Infectious Diseases and International Medicine Faculty

Bio

Administrator Info
Name: Admin
Phone: 612-624-9996
Fax: 612-625-4410
Email: idimdivision@umn.edu
Mail: Microbiology Research Building, 1st floor mail room, MMC 2821, 689 SE 23rd Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55455

Summary
Dr. Rajasingham is an Infectious Diseases physician and physician-scientist at the University of Minnesota. Her primary research interest is to maximize the public health impact of screening HIV-infected persons for opportunistic infections in order to decrease HIV/AIDS-related mortality. She is particularly interested in the evaluation of cost-effective diagnostics and treatment algorithms to care of persons with advanced HIV disease. Dr. Rajasingham is the co-PI of a phase II randomized clinical trial in Uganda evaluating the safety of high dose AmBisome to prevent cryptococcal meningitis in persons with advanced HIV disease, and PI for an R01 cluster-randomized trial evaluating point-of-care diagnostics in persons with advanced HIV disease, funded by NIAID. 

Research Summary

Dr. Rajasingham is a physician-scientist trained in the clinical practice of infectious diseases. Her research interests span evaluation and cost-effectiveness of point-of-care diagnostics in persons with advanced HIV disease, cryptococcal screening and prevention, and management of cryptococcal meningitis.

Research Projects

• Evaluation of CRAG Screening with Enhanced Antifungal Therapy for Asymptomatic CRAG-Positive Persons (K23AI138851)
• An Enhanced Package of Care to Reduce Mortality in Persons with Advanced HIV Disease (R01AI162181)

Clinical Summary

• HIV/AIDS
• PREP
• Global Health

Bio

Administrator Info
Name: Admin
Phone: 612-624-9996
Fax: 612-625-4410
Email: idimdivision@umn.edu
Mail: Mayo Memorial Building, MMC 250, 420 Delaware Street S.E., Minneapolis, MN 55455
 

Summary
Dr. Rhein has a broad background in global health and infectious diseases, with specific focus on fungal infections and central nervous system infections in resource-limited areas. His primary expertise is on cryptococcal meningitis and other AIDS-related opportunistic infections, as well as HIV immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (IRIS). His current research is focused on improving the clinical outcomes of HIV-infected persons with cryptococcal meningitis, a globally neglected disease which is the second most common AIDS-defining opportunistic infection in Sub-Saharan Africa. Dr. Rhein has been an investigator on several large, guideline-informing clinical trials on HIV-associated meningitis. Current primary investigations are centered on determining the long-term effects of antiretroviral therapy on outcomes in cryptococcal meningitis. Dr. Rhein currently splits his time between the University of Minnesota and the Infectious Disease Institute in Kampala, Uganda. He has been actively engaged in research in Uganda since 2005 as a medical student. Providing on-the-ground leadership for both the study team and international trainees, Dr. Rhein enjoys and has a demonstrated commitment to mentoring Ugandan and American medical students, residents, and infectious disease fellows. As the Director of Training and Research for the University of Minnesota Health Sciences Uganda Hub since 2017, Dr. Rhein provides direct supervision and mentorship for UMN-affiliated trainees in Uganda. Dr. Rhein also serves as co-director of the new East African Clinical Tropical Medicine Course, a joint effort between the University of Minnesota, the Infectious Diseases Institute, and Makerere University

Research Summary

• Treatment of HIV-Associated Cryptococcal Meningitis
• Diagnosis of CNS Infections
• Management of Immune Reconstitution Inflammatory Syndrome

Teaching Summary

East African Clinical Tropical Medicine Course; Uganda Research Training Collaborative

Clinical Summary

Meningitis; Invasive Fungal Infections; HIV/AIDS

Bio

Administrator Info
Name: Craig Olson
Phone: 612-626-6577
Email: olso7966@umn.edu
Mail: 420 Delaware ST SE
MMC 250
Campus Delivery Code 8250A
Minneapolis, MN 55455

Summary
Timothy Schacker, M.D. is a professor of Medicine and Director of the Program in HIV Medicine at the University of Minnesota. He joined the faculty in 1996. Dr. Schacker received his M.D. from the University of Minnesota in 1986 and completed a residency in Internal Medicine at the Oregon Health Sciences University and Infectious Disease Fellowship at the University of Washington in 1993. He then joined the faculty of the University of Minnesota.Dr. Schacker is interested in how HIV causes immune suppression and why antiretrovirals do not fully restore immunity. His group focuses on inflammatory damage in lymphatic tissues; the principal site of HIV infection, that results in fibrosis of the lymphatic structures required to maintain a normal population of CD4 cells. They are testing novel therapies to prevent and/or reverse this process and slow T cell depletion in HIV and improve their reconstitution when antiretroviral is begun. He is also the principal investigator of a federally funded program of projects designed to determine barriers to HIV eradication. In addition, Dr. Schacker has established a collaboration with the Joint Clinical Research Center in Kampala, Uganda to study how constant exposure to common infections like tuberculosis, malaria, and helminthic infections affect rates of HIV transmission and progression.

Research Summary

IL-15 to Deplete HIV Reservoirs and Improve Immune Responses; Antifibrotic Therapy to Improve Immune Reconstitution in HIV

Research Funding Grants

• Predictors of Time to Viremia with an Analytic Treatment Interruption, amfAR, 109496-60-RGRL, Principal Investigator.
• Reservoir Dynamics in Patients Treated in Very Early Acute HIV Infection, NIH, R01 AI125127, Principal Investigator.
• Reversing Tissue Fibrosis to Improve Immune Reconstruction in HIV, NIH, U01AI105872, Principal Investigator.
• Antifibrotic Therapy to Improve Immune Reconstitution in HIV, NIH, R01 AI093319-01A1, Principal Investigator.
• IL-15 to Deplete HIV Reservoirs and Improve Immune Responses, Altor Bioscience, ALT-803, Principal Investigator.

Clinical Summary

HIV

Bio

I am the Director of International Medical Education at Hennepin Healthcare, a TB provider at Hennepin County Public Health Clinic, Vaccine Committee Co-chair, Medical Director of International Travel Medicine Clinic and General ID Clinic, and Infectious Disease provider at Hennepin Healthcare Kidney Transplant Program.

I spend approximately 12 weeks per year as an inpatient ID consultant. When not on the inpatient wards, I divide my time between the General ID clinic in the Positive Care Center, the International Travel Medicine clinic, and the Hennepin County Public Health clinic. I was previously the primary ID liaison to the Kidney transplant program at HHS, but now serve as the back-up ID liaison.
I care for mostly adults, but do see children in both the International Travel Medicine clinic and the Hennepin County Public Health TB clinic. 
I am the director of the Global Health Pathway for the Internal Medicine residency at HHS.
I serve as the co-chair of the Vaccine Committee at HCMC.
I am Global Health Faculty at the University of Minnesota.

My husband is an Emergency Medicine physician at North Memorial Medical Center, now transitioning into Hospice and Palliative Medicine. We have 2 boys. We love the outdoors, music, and Minnesota sports. In my free time I also obviously love to travel! I also enjoy hiking, spending time in/on/around any type of water, reading, and food.

Research Summary

My research interests include: 

• Global Medicine
• Tuberculosis
• Travel Medicine
• Parasitic diseases
• Vector borne diseases
• Infections in immunocompromised patients
• Immigrant and refugee health

Bio

Administrator Info
Name: Admin
Phone: 612-624-9996
Fax: 612-625-4410
Email: idimdivision@umn.edu
Mail: Mayo Memorial Building, MMC 250, 420 Delaware Street S.E., Minneapolis, MN 55455 

Summary
Dr. Skipper is an infectious diseases physician with a focus on global health and clinical research. He grew up in rural North Dakota, and attended medical school at the University of North Dakota, before ultimately completing his infectious diseases fellowship at the University of Minnesota. He has spent several years living in various parts of East Africa. His research interests include HIV/AIDS related infections including Cryptococcus, tuberculosis, and cytomegalovirus.

Research Summary

Treatment of HIV-Associated Cryptococcal Meningitis HIV-Associated T Cell Immunology Prevention of Cytomegalovirus Disease in HIV/AIDS

Teaching Summary

Antimicrobial management; HIV/AIDS; Global Health

Clinical Summary

Global Health; Antifungal development; HIV/AIDS

Bio

Administrator Info
Name: Becca Johnson
Phone: 612-624-9996
Fax: 612-625-4410
Email: joh07913@umn.edu
Mail: Mayo Memorial Building, MMC 250, 420 Delaware Street S.E., Minneapolis, MN 55455

Summary
Dr. William Stauffer is a Professor Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases and International Medicine at the University of Minnesota. He also holds appointments in the Pediatrics and in the School of Public Health. He is the Director of Human Migration and Health at the Center for Global Health and Social Responsibility. His clinical practice is at Regions Hospital, Infectious Diseases, with an outpatient practice at the Travel and Tropical Medicine Specialty Clinic. He is an expert in travel and tropical medicine working in clinical medicine, surveillance, and policy development. Since 2005 he has served as the Lead Medical Advisor to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Division of Global Migration and Quarantine (Immigrant, Refugee, Migrant Health Branch) where he works on issues of human mobility and how it effects human health (e.g. refugee & immigrant health). He Co-Directs the UMN/CDC Global Health Course and other online courses. He works extensively overseas in clinical medicine education, research and in public health in more than a dozen countries in Africa, Asia and the Middle east. He is the director for the United Nations Migration Agency, University of Minnesota Collaborative. He is also a co-PI for a new COVID National Resource Center for Refugees, Immigrants and Migrants. His research areas have included refugee and immigrant health issues, infectious disease surveillance, diagnostics, neglected tropical diseases, evaluations of public health programs. He acts as an advisor to the European Centers for Disease Control, the World Health Organization, and chairs an Inter-Governmental Refugee Health Work-Group aimed at aligning medical management of refugees.

Research Summary

Interests

Primary work is on infections and diseases in mobile populations including refugees, immigrants, migrants, and travelers. Currently working on prevention of importation of malaria into the United States through African VFR travelers, point-of-care diagnostics (e.g. malaria, Loa loa), soil-transmitted helminths and other neglected tropical diseases, zoonotic infections, drug pricing for neglected diseases, and cost-evaluation of public health interventions.

Research Support

Active

• Dr. Stauffer is working with Indiana University as Executive Field Director for the Kenya AMPATH program until January 31, 2024. Learn more here
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention/International Organization for Migration
  Goal: Building a National Resource Center for Refugees, Immigrants and Migrants for COVID-19 prevention, contact tracing, and mitigation programs
  Role: PI
  Program link: https:nrcrim.umn.edu
• United Nations Migration Agency (International Organization for Migration)/Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
  Goal: Building bilateral medical capacity for refugee resettlement
  Role: PI
  Program Link: https:// https://globalhealthcenter.umn.edu/un-mig...
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 10/01/2015-09/31/2019
  The CENTER: Centers for Excellence, a Network for Training and Epidemiology in Refugee/Newcomer Health.
  Goal: Development of a Centers of Clinical, Research and Policy Excellence in Refugee Health
  Role: CDC Advisor to Minnesota Grant.
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (NCEZID RVA-CK-14-004) Stauffer (PI) 10/01/14-09/30/19
  "Reducing US malaria by testing multiple interventions in a multisite stepped wedge design".
  Goal: Three center proposal (Minnesota, Washington DC, NYC-Bronx) to decrease malaria importation into the US through VFR travelers
  Role: PI
• Arnold Ventures
  Goal: Sole-source, Off-patent Drugs in the United States: Prevalence, Pricing, and Populations Affected
  Role: Co-investigator (Dr. Jon Alpern, PI)

Teaching Summary

• Global Health

Clinical Summary

Tropical medicine; Parasitology, Travel and Tropical Medicine, General Infectious Diseases, Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Adult Infectious Disease

Bio

Administrator Info
Name: Admin
Phone: 612-624-9996
Fax: 612-625-4410
Email: idimdivision@umn.edu
Mail: Mayo Memorial Building, MMC 250, 420 Delaware Street S.E., Minneapolis, MN 55455

Summary
Dr. Tai is a faculty member of the University of Minnesota Division of Infectious Diseases and International Medicine, focusing on orthopedic infections. He trained at Mayo Clinic, where he was Assistant Professor of Medicine and Co-Chief fellow. Aside from his primary research, he is also passionate about diagnostic stewardship, quality improvement, diversity, equity, & inclusion. He is working on multicenter collaborations including but not limited to periprosthetic joint infections, spine infections, and diabetic foot infections.

Research Summary

• Periprosthetic joint infections
• Native vertebral osteomyelitis
• Diagnostic stewardship

Teaching Summary

Diagnostic stewardship; DEI

Clinical Summary

• Orthopedic infectious diseases

Bio

Administrator Info
Name: Becca Johnson
Phone: 612-624-9996
Fax: 612-625-4410
Email: joh07913@umn.edu
Mail: Mayo Memorial Building, MMC 250, 420 Delaware Street S.E., Minneapolis, MN 55455 

Summary
Dr. Trivedi has completed her medical school from B.J.Medical College & Civil Hospital, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India. Afterward, she pursued MS in Biomedical Sciences from the University of Kentucky with a primary focus on Microbiology, Immunology, and clinical and translational research. She has completed postgraduate training in Internal Medicine residency and Infectious Diseases fellowship from the State University of New York at Buffalo. Dr. Trivedi cares for adult patients who have or are suspected of having infectious diseases in hospital or outpatient clinic settings. Her research has focused on various mechanisms of antibiotic resistance in gram-negative bacteria and, most recently during fellowship, on evaluating a drug target in the XDR strain of Acinetobacter baumanii. She is also interested in clinical research. Moreover, she has a keen interest in medical education, emphasizing various strategies to support active learning with different levels of learners, whether during bedside rounds or in a classroom setting.

Research Summary

• Microbial pathogenesis
• Clinical research
• Disparities in healthcare and medical education

Teaching Summary

Evidence-based Medicine, Resident/Fellow as Educator curriculum

Clinical Summary

MDR and XDR Gram-negative infections ; Cardiovascular infections ; CNS infections

Bio

Administrator Info
Name: Admin
Phone: 612-624-9996
Fax: 612-625-4410
Email: idimdivision@umn.edu
Mail: Mayo Memorial Building, MMC 250, 420 Delaware Street S.E., Minneapolis, MN 55455

Summary
Jo-Anne Young (née van Burik), M.D., is a Professor of Medicine and Medical Director of the Program in Adult Transplant Infectious Disease. She joined the faculty in 1999. She received both her B.A. and M.D. from Case Western Reserve University and completed a residency in Medicine at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Her fellowship in Infectious Disease and several years of junior faculty service were at the University of Washington with the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. Dr. Young's primary area of interest is bringing diagnostic and treatment opportunities to the bedside for transplant patients. She has worked on developing diagnostic testing for complicated fungal infections of the immunocompromised host. Currently, Dr. Young is lead investigator at the University of Minnesota for multiple clinical trials on bacterial, viral, and fungal agents, as well as vaccines and a T cell prevention study, for transplant patients.

Clinical Summary

• Viral infections
• Fungal infections
• Transplant recipients
• Immune compromised persons