Rheumatology

Clinical

Health-related quality of life; outcome research; lupus

Research

Economic analyses; HRQOL; measurement development; outcome research; lupus

Visit the Brunner Lab.

Biography

Hermine Brunner, MD, MSc, MBA, is a pediatric rheumatologist with a special clinical and research interest in pediatric lupus. Her research is focused on biomarker discovery and the testing of new medications for lupus. She is also involved in trial design and provides statistical support at Cincinnati Children's. As head of the Lupus Center, she is involved in the conduction of the Lupus Clinic and the organization of Lupus Support Groups. She also pioneers the development of outcome measures and improving the quality of clinical of children with lupus and other rheumatic diseases.

MD: Ludwig Maximilan University, Munich, Germany, 1991.

Residency: University of Chicago, 1997.

Fellowship: University of Toronto & Cincinnati, 1999.

MSc: Clinical Epidemiology: University of Toronto, 1999.

Certification: Pediatrics 1997; Rheumatology, 2002.

Brunner HI, Silva CA, Reiff A, Higgins GC, Imundo L, Williams CB, Wallace CA, Aikawa NE, Nelson S, Klein-Gitelman MS, Rose SR. Randomized, double-blind, dose-escalation trial of triptorelin for ovary protection in childhood-onset systemic lupus erythematosus. Arthritis Rheumatol. 2015 May;67(5):1377-85.

De Benedetti F, Brunner H, Ruperto N, Schneider R, Xavier R, Allen R, Brown DE, Chaitow J, Pardeo M, Espada G, Gerloni V, Myones BL, Frane JW, Wang J, Lipman TH, Bharucha KN, Martini A, Lovell D; Paediatric Rheumatology International Trials Organisation and the Pediatric Rheumatology Collaborative Study Group. Catch-up growth during tocilizumab therapy for systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis: results from a phase III trial. Arthritis Rheumatol. 2015 Mar;67(3):840-8.

Brunner HI, Klein-Gitelman MS, Zelko F, Beebe DW, Foell D, Lee J, Zaal A, Jones J, Roebuck-Spencer T, Ying J. Blood-based candidate biomarkers of the presence of neuropsychiatric systemic lupus erythematosus in children. Lupus Sci Med. 2014 Nov 5;1(1):e000038.

Brunner HI, Ruperto N, Zuber Z, Keane C, Harari O, Kenwright A, Lu P, Cuttica R, Keltsev V, Xavier RM, Calvo I, Nikishina I, Rubio-Pérez N, Alexeeva E, Chasnyk V, Horneff G, Opoka-Winiarska V, Quartier P, Silva CA, Silverman E, Spindler A, Baildam E, Gámir ML, Martin A, Rietschel C, Siri D, Smolewska E, Lovell D, Martini A, De Benedetti F; Paediatric Rheumatology International Trials Organisation PRINTO; Pediatric Rheumatology Collaborative Study Group (PRCSG). Efficacy and safety of tocilizumab in patients with polyarticular-course juvenile idiopathic arthritis: results from a phase 3, randomised, double-blind withdrawal trial. Ann Rheum Dis. 2015 Jun;74(6):1110-7.

Gitelman DR, Klein-Gitelman MS, Ying J, Sagcal-Gironella AC, Zelko F, Beebe DW, Difrancesco M, Parrish T, Hummel J, Beckwith T, Brunner HI. Brain morphometric changes associated with childhood-onset systemic lupus erythematosus and neurocognitive deficit. Arthritis Rheum. 2013 Aug;65(8):2190-200.

Hollander MC, Sage JM, Greenler AJ, Pendl J, Avcin T, Espada G, Beresford MW, Henrickson M, Lee TL, Punaro M, Huggins J, Stevens AM, Klein-Gitelman MS, Brunner HI. International consensus for provisions of quality-driven care in childhood-onset systemic lupus erythematosus. Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). 2013 Sep;65(9):1416-23.

Mina R, Klein-Gitelman MS, Nelson S, Eberhard BA, Higgins G, Singer NG, Onel K, Tucker L, O'Neil KM, Punaro M, Levy DM, Haines K, Martini A, Ruperto N, Lovell D, Brunner HI. Validation of the systemic lupus erythematosus responder index for use in juvenile-onset systemic lupus erythematosus. Ann Rheum Dis. 2014 Feb;73(2):401-6.

Brunner HI, Klein-Gitelman MS, Zelko F, Thomas EC, Hummel J, Nelson SM, Huggins J, Curran ML, Roebuck-Spencer T, Beebe DW, Ying J. Validation of the Pediatric Automated Neuropsychological Assessment Metrics in childhood-onset systemic lupus erythematosus. Arthritis care & research. 2013;65(3):372-81.

Silva CA, Avcin T, Brunner HI. Taxonomy for systemic lupus erythematosus with onset before adulthood. Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). 2012 Dec;64(12):1787-93.

Mina R, von Scheven E, Ardoin SP, Eberhard BA, Punaro M, Ilowite N, Hsu J, Klein-Gitelman M, Moorthy LN, Muscal E, Radhakrishna SM, Wagner-Weiner L, Adams M, Blier P, Buckley L, Chalom E, Chédeville G, Eichenfield A, Fish N, Henrickson M, Hersh AO, Hollister R, Jones O, Jung L, Levy D, Lopez-Benitez J, McCurdy D, Miettunen PM, Quintero-del Rio AI, Rothman D, Rullo O, Ruth N, Schanberg LE, Silverman E, Singer NG, Soep J, Syed R, Vogler LB, Yalcindag A, Yildirim-Toruner C, Wallace CA, Brunner HI; Carra SLE Subcommittee. Consensus treatment plans for induction therapy of newly diagnosed proliferative lupus nephritis in juvenile systemic lupus erythematosus. Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). 2012 Mar;64(3):375-83.

Faculty

Sheila T. Angeles-Han, MD, MSc

Sheila T. Angeles-Han, MD, MSc, focuses on improving the outcomes of children with uveitis by identifying those at greatest risk for vision loss and blindness. She is experience in questionnaire development and developed the first measure of vision-related function and quality of life in childhood uveitis entitled, “Effects of Youngster’s Eyesight on QOL” (EYE-Q) to better understand the impact of ocular disease.

513-636-4676 sheila.angeles-han@cchmc.org

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Sheila T. Angeles-Han, MD, MSc

Academic Affiliations

Assistant Professor, UC Department of Pediatrics

Phone 513-636-4676

Email sheila.angeles-han@cchmc.org

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Clinical

Juvenile idiopathic arthritis; Juvenile idiopathic arthritis-associated uveitis; Chronic pediatric non-infectious uveitis

Research

Chronic pediatric non-infectious uveitis; Juvenile idiopathic arthritis; Quality of life; Visual outcomes

Biography

Dr. Han’s clinical and research career is dedicated to improving the visual outcomes of children with chronic non-infectious uveitis by decreasing vision loss and blindness in this population. Her research efforts focus on identifying novel risk factors for severe refractory uveitis, with a special interest in race and biomarkers, and developing a comprehensive outcomes assessment protocol for pediatric inflammatory eye disease. She also has experience in questionnaire development and validated the first measure of vision-related quality of life and function for pediatric uveitis, the “Effects of Youngsters' Eyesight on Quality of Life” (EYE-Q).

MD: University of Santo Tomas.

Residency: University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL.

Fellowship: Hospital for Special Surgery, New York, NY.

MS in Clinical Investigation: Weill Graduate School of Medical Sciences of Cornell University, New York, NY.

Angeles-Han ST, Rabinovich E. Uveitis in children. Current Opinion in Rheumatology. 2016;28(5):544-549.

Henderson LA, Zurakowski D, Angeles-Han ST, Lasky A, Rabinovich CE, Lo MS; CARRA Registry Investigators. Medication use in juvenile uveitis patients enrolled in the Childhood Arthritis and Rheumatology Research Alliance Registry. Pediatric Rheumatology. 2016;14:9.

Angeles-Han ST, McCracken C, Yeh S, Jang SR, Jenkins K, Cope S, Bohnsack J, Hersh A, Thompson SD, Prahalad S. HLA associations in a cohort of children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis with and without uveitis. Investigative Ophthalmology for Visual Sciences. 2015;56(10):6043-6048.

Angeles-Han ST, McCracken C, Yeh S, Jenkins K, Stryker D, Travers C, Rouster-Stevens K, Vogler LB, Lambert SR, Drews-Botsch C, Prahalad S. The Association of Race with Childhood Uveitis. The American Journal of Ophthalmology. 2015;160(5):919-928.

Angeles-Han ST, Yeh S, McCracken C, Jenkins K, Stryker D, Myoung E, Vogler LB, Rouster-Stevens K, Lambert SR, Harrison MJ, Prahalad S, Drews-Botsch C. Measuring visual outcomes in children with uveitis using the “Effects of Youngsters’ Eyesight on Quality of Life” questionnaire. Arthritis Care and Research. 2015;67(11):1513-1520.

Angeles-Han ST, McCracken C, Yeh S, Jenkins K, Stryker D, Rouster-Stevens K, Vogler L, Lambert S, Drews-Botsch C, Prahalad S. Characteristics of a Cohort of Children with Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis and JIA-associated Uveitis. Pediatric Rheumatology. 2015;13:19.

Angeles-Han ST. Quality of life metrics in pediatric uveitis. International Ophthalmology Clinics. 2015;55(2):93-101.

Angeles-Han ST, Pelajo CF, Vogler LB, Rouster-Stevens K, Kennedy C, Ponder L, McCracken C, Lopez-Benitez J, Drews-Botsch C, Prahalad S for the CARRAnet investigators. Race and other risk markers in JIA-associated uveitis in the Childhood Arthritis and Rheumatology Research Alliance (CARRA) Registry. Journal of Rheumatology. 2013;40(12):2088-2096.

Angeles-Han ST, Griffin K, Harrison M, Robb R, Shainberg M, Fields K, Ponder L, Lenhart P, Hutchinson A, Srivastava S, Prahalad S, Lambert S, Drews-Botsch C. Development of a vision related quality of life instrument for children 8-18 years of age with juvenile idiopathic arthritis-associated uveitis. Arthritis Care and Research. 2011;63(9):1254-1261.

Angeles-Han ST, Griffin K, Lehman T, Rutledge J, Lyman S, Nguyen J, Harrison M. The importance of visual function in the quality of life of children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis-associated uveitis. Journal of American Association of Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus. 2010;14(2):163-168.

Grants

Outcomes of children with JIA-associated uveitis. Principal Investigator. National Institutes of Health/National Eye Institute, K23 award. 2011-2017.

Risk factors for juvenile idiopathic arthritis-associated uveitis. Principal Investigator. Rheumatology Research Foundation Career Development Bridge Funding Award – K supplement. 2015-2017.

Functional and psychosocial impact of eye disease in pediatric Ebola survivors. Co-Investigator. Emory Global Health Institute Combating Childhood Illness Seed Grant. 2017-2018.

Alexei A. Grom, MD Research Director, Division of Rheumatology

Alexei A. Grom, MD, is a pediatric rheumatologist with a special interest in the pathways associated with the development of macrophage activation syndrome, a life-threatening complication of systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis (SJIA). His work includes a strong translational component; along with studying the mechanisms behind these conditions, his lab is researching potential biomarkers that could facilitate early diagnosis and treatment.
Visit the Grom-Thornton Lab.

513-636-3339 alexei.grom@cchmc.org

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Alexei A. Grom, MD

Research Director, Division of Rheumatology

Academic Affiliations

Professor, UC Department of Pediatrics

Phone 513-636-3339

Fax 513-636-3328

Email alexei.grom@cchmc.org

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Research Interests

Visit the Grom-Thorton Lab.

Biography

The research of Alexei Grom, MD, has mainly involved two translational projects focused on two autoimmune diseases – systemic juvenile rheumatoid arthritis and juvenile dermatomyositis. In both projects, recent advances of cellular immunology are applied to these diseases to promote better understanding of their pathogenesis and treatment.

Systemic onset juvenile rheumatoid arthritis and an associated condition known as macrophage activation syndrome are severe and often devastating illnesses. The pathological mechanisms are not known but Dr. Alexei Grom has focused his research on NK and cytotoxic cell function in this disease. The rationale for this approach has been based on the strong clinical similarities between MAS and the better understood autosomal recessive disorder familial hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis, in which the uncontrolled proliferation of T cells and macrophages has been recently associated with decreased NK cell and cytotoxic cell functions secondary to mutations in the gene encoding perforin. Recent observations suggest as in FHLH, MAS patients also have profoundly depressed NK function. Moreover, a large subgroup of systemic JRA patients has very similar immunologic abnormalities. Combined with the evidence of the immunoregulatory role of NK cells in many immune responses, this suggests that NK dysfunction is relevant to the pathogenesis of MAS. New directions have thus been established for research in this poorly understood disease.

Juvenile dermatomyositis is a chronic inflammatory condition involving primarily muscles and skin. The most characteristic feature of JDM is vascular damage associated with the capillary necrosis that eventually leads to capillary loss and tissue ischemia. The project is based on the hypothesis that capillary loss in this condition may be caused by angiostatic chemokines that are prominent in the inflammatory response in the affected muscles.

MD: Leningrad (St. Petersburg) Pediatric Medical Institute, Russia, 1986.

Residency: Leningrad (St. Petersburg) Medical Institute, Russia, 1988; Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, 1998.

Fellowship: Leningrad (St. Petersburg) Pediatric Medical Institute, Russia, 1991; Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, 1995.

Certification: Pediatrics, 1999.

Schulert G, Fall N, Harley J, Shen N, Lovell DJ, Thornton S, Grom AA. Monocyte microRNA expression in active systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis reveals essential role of miR-125a-5p in polarized monocyte phenotypes. Arthritis Rheumatol. 2016.

Ravelli A, Minoia F, Davì S, Horne A, Bovis F, Pistorio A, Aricò M, Avcin T, Behrens EM, De Benedetti F, Filipovic L, Grom AA, Henter JI, Ilowite NT, Jordan MB, Khubchandani R, Kitoh T, Lehmberg K, Lovell DJ, Miettunen P, Nichols KE, Ozen S, Pachlopnik Schmid J, Ramanan AV, Russo R, Schneider R, Sterba G, Uziel Y, Wallace C, Wouters C, Wulffraat N, Demirkaya E, Brunner HI, Martini A, Ruperto N, Cron RQ. 2016 Classification Criteria for Macrophage Activation Syndrome Complicating Systemic Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis: A European League Against Rheumatism/ American College of Rheumatology/ Paediatric Rheumatology International Trials Organisation Collaborative Initiative. Ann Rheum Dis. 2016;75:481-9.

Grom AA, Horne AC, De Benedetti F. Macrophage activation syndrome in the era of biologic therapy: clues to pathogenesis and impact on diagnostic approaches. Nature Rev Rheumatol. 2016.

Bracaglia C, Kathy de Graaf K, Marafon DP, D’Ario G, Guilhot F, Ferlin W, Prencipe G, Caiello I, Davì D, Schulert G, Ravelli A, Grom AA, De Benedetti F. Elevated circulating levels of interferon-γ and interferon- induced chemokines characterize patients with macrophage activation syndrome complicating systemic JIA. Ann Rheum Dis. 2016.

Schulert GS, Zhang, M, Fall N, Husami A, Kissell D, Hanosh A, Zhang K, Davis K, Jentzen JM, Siddiqui J, Smith LB, Harms PW, Grom AA, Cron RQ. Whole exome sequencing reveals mutations in hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis linked genes among fatal cases of H1N1 infection. J Infect Dis. 2016.

Grom AA, Ilowite N, Brunner HI, Ruperto N, Martinin A, Lovell D, Pascual V, Lheritier K, Abrams K. Canakinumab in Systemic Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis: Impact on the Rate and Clinical Presentation of Macrophage Activation Syndrome. Arthritis Rheumatol. 2016;68:218-28.

Zhang M, Bemrich-Stolz CJ, Beukelman T, Dimmitt RA, Chatham WW, Zhang K, Li H, Grom AA, Cron RQ. A single copy RAB27a mutation leading to decreased NK cell cytolytic function and hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis. J Immunol. 2016;196(6):2492-503.

Schulert GS, Bobe K, McMasters R, Campbell K, Leslie N, Grom AA. Mevalonate kinase deficiency associated with recurrent liver dysfunction, macrophage activation syndrome and perforin gene polymorphism. Arthritis Care Res. 2015;67:1173-9.

Canna SW, Almeida de Jesus A, Gouni S, Brooks SR, Marrero B, Liu Y, Dimattia M, Zaal KJM, Montealegre-Sanchez G, Kim H, Chapelle D, Plass N, Huang Y, Biancotto A, Fleisher TA, J Duncan A, O’Shea JJ, Benseler S, Grom AA, Laxer RM, Goldbach-Mansky R. An activating NLRC4 inflammasome mutation causes a novel autoinflammatory syndrome presenting with recurrent Macrophage Activation Syndrome. Nature Genetics. 2014;46:1140-6.

Kaufman KM, Linghu B, Szustakowski JD, Husami A, Yang F, Zhang K, Filipovich A, Fall N, Harley JB, Nirmala NR, Grom AA. Whole Exome Sequencing Reveals Overlap Between Macrophage Activation Syndrome in Systemic Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis and Familial Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis. Arthritis & Rheum. 2014;66:3486-95.

Grants

MUNC13-4 polymorphisms in MAS and Systemic JIA. Principal Investigator. National Institutes of Health. Aug 2011-Jul 2017. RO1-AR059049.

Cincinnati Training Program in Pediatric Rheumatology Research. Principal Investigator. National Institutes of Health. Apr 2016-Mar 2021. T32 AR069512.

Michael Henrickson, MD, MPH Director of Telemedicine, Division of Rheumatology

Michael Henrickson, MD, MPH, participates in numerous ongoing clinical research trials, as a feature of the Division of Rheumatology's translational research focus.

513-636-4676 michael.henrickson@cchmc.org

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Michael Henrickson, MD, MPH

Director of Telemedicine, Division of Rheumatology

Academic Affiliations

Associate Professor, UC Department of Pediatrics

Professor, University of Kentucky College of Medicine

Phone 513-636-4676

Email michael.henrickson@cchmc.org

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Clinical

Telehealth; health policy; global health; neuropsychiatric-SLE; periodic fever syndromes; systemic JIA; culturally appropriate care.

Research

Ongoing clinical research trials, as a feature of the Division of Rheumatology's translational research focus; telemedicine (tele-rheumatology).

Biography

Dr. Henrickson has an abiding interest in serving as an advocate for his patients to ensure their complete health needs are addressed. He seeks to know the health care priorities of his patients and families and to fulfill them. To provide improved access to care for the limited resource of pediatric rheumatology, a priority for him is the development of telehealth capacity: tele-rheumatology.

BA: magna cum laude, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 1980.

MD: Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, 1984.

MPH: College of Public Health, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, 2009.

Residency: Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics, Tripler Army Medical Center, Honolulu, HI, 1984-87.

Fellowship: Pediatric Rheumatology, Division of Rheumatology, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, 1991-94.

Certification: American Board of Pediatrics: General Pediatrics, 1988 (recertified 2014); Pediatric Rheumatology, 1994 (recertified 2008); National Board of Public Health Examiners, 2009.

Ting TV, Barnett K, Lynch-Jordan A, Whitacre C, Henrickson M, Kashikar-Zuck S. 2010 American College of Rheumatology Adult Fibromyalgia Criteria for Use in an Adolescent Female Population with Juvenile Fibromyalgia. J Pediatr. 2016;169:181-187.e1.

Weaver KN, El Hallek M, Hopkin RJ, Sund KL, Henrickson M, Del Gaudio D, Yuksel A, Acar GO, Bober MB, Kim J, Boyadjiev SA. Keutel syndrome: report of two novel MGP mutations and discussion of clinical overlap with arylsulfatase E deficiency and relapsing polychondritis. Am J Med Genet A. 2014; 164A(4):1062-8.

Patwardhan A, Henrickson M, Laskosz L, Hong SD, Spencer CH. Current pediatric rheumatology fellowship training in the United States: what fellows actually do. Pediatr Rheumatol Online J. 2014: 12(1):8.

Hollander MC, Sage JM, Greenler AJ, Pendl J, Avcin T, Espada G, Beresford MW, Henrickson M, Lee TL, Punaro M , Huggins J, Stevens AM, Marisa S. Klein-Gitelman MS, Brunner HI. International Consensus for Provisions of Quality-Driven Care in Childhood-Onset Systemic Lupus Erythematosus. Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). 2013; 65(9):1416-23.

Mina R, von Scheven E, Ardoin SP, Eberhard BA, Punaro M, Ilowite N, Hsu J, Klein-Gitelman M, Moorthy LN, Muscal E, Radhakrishna SM, Wagner-Weiner L, Adams M, Blier P, Buckley L, Chalom E, Chédeville G, Eichenfield A, Fish N, Henrickson M, Hersh AO, Hollister R, Jones O, Jung L, Levy D, Lopez-Benitez J, McCurdy D, Miettunen PM, Quintero-del Rio AI, Rothman D, Rullo O, Ruth N, Schanberg LE, Silverman E, Singer NG, Soep J, Syed R, Vogler LB, Yalcindag A, Yildirim-Toruner C, Wallace CA, Brunner HI; CARRA SLE Subcommittee. Consensus treatment plans for induction therapy of newly diagnosed proliferative lupus nephritis in juvenile systemic lupus erythematosus. Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). 2012; 64(3):375-83.

Henrickson M. Policy Challenges for the Pediatric Rheumatology Workforce: Part I. Education and Economics. Pediatr Rheumatol Online J. 2011; 9:23.

Henrickson M. Policy Challenges for the Pediatric Rheumatology Workforce: Part II. Health Care System Delivery and Workforce Supply. Pediatr Rheumatol Online J. 2011; 9:24.

Henrickson M. Policy Challenges for the Pediatric Rheumatology Workforce: Part III. The International Situation. Pediatr Rheumatol Online J. 2011; 9:26.

Lovell DJ, Henrickson M, DeWitt EM, Segerman J, Taylor J, Giannini EH, Passo MH, Beukelman T, Bowyer SL, Gottlieb BS, Ilowite NT, Kimura Y, Stein LD, Vehe RK. Pain as a quality of care measure in juvenile idiopathic arthritis: one step forward, but is it the best foot? Comment on the article by Lovell et al. Reply. Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). 2011; 63(9):1353.

Lovell DJ, Passo MH, Beukelman T, Bowyer SL, Gottlieb BS, Henrickson M, Ilowite NT, Kimura Y, Dewitt EM, Segerman J, Stein LD, Taylor J, Vehe RK, Giannini EH. Measuring process of arthritis care. A proposed set of quality measures for the process of care in juvenile idiopathic arthritis. Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). 2011; 63(1):10-16.

Jennifer L. Huggins, MD Fellowship Program Director, Division of Rheumatology

513-803-0649 jennifer.huggins@cchmc.org

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Jennifer L. Huggins, MD

Fellowship Program Director, Division of Rheumatology

Academic Affiliations

Associate Professor, UC Department of Pediatrics

Phone 513-803-0649

Email jennifer.huggins@cchmc.org

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Biography

Dr. Huggins is board certified in pediatrics, internal medicine, allergy/immunology, pediatric and adult rheumatology. She was a primary care provider for internal medicine/pediatrics for 12 years before entering fellowship training for allergy/immunology/rheumatology. As a result of her primary care experience she is aware of the importance and complexities of vaccine administration. In addition to her responsibilities as the Pediatric Rheumatology Fellowship program director, she cares for a significant number of patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) as well as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in the division. Her current caseload includes over 60% of the SLE patients at Cincinnati Children’s. Dr. Huggins has a Pfizer Grant to improve the administration of appropriate vaccinations in our Immunocompromised patients. This project builds logically on her previous primary care experience and current clinical work, and commitment to improving vaccination protection for immunocompromised patients.

MD: University of Kansas Medical School, Kansas City, KS.

Residency: Baylor College of Medicine, 1986.

Residency: University of Rochester School of Medicine, 1988.

Fellowship: Allergy/Immunology and Rheumatology, University of Rochester School of Medicine, 2005.

Fellowship: Pediatric Rheumatology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, 2007.

Daniel J. Lovell, MD, MPH Associate Director, Division of Rheumatology

Daniel J. Lovell, MD, MPH, focuses on the performance of interventional clinical trials in children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) and other rheumatic diseases. He has served as the PI for >30 multicenter, interventional trials in JIA. Dr. Lovell is also involved in the development and validation of outcome measures and clinical response definitions for JIA, JDM and childhood onset systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

513-636-4676 daniel.lovell@cchmc.org

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Daniel J. Lovell, MD, MPH

Associate Director, Division of Rheumatology

Academic Affiliations

Professor, UC Department of Pediatrics

Phone 513-636-4676

Fax 513-636-5990

Email daniel.lovell@cchmc.org

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Clinical

Diagnostic evaluation and ongoing care of children with all pediatric onset rheumatic diseases

Research

Performance of clinical trials in children with rheumatic diseases; clinical trials methodology; mentoring of junior faculty

MD: University of Kansas, Kansas City, KS, 1978.

MPH: University of Texas School of Public Health, Houston, TX, 1982.

Residency: Children's Mercy Hospital, Kansas City, KS.

Fellowship: Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX.

Certification: Pediatrics, 1984; Pediatric Rheumatology, 1992.

Lovell DJ, Passo MH, Beukelman T, Bowyer SL, Gottlieb BS, Henrickson M, Ilowite NT, Kimura Y, DeWitt EM, Segerman J, Stein LD, Taylor J, Vehe RK, Giannini EH. Measuring process of arthritis care: a proposed set of quality measures for the process of care in juvenile idiopathic arthritis. Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). 2011 Jan;63(1):10-6.

Giannini EH, Ilowite NT, Lovell DJ, Wallace CA, Rabinovich CE, Reiff A, Higgins G, Gottlieb B, Chon Y, Zhang N, Baumgartner SW. Effects of long-term etanercept treatment on growth in children with selected categories of juvenile idiopathic arthritis. Arthritis Rheum. 2010 Nov;62(11):3259-64.

Giannini EH, Ilowite NT, Lovell DJ, Wallace CA, Rabinovich CE, Reiff A, Higgins G, Gottlieb B, Singer NG, Chon Y, Lin SL, Baumgartner SW; Pediatric Rheumatology Collaborative Study Group. Long-term safety and effectiveness of etanercept in children with selected categories of juvenile idiopathic arthritis. Arthritis Rheum. 2009 Sep;60(9):2794-804.

Seid M, Opipari L, Huang B, Brunner HI, Lovell DJ. Disease control and health-related quality of life in juvenile idiopathic arthritis. Arthritis Rheum. 2009 Mar 15;61(3):393-9.

Carrasco R, Lovell DJ, Giannini EH, Henderson CJ, Huang B, Kramer S, Ranz J, Heubi J, Glass D. Biochemical markers of bone turnover associated with calcium supplementation in children with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis: results of a double-blind, placebo-controlled intervention trial. Arthritis Rheum. 2008 Dec;58(12):3932-40.

Lovell DJ, Ruperto N, Goodman S, Reiff A, Jung L, Jarosova K, Nemcova D, Mouy R, Sandborg C, Bohnsack J, Elewaut D, Foeldvari I, Gerloni V, Rovensky J, Minden K, Vehe RK, Weiner LW, Horneff G, Huppertz HI, Olson NY, Medich JR, Carcereri-De-Prati R, McIlraith MJ, Giannini EH, Martini A; Pediatric Rheumatology Collaborative Study Group; Pediatric Rheumatology International Trials Organisation. Adalimumab with or without methotrexate in juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. N Engl J Med. 2008 Aug 21;359(8):810-20.

Ting TV, Lovell DJ. Does early sulfasalazine treatment provide long-term benefits to patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis? Nat Clin Pract Rheumatol. 2008 Jul;4(7):344-5.

Lovell DJ, Reiff A, Ilowite NT, Wallace CA, Chon Y, Lin SL, Baumgartner SW, Giannini EH; Pediatric Rheumatology Collaborative Study Group. Safety and efficacy of up to eight years of continuous etanercept therapy in patients with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. Arthritis Rheum. 2008 May;58(5):1496-504.

Shishov M, Henrickson M, Burgos-Vargas R, Rubio-Pérez N, Baca V, Romero-Feregrino R, Solís-Vallejo E, Huang B, Grom AA, Lovell DJ. Systemic features and early prognostic factors in Hispanic and non-Hispanic children from the United States of America and Mexico with systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis. Clin Exp Rheumatol. 2007 Nov-Dec;25(6):907-14.

Lovell DJ. Update on treatment of arthritis in children: new treatments, new goals. Bull NYU Hosp Jt Dis. 2006;64(1-2):72-6. Review.

Esi M. Morgan, MD, MSCE Assistant Clinical Director, Division of Rheumatology

Esi Morgan, MD, MSCE, focuses on the development and validation of patient reported outcomes measures using modern psychometric approaches, including item response theory, for improved health assessment in children. A second major research focus concerns improving clinical outcomes of patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis through the science of quality improvement.

513-636-4676 esi.morgan_dewitt@cchmc.org

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Esi M. Morgan, MD, MSCE

Assistant Clinical Director, Division of Rheumatology

Academic Affiliations

Associate Professor, UC Department of Pediatrics

Phone 513-636-4676

Email esi.morgan_dewitt@cchmc.org

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Clinical

Childhood rheumatic diseases; juvenile idiopathic arthritis; juvenile dermatomyositis; sarcoidosis

Research

Patient reported outcomes measure development; quality Improvement; health services research; economic evaluations; comparative effectiveness

Biography

Esi Morgan, MD, MSCE, is a pediatric rheumatologist and researcher. Clinical care spans the childhood rheumatic diseases, with focus on juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) and juvenile dermatomyositis.

Her research training and experience includes epidemiology and health services research, in addition to specialization in quality improvement methods and application to improve health care delivery. Dr. Morgan leads a research project to develop new measures to assess pain in children and youth, as well as to validate measures of health related quality of life in children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis or chronic pain as part of a national network of investigators.

Dr. Morgan is a leader in a multi-center quality improvement network to improve the outcome of care in children with JIA, the Pediatric-Rheumatology Care and Outcomes Improvement Network. Additionally, she has served on expert panels in development of JIA treatment recommendations and measures of quality of care in treatment of JIA.

MD: Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 1999.

Residency: Pediatrics, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, 2002.

Fellowship: Rheumatology, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, 2005.

MSCE: University of Pennsylvania, Center for Clinical Epidemiology & Biostatistics, Philadelphia, PA, 2005.

Certification: Pediatrics, 2002; Pediatric Rheumatology, 2006.

Harris JG1, Bingham CA, Morgan EM. Improving care delivery and outcomes in pediatric rheumatic diseases. Curr Opin Rheumatol. 2016 Mar;28(2):110-6.

Kashikar-Zuck S, Carle A, Barnett K, Goldschneider KR, Sherry DD, Mara CA, Cunningham N, Farrell J, Tress J, DeWitt EM. Longitudinal evaluation of patient-reported outcomes measurement information systems measures in pediatric chronic pain. Pain. 2016 Feb;157(2):339-47.

Jacobson CJ Jr, Kashikar-Zuck S, Farrell J, Barnett K, Goldschneider K, Dampier C, Cunningham N, Crosby L, DeWitt EM. Qualitative Evaluation of Pediatric Pain Behavior, Quality, and Intensity Item Candidates and the PROMIS Pain Domain Framework in Children With Chronic Pain. J Pain. 2015 Dec;16(12):1243-55.

DeWalt DA1, Gross HE, Gipson DS, Selewski DT, DeWitt EM, Dampier CD, Hinds PS, Huang IC, Thissen D, Varni JW. PROMIS® pediatric self-report scales distinguish subgroups of children within and across six common pediatric chronic health conditions. Qual Life Res. 2015 Sep;24(9):2195-208.

Varni JW, Thissen D, Stucky BD, Liu Y, Magnus B, He J, DeWitt EM, Irwin DE, Lai JS, Amtmann D, DeWalt DA. Item-level informant discrepancies between children and their parents on the PROMIS® pediatric scales. Qual Life Res. 2015 Aug;24(8):1921-37.

Jensen RE, Rothrock NE, DeWitt EM, Spiegel B, Tucker CA, Crane HM, Forrest CB, Patrick DL, Fredericksen R, Shulman LM, Cella D, Crane PK. The role of technical advances in the adoption and integration of patient-reported outcomes in clinical care. Med Care. 2015 Feb;53(2):153-9.

Broderick JE, DeWitt EM, Rothrock N, Crane PK, Forrest CB. Advances in Patient Reported Outcomes: The NIH PROMIS Measures. EGEMS (Wash DC). 2013 Aug 2;1(1):1015.

Lipstein EA, Brinkman WB, Sage J, Lannon CM, Morgan Dewitt E. Understanding treatment decision making in juvenile idiopathic arthritis: a qualitative assessment. Pediatr Rheumatol Online J. 2013 Sep 30;11(1):34.

Ringold S, Weiss PF, Colbert RA, DeWitt EM, Lee T, Onel K, Prahalad S, Schneider R, Shenoi S, Vehe RK, Kimura Y; Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis Research Committee of the Childhood Arthritis and Rheumatology Research Alliance. Childhood Arthritis and Rheumatology Research Alliance consensus treatment plans for new-onset polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis. Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). 2014 Jul;66(7):1063-72.

DeWitt EM, Li Y, Curtis JR, Glick HA, Greenberg JD, Anstrom KJ, Kremer JM, Reed G, Schulman KA, Reed SD. Comparative effectiveness of nonbiologic versus biologic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs for rheumatoid arthritis: Methodological Considerations. J Rheumatol. 2013 Feb;40(2):127-36.

Grants

Patient Centered Adaptive Treatment Strategies (PCATS) using Bayesian Causal Inference. Co-Investigator. PCORI Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute. Sept 2015-Aug 2018. ME-1408-19894.

Patients, Advocates and Rheumatology Teams Network for Research and Service (PARTNERS) – Phase II. Co-Investigator. PCORI Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute. Sept 2015-Sept 2018. PPRN-1306-04601.

Grant Schulert, MD, PhD

Grant Schulert, MD, PhD, is focused on mechanisms of innate immunity and inflammation, specifically as they relate to rheumatic diseases in children. In particular he investigates the function and regulation of monocytes and macrophages during systemic inflammation. He also focuses on use of genomic approaches to define the risk for systemic inflammatory diseases.
Visit the Schulert Lab.

513-636-4676 grant.schulert@cchmc.org

High Res

Grant Schulert, MD, PhD

Academic Affiliations

Assistant Professor, UC Department of Pediatrics

Phone 513-636-4676

Email grant.schulert@cchmc.org

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Clinical

Pediatric rheumatology; juvenile idiopathic arthritis; macrophage activation syndrome; autoinflammatory syndromes; periodic fevers

Research

Systemic JIA; macrophage activation syndrome; innate immunity; monocyte and macrophage functions; whole exome sequencing
Visit the Schulert Lab

MD: University of Iowa College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA, 2009.

PhD: University of Iowa Department of Microbiology, Iowa City, IA, 2009.

Residency: Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN.

Fellowship: Pediatric Rheumatology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH.

Certification: Pediatrics, 2012.

Bracaglia C, de Graaf K, Marafon DP, D’Ario G, Guilhot F, Ferlin W, Prencipe G, Caiello I, Davi S, Schulert G, Ravelli A, Grom A, De Min C, De Benedetti F. Elevated circulating levels of interferon-gamma and interferon-gamma related chemokines characterize patients with macrophage activation syndrome complicating systemic JIA. Ann Rheum Dis. 2016.

Schulert GS, Fall N, Harley J, Shen N, Lovell DJ, Thornton S, Grom AA. Monocyte microRNA expression in active systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis reveals key role of miR-125a-5p in polarized monocyte phenotypes. Arthritis Rheumatol. 2016;68:2300-2313.

Favier LA, Schulert GS. Mevalonate kinase deficiency – current perspectives. App Clin Genet. 2016;9:93-100.

Schulert GS, Grom AA. Pathogenesis of macrophage activation syndrome and potential for cytokine- directed therapies. Annu Rev Med. 2015;66:145-59.

Schulert GS, Zhang M, Fall N, Husami A, Kissell D, Hanosh A, Zhang K, Davis K, Jentzen JM, Napolitano L, Siddiqui J, Smith LB, Harms PW, Grom AA, Cron RQ. Whole-Exome Sequencing Reveals Mutations in Genes Linked to Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis and Macrophage Activation Syndrome in Fatal Cases of H1N1 Influenza. J Infect Dis. 2015 Nov 23.

Schulert GS, Bove K, McMasters R, Campbell K, Leslie N, Grom AA. 11-Month-Old Infant With Periodic Fevers, Recurrent Liver Dysfunction, and Perforin Gene Polymorphism. Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). 2015 Aug;67(8):1173-9.

Schulert GS, Graham TB. Chronic inflammatory arthritis of the ankle/hindfoot/midfoot complex in children with extreme obesity. J Clin Rheumatol. 2014 Sep;20(6):317-21.

Schulert GS, McCaffrey RL, Buchan BW, Lindemann SR, Hollenback C, Jones BD, Allen LA. Francisella tularensis genes required for inhibition of the neutrophil respiratory burst and intramacrophage growth identified by random transposon mutagenesis of strain LVS. Infect Immun. 2009 Apr;77(4):1324-36.

Schulert GS, Allen LA. Differential infection of mononuclear phagocytes by Francisella tularensis: role of the macrophage mannose receptor. J Leukoc Biol. 2006 Sep;80(3):563-71.

Schulert GS, Feltman H, Rabin SD, Martin CG, Battle SE, Rello J, Hauser AR. Secretion of the toxin ExoU is a marker for highly virulent Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates obtained from patients with hospital-acquired pneumonia. J Infect Dis. 2003 Dec 1;188(11):1695-706. Epub 2003 Nov 21.

Grants

Monocyte and macrophage polarization in systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis and macrophage activation syndrome. Principal Investigator. Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center Procter Scholar Award. Jul 2016-Jun 2018.

Contribution of microRNA to aberrant monocyte activation and polarization in systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis. Principal Investigator. Rheumatology Research Foundation. Jul 2015-Jun 2017.

Sherry L. Thornton, PhD

Sherry L. Thornton, PhD, research focuses on finding and functionally evaluating targets for the treatment of rheumatic disease, with a particular interest in the role of angiogenesis in human arthritis and animal models of arthritis. A second interest is the use of reagents to label inflammatory cells for visualization during arthritis as a potential clinical tool, and for evaluation of cell types during the course of disease in animal models.
Visit the Grom/Thornton Lab.

513-636-1318 sherry.thornton@cchmc.org

High Res

Sherry L. Thornton, PhD

Academic Affiliation

Field Service Associate Professor, UC Department of Pediatrics

Phone 513-636-1318

Fax 513-636-3328

Email sherry.thornton@cchmc.org

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Research Interests

Visit the Grom-Thornton Lab.

Evaluating targets for the treatment of rheumatic disease; angiogenesis; animal models of arthritis

Biography

Dr. Thornton received her PhD in Developmental Biology from the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, and did her postdoctoral fellowship in the laboratory of Dr. Raphael Hirsch in the Division of Rheumatology at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center. She then joined the faculty in the Division of Rheumatology at Cincinnati Children's in 2002 and became director of the Research Flow Cytometry Core in 2008. Her research involves analysis of genes involved in angiogenesis or hematopoietic processes and their contribution to the pathogenesis of arthritic disease in animal models, as well as, single cell gene expression analysis of cell types important in subtypes of Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis. She has a passion for mentoring and career development and is the director of the Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship program at Cincinnati Children's.

BS: Ball State University, Muncie, IN.

PhD: University of Cincinnati, College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH.

Postdoctoral Research Fellow: Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH.

Thornton S, Strait RT. Head-to-head comparison of protocol modifications for the generation of collagen-induced arthritis in a specific-pathogen free facility using DBA/1 mice. Biotechniques. 2016 Mar;60(3):119-28.

Schulert GS, Fall N, Harley JB, Shen N, Lovell DJ, Thornton S, Grom AA. Monocyte microRNA expression in active systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis implicates miR-125a-5p in polarized monocyte phenotypes. Arthritis Rheumatol. 2016 Sep;68(9):2300-13.

Strait R, Thornton S, Finkelman F. Cγ1 deficiency exacerbates collagen-induced arthritis. Arthritis Rheumatol. 2016 Jul;68(7):1780-7.

Raghu H, Cruz C, Rewerts CL, Frederick MD, Thornton S, Mullins ES, Schoenecker JG, Degen JD, Flick MJ. Transglutaminase factor XIII promotes arthritis in mice through mechanisms linked to inflammation and bone erosion. Blood. 2015 Jan;125(3):427-37.

Chu Z, LaSance K, Blanco V, Stevens A, Kwon C-H, Kaur B, Frederick M, Thornton S, Lemen L, Qi X. In vivo optical imaging of brain tumors and arthritis using fluorescent SapC-DOPS nanovesicles. JoVE, J Vis Exp. 2014 May;(87).

Raghu H, Jone A, Cruz C, Frederick MD, Thornton S, Degen JL, Flick MJ. Plasminogen is both a positive- and negative-determinant of TNFa-driven arthritis depending on precise joint location and the availability of fibrin(ogen). Arthtis Rheumatotol. 2014 Jun;66(6):1504-16.

Qi X, Flick MJ, Frederick M, Chu Z, Mason R, DeLay M, Thornton S. Saposin C Coupled Lipid Nanovesicles Specifically Target Arthritic Mouse Joints for Optical Imaging of Disease Severity. PLoS ONE. 2012;7(3):e33966.

Sikora K, Fall N, Thornton S, Grom A. The Limited Role of Interferon-γ in Systemic Juvenile idiopathic Arthritis Cannot Be Explained by Cellular Hyporesponsiveness. Arthritis Rheum. 2012 Nov;64(11):3799-808.

Hinze CH, Fall N, Thornton S, Mo JQ, Aronow BJ, Layh-Schmitt G, Griffin TA, Thompson SD, Colbert RA, Glass DN, Barnes MG, Grom AA. Immature cell populations and an erythropoiesis gene-expression signature in systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis: implications for pathogenesis. Arthritis Res Ther. 2010;12(3):R123.

Hermann LM, Pinkerton M, Jennings K, Yang L, Grom A, Sowders D, Kersten S, Witte DP, Hirsch R, Thornton S. Angiopoietin-like-4 is a potential angiogenic mediator in arthritis. Clin Immunol. 2005 Apr;115(1):93-101.

Grants

Single Cell Phenotyping Core. Principal Investigator. Single Cell Phenotyping Core; National Institutes of Health/National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases. Aug 2016-Jun 2021. AR070549.

Digestive Health Center: Bench to Bedside Research in Pediatric Digestive Disease. Flow Cytometry Core Director. Integrative Morphology Core. May 2013-May 2017. P30DK078392.

Tracy V. Ting, MD, MSc, RhMSUS

513-636-4676

High Res

Tracy V. Ting, MD, MSc, RhMSUS

Academic Affiliations

Assistant Professor, UC Department of Pediatrics

Phone 513-636-4676

Fax 513-636-5568

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Clinical Interests

Fibromyalgia; joint hypermobility; juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA); systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)

MD: West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, 2002.

Residency: Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, 2005.

Certification: Pediatrics, 2005, 2015; Pediatric Rheumatology, 2011.