Meet Our Faculty

Bio

Dr. Lahn Nguyen is a Complex and Palliative care pediatrician. She received her DO from Des Moines University College of Medicine. After medical school she took a transitional year at Peconic Bay Medical Center in Riverhead. Dr. Nguyen completed her residency in Pediatrics in Brooklyn, NY at the Coney Island Hospital, SUNY Downstate Medical Center and Kings County Hospital in 2019. Dr. Nguyen graduated from one of the largest Pediatric Hospice and Palliative Care Fellowship programs in the USA at UTHSCSA in San Antonio, TX in the Summer of 2020.

Dr. Nguyen spent her formative years growing up in the Twin Cities of Minnesota before moving to Des Moines, IA where she received her BA in Biology and History from Drake University. Her professional interests are rooted in the cultural aspects of medical care, the exploration of successful medical education practices and a passion for ethics. In her downtime Dr. Nguyen enjoys reading, quilting projects, hiking, and time with family and friends. She added a new dog, Brady to her family in 2020.

Research Summary

Dr. Nguyen is interested in medical education and cultural aspects of care as it relates to complex care and chronic illness. 

Bio

Dr. Olin is Associate Professor in the Department of Pediatrics, Division of Hematology/Oncology.

Dr. Olin graduated from the University of Minnesota, Duluth, in 1995 with a BS in biochemistry and a BA in chemistry. After graduating, he worked in industry for 5 years before returning to the U of M to complete his PhD in Veterinary Medicine (Infectious Disease) in 2005. From 2006-2008 Dr. Olin did a postdoctoral fellowship with Dr. Philip Peterson studying the effects of opioids on tuberculosis meningitis, and from 2008-2011 he did a second post doctoral fellowship with Dr. John Ohlfest in brain tumor immunotherapy. Dr. Olin joined the Department of Pediatrics Faculty as an Assistant Professor in 2011.

Research Summary

Dr. Olin's scientific interest is defining the mechanism(s) of suppression inhibiting the ability to mount a tumoricidal response evident in the tumor draining lymph nodes and tumor environment and developed potential ways to modulate the immunosuppressive activity. Immunosuppressive tumor environment is a major hurdle for the immune system to overcome. Dr. Olin is focused on the development of inhibitors derived to overcome the suppressive tumor microenvironment.

Bio

Maren Olson, MD, MPH, MEd is a graduate of the University of Minnesota Medical School and did her residency in pediatrics at Seattle Children's. Her clinical work is as a pediatric hospitalist. Dr. Olson co-directs the Center for the Art of Medicine in the Medical School. She also serves as an Associate Program Director for the Pediatric Residency and as a Faculty Advisor in the Medical School. Dr. Olson is passionate about mentoring learners, exploring the intersection between art and medicine, and caring for hospitalized kids and their families. Her academic interests include promoting resilience among physicians-in-training and incorporating storytelling and reflective writing into medical education and practice.

Bio

Dr. Paul Orchard is the Medical Director of the Inherited Metabolic and Storage Disease Program and a Professor in the Department of Pediatrics, Division of Blood and Marrow Transplant & Cellular Therapy. Dr. Orchard's focus is in the use of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation and other cell therapies for inherited metabolic disorders, with a special interest in the inherited leukodystrophies, the mucopolysaccharidoses and osteopetrosis. His clinical research is in evolving new and combination therapies to decrease toxicity and improve outcomes, with a particular interest in the use of gene therapy approaches.

Research Summary

Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation of Genetic Disorders Transplant related toxicity and graft failure Use of reduced intensity preparative regimens Risk factors affecting outcomes following transplantation
Osteopetrosis Biology and genetics of osteopetrosis Correlations of clinical and genetic parameters to outcome and prognosis Hematopoietic transplantation and other therapies
Gene Therapy T cell engineering with "suicide genes" for transplantation Infusions of mismatched T cells with following genetic manipulation Treatment of genetic and metabolic diseases with gene therapy
Development of Alternative Cellular Therapy Use of mesenchymal stem cells for genetic diseases Infusions of immunologically active cell populations

Clinical Summary

Bone marrow transplants to treat genetic diseases; Osteopetrosis; Inherited conditions

Bio

Dr. Osborn is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Pediatrics, Division of Blood and Marrow Transplantation. He is also a member of the Cancer Center. Dr. Osborn received his PhD degree from the University of Minnesota in 2009 in the laboratory of Dr. Bruce R. Blazar, MD.

Research Summary

Dr. Osborn's current research is focused on gene and cellular therapy for disorders treated by hematopoietic cell transplantation including: Fanconi anemia, epidermolysis bullosa, and Hurler syndrome. This involves utilizing a patient's own cells for precision gene targeting and correction of their disease causing mutation. Genome editing nucleases and multiple terminally differentiated and stem cell populations are utilized towards optimizing ex vivo cellular therapies.
Gene Therapy
- Non-viral gene transfer for the treatment of inborn errors of metabolism.
Genome Editing
- Correction of disease specific mutations in a precise manner using homologous recombination.
Cellular Therapy
- Ex vivo correction of murine and human adult stem cells.

Bio

Dr. Oshodi is a pediatrician with clinical and research interests that include primary care, care of children with chronic medical conditions and special needs and global health. In her current position she practices at the Fairview University Children's clinic and the Masonic Institute of Developing Brain (MIDB).   

Clinical Summary

Dr. Oshodi's patient care philosophy is rooted in her personal experience as a parent of a medically complex child. She emphasizes transparent communication, actively involving patients and families in decisions, and recognizing parents of special needs children as vital partners in their care. Her approach seamlessly blends empathy and medical expertise.

Clinical Summary

Neurodevelopment; HPA axis; Educational development; Simulation based education.

Bio

Angela Panoskaltsis-Mortari, PhD is a Professor of Pediatrics in the Division of Blood and Marrow Transplant & Cellular Therapy. She is also a Professor of Medicine in the Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, Critical Care and Sleep. Dr. Panoskaltsis-Mortari is the Director of the Cytokine Reference Laboratory, the Director of the 3D Bioprinting Facility at the University of Minnesota and Vice Chair for Research for the Department of Pediatrics.
Dr. Panoskaltsis-Mortari received her PhD from the University of Western Ontario. She was a post-doctoral fellow in the Department of Pathology at the University of Alabama and a post-doctoral research associate in the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Minnesota. She joined the University of Minnesota faculty in 1995.
Dr. Panoskaltsis-Mortari has board certification from the American Board of Medical Laboratory Immunology. She is a member of numerous immunology, pulmonary, and hematology professional societies, and the author of over 275 articles which have appeared in such publications as Advanced Materials, Journal of Clinical Investigation, Blood, Biology of Blood and Marrow Transplantation, and American Journal of Physiology (Lung, Cell. & Mol. Physiol.).

Research Summary

With 25 years of experience in animal models of stem cell transplant, lung injury, mesenchymal stem/stromal cell therapy and the biology of graft-vs-host disease (GVHD) after bone marrow transplant, Dr. Angela Panoskaltsis-Mortari's work has evolved into the bioengineering field, and she is recognized as one of the thought leaders in lung bioengineering. Dr. Panoskaltsis-Mortari's laboratory research currently focuses upon 2 major themes: 1) bioengineering autologous tissues such as trachea and esophagus using 3D bioprinting and customized hydrogels including decellularized extracellular matrix; and 2) 3D bioprinting of cancer models.
Dr. Panoskaltsis-Mortari established and directs the 3D Bioprinting Facility at the University of Minnesota. She also directs the UMN Cytokine Reference Laboratory (a CLIA-licensed facility). She is a member of the Stem Cell Institute, the Institute for Engineering in Medicine, the Lillehei Heart Institute, the Masonic Cancer Center, the Center for Immunology, and the Robotics Institute. She is funded by the NIH, has mentored many post-docs, MD trainees, graduate students and undergrads in various training programs. Her goal is to realize the potential of regenerative medicine by converging the fields of stem cell biology, mechanical & biomedical engineering, biomaterials, physiology, robotics, and surgery to bioengineer autologous tissues/organs for transplant using a patient's own cells that would not be rejected by their immune system.

Bio

Dr. Peck is a pediatric cardiologist with expertise in fetal, transthoracic, and transesophageal echocardiography. His research interests include novel ultrasound technologies and rheumatic heart disease. He also enjoys teaching medical trainees and enhancing medical education.

Bio

Katie Pfister, MD is an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics in the Division of Neonatology. She received her medical training at Vanderbilt University and the University of Minnesota. Dr. Pfister is the Associate Director of the MHealth Fairview Southdale and Ridges Neonatal Intensive Care Units.  In addition to attending on the NICU, she sees high-risk NICU patients in follow-up clinic to help optimize neurodevelopmental outcomes. Her research interests include using electrophysiology as an early marker of development in at-risk populations.

Bio

Dr. Pianosi is Canadian by birth, of Italian origin, and thus hold multiple citizenships. He obtained his MD from the University of Toronto, completed a pediatric residency at the University of Ottawa (Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario), and pediatric respiratory medicine fellowship at McGill University (Montreal Children's Hospital.

After his training, he went on to become an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics and Child Health at the University of Manitoba, then Associate Professor with tenure at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia. After practicing in Canada for 15 years, he moved to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota where he practiced for another 12 years, reaching Full Professor level in Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine.

In April of 2017 he moved to King's College Hospital, where he spent a little more than a year, but eventually opted to return to the University of Minnesota where he believed he would have the best opportunity to pursue research in an existing exercise testing lab for pediatric subjects.

Research Summary

In recent years, I have turned my attention to studying the clinical problem of dyspnea in children and adolescents. I see many patients with this complaint in clinic, and it turns out that approximately 1/4 patients with POTS report dyspnea as a prominent and sometimes disabling symptom. I have begun collaboration with an expert in cardiovascular pathophysiology in POTS out of New York Medical College. Nevertheless, the overarching theme of my recent work is dyspnea during exercise, to wit I created and validated pictorial, pediatric dyspnea scales. I wish to understand mechanisms of exertional dyspnea in children and adolescents - both those with cardiopulmonary disease and healthy subjects.

Clinical Summary

Asthma; CF; chronic lung disease of prematurity

Bio

Dr. Rene Pierpont is a Pediatric Neuropsychologist and Associate Professor of Pediatrics. She completed doctoral (PhD) and postdoctoral training in experimental and clinical psychology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Dr. Pierpont participated in a pediatric clinical psychology internship and a two-year postdoctoral fellowship in pediatric neuropsychology through the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Minnesota Medical School.

In her current clinical work, Dr. Pierpont conducts neuropsychological evaluations and consultations for children with complex medical conditions (e.g., congenital heart disease, seizures, brain tumors), inherited metabolic disorders, brain injury, and a variety of other neurodevelopmental or social-emotional challenges. Dr. Pierpont has specialized expertise in assessment of children with genetic syndromes such as: neurofibromatosis type 1; Noonan syndrome; fragile X syndrome; Down syndrome; Williams syndrome; 22q deletion syndrome; and rare chromosomal anomalies. Dr. Pierpont is licensed as a psychologist through the Minnesota Board of Psychology. She works with individuals during infancy through young adulthood.

Dr. Pierpont is passionate about research and about communicating scientific advances to the public in ways that will positively impact the lives of children. Dr. Pierpont's research focuses on neurocognitive and behavioral development in children with genetic syndromes. She is interested in how genetic and environmental variables affect risk and resilience in these populations. Dr. Pierpont is a member of the Center for Neurobehavioral Development at the University of Minnesota, the International Neuropsychological Society, and the American Psychological Association/Division 40. She also participates on the Medical Advisory Board for the Noonan Syndrome Foundation.

Bio

Dr. Nishitha Pillai is an Assistant Professor in the Division of Genetics & Metabolism at The University of Minnesota. She received her medical degree from the Government Medical College Kozhikode in India and completed her Pediatric Residency at Inova Children's Hospital in Farifax, Virginia. Subsequently, she completed her Medical Genetics Residency as well as clinical fellowship in Medical Biochemical Genetics at Baylor College of Medicine - Texas Children's Hospital in Houston.
Dr. Pillai specializes in medical genetics and inborn errors of metabolism for patients of all ages. Dr. Pillai's career goal is to treat patients with metabolic disorders and conduct translational research investigating new therapies for inborn errors of metabolism. She is particularly interested in lysosomal storage diseases and overgrowth syndromes.

Research Summary

Lysosomal storage diseases & somatic and vascular overgrowth syndromes

Bio

Dr. Pitt is a graduate from the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. He completed his residency in pediatrics at Northwestern University's Children's Memorial Hospital in Chicago. Dr. Pitt believes that a good pediatrician must be a good educator and enjoys equipping medical students and residents with tools that improve bedside teaching, patient rapport, and parent's understanding of complex diseases in their children. He is an Associate Program Director for the University of Minnesota Pediatric Residency. An award-winning magician who has performed internationally since the age of 8, Dr. Pitt leads workshops for pediatricians on how to incorporate magic into the physical exam to ease anxiety, build rapport, and increase diagnostic yield.

Clinical Summary

Care of Preterm and Ill Neonates; Perinatal Bereavement and Planning For the Birth of Infants With Life Limiting Conditions

Bio

Rachel joined the Division of Pediatric Critical Care Medicine as an Assistant Professor in 2020. She has a masters degree in health professions education and her research interests center on questions about learning and professional development in the workplace, particularly entrustment, supervision, and professional identity formation.

Research Summary

Dr. Poeppelman's research interests are focused on education and professional development for medical trainees in the workplace, specifically including entrustment, supervision and professional identity formation.

Bio

Jane Nofer Poskanzer, PhD is a clinical psychologist who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of individuals with autism spectrum disorder and other related disorders. She is currently Assistant Professor of Pediatrics in the Medical School at the University of Minnesota, where she works in the Autism and Neurodevelopment Clinic.

Dr. Nofer earned her Bachelor's degree in English from Haverford College, and her master's and doctoral degrees in Clinical Psychology from Emory University. She completed her pre-doctoral internship at Boston Children's Hospital/Harvard School of Medicine, and a post-doctoral fellowship at Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital/Case Western Reserve University. Dr. Nofer has served people with autism and their families in a variety of settings since 1984, including university centers such as the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and The University of Chicago Hospitals, as well as in service agencies and schools.She has taught, supervised, and mentored students from a variety of fields and at many levels, including post-doctoral psychology fellows, pre-doctoral psychology students, medical fellows and students, and undergraduates. Dr. Nofer frequently presents to the community in order to broaden understanding and acceptance of individuals with autism.

Bio

Jenny N. Poynter, PhD, is a Professor in the Division of Epidemiology and Clinical Research in the Department of Pediatrics. Dr. Poynter is a molecular epidemiologist who leads a research team focused on pediatric and adolescent germ cell tumors (GCT) and myeloid malignancy. The major goals of her GCT research are to understand genetic susceptibility, epigenetic alterations and late effects of treatment, including hearing loss and neuropathy. She is also working on studies to understand how lifestyle and genetic factors influence risk of developing pediatric and adult myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS). Finally, she is one of the leaders of the 10,000 Families Study, a newly funded cohort study to evaluate the association between environmental exposures and hematologic malignancy in Minnesota. Dr. Poynter is the Co-Associate Director of Community Outreach and Engagement at the University of Minnesota Masonic Cancer Center. Her work is funded by the National Institutes of Health, Department of Defense, Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation and the Children’s Cancer Research Fund.

Bio

Dr. Michael Przybilla is currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Genetics & Metabolism. He graduated from the University of Minnesota Twin Cities in 2012 with a BS in Biology. He received his PhD in Molecular, Cellular, Developmental Biology & Genetics at the University of Minnesota in 2018. From 2019-2022 he was a postdoctoral assistant in the Gene Therapy and Diagnostics Laboratory, working with Dr. Chester B. Whitley. His work focused on the development and characterization of murine models of lysosomal diseases and the development of novel therapies for such diseases. He joined the Department of Pediatrics Faculty in 2022.

Research Summary

Dr. Przybilla's research has focused on the development of animal models of lysosomal diseases and has progressed into the development and testing of novel therapies for such diseases including enzyme replacement therapy, small molecule chaperones, gene therapy, and gene editing. Currently, his research is focused on developing a gene therapy that can potentially serve as a platform technology to treat multiple lysosomal diseases. Additionally, Dr. Przybilla is collaborating with several research groups to test conduct preclinical studies for potential therapeutics for several lysosomal diseases.Interests include: Therapeutic development for genetic diseases, with a focus on lysosomal diseases.

Bio

Dr. Sarah Raatz, MD, is a board certified pediatrician in Minneapolis, Minnesota. She is currently licensed to practice medicine in Minnesota.

Clinical Summary

Clinical research; Neurodevelopmental outcomes; Nutrition, growth, and body composition

Research Summary

Methamphetamine addiction to explain differences in brain functioning
Adolescent cognitive development
Research education

Bio

Raghavendra ("Raghu") Rao, MD is a tenured Professor of Pediatrics and Director of the Division of Neonatology. He earned his MD at Mysore University in India. In addition to his postgraduate training in Mangalore and Chandigarh, India, he spent a year in Pediatric Residency at the University of Minnesota before completing his Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine Fellowship at the University of Minnesota. When not attending on the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at the University of Minnesota Masonic Children's Hospital, Dr. Rao is involved in research on neurodevelopment under normal and adverse perinatal conditions. Dr. Rao's research interests include early life iron deficiency, hypoglycemia, hyperglycemia and intraventricular hemorrhage. He utilizes high-field NMR spectroscopy, molecular and histochemical analyses, and metabolomic and proteomic analyses of biofluids in his research. Dr. Rao's research is funded by grants from the National Institutes of Health, Regenerative Medicine Minnesota and Viking Children's Fund. Dr. Rao is also a faculty member of the Masonic Institute for the Developing Brain and a Senior Advising Member of the Graduate Program in Neuroscience at University of Minnesota.

Research Summary

A major focus of our research is biomarker discovery using proteomic and metabolomic analyses of paired plasma and CSF samples from nonhuman primate infants with early-life iron deficiency. Early-life iron deficiency anemia is associated with long-term neurodevelopmental impairments in human infants and does not respond to iron treatment. Our goal is to discover plasma biomarkers of impending brain dysfunction in the preanemic period that can be used for early treatment of iron deficiency in human infants. This is a collaborative project with researchers from University of Wisconsin Madison and University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.

Our second goal is to develop novel therapeutic strategies for promoting normal brain development in adverse perinatal conditions. In this area, we are investigating umbilical cord stem cell transfusion as treatment for intraventricular hemorrhage in preterm infants, and intranasal insulin administration as treatment for neonatal hyperglycemia and perinatal iron deficiency in animal models. We collaborate with researchers from the Departments of Pediatrics, Cell Therapeutics, Neurosurgery, Psychology and the Center for Magnetic Resonance Research at the University of Minnesota, and Alzheimer's Research Center at Regions Hospital in St. Paul in these studies.

Clinical Summary

Neonatal intensive care, Neurodevelopment

Bio

Dr. Arpana Rayannavar is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Pediatrics and in the Division of Endocrinology and Diabetes. Dr. Rayannavar joined the Department in September 2019 and is a board certified pediatric endocrinologist. Dr. Rayannavar is a graduate of SUNY Downstate Medical School and completed her pediatric residency at Johns Hopkins Hospital and endocrine fellowship at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. In addition, Dr. Rayannavar completed a clinical research certificate program at the University of Pennsylvania.
Her clinical interests include pituitary function disorders as well as growth and puberty. Her research interests continue to evolve and include looking at therapies to optimize treatment for hypoglycemia/glucose disorders.

Research Summary

Adrenoleukodystrophy, Precocious Puberty

Clinical Summary

Endocrine Oncology, Hypoglycemia, ALD, General Endocrine

Bio

Dr. Resch attended the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign where he received his bachelor's in molecular & cellular biology before pursuing a MS and his MD at Wright State University. He completed pediatric residency at the Medical College of Wisconsin followed by Critical Care fellowship at the University of Minnesota, where he joined the faculty as an Assistant Professor.
Dr. Resch has research interest in adjuvant therapies in the ICU, which includes an ongoing clinical study in opiate-sparing use of magnesium in post-operative patients. He has additional interest in student and resident education.

Research Summary

Dr. Resch has research interest in adjuvant therapies in the ICU, specifically regarding opioid-sparing analgesia, where is currently evaluating magnesium sulfate and lidocaine effects on peri-operative care. He has additional interest in education of medical trainees and serves as the assistant program director for the pediatric critical care fellowship.

Dr. Resch has research interests in pediatric analgesia, post-operative transplant care, and medical education.

Bio

Dr. Michelle Rheault is a board certified pediatric nephrologist and Professor of Pediatrics. She completed her Pediatric Nephrology fellowship at the University of Minnesota in 2006 followed by a research fellowship at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City. She joined the faculty at the University of Minnesota in 2008 and is currently the Director of the Division of Pediatric Nephrology and medical director of the pediatric dialysis unit. She is on the steering committee of the Pediatric Nephrology Research Consortium, a clinical research network that aims to facilitate collaboration in pediatric nephrology. Her clinical and research interests include Alport syndrome and other genetic kidney diseases, pediatric glomerular disease, and pediatric end stage kidney disease.

Bio

Dr. Mona Riskalla is an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Minnesota (UMN). She has also taken on the role of Co-Director for the Pediatric Uveitis Program at Minnesota Lions Children's Eye Clinic. Dr. Riskalla received her MD degree from Michigan State University. She completed her Pediatric residency at the University of Michigan and her Fellowship in Pediatric Rheumatology at the University of Michigan. Additionally, she has an MS in Biostatistics/Clinical Research Design and Statistical Analysis from the University of Michigan.

Clinical Summary

Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis; Juvenile Myositis; Systemic Lupus Erythematosus; Inflammatory Eye Disease; Uveitis

Bio

Kari Roberts, MD, is a Professor of Pediatrics in the Division of Neonatology. She earned her MD degree at the University of Minnesota and completed her pediatric residency and neonatal-perinatal medicine fellowship at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, New Hampshire. In addition to attending in the NICU at the University of Minnesota Masonic Children's Hospital and the Special Care Nurseries at Fairview Ridges and Southdale hospitals, Dr. Roberts is involved in research regarding use of a laryngeal mask airway for surfactant administration in neonates.  She is also involved in device development.

Clinical Summary

Autism Spectrum Disorders

Bio

Dr. Russell was born and raised in North Carolina, where much of her family still lives. She completed a double major at Oberlin College in Chemistry and Religion, with a focus on Ethics. After college she returned to North Carolina to complete medical school at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She completed her internship and residency in Pediatrics at the University of Minnesota, and joined the department of Pediatric Hospital Medicine in 2013. She works as a Pediatric Hospitalist at the M Health Fairview Masonic Children's Hospital and at Maple Grove Hospital, where she is the currently the vice-chair of the Pediatric Department for the year 2016. Dr. Russell's clinical and academic interests include well nursery, surgical co-management, and quality improvement.

Bio

Dr. Sadak received his medical degree from the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences in Washington, DC. He previously had received a Master's of Science in Engineering from the University of Pennsylvania in Biomedical Engineering. He completed his residency in Pediatrics at Inova Fairfax Hospital for Children in Falls Church, Virginia and his fellowship in Pediatric Hematology/Oncology at Children's National Medical Center in Washington, DC. During his fellowship, Dr. Sadak performed health services research in childhood cancer survivorship transition care and concurrently earned a Master's in Public Health in Epidemiology from the George Washington School of Public Health and Health Policy.

Dr. Sadak is currently the Director of the Childhood Cancer/BMT Survivor Program for the Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology in the Department of Pediatrics. His clinical and research expertise focuses on survivors of childhood cancer. He has particular interest in adolescent and young adult survivors and has performed research through mixed methodologies to identify facilitators of transition for childhood cancer survivors from pediatric- to adult-centered care.  Under his leadership, the Childhood Cancer/BMT Survivor Program has several clinical studies open to enrollment for childhood cancer survivors and has leveraged multi-disciplinary collaborations across the Cancer Center, the Academic Health Center, the University and beyond to obtain federal, institutional and foundation grants related to childhood cancer survivorship.

As Senior Medical Director of Pediatrics at the University of Minnesota Medical Center, Dr. Sadak provides operational leadership at M Health Fairview Masonic Children's Hospital related to its work in quality of care, patient/staff safety and patient experience.  His patient care quality improvement efforts have included reductions in hospital acquired conditions (e.g. central-line associated bloodstream infections) and serious safety events as well as improvements in patient flow, engagement in organizational safety culture and multi-disciplinary change management.

Research Summary

As Director of the Childhood Cancer/BMT Survivor Program, Dr. Sadak conducts health services research related to childhood cancer survivors of all ages.  His research focuses on survivors of childhood cancer/BMT and how to ensure that they have life-long survivor-focused care.  His research has helped inform program development specific to successfully transitioning the care of childhood cancer survivors from pediatric-centered care to adult-centered care ensuring that this vulnerable population does not slip through the cracks of our complex health systems. Through a mixed methods approach, including both quantitative and qualitative data, his research within a learning health system has resulted in rapid cycles of improvement in the care delivered to childhood cancer/BMT survivors and collaborative grant-funded research through institutional, federal and foundation awards.

Clinical Summary

Dr. Sadak delivers comprehensive and compassionate family-centered hematology/oncology care at the M Health Fairview Katie Hageboeck Children's Cancer Research Fund Clinic (formerly known as the Journey Pediatric Specialty Clinic), M Health Fairview Masonic Cancer Clinic, M Health Fairview Cancer Center Maple Grove Clinic and the M Health Fairview Masonic Children's Hospital.  

His focus is children, adolescents, and young adults that have been cured of childhood cancer or treated with a BMT to ensure they live the rest of their long lives with the highest quality of life possible.  He leads a team that delivers care to survivors of all ages and their families, performs research related to childhood cancer survivors and helps educate others on the care and needs of childhood cancer/BMT survivors.  This team includes nurse practitioners, nurses, social workers, neuropsychologists, several pediatric- and adult-subspecialists, complex schedulers, research personnel, medical providers and researchers.  

He believes each patient and family has a unique medical journey and therefore has unique medical needs that can be identified and then addressed together through patient-centered listening and teamwork that results in a patient-specific and personalized plan.

Specialties:

• Pediatric Hematology/Oncology
• Childhood Cancer/BMT Survivorship

Research Summary

Clinical research in catheter based therapies for adult and pediatric patients with congenital heart disease

Service Summary

Focus of Practice

• Congenital heart disease, Adult congenital heart disease
• Interventional cardiology
• Pediatric cardiology

Clinical Summary

• Cardiac Catheterization
• Medical Education
• Quality improvement practices
• Adult congenital heart disease
• Transcatheter minimally-invasive cardiac therapies

Fellowships, Residencies, and Visiting Engagements

Advance Fellowship in Interventional Cardiology,

Pediatric Cardiology, Seattle Children’s Hospital, University of Washington

Seattle, Washington, United States

Fellowship in Pediatric Cardiology,

Primary Children’s Hospital, University of Utah

Salt Lake City, Utah, United States

Residency in General Pediatrics,

University of Texas Health Science Center

San Antonio, Texas, United States

Postdoctoral Research Fellowship, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery,

Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School

Boston, Massachusetts, United States

Research Fellow,

Advantagene Inc. / Candel Therapeutics

Massachusetts, United States

Bio

Dr. Kyriakie Sarafoglou is a Professor who holds appointments in the Department of Pediatrics -- Divisions of Endocrinology and Genetics & Metabolism, University of Minnesota Medical School; and the Department of Experimental & Clinical Pharmacology, University of Minnesota College of Pharmacy. She is active in clinical research, patient care, and the education of medical students, pediatric residents, medical scientists, and post-doctoral trainees. Dr. Sarafoglou specializes in rare endocrine and metabolic disorders holding multidisciplinary clinics that care for patients with congenital adrenal hyperplasia and disorders of sex development, hypophosphatasia, Turner syndrome, and inborn errors of metabolism (e.g. congenital disorders of glycosylation). Her research is funded by the National Institutes of Health, Food and Drug Administration, March of Dimes, and industry. Her critically acclaimed textbook published by McGraw Hill, Pediatric Endocrinology and Inborn Errors of Metabolism, is currently in its 2nd Edition and includes 140 contributors from 18 countries, covering approximately 700 endocrine and metabolic disorders.

Research Summary

Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia

Clinical Summary

Adrenal and intersex disorders; Disorders of pubertal development; Inborn errors of metabolism

Bio

Katherine M. Satrom, MD is an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics in the Division of Neonatology. In addition to taking care of patients in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), Dr. Satrom is involved in neurodevelopmental research in the field of neonatal jaundice. Her research aims to understand the effects of bilirubin on the developing preterm brain using molecular, metabolomic, and electrophysiologic outcomes. Dr. Satrom also has a passion for optimizing the care of neonates at risk for severe neonatal jaundice in low-resource settings from a global health perspective.