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Infectious Disease
The Pediatric Infectious Diseases faculty is all actively carrying out research ranging from basic science (including molecular, viral, and bacterial pathogenesis) to epidemiology, vaccine development, clinical trials of anti-infectives and vaccines public health, and hospital infection control. These physician-scientists form three subgroups. One, a viral pathogenesis group, is headed by Dr. Gershon, the second is a bacterial pathogenesis group, headed by Dr. Prince and the third engages primarily in epidemiology and clinical research. Collaborating basic scientists are found in Departments of Microbiology, Cell Biology, Physiology, Medicine, Epidemiology, the School of Public Health, School of Nursing, and the Clinical Microbiology Laboratory.
VZV Virus and Latent Infection
In studies with Dr. Saul Silverstein in the Department of Microbiology, Drs. Gershon and LaRussa, and Sharon Steinberg are attempting to determine how varicella-zoster virus (VZV) causes and maintains latent infection. They have demonstrated VZV RNA and DNA in sensory ganglia (from autopsy specimens) and human white blood cells, using polymerase chain reaction (PCR), in situ hybridization, and immunoflourescence. They have identified VZV RNA sequences and proteins of immediate early and early genes in neurons and satellite cells in ganglia form patients with past varicella. These immediate early proteins are demonstrated in the cytoplasm of latently infected ganglia, with only minimal amounts in the nucleus where these proteins are localized in lytic infection. They are now exploring possible mechanisms by which these proteins control latency. They are also evaluating trafficking of VZV proteins within infected tissue culture cells, using electron microscopy and autoradiography.
Pediatric AIDS Clinical
Trials Unit
Drs. Gershon, LaRussa, Foca, and Neu also participate in collaborative clinical research. In this activity, they study various antiretroviral drugs in HIV-infected women and children. Dr. LaRussa is in charge of an HIV virology core laboratory for this national program. Dr. Neu has a special research interest in HIV-infected adolescents.
Bacterial Pathogenesis
Dr. Prince’s lab studies the interactions of bacterial pathogens, P. aeruginosa and S. aureus and airway epithelial cells. Using a combination of bacterial genetic and cell biology approaches, her group is interested in defining how bacteria activate host inflammation in the lung and how this process is regulated. She has had a long standing interest in studying the pathogenesis of pulmonary infection in cystic fibrosis. (See lab website cited above for recent publications and ongoing projects).
Cystic Fibrosis
Dr. Saiman heads a national referral center for testing multidrug-resistant organisms from patients with CF. This lab provides susceptibility and synergy studies of P. aeruginosa, Burkholderia cepacia, Stenotrophomonas maltophilia and other multidrug-resistant pathogens and studies trends in antibiotic resistance and emerging pathogens. (See lab website: http://synergy.columbia.edu/).
Clinical Research
The division has established a Clinical Research Program to support the startup and execution of Clinical Research. A dedicated program manager, experienced investigators, and research coordinators are available to provide infrastructure clinical expertise and administrative coordination for all Clinical Research performed within the division and with investigators from other specialties participating in collaborative research. This program supports industry, government, foundation, and investigator-initiated research in antimicrobial agents, vaccines, epidemiology, and ID-related technology.
Clinical Immunization Safety Assessment Network
The Clinical Immunization Safety Assessment (CISA) Network is a collaborative effort between the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) and 7 clinical centers in the United States. Dr. LaRussa is the director of the Columbia University CISA Network site. The primary goals of the network are to improve the scientific understanding of vaccine safety issues through research and to serve as a source of clinical expertise in evaluation of adverse events following immunization.
Hospital Epidemiology
The division has a large focus in hospital epidemiology, infection control, molecular epidemiology, and a comprehensive antimicrobial control program. Drs. Saiman and Graham are the Pediatric Hospital Epidemiologist and Assistant Pediatric Hospital Epidemiologist, respectively.
Pediatric TB
Dr. Saiman has a long standing interest in Pediatric TB and latent TB infections and has performed numerous studies with the CDC and NYC Department of Health.
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