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Department of Pediatrics College of Medicine
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Department Highlights | Spring 2024

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In Memoriam

Awards & Honors

Administrative Specialist II, Pediatric Allergy, Immunology and Rheumatology

Whitney Moss

Superior Accomplishment Award for Individual Performance in Office Administration, HR or IT
This award recognizes faculty and staff who have shown efficiency or economy in their work, have contributed outstanding and meritorious service and/or who have improved quality of life for students and employees.

Whitney Moss

CLASS OF 2024

Lane McLendon, MD

Alpha Omega Alpha
This honor signifies a lasting commitment to professionalism, leadership, scholarship, research, and community service. It confers recognition for a physician’s dedication to the profession and art of healing.

Lane McLendon

Gen Academic Pediatrics/Hospital Medicine

Chelsea Matthia, MD & Mori Stern, MD

Excellence in MS3 Education:
Faculty members recognized as excellent role models and educators by the MS3 students

Chelsea Matthia, MD and Mori Stern, MD

General Academic Pediatrics

Diane Howell, MD

Director of Learning Environment and Advanced Scheduling for Phase II/III Medical Student
Office of Student Affairs, UF

Diane M Howell, MD

Surgery/Congenital Heart Center

Jeffrey Jacobs, MD

Honored by the University of Miami School of Medicine as 2024 Hall of Fame Award Recipient

Jeffrey Jacobs, MD

UF Health Physicians Hall of Fame

FOUR Pediatric Clinics Rated in the Top Ten

January 2024: FOUR pediatric Clinics were rated in the Top Ten for Patient Experience!
#1 TIOGA
#8 OCALA
#9 TOWER SQUARE
#10 MAGNOLIA PARK

Shands Children's Hospital with 2023-24 badge

Research

Pediatric Infectious Diseases

Sumita Bhaduri-McIntosh, MD PhD

R01 – NIH National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR) – 9/4/2023 – 8/31/2028.

Interviewed by the Washington Post on the death of Sir Anthony Epstein, who discovered the Epstein-Barr Virus.

Spotlight article in Trends in Microbiology highlighting her paper in Nucleic Acid Research (Nov 2023) on how the cancer-causing herpes virus replicates its genome.

sumita bhaduri mcintosh

Child Health Research Institute/Pediatric Hospital Medicine

Eric Nelson, MD PhD

Published in Science. “Phage predation is a biomarker for disease severity and shapes pathogen genetic diversity in cholera patients.”

Eric Nelson

Pediatric Endocrinology

Laura Jacobsen, MD

Pediatric Endocrine Society webinar. “The State of Immunotherapy in Type 1 Diabetes.”

Cover Art – February 2024 Diabetes Care

Laura Jacobsen Cover Art for THE ART OF DIABETES CARE| JANUARY 19 2024

Pediatric Endocrinology

Angelina Bernier, MD

Featured article: The Journal of the Endocrine Society.

“Distinct Reproductive Phenotypes Segregate With Differences in Body Weight in Adolescent Polycystic Ovary Syndrome”

Angelina Bernier

Pediatric Endocrinology

Michael J. Haller, MD

February 2024 Diabetes Core Update Podcast discussing his Diabetes Core article:

“Low dose Antithymocyte Globulin: A pragmatic approach to treating stage 2 Type 1 Diabetes”

Michael Haller, MD

Child Health Research Institute & Med/Peds

Barry Byrne, MD PhD and Coy Heldermon, MD PhD

Medical Director, Human Study: Award from The Department of Defense on pre-clinical and clinical studies in Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy Award.

With Coy Heldermon MD PhD: NIH National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke Award – Blueprint Neurotherapeutics Network (BPN), Biologics Program (1UG3NS137533-01).

Among the world’s most published authors in AAV gene therapy, and UF is the world’s top-ranked institution for published gene therapy research (Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology).

Barry Byrne, MD PhD and Coy Heldermon, MD PhD

Submitted Proposals

UF Pediatrics Department Meeting - FY24 Submitted Proposals

Sponsored Authorized

UF Pediatrics Department Meeting - Sponsored Authorized – FY24 vs. FY23

New Awards

UF Pediatrics Department Meeting - Sponsored Authorized – FY24 New Awards

Shoutouts

PEDIATRIC ALLERGY, IMMUNOLOGY AND RHEUMATOLOGY

Melissa Elder, MD PhD & Heather Bell-Brunson, APRN

Video shared on World Encephalitis Day about Harper, a UF Pediatrics success story.

Pediatric Hematology-Oncology

Jordan Milner, MD

First in Florida to offer gene therapy for transfusion-dependent thalassemia and high-risk sickle cell disease.

New Faculty & Staff

Dr. Klaas Warienga, Chief for the Division of Genetics & Metabolism

Klaas Warienga

Joining the Department in August 2024

MD: Groningen State University, Groningen, Netherlands
Pediatric Residency: University of the West Indies, Kingston, Jamaica
Genetics Residency: University of Miami/Jackson Memorial Hospital, Miami

American Board of Medical Genetics and Genomics
Medical Genetics
Medical Biochemical Genetics

Education

Residency Match, Class of 2027

  • Total # Applicants: 1262
  • Number Interviewed: 315
    • 35 for Child Neuro (2 positions)
    • 280 for Categorical Peds (17… +1 = 18!)
  • Number of Interview Days: 15
  • BIG thank you for participating residents, faculty, and department leadership for a near seamless recruitment season

Incoming Chief Resident 2024-2025

Paola Brana-Rivera, MD

Paola Brana-Rivera, MD
Pediatric Residency: Inova LJ Murphy Children’s Hospital, Virginia
Medical School: University of Puerto Rico

New PME Program Manager

Michelle Calano

Michelle Calano