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Biographies

Find another Doctor or Researcher

High Res

Kimberly A. Risma, MD, PhD

Assistant Professor, UC Department of Pediatrics

Phone: 513-636-6771

Fax: 513-636-4615

Email: kimberly.risma@cchmc.org

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Specialties

Clinical Interests

Immune deficiency; immune dysregulation

Research Interests

Pathophysiology of perforin missense mutations identified in individuals with hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis; Molecular mechanisms of primary immune deficiency and dysregulation; Natural killer cell and cytotoxic T lymphocyte cytotoxicity

Biography

Kimberly Risma, MD, PhD, is an Assistant Professor in the Division of Allergy/Immunology at Cincinnati Children’s and the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine.

Dr. Risma graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in Chemistry from Duke University in 1990 and was elected into The Phi Beta Kappa Society. She then matriculated at Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) School of Medicine in the Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP). In 1996, she completed a PhD in pharmacology. She was selected by the leadership of the CWRU MSTP as the recipient of the 1997 Martin Wahl Memorial Fund Award, given annually to recognize the graduating MD, PhD student who has demonstrated the highest level of independence in research and excellence in research and clinical skills. She was also elected to Alpha Omega Alpha Society in 1997.

In 1997, she enrolled in a Pediatrics residency at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center/University of Cincinnati. During the residency program, Dr. Risma was awarded the pediatric resident teaching award by the medical students. She also engaged in translational research studies related to the genetics of asthma under the mentorship of Dr. Gurjit Hershey, resulting in a first author publication as a pediatric resident.

In 2000, Dr. Risma was accepted to the Allergy/Immunology Fellowship at Cincinnati Children’s. In addition to her clinical training, she pursued an innovative research project under the mentorship of Dr. Janos Sumegi and Dr. Alexandra Filipovich. She proposed a mechanism to study the structural and functional impact of perforin missense mutations identified in patients with hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis. In 2004 she was awarded the Nezelof Prize for best scientific presentation at the international meeting of the Histiocyte Society. The culmination of her fellowship research project was published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, 2006.

Upon completion of her fellowship in 2005, Dr. Risma was appointed as an Assistant Professor in the Division of Allergy and Immunology at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center. In 2006 Dr. Risma received a Clinical Scientist Development Award from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation.

Dr. Risma's research program focuses on understanding the molecular mechanisms of immunodeficiency and immune dysregulation in children, especially as it relates to disorders of lymphocyte cytotoxicity. In addition to her research, she sees patients from all around the country in consultation for primary immune deficiency, immune dysregulation, and allergic disorders.

Education and Training

MD: Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH, 1997.

PhD: Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH, 1996.

Residency: Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, 1997-2000.

Fellowship: Allergy / Immunology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center.

Certification: Pediatrics, 2007; Allergy and Immunology, 2005.

Publications

View PubMed Publications

Sumegi J, Barnes MG, Nestheide SV, Molleran-Lee S, Villanueva J, Zhang K, Risma KA, Grom AA, Filipovich AH. Gene expression profiling of peripheral blood mononuclear cells from children with active hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis. Blood. 2011 Apr 14;117(15):e151-60.

Uygungil B, Bleesing JJ, Risma KA, McNeal MM, Rothenberg ME. Persistent rotavirus vaccine shedding in a new case of severe combined immunodeficiency: A reason to screen. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2010 Jan;125(1):270-1.

Marsh RA, Villanueva J, Kim MO, Zhang K, Marmer D, Risma KA, Jordan MB, Bleesing JJ, Filipovich AH. Patients with X-linked lymphoproliferative disease due to BIRC4 mutation have normal invariant natural killer T-cell populations. Clin Immunol. 2009 Jul;132(1):116-23.

Marsh RA, Villanueva J, Zhang K, Snow AL, Su HC, Madden L, Mody R, Kitchen B, Marmer D, Jordan MB, Risma KA, Filipovich AH, Bleesing JJ. A rapid flow cytometric screening test for X-linked lymphoproliferative disease due to XIAP deficiency. Cytometry B Clin Cytom. 2009 Sep;76(5):334-44.

Urrea Moreno R, Gil J, Rodriguez-Sainz C, Cela E, LaFay V, Oloizia B, Herr AB, Sumegi J, Jordan MB, Risma KA. Functional assessment of perforin C2 domain mutations illustrates the critical role for calcium-dependent lipid binding in perforin cytotoxic function. Blood. 2009 Jan 8;113(2):338-46.

Zhang K, Johnson JA, Biroschak J, Villanueva J, Lee SM, Bleesing JJ, Risma KA, Wenstrup RJ, Filipovich AH. Familial haemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis in patients who are heterozygous for the A91V perforin variation is often associated with other genetic defects. Int J Immunogenet. 2007 Aug;34(4):231-3.

Thomas H, Risma KA, Graham TB, Brody AS, Deutsch GH, Young LR, Joseph PM. A kindred of children with interstitial lung disease. Chest. 2007 Jul;132(1):221-30.

Bullock JZ, Villanueva JM, Blanchard C, Filipovich AH, Putnam PE, Collins MH, Risma KA, Akers RM, Kirby CL, Buckmeier BK, Assa'ad AH, Hogan SP, Rothenberg ME. Interplay of adaptive th2 immunity with eotaxin-3/c-C chemokine receptor 3 in eosinophilic esophagitis. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr. 2007 Jul;45(1):22-31.

Risma KA, Frayer RW, Filipovich AH, Sumegi J. Aberrant maturation of mutant perforin underlies the clinical diversity of hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis. J Clin Invest. 2006 Jan;116(1):182-92.