January 2024 Pediatric Pulse
Cliff Notes: From the Chair
Dear Yale Pediatrics Family,
I hope you are settling into the New Year and that it is off to a great start! We have so much to look forward to this year in and around YSM and our New Haven community.
As a reminder, we have seen an uptick in respiratory viruses like RSV, Covid-19, and flu in Pediatrics, and around most of the country, following winter holiday gatherings and returns to school. You can always find out the latest news from Yale Medicine, YNHHS, and YSM online. At the end of this message, you'll also find updates and resources on booster and vaccine access, masking guidance, and testing options across YSM. We have the tools to stay healthy and well, be sure to check in to find out what's available to you from Yale.
Warmly,
Cliff
Pulse Spotlight
Jessica Nargi, bariatric dietician, organized the first ever Adolescent Bariatric cooking class with Chef RD Max!
The Pediatric Rheumatology team participated in the 2023 Jingle Bell Run, which was held on Sunday, December 10, in Madison, CT. The Jingle Bell Run is a fun holiday 5K run/walk which supports the Arthritis Foundation.
This year our very own, Dr. Ian Ferguson, was recognized as a medical honoree for his hard work caring for patients with juvenile arthritis.
Top Stories
The Society for Pediatric Research announces new members for 2024
The Society for Pediatric Research (SPR) is pleased to announce 127 new members. SPR encourages and supports pediatric research endeavors by creating a multidisciplinary network of diverse researchers to improve child health. Collaboration among SPR members creates meaningful progress for the future of children’s health.
Source: SPR5 Jan 2024New COVID variant causing rise in infections during busy holiday travel season
A new COVID-19 variant known as JN.1 is rapidly spreading across the United States and Europe as we head into peak holiday season travel time. Dr. Michael Cappello, MD, chair of the Yale School of Public Health’s Department of Epidemiology (Microbial Diseases), discusses the new variant, its threat potential, and what people can do to protect themselves from infection.
20 Dec 2023
Yale Peds ACE Award Winner
Congratulations to the December 2023 Peds ACE Award Winner: Shruti Gupta, FAAP, MD!
The Yale Pediatrics Department’s Award for Clinical Excellence (Yale Peds ACE) recognizes exemplary clinicians who go above and beyond for patients, deliver the highest quality of care and personify healing, innovation and collaboration.
Shruti Gupta joined Yale Pediatrics in 2021 as the first Yale Pediatrics Medical Director of the Greenwich Hospital NICU. In her three years at Yale, she excels in the department’s vision of "Healer, Innovator. Collaborator". She was nominated by Greenwich Hospital leadership and awarded both the Dale Carnegie Award for Outstanding Performance and the Dale Carnegie Award for Human Relations.
Her colleagues said, "“Dr. Gupta has had a positive impact on the system wide YNHHS NICU quality improvement work. Specifically, she now leads NICU Nutrition quality improvement for the YNHHS NICU system. She is the person to volunteer most frequently to fill open clinical shifts. She volunteers for shifts in New Haven despite having a full clinical schedule at Greenwich Hospital."
Please join us in congratulating Dr. Gupta on this well-deserved recognition!
Grants and Awards
- Mark Cicero – Toyota Motor Corp, Community Paramedicine to Improve Outcomes and Address Disparities in Pediatric Mild Traumatic Brain Injury
- Project period: 12/5/23-12/4/25
- Total awarded to Yale $1,000,000
- Inci Yildirim – NIH R01, Systems investigation of immune profile and vaccine responses in children with sickle cell disease
- Project period: 12/1/23-10/31/28
- Total awarded to Yale $3,023,615
- Emanuela Bruscia, Nadia Ameen, Marie Egan – Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Dissecting molecular mechanisms underlying gut inflammation and disease in Cystic Fibrosis
- Project period: 1/1/24-12/31/26
- Total awarded to Yale $168,000
- Carlos Oliveira – NIH R01, Real-Word Effectiveness of Perinatal RSV Immunoprophylaxis
- Project period: 12/8/23-10/31/28
- Total awarded to Yale $4,066,393
- Stephanie Prozora – American Thrombosis & Hemostasis Network, ATHN Data Quality Counts (DQC) Program -- Round 1
- Project period: 9/1/23-8/31/24
- Total awarded to Yale $15,000
- Liza Konnikova – NIH, Subaward with the University of Nebraska Medical Center, Liver-Gut Axis in Neonatal Anemia and Its Role in RBC Transfusion Associated Gut Injury
- Project period: 8/15/23-2/28/27
- Total awarded to Yale $109,865
- Tuba Kockar Kizilirmak – Awarded a third year in the Pediatric Scientist Development Program, Understanding the impact of CFTR dysfunction on airway immune cell transcriptomes in early disease pathogenesis
- Project period: 7/1/24-6/30/25
Kudos & Congrats!
- The Society for Pediatric Research (SPR) announced 127 new members for 2024, including our Juan Vazquez, MD
- The American Pediatric Society (APS) announced eighty-four new members for 2024 including our Sarah Taylor, MD, MSCR
Strategic Planning
Organization Only
Write for Paw Prints Blog
Paw Prints works to connect with and strengthen our community through the power of storytelling. The blog hopes to highlight blog posts from a diverse array of people, perspectives, and experiences with a focus on social justice and advocacy topics. Long or short form writing, drawings, poems, photos, and different media are welcome. To submit, please email molly.markowitz@yale.edu. Read the latest submissions here.
Video
PELC: "Questionnaires in Medical Research and Practice: Selecting Valid Instruments" with Marney White
PELC 12.18.23: "Questionnaires in Medical Research and Practice: Selecting Valid Instruments" with Marney White
Yale Pediatrics in the News
The Office of Health Equity Research Announces Recipients of the Community Health Equity Accelerator’s Cycle 1 Funds to Address Pediatric Asthma Disparities in New Haven
The Office of Health Equity Research (OHER) is excited to announce it has awarded funds to address pediatric asthma disparities in New Haven to a coalition of community and academic partners through its Community Health Equity Accelerator initiative. A partner team comprised of the Hispanic Federation Inc. of Connecticut, Center for Children’s Advocacy (CCA), and faculty from the Yale University School of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Sections of General Pediatrics and Pediatric Pulmonology, Allergy, Immunology and Sleep Medicine will receive a pilot award of $150,000 to develop and implement a multilevel community-based intervention.
1 Jan 2024A Night of Fun Raises Money to Help Fight Hunger and Homelessness
Members of the YSM community opened their hearts and their wallets at the 30th Annual Hunger & Homelessness Charity Auction on Dec. 6, bidding generously on everything from VIP baseball tickets to a very in-demand bowtie.
19 Dec 2023A New Diabetes Drug Could Push Off Insulin Use for Years. A CT Boy Who Is Afraid of Needles Is Trying It.
Kevan Herold, MD, C.N.H. Long Professor of Immunobiology and of Medicine (Endocrinology), and Jennifer Sherr, MD, PhD, professor in pediatrics (endocrinology), discuss a new drug for type 1 diabetes.
Source: Hartford Courant14 Dec 2023
Publications
2024
- Chapter 38 Cybersecurity and blockchain in cardiologyHall E. Chapter 38 Cybersecurity and blockchain in cardiology. 2024, 367-370. DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-323-90534-3.00006-8.
2023
- Development of an innovative curriculum for paediatricians on peanut allergy prevention: How do we address current guidelines?Leeds S, Slade M, Hafler J, Samady W, Jiang J, Bilaver L, Gupta R. Development of an innovative curriculum for paediatricians on peanut allergy prevention: How do we address current guidelines? The Clinical Teacher 2023, 21: e13689. PMID: 37935587, DOI: 10.1111/tct.13689.
Updates & Reminders
Yale Campus Health: Respiratory Viruses & Masking Updates
- Due to an increase in respiratory virus illness, there is a need to implement a higher tier of mask use in alignment with CDC core infection prevention and control practices. Across the enterprise, we have been in Code Yellow, which indicates that masking is recommended. Beginning Wednesday, December 20, we moved to the initial tier of Code Red, which requires all physicians and employees to mask for patient interactions. For additional information, please read the attached update.
- It is NOT too late to benefit from a flu or COVID vaccine. View the latest Yale Campus Health communication and respiratory virus update from 11/14/23
- Flu Shot Requirement & Other Recommended Vaccines
- View the Yale COVID-19 Vaccination Policy
- View University Mask Requirements and Guidance
- View Yale COVID-19 Testing & Close Contact Guidance
- Learn What to Do if You Become Ill
- Faculty, staff, and students with a valid Yale ID can pick up a maximum of two free rapid antigen test kits at a time at these locations on campus during business hours.
- Free via USPS: Beginning 11/20/23, you will be able to place another order of 4 free at-home COVID-19 tests. If you did not place an order between 9/25/23 and 11/19/23, you will be able to place two separate orders of 4 free at-home tests. Click here to order.
Strategic Planning
The Department has embarked on a strategic planning phase that will help create a clear, creative, and concrete strategic plan that will guide Yale Pediatrics’ next five years.
A good strategic plan will:
- Help Yale Pediatrics to continue to manifest its mission
- Attract resources and energy, including faculty, residents, students, and staff
- Support a positive work culture
- Foster agreed upon organizational values
You can keep up with updates and event information, like the Strategic Planning Faculty Retreat in February 2024, on the Pediatrics intranet, here.
Do You Need Help?
Print or save this flyer if you need assistance on campus during an emergency, to get support or make a report about misconduct, reach mental health counseling, or report other concerns.
Need a New Head Shot?
Need a new head shot for your YSM profile? Click here to book an appointment for a photo session with the YSM Communications office.
Pediatric Medical Education Research Collaborative (P-MERC)
The Pediatric Medical Education Research Collaborative (P-MERC) can be found here. P-MERC provides resources and support to members of the Department of Pediatrics who are interested in engaging in educational research and scholars. If you have suggestions for the site, please reach out to Melissa Langhan, MD, MHS at Melissa.Langhan@yale.edu.
Pediatric Community Education Series
This series is held every Thursday at either 7 a.m., noon, or 6 p.m. on a rotating schedule. If you'd like to fill a slot, please email Dr. Greg Germain. These sessions are held on Zoom and qualify for CME.
Zoom Rooms
Reminder: The Trask (LMP 3108) and LLCI 400 conference rooms have been upgraded to Zoom Rooms! This was done to standardize rooms across the University, improve functionality, enable room monitoring by IT, and allow for easy upgrades to the infrastructure in the future. Please note, ALL speakers will need to bring a laptop with them to the Zoom Rooms to be able to present. Save a copy of the instructions for these rooms here.
Let's Get Social!
HYLITEs in Pediatrics
Scan the QR code on any of the posted signs around the Department or text “Peds1” to (831) 222-2333 to send a Hylite. You can also send a Hylite HERE anytime from a web browser. Happy Hyliting!