Karen L. Summar, MD
Title
Medical Director of the Jane and Richard Thomas Center for Down Syndrome
Appointment
Assistant Professor, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine
Email
karen.summar@cchmc.org
Phone
513-636-0520
Fax
513-636-0527
Bio
Dr. Summar is a developmental pediatrician who specializes in the care of children with Down syndrome. She attended medical school at the University of Tennessee Health Sciences. She completed pediatric residency at Vanderbilt University Medical Center where she also completed a masters degree in clinical investigation as well as a fellowship in developmental and behavioral pediatrics.
As the medical director of the Jane and Richard Thomas center, she is interested in improving health outcomes for all children who have Down syndrome.
Dr. Summar is married to Dr. Marshall Summar and they have four, grown, children.
Credentials
MD: University of Tennessee, Memphis, TN, 1983
Residency: Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, 1991
Fellowship: Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 2008
Certification: Pediatrics, AAP, 1991
Awards and Honors
1983 Alpha Omega Alpha Honorary Medical Fraternity
Research Grants and Contracts
2008 Nicholas Hobbs Discovery Grant. Development of Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS) from primary dermal cells of individuals with Down Syndrome. Co-investigator
Publications, Most Recent
Lee, B, Summar, KL. Down Syndrome. In Lee, B, Summar KL. In RE Berman & VC Vaughan (Eds). Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. Philadelphia, PA: WB Saunders 2009.
Dykens, EM, Summar, KL, Roof, EE Medical conditions affecting adults with Prader-Willi syndrome. In C. Reynolds & S. Goldstein (Eds). Handbook of Neurodevelopmental & Genetic Disorders in Adults. New York: Guilford 2005.
Presentations, Most Recent
Grand Rounds University of Tennessee Department of Pediatrics. Down Syndrome Update 2009.
Fired Up for Down Syndrome Conference for the Down Syndrome Association of Middle Tennessee. Current State of Affairs for Clinical Research about Down Syndrome 2009.
International Mosaic Down Syndrome Association. Current State of Affairs for Clinical Research about Down Syndrome 2009.
Professional Organization Memberships
Special Interests
Individuals with down syndrome and their families
Other
Dr. Summar works closely with the National Down Syndrome Society (NDSS) in the development of a national registry for Down syndrome as well as expanding clinical research about Down syndrome.
