen in IBD patients on long-term methotrexate therapy. She has successfully published with her co-fellow on a comparison between originator infliximab and biosimilar. Dr. Solomon recently presented her work on improving time to antibiotics in children with intestinal failure and central lines presenting with fevers, as well as antibiotic therapy for children with central line complications, at the Pediatric Gastroenterology National Meeting (NASPGHAN) in Florida and the International Pediatric Intestinal Failure and Rehabilitation Symposium in Pittsburgh.

Sydney Kuzoian, DO, our third-year fellow, joined the program in July 2022 after completing her pediatric residency at the Sidney Kimmel Medical College in June 2022. She completed her medical education at Kansas City University College of Osteopathic Medicine in Kansas. Her primary research project focuses on improving sleep and reducing fatigue in patients with inflammatory bowel disease.

She co-authored a publication with her co-fellow comparing outcomes with infliximab and biosimilar. She has successfully undertaken additional motility training under the guidance of Corey Baker, MD and

has a secondary project in motility as well as evaluating anorectal manometry findings in children with anxiety and its utility in predicting positive outcomes in response to pelvic floor physical therapy with biofeedback.

Pyae Naing, MD, joined our fellowship in July 2023 after completing her residency at the Herman and Walter Samuelson Children’s Hospital pediatric residency program in Baltimore, Maryland. She completed medical school at the University of Debrecen Medical School and Health Science Centre in Hungary. Her primary research project focuses on eosinophilic esophagitis and predicting response to initial therapy.

Giselle Davila-Bernardy, MD, joined our fellowship in July 2024 after completing residency at Centro Medico Episcopal San Lucas pediatric residency in Ponce, Puerto Rico. She completed medical school at the University of Medicine and Health Sciences in St. Kitts and Nevis.

In July 2025 the program will welcome Corey Pagnotta, DO, who will be joining us from the pediatric residency program at Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City. She completed her medical school training at Kansas City University College of Osteopathic Medicine. Srujana Sattari, MBBS, will be joining us in July 2025 from the Pediatric Residency Program at Westchester Medical Center in Valhalla, New York. She completed her medical school training at Kamineni Institute of Medical Sciences in India.

FELLOW PUBLICATIONS

Marrero J, Jerson B, Brimacombe M, Hopkins D, Hinderer K, Hyams JS. Partnering with school nurses for continuing education in inflammatory bowel disease. J Contin Educ Nurses 2024 doi: 10.3928/00220124-20240927-02

Solomon V, Fennel J, Griffin L, Zeisler B. Takayasu Arteritis in an adolescent with untreated Crohn’s disease. JPGN Reports 2024:1-4

Solomon V, Kuzoian S, Mitchel G, Brimacombe, M., Hyams JS. Change from Originator Infliximab to Biosimilar Does Not Affect One-Year Outcome in Children with Inflammatory Bowel Disease. Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition Reports. 2024; 1-4.

PEDIATRIC HEMATOLOGY-ONCOLOGY

The Pediatric Hematology-Oncology Fellowship Program is led by Andrea Orsey, MD, MSCE, MS-HPEd, and is entering its eighth year as an accredited program.

Erin Pastor, DO, pursued expertise in quality improvement (QI) under the mentorship of Natalie Bezler, MD. Dr. Pastor completed the Intermediate Improvement Science Series (I2S2), a competitive leadership development course for QI students. She is leading a multi-institutional quality improvement project aimed at diagnosing and evaluating hypertension to develop a standard of care process. She presented posters addressing the importance of recognizing abnormal blood pressure in oncology patients at ASPHO in Seattle in April 2024 and COG in New Orleans in September 2024. Dr. Pastor shared her work nationally through an ASPHO Webinar in September 2024, presenting on a topic that she proposed and developed entitled “Do what’s right and work with purpose: paving the road for quality improvement.” She also moderated a Career Panel at the Pediatric Hematology & Oncology Quality and Safety Conference (PHOQS) Conference in Texas in November 2024. Dr. Pastor graduated from the Pediatric Hematology-Oncology Fellowship Program on October 17, 2024 and will be returning to Connecticut Children’s as faculty in January 2025.

Shruthishree Sukumar, DO, third-year fellow, joined the Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine and works under the mentorship of Joanna Gell, MD, to generate a data base of cisplatin-induced ototoxcitiy and to profile genetic factors for cisplatin-induced hearing loss. In April 2024, she presented posters at the ASPHO annual meeting in Seattle entitled “A Rare Presentation of Familial Hematophagocytic Lymphistiocytosis (HLH)” with Natasha Frederick, MD, MPH, and “Hemoglobin SE: Genotype vs Phenotype” with Donna Boruchov, MD.

Paul Tomlinson, DO, second-year fellow, joined the program in July 2023. His current research is focusing on enhancing the informed consent process in Pediatric Oncology through quality improvement.

We are excited to welcome Elisabeth (Libby) Ekman, DO, and Haya Qutob, DO, to our program starting in July 2025. Dr. Ekman attended medical school at the University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine and Dr. Qutob attended medical school at West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine. Both Drs. Ekman and Qutob are currently residents at the University of Connecticut pediatric residency program and we are thrilled they will be remaining at Connecticut Children’s for fellowship.

PEDIATRIC HOSPITAL MEDICINE

The Pediatric Hospital Medicine Fellowship Program is led by Allyson McDermott, MD, MACM and is completing its

second full year of accreditation. The program is pleased to report a successful first NRMP match cycle with the recruitment of the program’s first fellow for the 20242025 academic year and continues with recruitment for the upcoming 2025-2026 year to round out the full complement of trainees in our 2-year fellowship program. Mazal “Molly” Hagler, MD, first-year fellow, joined the program in July 2024 after completing pediatric residency at the University of Tennessee Health Sciences Center in Memphis, TN. She has enrolled in additional training through the UConn Health Professions Education Certificate graduate program to expand her skills in medical education. She is actively developing an educational innovation to bring end-of-rotation debriefing to the inpatient rotations for pediatric residents to support their wellbeing and professional fulfillment as her primary scholarly project. Within the first 3 months of her training, she submitted an abstract to the Innovations in Medical Education national medical education conference.

In July 2025, the program will welcome Annina Giannuzzi, DO, who is currently completing her pediatric residency at UConn/Connecticut Children’s after having graduated from the New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine program.

PEDIATRIC INFECTIOUS DISEASES

The University of Connecticut pediatric infectious diseases fellowship program at Connecticut Children’s received reaccreditation in April 2024 by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education. We appreciate all the support provided by the UConn Graduate Medical Education team, program directors, program coordinators, faculty, and staff for this achievement.

The pediatric infectious diseases fellowship program was pleased to have matched Sarah McCullough, DO, into the combined medicine/pediatrics infectious disease 4-year program. Dr. McCullough started her fellowship in July 2024 and we look forward to working with her during her training.

Our current fellow, Laura Kvenvold, MD, is in the last year of her 4-year medicine/pediatric ID training. She continues her excellent work on a quality improvement project for penicillin allergy de-labelling of patients admitted at Connecticut Children’s.

In July 2025 the program will welcome Beatrice Senocak (Selen), MD, from the Dartmouth-Hitchcock medical

center program. She will be the first Pediatric Infectious Diseases fellow who exclusively studies pediatrics.

NEONATAL-PERINATAL MEDICINE

Led by Jennifer Trzaski, MD, the Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine fellowship program continued its outstanding record of academic accomplishment and scholarly productivity. Since its accreditation in 1975, 73 fellows have graduated from the program.

Allison Sadowski, MD, joined our program in July 2021 and graduated in the spring of 2024. Dr. Sadowski completed her medical training and pediatric residency at the UConn School of Medicine and Connecticut Children’s. She pursued clinical research under the mentorship of Naveed Hussain, MD, investigating the effect of breast milk and various types of formula on gastric pH. Her research was presented at the Pediatric Academic Societies in the spring of 2024. Dr. Sadowski stayed on as faculty in the Division of Neonatology at UConn/Connecticut Children’s following completion of her fellowship.

Kinga Zgutka, MD, joined our program in July 2021 and graduated in the spring of 2024. Dr. Zgutka completed her medical training at the Medical University of Warsaw in Poland and her pediatric residency at Flushing Hospital Medical Center in Flushing, NY. Her clinical research is in the use of near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) as a marker for renal perfusion under the mentorship of James Moore, Moore, MD, and Jennifer Trzaski, MD. Her research was presented at the New England Perinatal Society annual meeting, the annual BYCONN Conference, and the Pediatric Academic Societies meeting in the spring of 2024. Dr. Zgutka stayed on as faculty in the Division of Neonatology at UConn/Connecticut Children’s following completion of her fellowship.

Third-year fellow Jacob (Coby) Kelner, DO, joined our program in July 2022. Dr. Kelner completed his medical training at Rowan University School of Osteopathic Medicine and his pediatric residency at the UConn School of Medicine and Connecticut Children’s. His area of scholarly interest is the use of point of care ultrasound (POCUS) in the NICU with primary research mentors Douglas Moote, MD, Rahul Shah, MD, AnnMarie Golioto, MD and Amirul Anuar, MS. Dr. Kelner’s fellowship research project, Lung Ultrasound Score for Prediction of Surfactant Administration in Preterm Infants with Respiratory Failure, was published in the Journal of Perinatology. This project

was presented at the American Academy of Pediatrics Section on Neonatal Perinatal Medicine 104th Perinatal & Developmental Medicine Symposium in Palm Springs, CA, the Connecticut Children’s Resident/Fellow Research Day as one of the Grand Rounds presentations, and at the Pediatric Academic Societies meeting in the spring of 2024. He also completed a case-series, Endotracheal Cocaine for Severe Pulmonary Hemorrhage, which was accepted for publication by the Journal of Pediatric Pharmacology and Therapeutics and presented at the New England Perinatal Society annual meeting in the spring of 2024. Dr. Kelner continues his POCUS research as Primary Investigator of the on-going projects: Lung Ultrasound Score and Left Ventricular Eccentricity Index in Preterm Infants with Respiratory Distress Syndrome: A Descriptive Study; Ecography-guided Surfactant THERapy (ESTHER) for Preterm Infants with Respiratory Failure; and Neonatal Growth Assessment by Soft-Tissue Point-of-Care Ultrasound.

Third-year fellow Nazifa Rahman, MD, joined our program in July 2022. Dr. Rahman completed her medical training at Georgetown University School of Medicine and her pediatric residency at Mount Sinai Kravis Children’s Hospital in New York City. Her area of scholarly interest concerns the developmental outcomes of premature infants with older siblings under the mentorship of Drs. Emily Gritz and Shabnam Lainwala. Her project was accepted for presentation at the upcoming American Academy of Pediatrics Section on Neonatal Perinatal Medicine 106th Perinatal & Developmental Medicine Symposium in California.

Second-year fellow Surabhi Khasgiwala, MBBS, joined our program in July 2023. Dr. Khasgiwala completed her medical training at the Mahatma Gandhi Mission’s Medical College in India and her pediatric residency at the University of Hawaii. She is pursuing basic science research under the mentorship of Dr. Adam Matson to investigate the impact of Klebsiella oxytoca on the development of NEC.

Second-year fellow Zohaib Sayyed, MBBS, joined our program in July 2023. Dr. Sayyed completed his medical training at the Shaikh Bin Zayed Al-Nahyan Medical and Dental College in Pakistan and his pediatric residency at the Children’s Hospital of Michigan in Detroit. Dr. Sayyed’s area of scholarly interest is in point of care ultrasound under the mentorship of Naveed Hussain, MD. His project is Lung ultrasound score to assess response to diuretics in preterm infants born <32 weeks with evolving chronic

lung disease with co-investigator and third-year fellow Jacob (Coby) Kelner, DO.

First-year fellow Jordyn Harler, DO, joined our program in July 2024. She attended medical school at the AT Still University of Health Sciences Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine and completed her pediatric residency at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio. Dr. Harler has an interest in antibiotic stewardship and is starting a quality improvement project pertaining to antibiotic use and clinical management of NEC under the mentorship of Alaina Pyle, MD.

First-year fellow Mandeep Takhar, MD joined our program in July 2024. She attended medical school at St. George’s University School of Medicine in Grenada and completed her pediatric residency at Western Michigan University Homer Stryker, MD School of Medicine. Dr. Takhar has an interest in basic science research and is investigating opportunities for scholarly activity in the lab of Adam Matson, MD.

Daniel Badoe, MD, will be starting in July 2025. He attended medical school at East Tennessee State University James H. Quillen College of Medicine and is currently completing his residency at Nemours Children’s Hospital in Orlando, FL.

Paolyne Meza, DO, will be starting in July 2025. She attended medical school at Rocky Vista University College of Osteopathic Medicine in Parker, CO and is currently completing her pediatric residency at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine in Hartford, CT.

Kia Stroughton, MD, will be starting in July 2025. She attended medical school at State University of New York Upstate Medical University Alan and Marlene Norton College of Medicine and is currently completing her pediatric residency at Yale-New Haven Children’s Hospital in New Haven, CT.

FELLOW PUBLICATIONS

Saneh H, Wanczyk H, Walker J, Finck C. Effectiveness of extracellular vesicles derived from hiPSCs in repairing hyperoxia-induced injury in a fetal murine lung explant model. Stem Cell Res Ther. 2024 Mar 14;15(1):80. doi: 10.1186/s13287-024-03687-3. PMID: 38486338; PMCID: PMC10941466.

Saneh H, Wanczyk H, Walker J, Finck C. Stem cellderived extracellular vesicles: a potential intervention for

Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia. Pediatr Res. 2024 Sep 9. doi: 10.1038/s41390-024-03471-2. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 39251881.

Kelner J, Moote D, Shah R, Anuar A, Golioto A. Lung Ultrasound Score for Prediction of Surfactant Administration in Preterm Infants with Respiratory Failure. J Perinatol. 2024 Sep;44(9):1258-1263. doi: 10.1038/s41372024-02090-3. Epub 2024 Aug 9. PMID: 39122885.

PEDIATRIC ORTHOPEDIC SURGERY

The Pediatric Orthopedic Surgery Fellowship, directed by Mark C. Lee, MD, is entering its eighth year of formal ACGME accreditation and has thus far graduated five fellows, three of whom are currently in independent practice. Recent graduates have all contributed peerreviewed works to orthopedics. Our most recent Fellow, Chong Weng, MD, has submitted a manuscript on the effect of physical therapy on scoliosis bracing compliance.

PEDIATRIC OTOLARYNGOLOGY

In 2024, the Pediatric Otolaryngology Fellowship Program graduated its second fellow, Ruwaa Samarrai, MD. She was active throughout the year with the publication of two peer reviewed articles during her time at Connecticut Children’s. She also had two poster presentations at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Pediatric Otolaryngology.

In October 2024. Amy Hughes, MD, was appointed as the new fellowship program director. We look forward to the great years ahead under her leadership.

PEDIATRIC PULMONOLOGY

Program director Melanie Sue Collins, MD, has continued her work with the ACGME Milestones Committee for Pediatric Pulmonology and has expanded her efforts to the American Board of Pediatrics (ABP) to translate milestones related to entrustable professional activities (EPA). She serves on a committee at the ABP that is analyzing Pediatric Practice Analysis for Pediatric Pulmonary Medicine. Dr. Collins is currently mentoring two Quinnipiac Medical Students who are actively involved in research projects. One student’s project examines arm length correlating with standing height and is the first to attempt to measure patients of diverse ethnicities. The other student project has developed educational handouts on pulmonary airway clearance for families in both written, photographic, and video formats in Spanish and English. The pulmonary division created an individualized

handout for the fellows that set divisional expectations for every pulmonary milestone as identified by the ACGME.

PEDIATRIC SURGERY

Danielle Dougherty, MD, began her fellowship in August 2023 after receiving additional subspecialty surgical training at the University of Michigan in Surgical Critical Care and Fetal Medicine. She will be graduating in August of 2025. In August of 2025.

Azalia Avila, MD, will be joining us as a first-year pediatric surgery fellow after completing her General Surgery residency at Memorial Healthcare System in Florida.

UNDERGRADUATE MEDICAL EDUCATION

Connecticut Children’s is the sole clinical teaching site for inpatient pediatric education for the University of Connecticut School of Medicine. Our faculty educate the entire student population of the third-year class during inpatient pediatrics, in addition to offering a unique advanced clinical experience (sub-internship) for fourth year medical students entering pediatrics. We also host and educate students in our outpatient clinical sites and pediatric subspecialty clinics during elective rotations. The mission of the Division of Undergraduate Medical Education (UME) at Connecticut Children’s is to provide inclusive and engaging experiential and didactic education for the University of Connecticut medical students with teachings centered around the unique medical needs of the child, the importance of a patient- and familycentered approach to care, and a holistic view of the child in relation to their family and community. The goals of the pediatric clerkship are to engage the thirdyear medical students in the active multidisciplinary and patient- and family-centered care of pediatric patients across the spectrum, from newborn to early adulthood. This is done through acute inpatient care for common and subspecialty conditions, as well as the care of children with medical complexity. To accomplish this goal, thirdyear students spend their inpatient pediatrics clerkship time rotating on the inpatient medical and surgical floors, working with general pediatric and subspecialty teams, coupled with experiential learning in the pediatric emergency department and newborn nursery, and in case-based sessions about clinical topics, interactive case-based sessions on curricular topics, and high-fidelity simulation. Fourth year medical students participate in advanced clinical experiences in the inpatient pediatrics sub-internship, serving as essential providers fully in the role of an intern in preparation for the transition to residency. Pediatric subspecialty electives support a

breadth and depth of pediatric-specific medical education for students spanning medical and surgical specialties and different clinical environments. On a curricular level, Dr. Crowley and the pediatric clerkship leadership team are heavily involved and invested in faculty development and curricular development, currently focusing on several innovative curricular developments focused on feedback and evaluation.

In other exciting news, the UConn School of Medicine is planning an increase in class size, with the goal of enrolling 120 students per year by August 2025. This increase in class size will coincide nicely with the building and opening of our new tower at CT Children’s, which will bring a new patient population we can help serve and bring or return to health. We look forward to collaborating with the SOM leadership, GME leadership, and site leaders to continue to offer an innovative, enriching, and memorable experience in Pediatrics, as we continue to shape the pediatric experience of more than half of the state’s medical graduates.

STAFF

Joanne Crowley, MD, MSEd

Director, Pediatric Undergraduate Medical Education, Clerkship Director, Inpatient Pediatrics, AIE/Sub-I

Jessica MacCormac, DO, MS Clerkship Director, Ambulatory Pediatrics

Emily Hogeland, MD, MD Assistant Clerkship Director, Inpatient Pediatrics

Eileen Mercurio, MD Assistant Clerkship Direct, Ambulatory Pediatrics

Ms. Andrea Richardson Clerkship Director, Pediatrics

OFFICE OF FACULTY DEVELOPMENT (OFD)

The Office of Faculty Development’s purpose is to champion the personal and professional growth of faculty at each stage of their career while promoting a culture of well-being and resilience.

The Office of Faculty Development (OFD) celebrated continued growth in 2024. While the OFD focuses on academic faculty, we define our target audience as all providers (physicians, APPs, and psychologists) regardless of academic standing. OFD addresses key issues facing faculty – such as well-being, burnout, personal effectiveness through innovative educational offerings.

The RISE (Reflect-Inspire-Strengthen-Empower) Program for mid-career physicians and psychologists welcomed its inaugural cohort under the direction of Hayley Wolfgruber, MD, Katherine Kavanagh, MD, and Ms. Lisa Marella. This program, designed for mid-career faculty who have been in practice between 5 and 15 years, aimed to enhance and maintain faculty engagement and retention, assure a solid foundation and career trajectory, and promote interdisciplinary collaboration and communication. RISE participants were nominated by Christine Finck and Juan C. Salazar, MD, and supported throughout by their division heads.

The second cohort of the highly successful Transition into Practice (TiP) program launched in spring 2024, welcoming new faculty in their first job after completing their graduate medical education. This cohort included faculty members across the organization who were supported by their division chiefs.

OFD offerings to faculty in 2024 included:

• Hayley Wolfgruber, MD and Lisa Marella continued our successful Virtual Faculty Lounge, a bimonthly open Zoom meeting where faculty gather for connection and support. This platform has fostered connections across the institution that have positively impacted patient care and provider well-being.

• Ms. Marella provided individual coaching to faculty to support personal and professional growth.

• Ms. Marella provided leader onboarding, team effectiveness, and engagement consultation to division leaders and faculty.

• Katherine Kavanagh, MD, Dr. Wolfgruber, and Ms. Marella continued the monthly Faculty Development Series, a lunch and learn offering encompassing a wide variety of faculty development topics featuring institutional experts.

The OFD looks forward to continued innovation and definition in 2025 and beyond as we strive to support faculty across the institution.

STAFF

Hayley Wolfgruber, MD

Katherine Kavanagh, MD

Lisa Marella, Sr. Director of Organizational Effectiveness, Learning & Culture

Stephanie Futtner, Executive Assistant

RESEARCH INNOVATION

RESEARCH & INNOVATION

OUR COMMITMENT

Since its inception, Connecticut Children’s has been committed to the development and deployment of innovative treatments and technologies that transform the lives of our patients and contribute to the overall health and well-being of our community. The transition from an institution focused solely on healthcare to one that also embraces active research programs has enabled Connecticut Children’s to advance medical knowledge, innovate treatments, and improve patient care through scientific discoveries and evidence-based practices.

Connecticut Children’s Research Institute is dedicated to pioneering advancements in pediatric care through innovation and cutting-edge research to enhance wellbeing and health outcomes for all children.

Scientific Center for Pediatric Hematology & Oncology

Vision and Mission Statement

The Center for Pediatric Hematology & Oncology will develop groundbreaking science at Connecticut Children’s that translates globally in the pursuit of treatments for pediatric cancers. Our mission is to utilize precision medicine delivered through targeted therapies to discover treatment options with maximal survival and minimal toxicity.

Who are we?

The Connecticut Children’s Center for Pediatric Hematology & Oncology is led by senior investigators Ching Lau, MD, PhD and Michael Isakoff, MD and supported by a robust faculty core who are committed to continuously improving outcomes for children affected by cancer or blood disorders through innovative research that utilizes cutting edge technologies.

Research in this center includes:

1. Multi-omics of human cancer and genetically engineered mouse models

2. Liquid biopsy of brain tumors

3. Single cell and spatial biology of osteosarcoma

4. Patient derived orthotopic xenograft models of leukemia and solid tumors

5. Genomic medicine for gene fusion positive cancers

6. Bed to Bedside: Translational expertise to bring novel therapy to patients

7. Early Phase Clinical Trial Development

8. AML, Sarcoma, Germ Cell Tumor, Medulloblastoma, Ependymoma

9. Fertility and Sexual Health in Adolescents and Young Adults

10. Cardio-oncology

Scientific Center for Microbiology, Vaccinology and Pathobiology

Vision and Mission Statement

The Scientific Center for Microbiology, Vaccinology and Pathobiology will use state-of-the-art multidisciplinary integrative approaches to clarify the inflammatory and microbiologic mechanisms that give rise to major public health threats. Our mission is to employ innovative technologies to unravel and harness the power of the body’s immune defenses, designing novel approaches to prevent infections and mitigate microbiome-driven inflammatory disorders.

Who are we?

The Scientific Center for Microbiology, Vaccinology and Pathobiology is directed by senior physician investigators Justin Radolf, MD and Jeffrey Hyams, MD, both world authorities in their respective fields. Research within the Center utilizes the expertise of physician scientists in fields including gastroenterology, infectious diseases, spirochetal diseases, and neonatology.

Research within the Center falls along several major research areas:

1. Inflammatory Bowel Disease, led by Dr. Jeffrey Hyams

2. Necrotizing Enterocolitis, led by Dr. Adam Matson

3. Neonatal Infections, led by Dr. Ian Michelow

4. Spirochetal Diseases, led by Dr. Justin Radolf, Dr. Juan Salazar, and Dr. Melissa Caimano

5. Respiratory Viruses, led by Drs. Juan Salazar and Ian Michelow

6. Geographic Medicine, led by Drs. Juan Salazar and Ian Michelow

Scientific Center for Rare Disease

Vision and Mission Statement

The Center for Rare Disease will investigate rare disorders to unlock therapeutic strategies and treatments and transform lives. Our mission is to improve the scientific

understanding of rare diseases to enhance medical knowledge and improve treatment options for patients. Our research team works closely with rare disease patients and professional organizations to understand these devastating illnesses and the effect they have on children, adults, and families.

Who are we?

The Center for Rare Disease is led by Emily Germain-Lee, MD, a physician scientist who specializes in rare disorders affecting the endocrine system and Carolyn Macica, PhD, a researcher focused on rare metabolic phosphatewasting bone disorders.

The strengths of this center include:

1. Rare Bone Disease Research including the Albright Center and the Osteogenesis Imperfecta Center

2. Rare Neuromuscular Disease Research including the pediatric Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) Center of Excellence and the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) Care Center

3. Rare Metabolic Disorder Research

Fetal & Neonatal Center of Regenerative Medicine

Vision and Mission Statement

The Fetal & Neonatal Center of Regenerative Medicine is a pioneering laboratory consortium dedicated to advancing innovative treatment options for fetal, neonatal, and pediatric patients with congenital anomalies. Utilizing state-of-the-art molecular, cellular, and regenerative medicine techniques, the Center aims to revolutionize pediatric care. Our mission is to leverage groundbreaking scientific advancements in regenerative medicine to deliver the most effective and safe treatments available.

Who are we?

The Fetal & Neonatal Center of Regenerative Medicine is anchored by renowned investigators Christine Finck, MD, Timothy Crombleholme, MD, and Courtney Rowe, MD. Partnering with experts in numerous fields, the Center includes expertise in tissue-engineering, esophageal disease, urology, fetal gene therapy, and cutting-edge tools like tissue scaffolding and 3D printing.

Research within the Center includes:

1. Tissue-engineered scaffolds to bridge gaps in esophageal tissue

2. Engineering esophageal implants for gastrointestinal motility disorders

3. Novel approaches (3D bioprinting) to advance treatments of childhood lung diseases

4. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) for the treatment of neonatal lung diseases

5. Impact of bariatric surgery in adolescents pre- and post-surgery

6. Urethral stents for improved healing after trauma or surgery

7. Biodegradable opioid-free pain films

8. 3D printing customized vaginal construct with urinary stem cells for children born without a vagina

9. Placental gene therapies to correct fetal growth restriction and prevent pre-eclampsia

10. Fetal gene therapy for single gene disorders such as glycogen storage disease and congenital disorders of glycosylation

11. Fetal surgery

12. Prenatal robotic repair of myelomeningocele

Scientific Center for Child Health Excellence Research & Innovative Outcomes

Vision and Mission Statement

The Child Health Excellence Research and Innovative Outcomes Center will be a national leader in improving the outcomes of the whole child through interdisciplinary clinical and community-engaged research focused on equitable transformations in care and the environments in which children live, learn, and play.

Who are we?

The Child Health Excellence Research and Innovative Outcomes Center is led by nationally recognized researchers Director Melissa Santos, PhD, Co-Director Kevin Borrup, DrPh, JD, MPA, with leading contributor Vice Chair for Academic Affairs and Research William Zempsky, MD and a rising group of junior faculty scientists. The Center is on the cusp of national prominence for its expertise in multiple areas of research, with funded studies in the care of LGBTQ+ youth and families, violence and suicide prevention, and pain self-management.

Research within the Center falls into three main areas:

1. Health Equity led by Dr. Melissa Santos seeks to address health equity and improve understanding of drivers of equitable outcomes using a communityengaged approach

2. Injury Prevention led by Dr. Kevin Borrup pursues health strategies that are designed, evaluated, and implemented based on a research-driven process of surveillance, hazard identification, risk assessment and analysis, and successful intervention

3. Pain led by Dr. Bill Zempsky aims to reduce chronic pain and increase equity in treatment by improving access to pain self-management through the development and testing of digital interventions

Core Strategies

Our research leadership, led by our Senior Advisory council for the Connecticut Children’s Research Institute, determined six core strategies to drive the strategic focus of our research enterprise. Thanks to the multi-disciplinary nature of these Core Strategies, they allow the Research Institute to integrate with other resources and established processes at Connecticut Children’s, including strategic prioritization and core functions (Finance, IT, Facilities, Marketing & Communication).

Research Education and Academic Development

To ensure the success of our Research Institute we must educate, mentor, and develop the next generation of researchers and support staff and deploy outstanding academic and research mentors. We will develop a comprehensive tailored research education program that meets the needs of all levels of scientists, clinicians, and learners by leveraging our educational portfolios and research mentorship opportunities at Connecticut Children’s, UConn, and the Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine.

Funding and Philanthropy

Funding and philanthropy are top priorities to ensure sustained financial support for the Research Institute’s growth and evolution. As Connecticut Children’s and the Institute evolve to be world-class leaders in pediatric medicine and research, we will place a strategic focus on increasing levels of philanthropic support to build upon our foundation of scientific excellence. We will also learn from other pediatric research institutions to develop and introduce best practices for philanthropic contributions.

Data and Technology

For the Research Institute to succeed and thrive we will pursue investments in skilled people, efficient processes, and cutting-edge technologies to advance clinical, basic, and translational research. Our commitment to scientific

exploration and technological innovation will allow us to discover tomorrow’s treatments today.

Infrastructure

We will invest in our core infrastructure including lab space, facilities, staffing, policies, and processes to support the existing needs of the Connecticut Children’s Research Institute and its growth in the years ahead. Our priorities include wet lab and dry lab space, participant procedure space, and investments in biorepository and clinical lab processing, de-identified electronic health records, and clinical research office development. The Institute will focus on understanding the multi-faceted needs of our research community and will develop and refine recommendations to address those needs.

Identity and Communication

With a focus on strengthening the Research Institute’s identity and increasing our internal and external communication channels, we will enhance our scientific footprint by expanding the reach of our research success stories, publications, and breakthroughs. We will share the story of our scientists and their world-class expertise through a branded communication strategy that focuses on increasing our digital following, sharing our research publications, and telling the story of our innovative scientific accomplishments.

Recruitment

To elevate the scientific expertise of the Research Institute and make Connecticut Children’s a leading academic center, we will identify, recruit, and financially support outstanding research faculty and staff. Researchers and physician scientists at Connecticut Children’s Research Institute are nationally recognized leaders in their respective fields, and we will continue to support a robust faculty recruitment strategy to develop a pipeline of research excellence for years to come.

Center for Innovation

Mission: Develop ideas and technologies that will impact the health and well-being of children

Vision: Create an infrastructure to support growth of new ideas to improve health of children

Values: Collaboration, Respect, Innovation

Connecticut Children’s Center for Innovation creates opportunities for the co-development of products and services for the front lines of clinical care. We know that great ideas happen when we innovate inefficient processes, products, and care experiences. The goals of the Center for Innovation are to:

• Support a culture of innovation at Connecticut Children’s to pioneer advancements that benefit pediatric patients

• Create a system to collect and review internal ideas from our team members with a high potential for commercialization and impact

• Establish a rich ecosystem with external partnerships and established investors to co-develop successful ventures

• Establish a diverse revenue stream to reinvest into our clinical care, research, education, and advocacy

The Center supports internal innovations through financial and in-kind support, and external innovations through codevelopment, launch partnerships, and beta testing. Since 2022, the Center for Innovation has helped facilitate:

• 1 United States Patent

• 3 Patent Filings

• 2 Regional collaborations

The Center for Innovation is led by Director Christine Finck, MD, Co-Director Annamarie Beaulieu, MBA, MPH, and Markus Bookland, MD. The Center’s mission is to bring science, technology, and community together to enhance the impact that research and innovation have on the lives of our pediatric populations. Through scientific discovery, community and regional partnerships, high-quality intellectual property, and a pipeline to commercialization, we will be at the forefront of innovative breakthroughs that enhance the health and well-being of children in Connecticut and beyond.

CLINICAL TRIALS

The mission of the Clinical Trials Division is to support Connecticut Children’s Research Institute (CCRI) investigators in advancing pediatric health care by conducting innovative life-saving and/or increased quality of life trials that offer equitable access to investigational treatments for patients and families. Our highly skilled multispecialty team ensures the successful execution of phase I-IV interventional trials and observational studies for neonates, children, and adolescents through 18 years of age.

We provide support for 30 investigators across 12 divisions including facilitating complex rare disease clinical trials in endocrinology, neurology, gastroenterology, hematology, and oncology.

As a core service of the CCRI we have developed several strategic workgroups aimed at enhancing the clinical trial experience for patients and their families. Our objectives include promoting efficiency and optimizing the use of resources, creating flexible infrastructure for the delivery of novel treatments, and establishing community partnerships to increase opportunities for patients and families from diverse backgrounds.

We are pleased to announce that Natalija Marosz, MPH, was promoted to Clinical Research Associate II.

STAFF

Alison Oville, BA, CCRC, CHRC, Director

Michael Isakoff, MD, Medical Director

Hendriana Nielsen, RD, RN, BSN, CCRP, CPN, Clinical Research Nurse Manager

Robin Arens, BS, CCRP, Lead Clinical Research Associate

James Santanelli, MS, MPH, CCRP, Lead Clinical Research Associate

Julieta Bonvin-Sallago, MS, CCRP, Lead Clinical Research Associate

Masai McIntosh, BA, Clinical Research Associate II

Dayna Kennedy, MPH, CCRC, Clinical Research Associate II

Mark Ferreira, BA, Clinical Research Associate I

Nicole McCracken, BA, Clinical Research Associate I

Natalija Marosz, MPH, Clinical Research Associate II

Bunly Kuoch, Clinical Research Laboratory Coordinator

Lisa Little, Clinical Research Study Start-up Manager

Sean Hanrahan, MPH, Clinical Research Associate II

Eliza Baker, BSN, RN, SCRN, CRNC, Clinical Research Nurse Coordinator I

Adam Barselau, MA, Clinical Research Associate I

Jaclyn Donahue, RN, BSN, Clinical Research Nurse Coordinator II

RESEARCH OPERATIONS AND DEVELOPMENT

During 2024 the Research Operations and Development department emphasized strategic planning to enhance our core services and explore innovative avenues for community engagement and research dissemination. Our dedicated team comprised of a director, administrators, and research support personnel (Table 1) has historically provided essential research support to our clinical divisions in areas including protocol development, assistance from study initiation to closeout, logistical coordination, and database creation and management. This year, we proudly supported 35 researchers at Connecticut Children’s with a significant portion of our team assisting with funded research from our scientific leaders (see Table 2). Notably, several team members contributed to authorship or coauthorship of peer-reviewed research articles and took advantage of opportunities to present these findings at local, regional, national, and international conferences. Carolyn Macica, PhD, continues to lead our department as the Director of Research Operations and Development. In addition to overseeing a wide array of research initiatives, she serves as Co-Director of the Scientific Center for Rare Diseases at the Connecticut Children’s Research Institute. Dr. Macica is a visiting professor at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine and a professor of medicine at Yale University School of Medicine and the Frank H. Netter MD School of Medicine at Quinnipiac University. Her transformative leadership has been instrumental in shaping the vision for our department’s growth, fostering a forward-thinking approach that will elevate our contributions to Connecticut Children’s success.

Within our research operations team we made significant progress in strategic planning initiatives thanks to the outstanding contributions of Danielle Chenard, MPH, Senior Research Program Manager and Dana Jungbauer, MD, MS, Research Manager. Their dynamic management of strategic planning provides the foundation for Dr. Macica’s vision for growth in Research Operations by: creating and retaining a more skilled and satisfied workforce while supporting professional development and growth for our team members; and focusing on how our department is meeting the increasing demands of a growing research institute. Through a proactive approach, Dr. Jungbauer and. Ms. Chenard have supported a culture of innovation and collaboration that allows our research team to rapidly adapt to new opportunities in a changing research landscape. They have streamlined workflows and maximized operational efficiency and productivity while cultivating a problem-solving mindset within the team.

This year we successfully identified and empowered five emerging leaders who head each of our five research pillars: Emily Bean, MPH, Vaishali Belamkar, Damilola Egbewole, BDS, MPH, Mary-Kate Nowobilski, and Christopher Theriault, MA. These leaders have been instrumental in advancing our strategic initiatives and demonstrating our dedication to growth and excellence. As part of our commitment to continuous improvement, Dr. Jungbauer, Ms. Nowobilski, and Ms. Belamkar completed their Lean Green Belt training. Gretchen Blume joined our team to support the Undergraduate Research Assistant Program (URAP) in the Emergency Department and COVID-19-related research within the Infectious Disease department. Aditi Natarajan came on board to contribute to research initiatives in the Psychology department and at the Injury Prevention Center. To foster individual career development, we implemented personalized growth pathways through a custom portal that features real-time tracking and a data-driven skills assessment algorithm.

We made significant enhancements to our REDCap services in 2024 which now feature expanded training and workshops designed to equip researchers with essential skills for effective data management. As a result of these improvements, we have cultivated a more proficient research team that streamlines data collection and analysis processes. By partnering with medical educators and emphasizing student training, our department recognized the vital role that research student services play in promoting academic success and professional development.

We hosted the 4th annual STRIVE program at Bloomfield High School to provide local high school students with invaluable academic and career development experiences. Our ongoing Career Panel series, tailored to the school’s three academic tracks — Business and Finance, Healthcare, and STEM — successfully exposed students to various healthcare careers and received positive feedback for engaging interactions with industry professionals. We partnered with Luis Rivera to establish a paid internship program with Hartford Public Schools to offer students meaningful experiential learning opportunities.

We were thrilled to welcome Brett Maddux to our Grant Services Core team as our new Scientific Grant Writer. Since his arrival Mr. Maddux has made a significant impact through his proactive engagement with our grant submissions processes and has greatly enhanced our capacity to develop future proposals. The Biostatistics

Core team has been actively involved in various initiatives designed to strengthen our core functions. These efforts led to the delivery of high-quality services and streamlined workflows to better facilitate our collaborative work with researchers. Under the leadership and mentorship of our senior biostatistician Michael Brimacombe, PhD and biostatistician Amirul Anuar, MS, the biostatistics team played a crucial role in fostering awareness and professional growth among our research faculty and shared valuable insights during our department’s lunchand-learn sessions. Biostatisticians provided guidance on numerous submissions in 2024 and co-authored seven publications.

Our department manages the Scientific Review Committee (SRC) which is responsible for thoroughly evaluating study protocols submitted by researchers to maintain high standards of scientific excellence at

Table 1

Connecticut Children’s. During 2024 the SRC remained steadfast in its commitment to rigorous assessment by performing detailed reviews of each protocol submitted for Institutional Review Board approval. Comprised of experts in research methodologies, the committee verifies that each study meets stringent scientific criteria and meaningfully contributes to the advancement of scientific knowledge. The diligent efforts of the SRC were vital to supporting our research community and ensured the successful review of 64 research protocols at Connecticut Children’s.

As we reflect on a successful year and look toward the future, our department remains committed to excellence, innovation, and inclusivity in all our research operations and outreach efforts.

Carolyn M. Macica, MS, PhD Director

Amirul Anuar, MS Biostatistician

Emily Bean, BA, MPH Research Associate 1

Vaishali Belamkar, BA Research Associate 1

Gretchen Blume, BS Research Assistant 1

Michael Brimacombe, PhD

Senior Advisory Biostatistician

Danielle Chenard, BS, MPH Senior Research Program Manager

Rosalie Chuckta, BS Research Associate 2

Carlie DeFelice, BA Research Assistant 1

Carissa DelGaudio, BS

Research Assistant 2

Damilola Egbewole, BDS, MPH Research Associate 1

Lily Grady, BS Research Assistant 2

Katherine Herbst, MS Senior Scientific Research Advisor

Cameron King, BA, MA Research Assistant 1

Dana Jungbauer, BS, MS, MD Research Manager

Brett A. Maddux Scientific Grant Writer

Aditi Natarajan, BS Research Assistant 1

Mary-Kate Nowobilski, BS

Kathy Oyola-Cartagena, BA, MS, MPH

Rosa Rodrigues

Natalia Suarez, BA, MA

Christopher Theriault, BA, MA

Carolyn Wolf, BA

Research Associate 2

Research Program Coordinator

Administrative Project Coordinator

Research Assistant 2

Research Associate 1

Research Assistant 1

Table 2

Adam Matson, MD

Neonatology

Alex Hogan, MD, MS Infectious Diseases

Anne Dudley, MD Urology

Ashley Howard, DO Infectious Diseases

Brendan Campbell, MD, MPH Surgery

Christine Finck, MD Surgery

Courtney Rowe, MD Surgery

David Hersh, MD Surgery

Emily Wakefield, PsyD Psychology

Evan Cantor, JD, MD Neuro-Oncology

Ian Michelow, MD Infectious Diseases

J. Leslie Knod, MD Surgery

Juan C. Salazar, MD Infectious Diseases

Katerina Dukleska, MD Surgery

Kathy Herbst, MS Infectious Diseases

Kevin Borrup, JD, DrPH Injury Prevention

Leonela Villegas, MD Infectious Diseases

Mallory Perry-Eaddy, PhD, RN, CCRN Nursing

Mariann Kelley, MD Emergency Department

Markus Bookland, MD Surgery

Melissa Santos, PhD Psychology

Nancy Grover, MD ENT

Nancy Trout, MD Primary care

Natasha Frederick, MD Hematology/Oncology

Olga Toro-Salazar, MD Cardiology

Robert Parker, DO PICU

Sharon Casavant, PhD Nursing

Sharon Smith, MD Emergency Medicine

Sherene Mason, MD Nephrology

Siddika Mulchan, Psy.D. Psychology

Steven Rogers, MD Emergency Medicine, Suicide Prevention

Thyde Dumont-Mathieu, MD, MPH Development & Behavioral Pediatrics

William Zempsky, MD Pain and Palliative Medicine

PUBLICATIONS

Anderson MG, Anuar A, Tomei KL, Schwalb JM, Orrico KO, Sigounas D, Puffer RC, Bohl MA, Lonser RR, Martin JE. Survey of United States neurosurgeons on firearm injury prevention. J Neurosurg. 2023 Dec 22:1-11. doi: 10.3171/2023.11.JNS231961. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38134420. https://doi.org/10.3171/2023.11.jns231961

Chafjiri FMA, Reece L, Voke L, Landschaft A, Clark J, Kimia AA, Loddenkemper T. Natural language processing for identification of refractory status epilepticus in children. Epilepsia. 2023 Dec;64(12):3227-3237. doi: 10.1111/ epi.17789. Epub 2023 Oct 16. PMID: 37804085.3 https:// doi.org/10.1111/epi.17789

Fossum M, Kaefer M, Bagli D, Harper L, Herbst KW, Nelson CP, Braga LH, Nieuwhof-Leppink A, Kalfa N, Garriboli M, Cascio S; ESPU research committee. The importance of animal specificity in animal experimentation, part I: Anatomy in relation to pediatric urology. J Pediatr Urol. 2023 Dec 16:S1477-5131(23)00562-4. doi: 10.1016/j. jpurol.2023.12.006. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38199905. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpurol.2023.12.006

Cascio S, Kaefer M, Bagli D, Nelson CP, Nieuwhof-Leppink A, Braga LH, Herbst KW, Garriboli M, Kalfa N, Harper L, Fossum M; ESPU research committee. The importance of animal specificity in animal experimentation, part II: Physiological challenges and opportunities in relation to pediatric urology. J Pediatr Urol. 2023 Dec 21:S14775131(23)00566-1. doi: 10.1016/j.jpurol.2023.12.010. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38238242. https://doi.org/10.1016/j. jpurol.2023.12.010

Burgwardt N, Healy JM, Menendez A, Regan M, Moote D, Bilbao N, Riba-Wolman R, Brimacombe M, Finck C. Validating the Modified McGill Thyroid Nodule Score for Assessment of Preoperative Risk of Pediatric Thyroid Malignancy. J Pediatr Surg. 2024 Mar 24:S00223468(24)00191-X. doi: 10.1016/j.jpedsurg.2024.03.037. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38614945. https://doi. org/10.1016/j.jpedsurg.2024.03.037

Hogan AH, Herbst KW, Defelice C, Schulman N, Adams AM, Carroll CL, Salazar JC. Going Viral: Assessing the Impact of Social Media on Enrollment in a Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Cohort Study. Cureus. 2024 Mar 13;16(3):e56096. doi: 10.7759/cureus.56096. PMID: 38618422; PMCID: PMC11009901. https://doi. org/10.7759/cureus.56096

Raboin K, Ellis D, Nichols G, Hughes M, Brimacombe M, Rubin K. Advancing Newborn Screening LongTerm Follow-Up: Integration of Epic-Based Registries, Dashboards, and Efficient Workflows. Int J Neonatal Screen. 2024 Mar 25;10(2):27. doi: 10.3390/ijns10020027. PMID: 38651392; PMCID: PMC11036281. https://doi. org/10.3390/ijns10020027

Rudloff JR, El Helou R, Landschaft A, Harper MB, Ahmad FA, Kimia AA. Bacteremia in Patients With Fever and Acute Lower Extremity Pain in a Non-Lyme Endemic Region. Pediatrics. 2024 Jan 1;153(1):e2023064095. doi: 10.1542/peds.2023-064095. PMID: 38093653; PMCID: PMC10752821. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2023064095

Lawrence DA, Jadhav A, Mondal TK, Carson K, Lee WT, Hogan AH, Herbst KW, Michelow IC, Brimacombe M, Salazar JC, The Connecticut Children’s Covid Collaborative. Inflammatory and Autoimmune Aspects of Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C): A Prospective Cohort Study. Viruses. 2024 Jun 12;16(6):950. doi: 10.3390/v16060950. PMID: 38932242; PMCID: PMC11209514. https://doi.org/10.3390/v16060950

Werren EA, Kalsner L, Ewald J, Peracchio M, King C, Vats P, Audano PA, Robinson PN, Adams MD, Kelly MA, Matson AP. A de novo variant in PAK2 detected in an individual with Knobloch type 2 syndrome. bioRxiv [Preprint]. 2024 Apr 22:2024.04.18.590108. doi: 10.1101/2024.04.18.590108. PMID: 38712026; PMCID: PMC11071314. https://doi. org/10.1101/2024.04.18.590108

Bellusci L, Grubbs G, Sait S, Herbst KW, Salazar JC, Khurana S, The Connecticut Children’s Covid Collaborative. Evolution of the Antigenic Landscape in Children and Young Adults with COVID-19 and MIS-C. Vaccines (Basel). 2024 Jun 7;12(6):638. doi: 10.3390/vaccines12060638. PMID: 38932367; PMCID: PMC11209438. https://doi.org/10.3390/ vaccines12060638

Condon EM, Scheibner HR, Kuzel M, Howard M, Cisse M, O’Connell M, Conley Y, Jeon S, Sadler LS, Redeker NS. The CARING study: Examining biological, behavioral, and genetic mechanisms in the intergenerational transmission of toxic stress. Res Nurs Health. 2024 Aug;47(4):369383. doi: 10.1002/nur.22400. Epub 2024 May 28. PMID: 38804202; PMCID: PMC11236528. https://doi. org/10.1002/nur.22400

Kelner J, Moote D, Shah R, Anuar A, Golioto A. Lung Ultrasound Score for Prediction of Surfactant Administration in Preterm Infants with Respiratory Failure. J Perinatol. 2024 Sep;44(9):1258-1263. doi: 10.1038/s41372024-02090-3. Epub 2024 Aug 9. PMID: 39122885. https:// doi.org/10.1038/s41372-024-02090-3

Keller MC, Ayr-Volta L, Marconi E, Needham A, Foy K, Hart L, Holden E, Anuar A, Engelke K, Hinderer K. Shooting for the STARS: Implementing an EvidenceBased Program to Meet the End of Treatment Needs of Childhood Cancer Survivors and Their Families. J Pediatr Hematol Oncol Nurs. 2024 Jul;41(4):240-251. doi: 10.1177/27527530241245636. PMID: 39263727. https:// doi.org/10.1177/27527530241245636

Mulchan SS, Theriault CB, DiVietro S, Litt MD, Sukhera J, Tanabe P, Thomas HR, Zempsky WT, Boruchov D, Hirsh AT. Provider Implicit Racial Bias in Pediatric Sickle Cell Disease. J Racial Ethn Health Disparities. 2024 Jul 17. doi: 10.1007/s40615-024-02086-x. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 39020144. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40615-024-02086-x

Waltzman M, Ozonoff A, Fournier KA, Welcher J, Milliren C, Landschaft A, Bulis J, Kimia AA. Surveillance of Health Care-Associated Violence Using Natural Language Processing. Pediatrics. 2024 Aug 1;154(2):e2023063059. doi: 10.1542/peds.2023-063059. PMID: 38973359; PMCID: PMC11291961. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2023-063059

O’Donnell R, Hinderer KA, Belanger D, Chenard D, Boyle E, Borrup K, Fish M, Brimacombe M, Rogers S. Development and Implementation of a Pediatric Nursing Emergency Behavioral Health Assessment Tool. J Emerg Nurs. 2024 May;50(3):342-353. doi: 10.1016/j.jen.2024.02.005. Epub 2024 Apr 10. PMID: 38597852 https://doi.org/10.1016/j. jen.2024.02.005

RESEARCH AT UCONN DEPARTMENT OF PEDIATRICS

Shaylee King, MS, CCRP, Administrative Director of the Department of Pediatrics and her team at UConn Health manage academic budgets for the Department including in-residence faculty, tenured faculty support, components of the residency budget, discretionary accounts, and the UConn Health-based sponsored programs. The administrative team at UConn Health consists of Administrative Officer Laurie Papacs, MA, MBA and Administrative Program Assistant 2 Satophia Brown.

In 2024 there were many exciting developments in research labs and clinical trials for the UConn Department of Pediatrics.

Clinical Trials

Our Clinical Trials team, led by Nickolas Vernadakis, BS, CCRP, Clinical Trials Manager and supported by Study Coordinators Vi Nguyen, MPH and Julieta Bonvin-Sallago, MS, CCRP and Research Dietician Malaya Mount, MS, RD, CDN, have had another successful year. In 2024 the team completed all final visits for their Phase I/2 Trial (401GSDIA-02) with Rebecca Riba-Wolman, MD, as the Principal Investigator and Karen Loechner, MD, PhD, as Co-Principal Investigator. Subjects who participated in the clinical trial have transitioned to a Disease Monitoring Program where they will be followed for a total of 10 years post-infusion of DTX401. The team continued with their Phase III Trial (DTX401-CL301) sponsored by Ultragenyx Pharmaceuticals, Inc. This investigational AAV8 gene therapy was engineered to deliver stable expression and activity of glycose-6-phosphatase (G6Pase) using a single intravenous infusion.

The team continues to recruit for the first-in-humans Ba1ance Trial, sponsored by Moderna, with Dr. Loechner, MD, PhD, as Principal Investigator and Narinder Maheshwari, MD, MS, from UConn Health’s Department of Medicine as Co-Principal Investigator. The purpose of this trial is to use mRNA technology to instruct the body to make the protein that is missing in people with GSDIa. In this Phase I/2 trial the mRNA is administered as an intravenous infusion given at multiple time points.

Vi Nguyen is assisting the Department of Medicine at UConn Health on several clinical trials related to Pulmonary Fibrosis, Pulmonary Hypertension, Interstitial Lung Disease Secondary to Systemic Sclerosis, and Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia.

Glycogen Storage Disease Research Laboratory

Youngmok Lee, PhD, leads the Glycogen Storage Disease (GSD) Research Laboratory with support from graduate student Charles Arend, MS. In October 2024, the lab relocated from the University of Connecticut’s Cell and Genome Sciences building at 400 Farmington Avenue to newly renovated space on the second floor of the UConn Health Center. This move is expected to foster greater academic collaboration with the Department of Pediatrics. The lab is actively working to initiate a clinical trial for GSD-Ib patients using the gene therapy vector developed in-house. Additionally, through collaborations with international GSD experts, the team has developed a novel treatment to address neutropenia in GSD-Ib patients. Both advancements are expected to be published soon.

Spirochetal Research Laboratories

Justin D. Radolf, MD, and M. Anthony Moody, MD, (Duke Human Vaccine Institute) entered the second year of a five-year $3.1 million award from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) at the NIH to develop a vaccine for syphilis. The study team includes researchers from UConn School of Medicine, Connecticut Children’s, the Duke Human Vaccine Institute, the University of Pennsylvania, and the University of Arizona. Kelly L. Hawley, PhD, Melissa J. Caimano, PhD, and Juan C. Salazar, MD, MPH serve as co-investigators for this grant. The project centers on optimizing protein and mRNA based vaccinogens in preparation for a proper vaccine formulation.

Drs. Hawley and Caimano, entered the third year of a five-year $4.5 million dollar award from the Good Ventures Foundation for the formulation and assessment of a de novo designed, multivalent syphilis vaccine. Within this study they are exploring novel methods to engineer chimeric vaccinogens for the formulation of a highly protective syphilis vaccine.

Additionally, the Spirochetal Research Laboratories has engaged in a multicenter international project supported by the NIAID to develop a syphilis biorepository. Dr. Hawley, along with an international study team comprised of researchers, is focused on the collection of biological specimens from diverse anatomical sites from individuals with early syphilis. This biorepository of specimens will be made available to researchers for investigations related to syphilis diagnostics.

Dr. Caimano entered the second year of a two-year $476,000 award from the NIH to study the contribution of

c-di-GMP and PlzA to tick-and mammalian host-adaptation in Borrelia burgdorferi, the Lyme disease spirochete. Along with Jenny Hyde, PhD (Texas A&M University), Dr. Caimano received a one-year $175,000 award from the Global Lyme Alliance to study bacterial and host factors involve in persistence of B. burgdorferi in mammals. Drs. Caimano and Radolf received a two-year $476,000 award from the NIH to study the role of the alternative sigma factor RpoS for persistence of B. burgdorferi in ticks and mammals.

Lastly, a multicenter international project led by Dr. Salazar entered the final year of a four-year $4.8 million award from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) at the NIH, with an additional $281,000 awarded in special supplements. The project focuses the development of a tool that can easily diagnose children at high risk for Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C), a rare, severe, and sometimes fatal after-effect of SARS-CoV-2 infection. The study is a collaborative effort involving researchers from the UConn Health Center, UConn Storrs, the Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine, New York Department of Health, New York University, the University of Hawaii, the Food and Drug Administration, and Centro de Estudios en Infectología Pediátrica in Cali, Colombia. To target this discovery initiative, Dr. Salazar and his team, which includes Dr. Hawley, are using a battery of biological, immunological, and molecular tests to study children and young adults under 21 years of age with mild, moderate, or severe SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Pediatric Regenerative Medicine: Tissue Engineering

The Tissue Engineering Laboratory, led by Christine Finck, MD, and managed by Joanne Walker, MS, with assistance from graduate student Heather Wanczyk, MS, has been working on several projects in 2024.

Esophageal regeneration using tissue-engineered scaffolds

The team’s previous work demonstrated esophageal tissue growth in a piglet model of esophageal loss (4–5 cm gap) treated with an implanted synthetic scaffold seeded with stem cells, most commonly adiposederived mesenchymal stem cells (AD-MSCs). However, the mechanism by which this regeneration occurs in the esophagus and the cells responsible for the tissue regeneration have not been described. The lab is currently investigating the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition in wound healing, and is in the process of characterizing the secreted factors in AD-MSCs and esophageal epithelial

cells (EECs) alone or in response to stimulation with different concentrations of TGFB1 and EGF which are factors that help transition epithelial cells to mesenchymal (EMT). The data collected this year led Dr. Finck’s team to question how the process of regeneration occurs and how secreted factors from AD-MSCs help drive a more organized esophageal epithelialization and subsequent tissue regeneration. They are specifically trying to analyze whether this process be manipulated to advance epithelial and tissue regeneration. The mechanism behind ADMSC-derived secreted factors driving EMT has not been explored in esophageal tissue regeneration and this study will reveal novel interactions that may potentially lead to improved therapies and treatments for esophageal replacement.

Ongoing studies

Submissions/Presentations:

• Grant: NIH R01 re-submission July 5, 2024, The Role of Epithelial to Mesenchymal Transition in Esophageal Tissue Regeneration 1R01DK138916-01

• Abstract APSA 2025 Meeting: The Role of Epithelialto-Mesenchymal Transition (EMT) in Esophageal Tissue Regeneration.

Testing a novel 4-in-1 medical device in a pediatric model of esophageal surgery

We have developed a 4-in-1 medical device that contains conduits for feeding, drug delivery, and balloon dilation. This all-in-one device is a feeding tube and balloon dilator which can dilate strictures at the bedside as needed. Our study demonstrates device compatibility with gastric and salivary fluids and functionality and general tolerability in a rabbit model. The 4-in-1 device was tested in gastric and salivary fluids and phosphate buffered saline (control) for seven weeks, with balloon dilation tests at one and seven weeks. In a cadaver rabbit, the device was tested by dilating against a rubber band (stricture simulation). We aim to demonstrate feasibility of a multi-functional nasogastric tube that can perform four functions without the need for anesthesia: nutrition delivery, on demand balloon dilation at the bedside, drug delivery at the site of the stricture, and esophageal effluent aspiration. Feasibility testing has demonstrated device integrity and tolerability in vivo in a rabbit pilot study. Our goal is to demonstrate reproducible device functionality and long-term use in vivo in a validated rabbit model of benign esophageal stricture. We have intellectual property in this device under the name Esophadex. An NIH STTR grant has been submitted to support further development.

Ongoing studies

Submissions/Presentations:

• Intellectual Property: United States Patent 11,801,204 entitled Nasogastric Device and Method, issued on October 31, 2023, with named inventors: Christine Finck, md (Connecticut Children’s), Todd Jensen (UCHC), Liisa Kuhn, PhD (UCHC) and Kelly Burke, PhD (UConn).

• International Application Serial No. PCT/ US2019/021589 was filed by UConn Health on March 11, 2019, published on September 12, 2019, and claims priority to U.S.

• Provisional Application Serial No. 62/640,796 filed March 9, 2018. It received Notice of Allowance on August 3, 2023.

• Second provisional application was filed on 6/9/23 NASOGASTRIC DEVICE AND USES THEREOF with additional claims for drug delivery. The company has the option to license and is in negotiations with UConn Health.

Grants:

• NIH STTR Application # 11 DK139859-01 –“Multifunctional esophageal device that reduces need for surgical procedures in babies”. Resubmission January 5th 2025

• Medtronic (2025-2026 Medtronic Surgical Technology Research Grant Abstract Proposal) –Submitted September 4th 2024

• FORGE (Connecticut Product Development Funding Program) – LOI submitted October 2nd 2024

• UConn SPARK – LOI submitted October 28th 2024

Clinical development of a novel tracheal sealant

In collaboration with Daniel J. Weiss MD, PhD from the University of Vermont State and Agricultural College, the goal of this study is to develop a pleural and tracheal sealant that will have optimized mechanical and biological properties combined with low cost, ease-of-use, appropriate storage, and other logistical considerations. Our focus in 2024 was to continue analyzing data from tracheal samples that have been collected. To date, we have received tracheal samples from 67 animals in the patch group (10%, 25% and 50% defect, and 1, 2 and 3 rings) and 33 control animals (10% and 50% defect, and

1, 2 and 3 rings). All completed animals with patches have demonstrated intact seal and normal histology with minimal inflammatory cell infiltrate, while suture controls have also demonstrated intact seal but disorganized closure of tissue. Further histologic, immunohistology, and toxicologic evaluations are ongoing.

Ongoing research

Grants:

• Abstract Presentation May 2024 – Pediatric Academic Societies, Toronto, ON – Pre-clinical validation of a novel alginate-based sealant for rapid treatment of tracheal injuries.

• Submitted with UVM May 2023- Department of Defense (DOD) Award Funding Opportunity Number: HT9425-23-PRMRP-TTDA Continued Clinical Development of a Novel Pleural and Tracheal Sealant. Funded October 2024

Exploring the cytokine profile in adolescents pre- and post-laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy for severe obesity

The goal of this research project is to understand the role of obesity pre- and post-bariatric surgery. This year we have been able to obtain patient specific data from a cohort of non-obese (control) and obese patients to investigate the implications of obesity.

Data is continuously being collected to build a database of information from an at-risk population. Recruitment, screening, and enrollment of patients for adipose tissue (visceral and subcutaneous) collection has been ongoing for the last year. For each sample collected, tissue digestion utilizing aseptic techniques, isolation of adipose derived mesenchymal stem cells (ADMSCs), and passaging of cells for further characterization techniques (flow cytometry, RNA isolation and ELISA) have been performed. This project has developed a lab environment that supports the growth and development of surgical residents and junior faculty interested in bariatric research. We completed a pilot study comparing the circulating levels of growth hormone, adipokines, and inflammatory markers in adolescents with obesity to assess the impact of bariatric surgery. Blood samples were collected from three participants (mean age of 18.3 years and a BMI of 49.5 kg/m²) before laparoscopic sleeve gastrotomy and 12 months post-surgery. A comprehensive analysis of 62 obesity-associated markers was conducted on collected plasma using a semi-quantitative obesity array and ELISA.

Ongoing

research

Submissions/Presentations:

• Abstract APSA 2025 Meeting: “Exploring the cytokine profile in adolescents pre- and post-laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy for severe obesity: A Pilot Study.”

Investigating novel approaches to lung tissue engineering

The overall goal of this project is to bioengineer functional biomimetic airways for treatment of neonatal and pediatric respiratory conditions.

Mechanical optimization of human decellularized extracellular matrix (dECM) 3D bioprinted airway structures. The goal is to produce airways of comparable dimensions and physical characteristics to those of native large and medium sized airways. We were able to demonstrate the feasibility of printing a simplified airway structure using the FRESH support bath. We then printed a pediatric-sized airway using this approach. Constructs were printed at high resolution and held their shape following the post-processing period. However, it was difficult to completely remove the slurry bath support material. This step will need to be optimized in further studies. Optimization of cell viability and phenotype in 3D bioprinted dECM airway structures. Effects of dECM hydrogels on growth, differentiation, and function of both differentiated as well as stem/progenitor airway epithelial cells will be further delineated. This year we have optimized protocols for cell differentiation of iPSCs to distal and airway epithelial phenotypes, and have demonstrated viability, growth, and differentiation of anterior foregut endoderm cells in decellularized human lung matrix.

Ongoing research

Submissions/Presentations:

• Abstract Presentation May 2024 – Pediatric Academic Societies, Toronto, ON –“Human Lung Bioinks Embedded with Induced Basal Stem Cells can be used to 3D BioprintPediatric-Sized Airways”.

• Abstract Presentation June 2024- TERMIS, Seattle, WA- “Human Airway-derived Bioinks Embedded with Airway Epithelial Stem Cells can be used to 3D Bioprint Pediatric-Sized Airways”.

• Manuscript submission pending- “Human airway organoids as a tool to decipher the influence of airwayderived extracellular matrix on basal epithelial stem cell

renewal, differentiation, and growth”. Plan to submit to “Biomaterials” journal.

Development of a functional tissue engineered implant to treat gastrointestinal motility disorders/defects

The overall goal of our project is to bioengineer a 3D printed dioxaprene-based scaffold wrapped with decellularized pig esophagus (3DE) and seeded with subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT)-derived neural progenitors and adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (AD-MSCs) differentiated to myocytes.

We have been able to decellularize pig esophagus, physically separate the musculature from the submucosalmucosal layers, and then individually seed each layer with the appropriate cell type. Additionally, we have successfully processed decellularized esophagus into a “bioink” that can be used for 3D bioprinting. Decellularized esophagus is an optimal substrate as it is immunologically inert and contains functional proteins, instructive cues, neurotrophic factors and structural layers important for growth and differentiation of seeded cells. AD-MSCs promote re-epithelialization of esophageal tissue in vivo and can be differentiated to smooth muscle cells in vitro. SAT-derived NPs have excellent neurogenic properties, can successfully integrate and align into circular and longitudinal muscle layers of the GI tract, and rescue motility deficits when transplanted into mice with gastroparesis and Hirschsprung’s disease.

Ongoing research

Submissions/Presentations:

• Grant: NIH Opportunity Number: PA-20-185GRANT14008354 – Submitted October 5th 2024

“Development of a functional tissue engineered impact to treat gastrointestinal motility disorders.”

Pediatric Regenerative Medicine: Rowe Laboratory

The Rowe Laboratory, led by Courtney Rowe, MD, continues to explore novel methods to improve surgical outcomes through a number of projects.

Bladder Confetti to Treat Bladder Disease

Drugs for the bladder are typically taken systemically with significant side effects. We have designed and filed a provisional patent for bladder “confetti”: small biodegradable films with one side designed to attach to the surface of the bladder and the other side designed to release drugs directly within the bladder to treat bladder diseases without side effects.

Submissions/Presentations:

• Grant funding: Dr. Rowe received a DOD Discovery Award for 270k over 2 years to investigate bladder “confetti” to treat interstitial cystitis from within the bladder. She serves as Co-PI on this work.

• Entrepreneurship: Dr. Rowe and her UConn collaborator Kelly Burke, MD, filed a provisional patent for bladder “confetti.”

Biodegradable, Implantable Pain Film

Current postoperative pain control strategies leave children and adults with uncontrolled pain. We have designed and patented an implantable pain film that will provide non-addictive local anesthetic to the surgical site for seven days.

Submissions/Presentations:

• Entrepreneurship: The Rowe Laboratory completed the 6-month Accelerator for Biosciences in CT (ABCT.) This competitive program provided entrepreneurial education in finding grant funding and strengthening future investment opportunities. It culminated in a “pitch day” held in Manhattan, where Dr. Rowe and Dr. Burke gave a practice pitch to possible investor for a potential company called “Pallivex” that would develop implantable, biodegradable films to eliminate pain after surgery.

• Grant submission: An R18 grant was submitted in 2024 in collaboration with UConn Storrs and is awaiting feedback.

A Novel Stent to Transform Urethral Healing

The urethra is the only pathway for urine to exit the body. We have designed and patented a novel urethral stent that releases growth factor to the urethra to improve healing after injury or surgery. This work is supported by a Connecticut Children’s Connections Grant.

Submissions/Presentations:

• Poster and Podium presentation: A 3D explant model of urethral healing was developed by the Rowe laboratory and presented at the annual Connecticut Children’s Research Institute Symposium, winning Best Abstract for Basic and Translational Research, and Best Poster.

• Grant submission: A K08 Mentored Scientist grant was resubmitted for 2024 after helpful feedback from reviewers and the grant program officer.

Molecular Fetal Therapy Laboratory

Timothy Crombleholme, MD, Sanjukta Majumder, PhD, and Kristen Moriarty, MD, are investigating the molecular mechanisms of endothelial dysfunction leading to placental insufficiency and subsequent fetal growth restriction (FGR).

Delineating the role of NF-kB pathway in normal placental microvascular development

Prior to Dr. Crombleholme joining the UConn faculty, previous work in the Crombleholme Laboratory suggested an important role for NF-kB in the normal function of placental and fetal pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells. In the murine model of mesenteric uterine artery ligation of placental insufficiency there is evidence of endothelial cell dysfunction and unbiased gene array has linked this to downregulation of the constituents of the NF-kB pathway. This endothelial cell dysfunction can be rescued both, in vitro and in vivo, with IGF-1. The critical step in the NF-kB pathway appears to be the IKK-B and that in the normally functioning placenta the NFkB pathway drives the expression of angiogenic genes allowing the placental microvasculature to keep up with the expanding placental demands during development. We are exploring the role of the IGFR-PI3 kinase pathway and the mTOR pathway in activating IKK-B to drive angiogenesis.

Examining the role of NF-kB pathway in placental microvascular dysfunction in murine model of placental insufficiency

Previous work in the Crombleholme Laboratory established the murine mesenteric uterine artery ligation (MUAL) model as a reliable and reproducible model of placental insufficiency. This model replicated the <10th percentile in fetal weight Doppler abnormalities in the umbilical artery and placental gene expression seen in human placental insufficiency. We have demonstrated that the placental microvascular endothelial cells have dysfunction characterized in vitro as lacking proliferative potential and ability to form tubes. This endothelial cell dysfunction in vitro can be corrected by IGF-1. In vivo, the placental insufficiency can be corrected by a single intraplacental injection of Ad-IGF-1 which corrects fetal growth and prevents the development of obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease when these animals are grown to adulthood.

In the hyperthermic sheep model of placental insufficiency, the deficiency in IGF-1 results in pulmonary

microvascular endothelial cell dysfunction which results in an angiogenic defect and alveolar simplification. The pulmonary vascular endothelial cells in vitro also have a defect in proliferation and tube formation which can be corrected by IGF-1.

Comparison of microvascular density in villi of placentas from normal and growth restricted pregnancies

We are currently working to isolate and culture placental microvascular endothelial cells to identify the differences in gene expression profiles between FGR and control placentas utilizing single-cell RNA sequencing analysis. We also plan to determine whether the endothelial cells from FGR placenta have evidence of endothelial cell dysfunction characterized by defects in tube formation and proliferation compared to controls. These cells will also be examined for evidence of dysregulation in NF-kB activation and their response to IGF-1. This in-vitro model will be validated in vivo utilizing an endothelial cell-specific inducible IKK-B knockout mouse model recognized for exhibiting an FGR phenotype.

Fetal gene transfer of IGF-1 using AAV vector in mesenteric uterine artery ligation model in mice

We have previously demonstrated that adenoviral mediated gene transfer of IGF-1 can correct fetal growth restriction in the MUAL mouse model. The adenovirus is quite antigenic and elicits a significant inflammatory response. It is also rapidly cleared, and is not ideal for translation to larger animal models of longer gestation nor to application in human clinical trials. We are therefore testing the use of placenta targeted, codon optimized AAV initially in the MUAL mouse model to confirm its efficacy before moving on to larger animal models.

Fetal gene transfer of glucose-6-phosphatase-a using a AAV vector in murine models of glycogen storage type Ia and Ib knock out mice

In collaboration with Youngmok Lee, PhD, who developed the AAV-based gene therapy for the GSD knock out mice, we will apply this treatment in utero to restore glucose homeostasis in the newborn mice. The initial studies will be in the GSD-Ia model that will replicate the neonatal gene transfer experiments. Then we will apply this approach to the GSD-Ib model which is more severe and the newborn mice usually die before they can be treated with the AAV-G6Pace-a).

Study the response to IGF-1 placental gene transfer in the BPH/5 mouse model of pre-eclampsia

We hypothesize that the pathophysiology of the early onset preeclampsia/FGR phenotype shares a common cellular pathway through deficiency of IGF-1, causing dysfunctional microvascular placental endothelial cells necessary for proper maternal-fetal oxygen exchange. As our previous research showed correction of FGR via a single intra-placental injection of Ad-IGF-1, we aim to similarly inject this Ad-IGF-1 in the BPH5 mouse, a multiply cross bred obese mouse line prone to hypertension in gestation, with and without mesenteric uterine artery branch ligation. We will test whether placental gene transfer of IGF-1 can prevent the development of early onset preeclampsia/FGR.

GRANT SUBMISSIONS

NIH-R21 (2024): 1R21HD117140-01, PI: Majumder S: Molecular Mechanisms of IGF-1/NF-kB Signaling in Placental Endothelial Cells: Implications in Fetal Growth Restriction

CCRI Foundations grant (2024), PI: Majumder S: Identification of the molecular mechanisms of IGF-1 signaling in endothelial cells and its implications in fetal growth restriction

UCONN Crisp Grant (2024): CRISP-0000000097, PI: Majumder S, Molecular Mechanisms of IGF-1/NF-kB Signaling in Placental Endothelial Cells: Implications in Fetal Growth Restriction.

Burroughs-Wellcome Trust Next Gen Pregnancy Initiative (2024), PI: Crombleholme TM: NF-kB mediated endothelial cell dysfunction in placental insufficiency: Correction by IGF-1 placental gene transfer

Preeclampsia Foundation Vision Grant (2024), PI: Moriarty K: Understanding the pathophysiology for preeclampsia and IUGR: Intra-placental gene therapy with Ad-IGF-1 in BPH/5 mice with mesenteric uterine artery ligation

March of Dimes Discovery Research Grant (2024): Crombleholme TM: Endothelial cell dysfunction in placental insufficiency: Correction by IGF-1 placental gene transfer

PUBLICATIONS

Majumder S, Moriarty KL, Lee Y, Crombleholme TM. Placental Gene Therapy for Fetal Growth Restriction

and Preeclampsia: Preclinical Studies and Prospects for Clinical Application. J Clin Med. 2024 Sep 23;13(18):5647. doi: 10.3390/jcm13185647. PMID: 39337133; PMCID: PMC11432969.

Regenerative Medicine for Neonatal Lung Diseases

Hala Saneh, MD and Abigail Collins, BS continue to investigate novel acellular therapies for neonatal lung diseases focusing on stem cell-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs) for the management of premature lung disease.

Optimizing

the isolation and characterization of MSCand iPSC-derived EVs

This work aims to standardize techniques for the isolation and characterization of stem cell-derived EVs and improve reproducibility. The cell sources currently being used are bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) and human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs). EVs are isolated by ultrafiltration and size-exclusion chromatography.

Characterization techniques include transmission electron microscopy (TEM), imaging flow cytometry (IFC), and nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA) in collaboration with the Weiss Lab at UVM. Proteomic and genomic studies are being performed with the help of core services at UConn Health and UConn Storrs. To assess the in vitro angiogenic potency of these EVs, a tube formation assay is performed. Next steps will aim to investigate the direct effects of stem cell-derived EVs on several angiogenic pathways and to enhance their angiogenic potential through parental cell conditioning (hypoxic culture environment) or reprogramming techniques.

Developing

a preclinical model of premature lung disease

Our preliminary data demonstrated a promising role of iPSC-derived EVs in repairing hyperoxia-induced injury in preterm lung tissue. This previous work was performed on a fetal murine lung explant model.

This year, we started developing an in vivo disease model capable of recapitulating the pathophysiology and the natural course of lung disease of prematurity. It is a dualhit model combining prenatal and postnatal injuries. Maternal inflammation is triggered by exposing pregnant rats to lipopolysaccharide on embryonic day 19. Rat pups are then exposed to 75% O2 levels for 14 days after birth. Lung structure, transcriptome, and function are then

assessed at one month of life. Assessments include an evaluation of both parenchyma and vasculature in the lung model. This project is ongoing. The ultimate goal is to evaluate the therapeutic effects of intra-tracheal administration of stem cell-derived EVs to the disease model. This project might pave the way for novel stemcell free approach to improve the quality of life of surviving preemies, and ultimately reduce the global burden of bronchopulmonary dysplasia and its associated pulmonary hypertension.

PUBLICATIONS

Saneh H, Wanczyk H, Walker J, Finck C. (2024). Stem cellderived extracellular vesicles: a potential intervention for Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia. Pediatric research, 10.1038/ s41390-024-03471-2. Advance online publication. https:// doi.org/10.1038/s41390-024-03471-2

Saneh H, Wanczyk H, Walker J. et al. Effectiveness of extracellular vesicles derived from hiPSCs in repairing hyperoxia-induced injury in a fetal murine lung explant model. Stem Cell Res Ther 15, 80 (2024). https://doi. org/10.1186/s13287-024-03687-3

AWARDED GRANTS

• Connecticut Children’s Connection award by the Connecticut Children’s Foundation.

Other grant applications:

• Application to Parent R21 PA-20-195: not awarded, plan to re-submit in February 2025

• Application to R21 RFA-TR-24-023: not awarded, plan to re-submit in June 2025

Abstracts and presentations:

• Platform presentation: Extracellular Vesicles: A New Frontier in Neonatal Lung Regeneration and Repair. CCRI, November 2024

• Abstract submission to PAS 2025: Harnessing the Regenerative and Angiogenic Potential of Stem CellDerived EVs: Therapeutic Application in a Preclinical Model of Premature Lung Disease

• Abstract submission to ISEV 2025: Harnessing the Angiogenic Potential of Stem Cell-Derived EVs: Therapeutic Application in a Preclinical Model of Neonatal Pulmonary Vascular Disease

RARE BONE DISORDERS, MUSCULOSKELETAL BIOLOGY, AND ENDOCRINE/METABOLIC DYSFUNCTION

Emily Germain-Lee, MD’s translational research program is focused on the molecular, cellular, and physiological mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of diseases affecting the endocrine and musculoskeletal systems with a particular focus on rare bone disorders. With the assistance of Qingfen Yang, MA and Benjamin Hoffman, BS, her overarching goal is to develop new therapies and improve the health and quality of life for children and adults with these disorders. Through this work, she has built an extensive clinical and basic science research program that has provided insights into rare bone disorders and shed light on fundamental signaling pathways and processes involving the musculoskeletal system, with implications for more common diseases affecting bone and metabolism. During this past year, Dr. Germain-Lee has furthered her work in several areas.

Her group has continued investigations of the pathophysiology of Albright hereditary osteodystrophy, a rare bone condition caused by heterozygous inactivating mutations in GNAS, a gene that encodes a key signaling component utilized by many G proteincoupled hormones. A major focus of her laboratory’s research during the past year has been to continue their investigations of the role of GNAS in regulating overall bone homeostasis, including the mechanisms underlying the development of heterotopic subcutaneous ossifications caused by loss of GNAS function as well as the aberrant bone regulation that contributes to craniofacial abnormalities occurring in Albright hereditary osteodystrophy.

Dr. Germain-Lee and her collaborators are examining the role of the myostatin/activin A signaling pathway in regulating both muscle and bone. In recent studies, they have shown that targeting key receptors for myostatin and activin A can led to dramatic increases in both muscle and bone mass. They are pursuing strategies to target this signaling pathway for applications in bone, muscle, and metabolic disorders. Dr. Germain-Lee is currently one of two Principal Investigators on an NIH R01 grant to continue work examining this pathway in bone. She is also Co-investigator on two new grants (an NIH R01 grant and an industry-sponsored research agreement) to investigate the role of this signaling pathway in regulating adiposity.

Dr. Germain-Lee is one of two Principal Investigators on an NIH R21 grant investigating extragonadal functions of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), specifically in regulating

bone density and adiposity. Given that FSH secretion is regulated by activin A and that FSH utilizes G proteincoupled signaling, this project directly relates to many of Dr. Germain-Lee’s other projects investigating signaling pathways affected in Albright hereditary osteodystrophy. The goal of this project is to develop the best strategies to target FSH signaling to treat osteoporosis and/or metabolic dysfunction, including diabetes and obesity.

Finally, Dr. Germain-Lee and collaborators have been investigating the role of myostatin, activin A, and related signaling molecules in regulating metabolism, with the goal of developing new strategies to enhance the ability of the pancreas to produce insulin as well as to improve the responsiveness of peripheral tissues to insulin. The overall goal of this research is to develop novel therapeutic approaches to diabetes.

NEONATAL RESEARCH

Adam Matson, MD, MSc, is conducting basic-translational research on the neonatal gut microbiome with the assistance of post-doctoral fellow Katrin Unterhauser, PhD, neonatology fellow Surabhi Khasgiwala, MBBS, and research assistant Rezaul Karim, PhD. His work is focused on elucidating the pathogenic potential of Klebsiella species in the gut lumen as inciting agents of necrotizing enterocolitis, a devastating intestinal inflammatory disease of premature infants. Dr. Matson is also conducting studies to identify gut microbial populations that impact neonatal growth and neurodevelopmental outcomes and utilizing novel long-read genomic sequencing approaches to identify and track bacterial strains in the hospital setting. In a collaborative study between Connecticut Children’s and the Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine, Dr. Matson is helping to lead an initiative exploring the diagnostic capability of long-read whole genome sequencing in the undiagnosed neonatal and pediatric population.

OFFICE OF SPONSORED PROGRAM (OSP)

The Office for Sponsored Programs (OSP) supports the research community at Connecticut Children’s by facilitating the preparation, submission, and management of extramural funding. Our services include pre-award, post-award, contract management, and clinical research finance. We are dedicated to providing outstanding customer service in an environment that embraces teamwork, integrity, and compliance. OSP strives to help Connecticut Children’s become a top-tier institution by leveraging technology to provide best in-class research administration.

In 2024 OSP managed over $30 million in external funding and experienced continued success with NIH prime funding for a K08 award, a challenging and coveted mechanism to obtain. OSP supported various types of grant submissions this year and continued our fruitful partnership with Connecticut Children’s grant writing team. We have streamlined processes to enhance the support for Clinical Research Finance and ensure that each study receives appropriate funding for services rendered. Our Contract Management services continued to enhance institutional grant support by developing new processes and providing dedicated staff to navigate an increasing number of complex submissions.

OSP spent the first half of 2024 preparing data that was migrated into the new ERP system. We spent the last half of the year learning, trouble shooting, and partnering with external consultants to keep the day-to-day operations of OSP moving seamlessly during the system transition. OSP is eager to continue working on process improvements that provide top-notch customer service and better support the faculty and staff we serve.

STAFF

OSP TEAM:

Kimberly Davey, MBA, Director, Office for Sponsored Programs and Research Finance

Kathy Lawrence, Administrative Project Coordinator

Pre-Award

Alixandra Borgert, MBA, MRA, CRA, PMP, Senior Manager Research Institute & Center for Innovation

Gena Dixon, MS, CRA, Senior Pre-Award Specialist

Contracts

James Gallagher, Esq., Associate General Council

Nicole White, MBA, Senior Contracts Specialist

Clinical Research Finance

Aubree Siebert, MS, Lead Clinical Research Finance Specialist

Karen Long, BS, Senior Clinical Revenue Specialist

Post Award

Neal Breen, MBA, Senior Manager Post Award and Research Finance

Marlene Tzickas, Lead Post-Award Specialist

Evana Nasse, BS, CPhT, Senior Post- Award Specialist

Suzanne Setterberg, BS, CPA, Senior Post-Award Specialist

Jacqueline Murray, MS, Senior Post-Award Specialist

GRANTS

Crepeau

Allison MatthewsWilson

Allison MatthewsWilson

Amy Watkins Watch For Me CT 2022-23

Amy

Amy

Amy Watkins Northern CT Child Passenger Safety 2023-24

Amy Watkins Watch For Me CT 2023-24

Amy Watkins Western CT Child Passenger Safety 2023-24

Amy Watkins Where's Baby? 202324

Amy Watkins Baby Safety Shower Program

Amy

Milanese Birth to Three Program 2023-26

Golioto

Dodeja

Bridgett Feagin

Principal Investigator

David Krol

David Krol

David Krol CCMC Pediatrician Training

Deanna Hill SAFE PREP

Donna Boruchov

Donna Boruchov

Donna Boruchov

Donna Boruchov

Donna Boruchov

Hollenbach

Joanna

Juan Salazar Ryan White A 2023-24 HRSA

Juan Salazar Ryan White B

Juan

Juan

Juan Salazar Ryan White D 202223

Juan Salazar Youth Recovery 202223 Wheeler

Juan Salazar The PreVAIL-KIds Common Protocol

Juan Salazar Youth Recovery 202324 CT / Dept of Children & Families

Juan Salazar HIV Testing and Harm Reduction CT / Dept of Public Health

Juan Salazar Ryan White A 2024-25 HRSA

Juan Salazar Duke University U01

Juan Salazar Global Syphylis Vaccine - Clinical

Juan Salazar Global Syphylis VaccineImmunology

Juan Salazar

Juan Salazar Ryan White D 202324

Karan

Karen Loechner

Karen Loechner

Karen Loechner Mesenchymal Stromal Cells

Karen Loechner

Karen Loechner

Karen Rubin Long-Term Follow-Up for SCID

Karen Rubin Connecticut Newborn Screening

Karen Rubin Connecticut Newborn Screening/ Propel

Hawley

/ NIAID

/ NIAID

/ NIAID

Kevin

Kevin

Kevin Borrup CGVIP Federal SID 28158-181148

Kevin Borrup CGVIP Federal SID 28160-179749

Kevin Borrup CGVIP State SID 12645-179751

Kevin Borrup Gun Violence Intervention Federal 2023-26 (A)

Kevin Borrup Gun Violence Intervention Federal 2023-26 (B)

Kimberly Martini-Carvell

Kimberly Martini-Carvell

Kimberly Martini-Carvell

Martini-Carvell

Martini-Carvell

Martini-Carvell

Martini-Carvell

Kimberly Martini-Carvell

Kimberly Martini-Carvell

Kimberly Martini-Carvell

Kimberly Martini-Carvell

Kimberly Martini-Carvell

Kimberly Martini-Carvell

Kimberly Martini-Carvell

Martini-Carvell

Laura

Laura

Laura McKay NN7415-4807

Laura

Villegas Young Investigator Grant

Leslie Wolkoff IBT-9414 Probiotic Study

Louisa Kalsner Whole Exome / Genome

Pimentel

Mariana Flores Pimentel

Mariann Kelley

Nancy Trout DPH Breastfeeding Project CT / Dept of Public Health

Frederick

Frederick

Nina Livingston ARPA - SA Services 2023-24

Nina Livingston Child Abuse Centers of Excellence 202324 (D)

Nina Livingston Child Abuse Centers of

202324 (E)

Nina Livingston Child Abuse Centers of Excellence 202324 (F)

Nina Livingston

16064

2023-24 SID 16135

Nina Livingston ARPA - SA Services 2023-24

Wolman

Wolman

Wolman

Rebecca RibaWolman

Shabnam Lainwala

Timothy Crombleholme

William Zempsky

William Zempsky

William Zempsky

William Zempsky

William Zempsky