Department: Pediatrics

My interest is in the care and evaluation of newborns. In particular, I have been focusing on improving the educational experience for our residents and students in the nursery regarding the examination and management of term or near-term infants.

I am interested in the prevention and management of infectious complication in pediatric oncology patients. I am currently conducting a retrospective chart review of voriconazole vs. fluconazole for the prevention of invasive fungal disease after allogeneic stem cell transplant. I am also interested in developing a protocol for the management of low risk patients with fever and neutropenia.

Hematopoietic Stem cell biology-created a SCID mouse model to study engraftment of cord blood derived hematopoietic cells and use of this model to develop gene transfer technology for Fanconi anemia.Clinical research interests are to develop new protocols to reduce toxicity from high doses of chemotherapy and radiation therapy and development of a comprehensive late effects clinic for the long term follow up of transplant patients.

Gene linkage - tuberous sclerosis; stabismus and, molteno implants; congenital stationary night blindness

Dialysis, kidney transplantation, continuous renal replacement therapy in pediatric patients; chronic kidney disease in pediatric patients.

The overall objective of the Alvira Laboratory is to elucidate the mechanisms that promote postnatal lung development and repair, by focusing on three main scientific goals: (i) identification of the signaling pathways that direct the transition between the saccular and alveolar stages of lung development; (ii) exploration of the interplay between postnatal vascular and alveolar development; and (iii) determination of developmentally regulated pathways that mediate lung repair after injury.

My laboratory studies the strategies pathogens utilize to colonize and subvert the epithelial barrier. We have focused on the epithelial junctions as a target for bacterial pathogens, since the cell-cell junctions serve as both a barrier to infection and also a major control site for epithelial function. In particular, we are interested in how the gastric pathogen Helicobater pylori may cause cancer by interfering with cell signaling at the epithelial junctions. We are also studying how variou..

At-risk and high-risk youth; smoking cessation and prevention; eating disorders

Bone marrow transplantation (BMT) is a treatment modality which is being broadly applied to a growing number of disorders. Increasing success with BMT is offering improved survival to pediatric and adult patients with acute leukemia, chronic leukemia, lymphomas, and a variety of solid tumors as well as severe aplastic anemia.

Research interests include high-risk youth, adolescent health services, and the juvenile justice system.

The Developmental Physiology and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Research Laboratory for Clinical Investigation was closed in 2008 when I became Emeritus Professor. My current focus is on improving maternal and infant health in resource limited environments. I became a Master Trainer in the American Academy of Pediatrics "Help Babies Breathe" program designed to bring knowledge and skills to community and medical birth attendants in resource limited countries.

Our laboratory investigates the pathogenesis of varicella zoster virus (VZV) infection, focusing on the functional roles of particular viral gene products in pathogenesis and virus-cell interactions in differentiated human cells in humans and in Scid-hu mouse models of VZV cell tropisms in vivo, and the immunobiology of VZV infections.

Diagnosis and treatment of acute kidney injury (AKI) in children with cardiac disease, especially after surgical repair with cardiopulmonary bypass. Currently studying prophylactic aminophylline use in children who undergo surgery with bypass; the "KID PRO-AM" (KIDney PROtection with AMinophyllline) study.

From a very early stage in my career, I saw the influence social, economic, and environmental factors had on health. I also realized early on that these factors disproportionately affected lower income families resulting in poor health outcomes, and this was something I wanted to change. I'm particularly interested in informing policy to create and support healthy environments.

Research Associate

Prevention of osteoporosis begins in childhood and adolescence by measures that maximize acquistion of bone mineral during the critical adolescent years. Body mass, calcium nutriture, physical activity, growth and sex steroid hormones, and genetic factors are all thought to be important determinants of bone mass although the relative contribution of each remains controversial.

Pediatric systemic lupus erythematosus; Autoimmune disease; Proteomics and autoantigen microarray technology

Our laboratory is interested in the pathophysiology, immunology, and epidemiology of viral gastroenteritis.

Neonatology, patent ductus arteriosus, pulmonary hypertension of the newborn, infant ventilation, neonatal clinical protocols/clinical pathways.

My research has involved the use of new technologies to create different types of patient-doctor transactions. I am also interested in how these new transactions impact clinical care processes. Current work includes the evaluation of a patient portal for children with cystic fibrosis, the use of telemedicine to bring asthma experts into the schools and the attitudes of teens and parents about the use of a secure patient portal for teens.

I am interested in the genetics of autism spectrum and other developmental disorders. In collaboration with the laboratories of Dr. Ricardo Dolmetsch and Joachim Hallmayer I am working to develop induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) models of genetic disorders associated with autism and developmental disability.

1. Role of the G protein coupled receptors in regulating mitochondrial structure and function. 2. Differences between R and L ventricular responses to stress, including gene expression and miR regulation. 3. Using iPSC-derived myocytes to understand heart failure and congenital heart disease. 4. Tools for evaluation of cardiac physiology in transgenic mice and isolated cardiomyocytes. 5. Anti-body mediated rejection. 6. Biomarkers for post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder.

Gastroenterology, gastointestinal motility, clinical management of pediatric liver transplant recipients.

Neonatology; newborn jaundice, bilirubin biology and kernicterus prevention; pulmonary physiology, pulmonary functions and neonatal ventilation.

Our research focuses on the pathogenesis and treatment of acute and chronic neonatal lung injury and the mechanisms that regulate lung fluid balance and alveolar & pulmonary vascular development after premature birth.