2023 Department of Pediatrics Academic Annual Report

Pediatric General Surgery

PEDIATRIC FACULTY

Dr. Mike Chen............Director | Surgeon-in-Chief | Professor Dr. Scott Anderson..........................................Associate Professor Dr. Elizabeth Beierle...........................................................Professor Dr. Vincent Mortellaro....................................Associate Professor Dr. Chinwendu Onwubiko..............................Assistant Professor Dr. Robert Russell...............................................................Professor Dr. Eric Sparks....................................................Assistant Professor Dr. Laura Stafman..............................................Assistant Professor

FEATURED RESEARCH

SOLID TUMOR Elizabeth Beierle, M.D., continues her research efforts focused on novel treatment strategies for pediatric solid tumors and utilizing patient-derived xenograft models of pediatric solid tumors to study these innovative therapies. This year, her lab group has published important research describing novel compounds that activate tumor suppressors in hepatoblastoma and neuroblastoma. They continue to investigate new and improved models to study pediatric solid tumors and are utilizing three-dimensional printing to create these designs. Laura Stafman, M.D., Ph.D., has established a laboratory focusing on the study of lipid metabolism in pediatric solid tumors with a focus on neuroblastoma. She has joined the cancer metabolism group at the University of Alabama at Birmingham for a collaborative effort. COAGULOPATHY FOLLOWING TRAUMA Rob Russell, M.D., MPH, continues his investigation of coagulopathy following trauma. He continues translational research evaluating animal models of traumatic brain injury (TBI) and secondary organ injury from specific released factors secondary to TBI. This past year, he has led efforts for the dissemination and implementation of the consensus conference recommendations for resuscitation strategies in pediatric traumatic hemorrhagic shock. He has presented at the American Pediatric Surgical Association, the Pediatric Trauma Society, the Association for the Advancement of Blood & Biotherapeutics (AABB) and the Society of Critical Care Medicine in an effort to increase awareness of these recommendations. In addition, he was invited to author a review for the Journal of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery titled, “Damage Control Resuscitation in Pediatric Trauma: What You Need to Know.” J Surg Educ. 2023 Jan; 80(1): 62-71. The first two years of the Association of Pediatric Surgery Training Program Directors (APSTPD) transition to fellowship course: lessons learned and future directions. Krishnaswami S, Polites SF, Dekany G, Gaines BA, Nwomeh BC, Huang EY, Finck CM, Lopushinsky SR, Puligandla PS, Feliz A, Mak GZ, Anderson SA, Fairbanks T, Alaish SM. Int J Bioprinting. 2023; 9(4): 723 eCollection. Using 3D bioprinted models to study pediatric neural crest-derived tumors. Quinn CH, Beierle AM, Julson JR, Erwin ME, Alrefai H, Markert HR, Stewart JE, Hutchins SC, Bownes LV, Aye JM, Mroczek-Musulman E, Hicks PH, Yoon KJ, Willey CH, Beierle EA. J Pediatr Surg. 2023; S0022-3468(23) 00138-0. Inhibition of PIM kinases promotes neuroblastoma cell differentiation to a neuronal phenotype. Julson JR, Quinn CH, Bownes LV, Hutchins SC, Stewart JE, Aye J, Yoon LJ, Beierle EA. J Pediatr Surg. 2023; S20022-3468(23)00137-9. Online ahead of print. The effects of protein phosphatase 2A activation with novel tricyclic sulfonamides on hepatoblastoma. Bownes LV, Julson JR, Quinn CH, Hutchins SC, Erwin MH, Markert HR, Stewart JE, Mroczek-Musulman E, Aye J, Yoon KJ, Ohlmeyer M, Beierle EA. 2023 PUBLICATIONS HIGH-IMPACT PUBLICATIONS

2023 Academic Annual Report

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