Meet Our Faculty

Bio

Dr. Lauren Haisley is a pediatric neuropsychologist and an Assistant Professor in the Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota. She received her PhD in Clinical Psychology from the University of Connecticut and completed her pre-doctoral psychology internship at the Kennedy Krieger Institute/ John Hopkins School of Medicine with a specific emphasis on pediatric neuropsychology. She completed a two-year post-doctoral fellowship in pediatric neuropsychology at the Medical College or Wisconsin/Children's Hospital of Wisconsin.
Dr. Haisley's research focuses on neurocognitive and behavioral development in children with medical conditions and neurodevelopmental disorders. She is interested in the development of self-regulation and executive functioning skills, especially within the context of early disruptions to brain development (e.g., trauma, brain injury, brain malformations). She is also interested in the early identification of neurodevelopmental and psychological conditions including autism spectrum disorder, anxiety, externalizing conditions.
She is currently a member of the Early Intensive Developmental and Behavioral Intervention (EIDBI) state advisory board. She is interested in ensuring equitable access to services for autistic children and adults throughout the state of Minnesota.
In her clinical work, Dr. Haisley specializes in neuropsychological assessments for children with complex medical histories, genetic conditions, brain malformations, and neurodevelopmental conditions including autism spectrum disorder. Dr. Haisley is a member of the American Psychological Association (APA), the American Academy of Clinical Neuropsychology (AACN), the International Neuropsychological Society (INS), and the Minnesota Psychological Association (MPA).

Bio

Dr. Hallstrom received his PhD in Molecular Biology at the University of Iowa in 1999. He then did post-doctoral studies with Joseph Nevins at Duke University studying the control of Rb/E2F induction of proliferation and apoptosis. He joined the University of Minnesota in 2007 as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Pediatrics Hematology and Oncology division.

Research Summary

Immune Response in Pediatric Retinoblastoma Tumors
Our research interests focus on two major areas. The first is on the pediatric cancer retinoblastoma, which forms in the retina of children and infants. This cancer is caused by deregulation of the Rb/E2F pathway. We developed a novel mouse retinoblastoma model that develops rapid bilateral tumors in both eyes. Recently, we learned that these tumors express a gene expression "signature" that causes recruitment and accumulation of immune cells to these tumors. Since this is a highly sought after clinical goal, we are elucidating the mechanisms of immune cell recruitment so they can be targeted to kill cancer cells.

Epigenetics of Retinal Development
The second major research interest is in the epigenetic control mechanisms responsible for normal retinal development. These mechanisms can malfunction in pediatric retinoblastoma, and may be harnessed during retinal regeneration to produce new retinal cell types after they've been lost. In particular, we study the retinal function of an epigenetic regulator called UHRF2, which binds to a DNA epigenetic base called 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC). It is still poorly understood how 5hmC accumulates during retinal development and how this leads to proper retinal gene expression. Furthermore, 5hmC is widely lost in human tumors, including retinoblastoma, although the mechanism behind its loss is unclear, as is the anti-tumor effectiveness of restoring 5hmC. We utilize genome-wide approaches to understand the altered gene expression and 5hmC distribution in retinal cells lacking the Uhrf2 gene.

Bio

Dr. Heneghan received her medical degree from the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University in 2013. She completed her pediatric residency training at Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital and subspecialty training in pediatric critical care at Children's National Medical Center. During fellowship, Dr. Heneghan additionally earned a master's of science in clinical and translational research from the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences.
Dr. Heneghan's research interests include the long-term outcomes of critically ill children, particularly those who are supported by medical technology, as well as the use of novel analytic techniques and biomedical informatics in pediatric critical care research.

Bio

Dr. Lauren Hindt is a Pediatric Neuropsychologist and Assistant Professor in the Department of Pediatrics. She received her PhD in Clinical Psychology with Child and Family, and Neuropsychology Subspecialities from Loyola University Chicago. Dr. Hindt completed a predoctoral clinical internship in pediatric neuropsychology and pediatric psychology at the University of Minnesota Medical School. She then completed a two-year postdoctoral fellowship in pediatric neuropsychology at the University of Minnesota Medical School.

In terms of clinical care, Dr. Hindt conducts neuropsychological assessments with youth ranging in age from infancy to young adulthood with complex genetic, neurodevelopmental, medical, and/or psychosocial presentations. Her research seeks to strengthen families and support children from underserved populations, particularly those in the contexts of familial incarceration, foster care, and/or chronic illness. Dr. Hindt’s overarching goal is to engage in efforts to improve health equity and eliminate disparities.

Dr. Hindt is dedicated to the training of future psychologists at various stages in their careers. She fosters well-rounded development in clinical practice, research, teaching/supervision, and advocacy. She is a member of the American Psychological Association and Divisions 40, 53, and 54, along with the Minnesota Psychological Association.

Bio

Dr. Hippen received his BS degree in Biochemistry from Iowa State University in 1990, and a PhD in Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology in 1993. Following postdoctoral positions with Dr. John Cambier at the National Jewish Center for Immunology and Respiratory Medicine and Dr. Timothy Behrens in the Department of Rheumatology here at the University of Minnesota, he joined Dr. Blazar's group in Pediatrics.
Dr. Hippen's research is focused on inhibiting Graft Versus Host Disease (GVHD), which is a frequent and severe complicating factor in bone marrow transplants. GVHD is a T cell mediated disease that arises in autoimmune fashion due to graft-derived immune cells recognizing recipient cells as non-self. Activation of autoreactive T cells (and those that induce GVHD) is normally prevented by a subset of T cells termed regulatory T cells (Treg). Transplant of donor Treg has been shown to ameliorate disease in mouse models of both GVHD and autoimmunity. Dr. Hippen's specific interest is defining the mechanisms that control human regulatory T cell proliferation and function with the goal of generating large numbers of very active cells that can be co-transferred at the time of bone marrow transplantation and reduce or completely abolish GVHD. These studies have led to 'first-in-man' studies using ex vivo expanded Treg that demonstrated these cells are safe, and can ameliorate GVHD in humans. Dr. Hippen's current projects include: defining Treg signaling pathways that enhance expansion and/or suppressive function and inducing suppressive function using in human T cells (not Treg) via TGFß, nutrient stress, or co-ligation of inhibitory molecules.

Bio

Dr. Gurumurthy Hiremath completed his pediatric cardiology training and a 4th year of interventional training at the University of California, San Francisco. He is currently the director of the congenital cardiac catheterization laboratories and cardiopulmonary exercise testing at the University of Minnesota’s Masonic Children’s Hospital and the associate division director for pediatric cardiology. His clinic interests include pulmonary artery stenting, transcatheter pulmonary valve placements, device closures of intracardiac defects, interventions in adults with congenital heart disease, and hybrid interventional procedures in partnership with cardiac surgeons.

Dr. Hiremath's research interests are focused on improving our understanding of the physiological effects of transcatheter interventions. He completed a prospective multi-center clinical study looking at the physiologic effects of successful treatment of unilateral pulmonary artery stenosis. He is actively involved in the use of intracardiac pressure-volume loops to understand the physiological effects of transcatheter interventions. He has several active research grants and has authored several publications and book chapters.

Dr. Hiremath is an active member of the interventional cardiology societies, with active roles in the SCAI’s Congenital Heart Disease Council, the Pediatric Interventional Cardiology Early Career Society (PICES), and the Pediatric Interventional Cardiology CPT coding group. He served as the Research Vice President of PICES (Pediatric Interventional Cardiology Early Career Society) from 2018–2020, where he planned, coordinated, and led several multicenter research projects under its auspices. He is actively involved with industry in developing new intracardiac devices and participates in several national device trials and registries. He has received several awards, including the University of Minnesota's 'Innovation in Clinical Practice Award’ for developing innovative treatments and industry partnerships to improve patient care.

Bio

Patricia Hobday, MD, is a 2013 graduate of the Division of Pediatric Rheumatology Fellowship Program at the University of Minnesota.

Dr. Hobday received her MD degree from Mayo Medical School in Rochester, Minnesota. She completed Pediatric residency at the University of Minnesota and went on to complete an additional year as Chief resident. She is board-certified in Pediatrics.

At the University of Minnesota, Dr. Hobday cares for children arthritis and other related conditions such as dermatomyositis and systemic lupus erythematosus.

Bio

Dr. Hoover joined the Department of Pediatrics in July 2023 as an Assistant Professor in the Division of Blood and Marrow Transplant & Cellular Therapy. He received his medical degree in 2017 from the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine in Iowa City and a Master’s of Science in Clinical Research from the University of Minnesota School of Public Health in 2023. He completed his residency training in Pediatrics at the University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital in 2020 followed by a fellowship in Pediatric Hematology/Oncology at the University of Minnesota Masonic Children's Hospital in 2023. Dr. Hoover’s clinical and research interests include the clinical use of cellular therapies and hematopoietic cell transplantation in the treatment of hematologic malignancies, including high risk, relapsed and refractory leukemias and lymphomas.

Bio

Cindy Howard, MD, MPHTM, is a Professor of Pediatrics and the Director of the Global Pediatric Program at the University of Minnesota.

Dr. Howard received her MD degree at the University of North Carolina, completed her pediatric residency at the University of Alabama Children's Hospital and her pediatric infectious disease fellowship and MPH in tropical medicine at Tulane University. Prior to coming to the University of Minnesota Dr. Howard practiced in Germany, Nigeria, Uganda, and the inner city of Baltimore. She created an educational exchange program between the departments of pediatrics at the University of Maryland and Makerere University in Kampala, Uganda.

Her areas of interest include developing and measuring the effectiveness of global health curriculum; training/mentoring young men and women to address global child health challenges and the medical care of immigrant and refugee children. Dr. Howard has two children Christine and Loice, who were born in the Democratic Republic of Congo. She enjoys time with her family, hiking, gardening, and reading.

Dr. Howard has received multiple awards including the The Drs. Anvar and Pari Velji Award for excellence in global health education from the Consortium of Universities in Global Health; the American Academy of Pediatrics' Education award and the Hillman-Olness Award for Lifetime Service and Lasting Contributions to Global Child Health; and the Golden Apple Award from Health Volunteers Overseas.

Bio

Dr. Hudock has participated in Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities (LEND) programs throughout her internship and fellowship experiences. Through her LEND experiences, she received additional interdisciplinary training in clinical skills, leadership, policy, and advocacy related to individuals with neurodevelopmental disabilities and their families. She is licensed as a psychologist through the Minnesota Board of Psychology and also holds certifications as a school psychologist in MN and a Nationally Certified School Psychologist (NCSP).
Dr. Hudock's research focuses on services for individuals with ASD and other neurodevelopmental disorders and their families. Within this research area, her interests include social skills intervention; services for children with ASD and co-occurring mental health diagnoses; social-emotional development; parenting stress; school-based services, and transition services.
Clinically, Dr. Hudock specializes in assessment and intervention for children with ASD and other neurodevelopmental disabilities. She conducts comprehensive diagnostic evaluations and leads treatment services for children with ASD and their families. Dr. Hudock is a member of several professional organizations, including the American Psychological Association (APA), the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP), the National Academy of Neuropsychology (NAN), the American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (AAIDD), and the Minnesota Psychological Association (MPA).

Bio

Dr. Hume is an Associate Professor of Pediatrics in the Division of Pediatric Critical Care. She received her MD and PhD (Microbiology) at the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine. She then underwent residency training in pediatrics at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, and fellowship training in pediatric critical care at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center.
Her research and clinical interests include sepsis and other pathophysiologic processes involving a dysregulated inflammatory/immune response. Dr. Hume's research projects have included studying myocardial dysfunction in community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) sepsis in a mouse model. She has also been involved as local PI in several multicenter studies through the Pediatric Acute Lung Injury and Sepsis Investigators (PALISI) network. These studies include Sepsis Prevalence, Outcomes and Therapies (SPROUT); Pathogen Identification in Pediatric Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant Patients with Suspected Lower Respiratory Tract Infection; Pediatric Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome Incidence and Epidemiology (PARDIE); and Sepsis-induced Red Cell Dysfunction (SiRD).
Dr. Hume is part of the team running the Special Pathogens Unit (SPU) at the University of Minnesota Medical Center, one of 10 Regional Ebola and Special Pathogens Treatment Centers in the US. These centers were established as part of the response to the West African Ebola epidemic as a resource for treating patients with Ebola virus and other high consequence infectious diseases. She has also been involved with the development of the Special Pathogens Research Network, which is intended to facilitate clinical and basic research on high consequence infectious diseases among the 10 regional treatment centers.

Research Summary

Sepsis; systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS); inflammatory response; acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS)/acute lung injury (ALI); MRSA infection, pathophysiology, and epidemiology; high consequence infectious diseases (particularly impact on pediatric populations).

Clinical Summary

Sepsis epidemiology, recognition, treatment and outcomes; acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS)/acute lung injury (ALI) epidemiology, treatment and outcomes; improving treatment and outcomes for hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) patients in PICU; epidemiology, treatment and outcomes of pediatric patients with high consequence infectious diseases.

Bio

Cindy Im, PhD, is an Assistant Professor in the Division of Epidemiology and Clinical Research in the Department of Pediatrics. She engages in multidisciplinary research that combines biological, epidemiological, and data sciences, with an emphasis on genetic epidemiology/statistical genetics methodology and cancer survivorship. She is currently leading a NIH-funded study to develop genetic risk scores that also account for the effects of cancer treatments (e.g., radiation therapy, specific chemotherapies), with the goal of improving prediction of second malignancies and cardiometabolic outcomes among long-term survivors of childhood cancer.

Bio

Abraham Jacob, MD, MHA, joined the Department of Pediatrics in 2005 to start and direct the Division of Pediatric Hospital Medicine. The Division has grown substantially since 2005 and has become the largest service for admissions at M Health Fairview Masonic Children's Hospital (UMMCH). The program currently provides inpatient pediatric services at UMMCH, Fairview Ridges Hospital, Maple Grove Hospital, and Shriners. Dr. Jacob served as Chief Medical Officer for UMMCH from 2012-2019 with a focus on patient safety, quality, and patient experience. He is now the Chief Quality Officer for MHealth Fairview and a a staff attending on the General Pediatrics service at UMMCH and on the Internal Medicine service at UMMC.

A graduate of the University of Notre Dame, Dr. Jacob went on to medical school at the University of Toledo College of Medicine where he graduated in 1994. He went on to complete his Internal Medicine/ Pediatrics residency at the University of Minnesota in 1998. After completing residency, he helped to start the first combined Internal Medicine/ Pediatrics practice in the Twin Cities with five of his residency classmates and served as medical director of the clinic. Since coming to the University of MN as faculty, Dr. Jacob's main interests have included resident education, family centered care, quality improvement, and patient safety. He helped to lead an initiative at UMMCH that recently won the MN Hospital Association 2015 Patient Safety Improvement Award. He is board certified in Pediatrics and Internal Medicine.

Bio

Jeanine Jarnes, PharmD, is an Assistant Professor in the University of Minnesota Department of Pediatrics and is an adjunct assistant professor in the College of Pharmacy, University of Minnesota. Jeanine is a board certified Pharmacotherapy Specialist, as well as having a board certification in oncology pharmacy. Jeanine works as a pharmacotherapy provider for patients with inherited metabolic diseases at the University of Minnesota Specialty Clinics. She also serves as a Clinical Pharamcogeneticist for the Lysosomal Disease Network and as a clinical researcher for patients with lysosomal diseases. Dr. Jarnes's research includes projects in the following areas: natural history of gangliosidosis diseases, such as Tay-Sachs disease, Sandhoff disease, and GM1-gangliosidosis, using a substrate reducing therapy protocol for treatment of childhood gangliosidosis diseases, classifying and managing infusion reactions to intravenous enzyme replacement therapies for lysosomal diseases, and pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of ERT and of small molecule therapies.

Research Summary

Longitudinal study of the gangliosidosis diseases and development of new treatment therapies.
Pharmacogenetics, pharmacodynamics, and pharmacokinetics of enzyme replacement therapies and small molecule therapies for lysosomal diseases and phenylketonuria (PKU).
Combination therapies for lysosomal diseases, including Tay-Sachs disease, Gaucher disease, and MPS diseases.
Optimizing management of acute, delayed, and biphasic infusion reactions to intravenous enzyme replacement therapy for lysosomal diseases.
Pharmaceutical care impact on clinical outcomes in lysosomal diseases and phenylketonuria (PKU).
Lysosomotropic agents and their impact on lysosomal diseases.

Bio

Dr. Erick Jimenez is a pediatric cardiac electrophysiologist affiliated to the University of Minnesota. As a cardiac electrophysiologist, he specializes in managing heart rhythm related conditions, ranging from palpitations to arrhythmias that can lead to sudden cardiac death. He performs catheter ablation for arrhythmias (electrophysiology study), and implantation of pacemakers and implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs).

Bio

Dr. José Jiménez-Vega is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Pediatrics and in the Division of Endocrinology. Dr. Jiménez-Vega earned his medical degree from Universidad de Ciencias Médicas in San José, Costa Rica. He completed his pediatrics residency at the University of Minnesota, and his pediatric endocrinology fellowship at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center.
Dr. Jiménez-Vega's areas of clinical research interest include Type 1 Diabetes, Type 2 Diabetes, and obesity in children and adolescents. He is passionate about caring for people from diverse backgrounds including underrepresented minorities, immigrants, and refugees. He is a strong proponent of incorporating patient feedback, education, advocacy, technology, and quality improvement measures into his practice with the goal of improving clinical care. Dr. Jiménez-Vega is fluent in both Spanish and English.

Research Summary

Quality Improvement and Clinical Outcomes in T1DM

Clinical Summary

T1DM, T2DM, General Endocrine

Bio

Dana E. Johnson, MD, PhD, is Professor of Pediatrics in the Division of Neonatology. He earned his MD, and a PhD in Anatomy, served his internship and residency, and completed his neonatology fellowship at the University of Minnesota. In addition to attending on the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Dr. Johnson founded the International Adoption Clinic at the University of Minnesota. His research interests include the effects of early institutionalization on growth and development and the outcomes of internationally adopted children. Dr. Johnson has published extensively, most recently in Early Human Development, Infants and Young Children and Journal of the American Medical Association, in addition to over one hundred abstracts. He is an invited speaker worldwide. Dr. Johnson founded the International Adoption Clinic, the first of its kind, in 1986. He and his staff received the "Friend of Children Award" from the North American Council on Adoptable Children in 2002.

Clinical Summary

Neonatology; Internationally adopted children

Research Summary

Research Interest:

Mental health outcomes of children who have experienced maltreatment. Bias in child protection.

Clinical Summary

Clinical Interest:

Providing medical care to children who have experienced abuse and neglect. Working within a multidisciplinary team to provide trauma-informed care.

Bio

Dr. Johnson Rolfes completed medical school at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, and pediatric residency at the University of California, San Diego. She also holds a Certificate in Pediatric Bioethics from the Children's Mercy Hospital Bioethics Center in Kansas City, MO. In addition to her clinical work caring for babies and their families in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), Dr. Johnson Rolfes helps to enhance the education of medical students, residents and fellows through several simulation programs and bioethics curriculum initiatives, and is a member of the University of Minnesota Ethics Committee. She is a part of several on-going research projects in the NICU, including a study investigating what values or guiding principles parents are using when making medical care decisions for their extremely premature babies. She hopes that this insight will allow more directed counseling and improved communication between providers and families, to maximize collaborative partnership.

Research Summary

Dr. Johnson Rolfes has a research interest in the general field of pediatric bioethics. Specifically, she is investigating how healthcare providers' communication with and support of parents and families impacts the care and developmental outcomes of preterm infants. 

Bio

Dr. Cathy Jordan, pediatric neuropsychologist by training, is a Professor of Pediatrics as well as the Institute on the Environment's (IonE) Director for Leadership and Education.  At IonE, Cathy leads a team that cultivates sustainability awareness in students and supports sustainability-savvy leaders with the skills that make them more effective change agents.
As a former pediatric neuropsychologist, Cathy has had a long-standing interest in the influence of environments on children's health and development. Early in her career she focused on the influence of environmental risks, such as lead overburden, on children's cognitive and behavioral development. She later turned her attention to the positive impact of nature contact – through nature play, nature-based learning, and therapeutic uses of nature – on children's physical and mental health and educational outcomes and development of a stewardship ethic. Cathy believes that the establishment of a strong connection to the natural world is critical to both child development and the development of concern for our planet, and it is important to establish that connection in childhood.
Cathy also serves as the consulting Director of Research for the Children & Nature Network, a national nonprofit leading a global movement to increase equitable access to nature so that children – and natural places – can thrive. In this role, Cathy leads efforts to make the burgeoning body of research evidence on nature's benefits accessible to diverse audiences and to network researchers and practitioners across the country in efforts to advance research on nature-based learning and the translation of that research to formal and nonformal educational practice.
Cathy has worked extensively in efforts to build capacity for participatory partnerships between academic institutions and communities, and to support the community-engaged scholars that do this work. Cathy co-developed and co-taught for six years a course on community-based participatory research for a mixed audience of graduate students and community leaders. She has also developed several resources for faculty seeking promotion or tenure as community-engaged scholars and for Promotion & Tenure Committee members seeking to enhance their capacity to fairly evaluate community-engaged scholars for career advancement. She offers several professional development workshops to faculty, staff, students, and Promotion & Tenure Committee members at University of Minnesota. In recognition of her contributions to community-engaged scholarship, she is an inaugural inductee of the Academy of Community Engagement Scholarship, and recipient of the 2018 Medical School nomination for the President's Community Engaged Scholar Award, the 2018 Department of Pediatrics Child Health Advocacy Award and the 2012 President's Outstanding Community Service Award.
Cathy earned her B.A. with high honors in psychology from Oberlin College and her PhD in clinical psychology from Wayne State University and completed post-doctoral training in pediatric neuropsychology at the University of Minnesota.

Research Summary

Community-based Participatory Research; Community-engaged Scholarship; Nature-based educationl; Developmental impact of outdoor experiences on youth

Bio

Sarah M. Kaja, PhD (she/her) is an Assistant Professor in the Division of General Pediatrics and Adolescent Health. Dr. Kaja received her bachelor's degree from the University of Florida, master's degree from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, and doctoral degree from the University of Minnesota School of Kinesiology. Dr. Kaja also completed a 2-year postdoctoral research fellowship in the Division of General Pediatrics and Adolescent Health prior to her faculty position.

Research Summary

Dr. Kaja's research focuses on optimizing the contributions of sport and physical activity to young people's development. She is particularly interested in how sport and physical activity environments can support children and adolescents' social and mental health. Dr. Kaja conducts stakeholder-informed observational and intervention research with populations facing concomitant disparities in sport, physical activity, and well-being. 

Bio

Dr. Kalstabakken is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Pediatrics. She completed her PhD at the Institute of Child Development at the University of Minnesota and her post-doctoral fellowship in pediatric psychology and neuropsychology at the University of Minnesota Medical School.
Her clinical interests include using a developmental framework for supporting youth who are experiencing acute and chronic medical illness, including inpatient hospitalization. She does inpatient-consultation in which she collaborates with medical providers to support children and families staying in the children's hospital. Dr. Kalstabakken is a psychologist with the Pediatric Pain & Advanced/Complex Care Team (PACCT) and sees patients with chronic pancreatitis undergoing Total Pancreatectomy with Islet Autotransplantation (TPIAT). She has a special interest in medical trauma and is trained in Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.
Further, Dr. Kalstabakken conducts neuropsychological assessments for children with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders and other neurodevelopmental disorders, metabolic disorders, neonatal complications, and for children who have experienced early adversity.
Dr. Kalstabakken's research interests include processes involved in risk and resilience and early screening/identification of children at risk for developmental and academic difficulties.

Dr. Kalstabakken is involved with the following clinics:
Pediatric Specialty Clinic
Inpatient Consultation
Total Pancreatectomy with Islet Autotransplantation (TPIAT)
Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) Follow-up Clinic
Metabolic Disorders Follow-up Clinic
Phenylketonuria (PKU) Follow-up Clinic

Bio

Dr. Kashtan is a tenured Professor of Pediatrics and board-certified pediatric nephrologist with over 30 years of clinical experience. Dr. Kashtan has a particular interest in genetic kidney diseases. He is an internationally recognized authority on Alport syndrome, founder and Executive Director of the Alport Syndrome Treatments and Outcomes Registry (ASTOR), and a member of the Medical Advisory Board of the Alport Syndrome Foundation. Dr. Kashtan has authored numerous original research articles, reviews and book chapters on the biology, diagnosis, and treatment of Alport syndrome. His original research articles on Alport syndrome include basic laboratory studies, animal experiments, and clinical research. Dr. Kashtan developed methods for diagnosing Alport syndrome by examining type IV collagen chains in kidney and skin biopsies. He is the author of the Alport syndrome entries at the online resources UpToDate and GeneReviews. He has lectured on Alport syndrome at numerous institutions and meetings, both nationally and internationally, to professional and lay audiences. Dr. Kashtan regularly consults with biopharmaceutical companies interested in developing novel therapies for Alport syndrome, including advising on clinical trial design, and has served as a site investigator for several clinical trials focused on Alport syndrome.

Clinical Summary

Specialties:

• Pediatrics
• Transplant Surgery

Clinics:

• Pediatric Specialty Care-Discovery Clinic
• Transplant Center

Clinical Interests:

• Pediatric nephrology
• Pediatric kidney transplantation
• Pediatric dialysis

Bio

Dr. Kelly is a Professor of Pediatrics, the Minnesota American Legion and Auxiliary Chair in Children’s Health, and the Co-Director of the Center for Pediatric Obesity Medicine at the University of Minnesota Medical School. As a physiologist and clinical trialist, he has more than 20 years of experience conducting intervention studies for the treatment of pediatric/adolescent obesity and has published more than 150 peer-reviewed papers on this and related topics. Dr. Kelly’s research program has been continuously funded by the National Institutes of Health since 2011. He is a leader in the field of pediatric obesity medicine and has been heavily involved in the development and evaluation of anti-obesity medications for adolescents and children. He is actively involved in numerous initiatives related to pediatric obesity treatment in the United States and internationally, and serves in various leadership positions within The Obesity Society.

Disclosure Statement:
Dr. Kelly engages in unpaid consulting and educational activities, as well as serves as an unpaid investigator for Novo Nordisk; engages in unpaid consulting activities and serves as an unpaid investigator for Boehringer Ingelheim, Eli Lilly, and Vivus; receives donated drug/placebo from Novo Nordisk and Vivus for National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)-funded clinical trials.

Bio

Dr. Kim completed training in General Pediatrics at Westchester Medical Center and in Pediatric Critical Care At the University of California, San Diego. He has practiced at Valley Children's Hospital prior to moving back to the Midwest.

His clinical interests include resident education, patient safety, and global health.

Bio

Dr. King is an Associate Professor in the Department of Pediatrics. She received her PhD in clinical psychology from the University of Houston and specialized in clinical neuropsychology. She completed the University of Minnesota Medical School Pediatric Psychology Internship and a two-year fellowship in pediatric neuropsychology also at the University of Minnesota. Dr. King is board certified in clinical neuropsychology by the American Board of Professional Psychology/American Board of Clinical Neuropsychology.

Dr. King conducts comprehensive neuropsychological evaluations and provides consultation for individuals ranging in age from infancy to young adulthood. Her clinical interests include evaluating the neuropsychological functioning of children with various genetic conditions and medical diagnoses associated with central nervous system dysfunction, acquired neurological conditions, and comorbid psychiatric disorders. Her goal with each patient is to maximize their quality of life and abilities.

Dr. King is currently involved in multi-disciplinary research investigating the neuropsychological functioning of children with metabolic disorders and is a clinical trial consultant. Dr. King is also an active participant in training future psychologists at the pre and post-doctoral levels. She is a member of the Center for Neurobehavioral Development at the University of Minnesota, the American Academy of Clinical Neuropsychology, the International Neuropsychological Society, and the American Psychological Association/Society for Clinical Neuropsychology.

Bio

Dr. Kizilbash is a board certified pediatric nephrologist and an Associate Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Minnesota. She pursued a fellowship in pediatric nephrology and Masters in clinical research at the University of Minnesota before joining it in 2016 as an Assistant Professor. Her clinical interests encompass pediatric kidney transplantation, hypertension, kidney stones, chronic kidney disease including dialysis, congenital anomalies of the kidney and the urinary tract, and glomerulonephritis. Dr. Kizilbash is actively involved in clinical research and quality improvement initiatives. Her research focuses on improving kidney transplant outcomes in children, and her quality improvement activities are aimed at improving the care of children with chronic kidney disease.

Bio

Dr. Rachel Koski specializes in newborn ICU care which involves premature and full term infants. She received her medical training out towards the east coast including her Neonatal-Perinatal Fellowship Program at the University of Connecticut. Since completing her training, she now returns to Minnesota as her family is originally from the Twin Cities area.

Dr. Koski's academic interests involve scientific research with neonatal hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy. She focuses her work in the lab on possible neuroprotectant factors that can possibly be beneficial to infants with this brain injury. She is excited to be at the University of Minnesota to continue her research!

Research Summary

Dr. Koski's research interest includes neuroprotectant factors for hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy. 

Bio

Dr. Kouri is an Assistant Professor of Clinical Pediatrics in the Division of Pediatric Nephrology and board certified as a pediatric nephrologist through the American Board of Pediatrics. She completed her fellowship in Pediatric Nephrology at Indiana University/Riley Hospital for Children in 2017, and was faculty there prior to joining the team at the University of Minnesota in 2019. She is a member of the public policy committee through the American Society of Pediatric Nephrology. Her clinical and research interests include glomerular diseases, end stage renal disease and dialysis, as well as transition of care in adolescent patients with kidney disease.