Inside Pediatrics Winter 2021

P E D I A T R I C S

Fall/Winter 2021

MENDING KIDS’ HEARTS New valve implanted without open-heart surgery

W elcome back to Inside delivered a copy to your mailbox. And what a year it’s been. The COVID-19 pandemic challenged healthcare workers across the world, but the mission at Children’s of Alabama never wavered — to provide the finest pediatric health services to all children in an environment that fosters excellence in research and medical education. After 13 years of service, Mike Warren retired as our CEO and president in June 2021. His leadership positioned Children’s as a comprehensive pediatric medical facility, making tremendous progress in fulfilling our mission to the children and families of Alabama. I am honored to continue that work now. In this issue of Inside Pediatrics, we explore some of the programs that bring our hospital’s mission to life: providing one class of excellent patient care through innovative and proven clinical care, education and research. Pediatrics magazine. It’s been more than a year since we last

Earlier this year, our Pediatric and Infant Center for Acute Nephrology became one of the first pediatric hospitals in the country to begin using the newest generation of the PRISMAX dialysis system. Our Cleft and Craniofacial Center continues to be one of the busiest in the country and just one of a few that offers a new type of endoscopic surgery for craniosynostosis in infants that eliminates the need for post-operative helmet therapy. In July 2021, physicians in our Division of Pediatric Cardiology were the first in the Southeast to use a new transcatheter valve device to repair the heart of a 16-year-old girl. With this new device, the surgery was much less invasive than open heart surgery, and she was back home the following day. Researchers from our Institute for Cancer Outcomes and Survivorship have developed the COG KidsCare app for patient families, putting information about their child’s cancer journey right at their fingertips. And as adolescents

with chronic health conditions prepare to transition from pediatrics to adult health care, a team from the Staging

Transition for Every Patient (STEP) Program can help them do just that. Our work of caring for ill and injured children continues here at Children’s. Time-tested techniques combined with state-of-the-art technology means delivering the best possible treatment options for our patients, getting them back to their important work of being children.

On the Cover: In July 2021, a patient at Children’s of Alabama became the first pediatric patient in the Southeast to receive the Harmony Transcatheter Pulmonary Valve. The procedure was much less invasive

than open-heart surgery, and the patient returned home the following day. “This valve has the potential to be a groundbreaking change in the care of children and young adults who need pulmonary valve replacement after tetralogy operation,” said interventional cardiologist William McMahon, M.D. Read more beginning on page 10.

Children’s of Alabama 1600 7th Avenue South Birmingham, Alabama 35233

(205) 638-9100 childrensal.org

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Pioneering surgery spares infants from helmets

ADMINISTRATION Tom Shufflebarger, President and CEO Coke Matthews, Executive Vice President Garland Stansell, Chief Communications Officer EDITORIAL Jody Seal, Editor Trent Graves, Design

App helps families navigate child’s cancer care

Children’s adds next-generation dialysis machines

Amy Dabbs, Digital Content Denise McGill, Photography Eric Gray, Photography Patrick Deavours, Photography CONTRIBUTORS

How to heal a broken heart

Andre Green Adam Kelley Rhonda Lee Lother Conan Gasque John Tracy PHYSICIAN MARKETING Tiffany Kaczorowski MEDICAL LEADERSHIP Mitchell Cohen, M.D. Katharine Reynolds Ireland Chair of Pediatrics, University of Alabama at Birmingham Physician-in-Chief, Children’s of Alabama Mike Chen, M.D. Joseph M. Farley Chair in Pediatric Surgery, University of Alabama at Birmingham Chief of Pediatric Surgery and Surgeon-in-Chief, Children’s of Alabama Lee I. Ascherman, M.D., M.P.H. Chief of Service, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University of Alabama at Birmingham For questions or additional information or to share feedback, please contact us at insidepediatrics@childrensal.org. An online version of the magazine is available at childrensal.org/insidepediatrics.

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One STEP at a time

News, Honors and Awards

CONT E N T

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A patient returns for a post-op visit following a spring-mediated cranioplasty.

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PIONEERING SURGERY SPARES INFANTS FROM HELMETS

T he Cleft and Craniofacial Center at Children’s of Alabama is one of the busiest in the country with some of the most experienced physicians and support staff. From cleft palate to craniosynostosis (a condition in which the skull fuses too early) and complex tumor surgeries, the center draws patients from the entire Southeast region and beyond. It is a truly multidisciplinary group with neurologists, neurosurgeons, plastic surgeons and a craniofacial pediatrician. It also offers state-of-the art therapies, including a new type of endoscopic surgery for craniosynostosis in infants as young as three months that is only performed in a few centers in the U.S. “The typical procedure is an endoscopic release of the craniosynostosis followed by post-operative helmet therapy,” said neurosurgeon James M. Johnston, M.D. “Helmet therapy works well, but kids have to wear it for 23 hours a day, and that can be a lot of work for families, especially when they live far from Birmingham,” he said. In addition, the Alabama Medicaid program, which covers most of these children, does not pay for the helmets, which can cost thousands of dollars (and children often need more than one). This puts tremendous financial strain on many families.

So Dr. Johnston, joined by neurosurgeon Curtis J. Rozzelle, M.D. and plastic surgeons René P. Myers, M.D. and John Grant, M.D., brought spring-mediated cranioplasty, which was developed at Wake Forest University, to Children’s. It starts with the same endoscopic craniectomy used for children who would require helmets. Only in this procedure, the plastic surgeon steps in and inserts custom-made springs into the bony defect created by the surgery. The springs work to expand the skull over several months to correct the abnormal head shape and ensure appropriate cranial volume for brain growth. A few months later, the plastic surgeon removes the springs during a same-day surgery. “What’s nice is that there’s no need for a helmet,” Dr. Johnston said. Plus, studies show the procedure is just as safe and effective as cranioplasties requiring helmets.¹ It’s also covered by all health insurance. “So, we’re able to do it for all children,” he said. A similar procedure using cranial distractors, like those used to lengthen femurs, is used for skull expansion, explained Dr. Grant. This technology is used in older children who need more intracranial volume but who are beyond the age at

Custom-made springs expand the skull over several months to correct an abnormal head shape and ensure appropriate cranial volume for brain growth. A few months later, plastic surgeons remove the springs during a same-day surgery.

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which the skull can form new bone to fill in surgically created soft spots. By “stretching” the bones of the skull more slowly, he said, the child’s body adjusts by making bone to fill in the growing gap. Regardless of the procedure used, early referrals are critical for these babies, said Dr. Rozzelle. “If we can see them by two months of age, that gives us plenty of time to get whatever preoperative assessments we need and get them on the schedule so that either the spring or endoscopic craniectomy with subsequent molding helmet is a viable option,” he said. Older babies cannot be treated endoscopically and require standard open surgery, which may lead to more blood loss and longer hospital stays.² Yet the craniofacial clinic still sometimes sees babies six months or older who never received a diagnosis or whose pediatrician didn’t refer them to Children’s. “That’s frustrating,” Dr. Rozzelle said. Nonetheless, said Dr. Myers, “Since we are comfortable with all of the techniques, we can tailor a plan to the individual child. No one is exactly the same.” For more information, visit childrensal.org/cleft-and-craniofacial-center. ¹ Arko L, Swanson JW, Fierst TM, et al. Spring-mediated sagittal craniosynostosis treatment at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia: technical notes and literature review. Neurosurg Focus. 2015 May;38(5):E7 ² Hashim PW, Patel A, Yang JF, et al. The effects of whole-vault cranioplasty versus strip craniectomy on long-term neuropsychological outcomes in sagittal craniosynostosis. Plast Reconstr Surg 134:491–501, 2014.

Left to right, Rene Myers, M.D., John Grant, M.D. and James Johnston, M.D., work with patients and families at the Cleft and Craniofacial Center at Children’s of Alabama.

Left to right, Dr. Johnston and Dr. Myers review a patient who has had spring-mediated sagittal craniosynostosis treatment.

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NEW APP HELPS FAMILIES NAVIGATE CHILD’S CANCER CARE P arents and caregivers of children with cancer now have signs, provider contact information, previous treatments and personal journal entries.

access to a new app that got its start at Children’s of Alabama. The KidsCare app, adopted by the Children’s Oncology Group (COG), launched in August 2021 and is designed to provide parents and caregivers with accurate and relevant information about their child’s cancer journey, beginning at the time of diagnosis and throughout the continuum of care. Wendy Landier, Ph.D., CRNP, Deputy Director, Institute for Cancer Outcomes and Survivorship at Children’s of Alabama, began working on the app in 2018 through a research grant supported by the Kaul Pediatric Research Institute. With direct input from families of pediatric oncology patients and clinical staff, the app is a resource for educational materials with additional features to help parents track the child’s cancer journey. The COG KidsCare app is free and available for iOS and Android devices in English, Spanish and French. The app is searchable and organized according to the child’s treatment phase—newly diagnosed, during treatment and after treatment. The app was developed in collaboration with OCV, LLC., based in Auburn, Alabama. “During the development of the app, we interviewed families of children being treated for cancer at Children’s of Alabama. We asked them what kind of information would have been most helpful during the early stages of their child’s treatment

After each round of testing, Landier’s research team asked the participants to remove the prototype from their phones. “We knew it was a success when they told us they didn’t want to delete the app after the testing was complete,” Landier said That exact sentiment was shared by Madison Murphy, mom of 6-year-old Cole. Cole was diagnosed with acute lymphocytic leukemia in March 2019. Madison and her husband, Micah, participated in Landier’s research study later that year. “I wish the app had been available to use since day one,” Murphy said. “Having access to resources that we knew were accurate made all the difference. There is too much information out there online, and it can be overwhelming. On the app, we had information specific to Cole’s care.” In May 2020, Landier approached her COG colleagues about partnering together to incorporate COG’s educational materials into the KidsCare app and making it available to all COG institutions. With generous annual funding from St. Baldrick’s Foundation, the COG KidsCare app is now available to patients and families of the more than 200 member hospitals that make up COG. Meredith Weintraub, CRNP, MSN, CPHON, who works with pediatric cancer patients at Children’s of Alabama, said she sees many potential benefits for families. “We give patient families a lot of printed information throughout their child’s treatment—a family handbook, home care instructions— and the app has all of it in one place,” Weintraub said. “It will be so much easier for them to access that information electronically.” Weintraub said she thinks families will appreciate that the app is accessible, portable and easy to use. And on the clinical side, it provides crucial information about the patient if the family has to seek emergency care at a facility other than their primary hospital. COG member hospitals can customize the app with information specific to their facility, such as parking, driving directions, facility maps and instructions about how to reach the oncology care team. The Children’s Oncology Group (COG), a National Cancer Institute supported Clinical Trials Group, is the world’s largest organization devoted exclusively to childhood and adolescent cancer research. The COG unites more than 10,000 experts in childhood cancer at more than 200 leading children’s hospitals, universities and cancer centers across North America, Australia, New Zealand and Saudi Arabia in the fight against childhood cancer. Children’s of Alabama is a founding member of COG. For more information, visit childrensal.org/cancer. 7

and what information they needed later. We also spoke with nurses, doctors and our psychosocial team to get an understanding of how the app could best serve our families,” said Dr. Landier. Based on that initial research and through additional rounds of testing and interviews, Landier said they added features to record information such as the child’s lab results, vital

CHILDREN’S ADDS NEXT-GENERATION DIALYSIS MACHINES W hen you’re talking about continuous dialysis and plasmapheresis for sick kids, you want state-of-the-art

technology. And that’s just what Children’s of Alabama got this year when hospital administrators approved a significant investment in the newest generation of the PRISMAX system for the Pediatric and Infant Center for Acute Nephrology (PICAN). The PICAN team is no stranger to these therapies; after all, the team has provided them for more than 500 children for over 10,000 days since 2013 in the pediatric, neonatal and cardiac intensive care units. In 2020, the newest PRISMAX became available, and Children’s became the first hospital in the state and one of the first children’s hospitals in the country to receive the new machines, said David Askenazi, M.D., who directs the PICAN. “We are very grateful to the hospital for making this available to us and our patients,” he said. “We know that patients will benefit.” But first, everyone had to be trained to use the new machines. While it sounds like replacing the old with the new should be a relatively simple switch, the staff required intense education. “The educational part of the rollout was very important,” said acute dialysis coordinator Daryl Ingram, RN, BSN, CDN. “We had to make sure the nurses and physicians were comfortable with them before they started using them on patients.” He was pleasantly surprised at how the entire team embraced the new technology and the groundbreaking opportunity the new machines offered, he said. One reason could be the improvements the new system brought. For instance, nurses no longer have to manually empty 5-liter effluent bags. “It definitely saves The Pediatric and Infant Center for Acute Nephrology (PICAN) at Children’s of Alabama has provided continuous dialysis and plasmapheresis for more than 500 children for over 10,000 days since 2013 in the pediatric, neonatal and cardiac intensive care units. In 2020, the newest generation of PRISMAX machines were released, and Children’s became the first hospital in the state and one of the first children’s hospitals in the country to receive the new machines.

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time,” said Suzanne Gurosky, RN, ECP, the dialysis charge nurse. She also touted the battery backup in the machines, which enables patients to ambulate and even do physical therapy while still connected. Another plus is the ability of the machines to decipher the cause for an alarm—because someone moved or jostled the fluids, or because there was a real issue going on. That helps avoid disruptive alarms and alarm fatigue. It does this through artificial intelligence, “so it understands what’s happening better than it used to,” said Askenazi. The new PRISMAX also sports improved safety features, such as correcting itself for fluid removal. In addition, it provides extensive data that can be integrated into the department’s quality-improvement initiatives. “We’re excited to dig into that information and incorporate it into our practice,” said Askenazi.

After the training and the successful integration of the new PRISMAX machines into the unit, there was one more thing the team needed to do: name them. “We like to name our machines to help the kids feel more comfortable,” said Ingram. The winners were Rosie and Astro from the old “The Jetsons” cartoon, Johnny 5 from the movie “Short Circuit” and C3PO from, of course, “Star Wars.” For more information, visit childrensal.org/nephrology.

After the training and successful integration of the new PRISMAX machines into the unit, there was one more thing the team needed to do: name them. “We like to name our machines to help the kids feel more comfortable,” said acute dialysis coordinator Daryl Ingram, RN, BSN, CDN. The winners were Rosie and Astro from the old “The Jetsons” cartoon, Johnny 5 from the movie “Short Circuit” and C3PO from, of course, “Star Wars.” 9

William McMahon, M.D., interventional cardiologist, and his colleague, cardiologist Mark Law, M.D., together with the Pediatric Cardiac Catheterization Lab team at Children’s, were the first in a 10-state Southeastern region to implement the Harmony Transcatheter Pulmonary Valve in July 2021.

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HOW TO HEAL A BROKEN HEART

Children’s cardiologists become first in Southeast to implant new heart device

T here are many paths to the human heart. In a strictly proverbial sense, you might get there with jewelry, flowers or kind words. But only certain doctors know the best path to heal a heart that’s broken. For William McMahon, M.D., it’s all about taking a different route. He’s an interventional cardiologist at Children’s of Alabama who specializes in procedures that are less invasive than surgery. In July 2021, he used a new transcatheter valve device to repair the heart of a 16-year-old girl without open- heart surgery. McMahon and his colleague, cardiologist Mark Law, M.D., together with the Pediatric Cardiac Catheterization Lab team at Children’s, were the first in a 10-state Southeastern region to implement the procedure. “We think that’s a major milestone,” said McMahon, the medical director of the pediatric interventional cardiology program at Children’s of Alabama. “This valve has the potential to be a groundbreaking change in the care of children and young adults who need pulmonary valve replacement after tetralogy operation.” The device, known as Harmony Transcatheter Pulmonary Valve, was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in March 2021. What makes it appealing is that it can be implanted without open-heart surgery. Doctors can get it to the heart through a vein in the leg or neck. That’s a relief for patients like Olivia Kelley. The Hoover High School junior was born with tetralogy of Fallot, a heart defect that usually requires open-heart surgery for repair when the child is still an infant. Kelley underwent open-heart surgery to repair her heart defect when she was three months old. The operation left behind a long scar down her chest. “It’s always been a part of me,” Kelley said. “So, when I went to the pool, if someone asked, ‘What’s that scar?’ I would just explain it to them.”

The Harmony Transcatheter Pulmonary Valve can be implanted without open-heart surgery.

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Eventually, most tetralogy patients need to have the pulmonary valve replaced, often in their teens. Doctors knew it was time to replace Kelley’s valve when she went to a clinic visit with her cardiologist this year and said she couldn’t exert herself as much as she once could. An evaluation confirmed enlargement of the right ventricle, which according to McMahon, can increase the risk of heart failure, arrhythmia and death. Valve replacement was necessary, and Kelley knew that likely meant another open-heart surgery and another scar. But in July, doctors informed Kelley and her parents that a new, less-invasive procedure they’d been hearing about for years was finally available. Ten days later, she became the first pediatric patient in the Southeast to receive the Harmony valve. “I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, it’s finally here. I’ve been waiting for this for 16 years,’” Kelley said. “But at the same time, I didn’t know how to feel. I had like no expectations for it whatsoever.” McMahon and his team used a catheter to insert the valve into a vein in Kelley’s right leg. From there, he was able to place it in her heart. With an open-heart surgery, Kelley could have been in the hospital for more than a week. After the Harmony valve procedure, she left the next day. The only scar she’ll have, on her leg, may not even be visible within a few months. “It’s definitely a relief,” Kelley said. “Growing up thinking I’m going to get sliced open once again—that’s just not a fun thing to think about it. But this feels safer, I feel way safer, and it’s really, really good.” McMahon hopes the procedure will help Kelley get back to exercising as much as she wants without limitations. He believes the Harmony valve can improve the lives of many other patients like Kelley, simply because it allows doctors to use a less-invasive path to replace the pulmonary valve. For more information, visit childrensal.org/heart. Below , doctors use a catheter to insert the valve into a vein in the patient’s right leg. From there, doctors are able to place it in the patient’s heart. With an open-heart surgery, Kelley could have been in the hospital for more than a week. After the Harmony valve procedure, she left the next day.

Sixteen-year-old Olivia Kelley is the first pediatric patient in the Southeast to receive the Harmony Transcatheter Pulmonary Valve.

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Inside Pediatrics Podcast

FAB Clinic Helps Girls with Painful, Heavy Periods Christina Bemrich-Stolz, M.D., MSPH

ADHD - What’s Really Going On in the Brain Wayne Fleisig, Ph.D

New Childhood Cancer Treatments Offer Targeted Therapies and Customized Care Matthew Kutny, M.D.

Safe Sleep Practices for Infants Erinn Schmit, M.D.

Coping with Pediatric Chronic Illnesses Brad Troxler, M.D. | Linda Russo, MAE

Transforming Kidney Care for Newborns David Askenazi, M.D., MSPH

Inside Pediatrics is a free podcast series featuring specialists at Children’s of Alabama and the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). Episodes cover topics related to child health and wellness, research and treatment, and complement articles appearing in Inside Pediatrics magazine. To tune in, visit ChildrensAL.org/podcast or subscribe through your favorite podcast app.

ONE STEP AT A TIME

Managing the transition from pediatric to adult health care

A collaboration between Children’s of Alabama and the University of Alabama at Birmingham is helping adolescent patients with chronic and complex childhood medical conditions transition to adult health care. The Staging Transition for Every Patient (STEP) Program opened in September 2020 in the Whitaker Clinic of UAB Hospital. The two initiatives included in STEP are: • individualized transition planning for adolescent patients (beginning around age 14) with complex and chronic health care needs currently treated at Children’s of Alabama to prepare them for adult health care, and • a primary care clinic that will serve as an adult medical home to facilitate referrals to specialists, ensuring timely uninterrupted transition and access to other support services, including physical therapy, social work, nutrition and emergency planning. “Children diagnosed with chronic conditions often need to continue managing these diseases into adulthood. Many of these conditions were historically associated with shortened life spans—for example, cerebral palsy, spina bifida, rare genetic disorders—but now these patients have increased life expectancy due to treatment advances. Therefore, we see an increasing need to develop adult healthcare specialty clinics for these patients as they grow older,” said Carlie Stein, M.D., lead physician and medical director for the STEP Program. The program will help patients make the transition to an adult care model, including the transfer of responsibility for healthcare-related decisions from the parent or caregiver to the individual. “We will work with patients, encouraging them to practice the skills necessary to take responsibility for their own health—how to make appointments, how to get their medications from the pharmacy—as a way to foster their independence as they grow into adulthood,” said Betsy Hopson, program director. Children’s and UAB already share staff and facilities, but the STEP Program is the first formal program of its kind

in Alabama and the surrounding region. This transition of care ensures that patients are matched with primary care physicians who are prepared to handle complex medical conditions, because not all primary care physicians are experienced in treating chronic diseases stemming from childhood, and patients with chronic diseases don’t always need to see a specialist. The STEP Program involves work at both Children’s and UAB. Children’s has a role to play in making sure patients are ready for transition, while UAB must provide a landing zone for those patients. Transition involves the full process of getting patients ready for adult care, while the transfer of care involves the final visit to Children’s and the first visit to UAB. In its first full year, the STEP Program worked to develop partnerships across both health systems. Approximately 50 Children’s physicians and staff joined a transition working group to champion the effort of transition readiness planning. Many clinics are joining in this effort, including Type 1 Diabetes, the Pediatric Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) Clinic, Rehabilitation Medicine Clinics, Adolescent Medicine, Family Clinic, Renal Transplant, Muscular Dystrophy Clinic, Epilepsy, the Pulmonary Technology Dependence Program and Asthma, as well as clinics already involved in transition, such as Spina Bifida, Cystic Fibrosis and Sickle Cell. Also, in the first year, the STEP Program worked with 169 patients who were fully transitioned from Children’s into the UAB system. These patients were seen by primary care and often by many other specialists across UAB. In addition to the standard clinic, the STEP Program has now developed partnership clinics with Rehabilitation Medicine, Neurology/ Epilepsy, Neurology/Neuromuscular, Pulmonary, Palliative Care and Nephrology/Renal Transplant, where transition is being done jointly through multidisciplinary care. Patients are also seen by Social Work and Physical Therapy. Patients can get a referral to the STEP Program from their Children’s specialist or their pediatrician, or they can self-refer.

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News, Honors and Awards

SEVEN PHYSICIANS RECEIVE LOAN REPAYMENT PROGRAM AWARDS FROM NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH Emily Johnston, M.D. , assistant professor in the Division of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology; Melissa Mannion, M.D., MSPH , assistant professor in the Division of Pediatric Rheumatology; Spencer Poore, M.D., MSCS , assistant professor in the Division of Pediatric Pulmonary and Sleep Medicine; Robert Richter, M.D. , assistant professor in the Division of Pediatric Critical Care; Emily Smitherman, M.D., MSCTR , assistant professor in the Division of Pediatric Rheumatology; Tennille Webb, M.D. , assistant professor in the Division of Pediatric Nephrology; and Kent Willis, M.D. , assistant professor in the Division of Neonatology, received Loan Repayment Program (LRP) awards from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). These awards are part of a program established by Congress to help recruit and retain health professionals in the field of biomedical research. The cost of medical education and training may discourage physicians from pursuing careers in research for higher-paying private practice careers. The LRP provides physicians with financial assistance in exchange for a commitment to engage in NIH mission- relevant research. The program will repay up to $50,000 a year for an initial two- year period. Prescott Atkinson, M.D., Ph.D. , professor in the Division of Pediatric Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, has been awarded the inaugural Alabama Avocational Paleontologist Award (ALAP). This award was created to honor amateur paleontologists who have made outstanding contributions to the field of paleontology in Alabama. This award is made available by the Alabama Museum of Natural History and the Department of Museum Research and Collections, both of which are part of the University of Alabama Museums. DR. BHATIA RECEIVES AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR TRANSPLANTATION AND CELLULAR THERAPY SURVIVORSHIP SPECIAL INTEREST GROUP LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD Smita Bhatia, M.D., MPH , professor in the Division of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, received the inaugural Lifetime Achievement Award by the American Society for Transplantation and Cellular Therapy Survivorship Special Interest Group (SIG). This award recognizes a SIG member for their outstanding work and dedication to survivorship practice in hematopoietic cell transplantation. Dr. Bhatia was recognized for her consistent, high-quality contributions to the field through publications, presentations, mentorship and leadership. DR. ATKINSON RECEIVES INAUGURAL ALABAMA AVOCATIONAL PALEONTOLOGIST AWARD

DR. BHATIA NAMED ASSOCIATE EDITOR OF JOURNAL OF CLINICAL ONCOLOGY Smita Bhatia, M.D., MPH , professor in the Division of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, was appointed associate editor of the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

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DRS. CARLO AND KIMBERLIN FEATURED IN AMERICAN PEDIATRIC SOCIETY TOP ARTICLES FOR 2020 Wally Carlo, M.D. , professor in the Division of Neonatology, and David Kimberlin, M.D. , professor in the Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, were featured in the Top Articles of 2020 curated by the American Pediatric Society. In an article on Cision PR Newswire, Dr. Carlo discussed one-dose antibiotics for prevention of maternal and infant sepsis. He is the lead investigator on a study to test a low- cost intervention that would reduce the death toll of pregnancy-related infections worldwide. In June 2020, Dr. Kimberlin discussed the possibility of vertical transmission of COVID-19 from mother to baby with Health.com. DR. DIMMITT ELECTED PRESIDENT-ELECT TO THE BELL CENTER BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR 2021–2022 Reed Dimmitt, M.D., MSPH , professor in the Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology, has been elected the president-elect for the Board of Directors of the Bell Center. Dr. Dimmitt has served on the Bell Center Board of Directors for four years and has been a longtime supporter of the center. The Bell Center provides early interventions services for children from birth to three years of age who are at risk for developmental delays. Dr. Dimmitt will serve as president-elect for the 2021– 2022 term and president for the 2022–2021 term. DR. DURANT NAMED CO-CHAIR OF THE EDUCATION AND ADVOCACY COMMITTEE FOR THE FOUNDATION FOR WOMEN & GIRLS WITH BLEEDING DISORDERS Nefertiti Durant, M.D., MPH , associate professor in the Division of Adolescent Medicine, has been named co-chair of the Education & Advocacy Subcommittee for the Women & Girls Bleeding Disorder Learning Action Network (WGBD LAN) of the Foundation for Women & Girls with Blood Disorders. The Education & Advocacy Subcommittee is focused on the exchange of ideas, data and expertise on education and advocacy for women and girls with bleeding disorders at clinics and hemophilia treatment centers that serve such individuals to optimize the health of female patients with blood disorders throughout their lifespan. DR. FEIG RECEIVES PEDIATRIC ACADEMIC SOCIETY SERVICE AWARD Dan Feig, M.D., Ph.D., MPH , professor in the Division of Pediatric Nephrology, received a Service Award from the Pediatric Academic Society in gratitude for his leadership, service and commitment as a member of the Pediatric Academic Societies 2020 Meeting Program Committee. Dr. Feig represented the International Pediatric Hypertension Association on the Meeting Program Committee. His dedication to advancing child health and working collaboratively with other researchers and health care professionals made a significant contribution to building a high-quality scientific program. DR. DHALL APPOINTED DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF THE NEUROFIBROMATOSIS CLINICAL TRIALS CONSORTIUM Girish Dhall, M.D. , professor in the Division of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, has been appointed the deputy director of the Neurofibromatosis Clinical Trials Consortium.

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DR. NICHOLS RECEIVES ASSOCIATION OF PEDIATRIC PROGRAM DIRECTORS ROBERT S. HOLM, M.D., LEADERSHIP AWARD Michele Nichols, M.D. , professor in the Division of Pediatric Emergency Medicine, was the 2020 recipient of the Robert S. Holm, M.D., Leadership Award. This award is presented by the Association of Pediatric Program Directors (APPD) each year to honor a member of the APPD for outstanding contribution to mentorship and support for other program directors in the APPD and for service as a role model to program leadership across the organization. Dr. Nichols served as the co-program director for the University of Alabama at Birmingham Pediatric Residency Program from 1995 to 2008 and took over as the program director in 2008. During her tenure, the program has graduated 554 residents working in pediatrics across the United States. Her commitment to creating a strong educational foundation and fostering outreach and advocacy opportunities has been instrumental in the residency program graduating well-rounded residents. As part of the APPD, Dr. Nichols has led several workshops and presentations to help mentor and teach other program directors across the nations. DRS. MARTIN AND SIMS SECURE R21 TO STUDY POTENTIAL NEC TREATMENT The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has announced it will fund the research of Colin Martin, M.D., FACS , associate professor in the Division of Pediatric Surgery, and Brian Sims, M.D., Ph.D. , associate professor in the Division of Neonatology. Martin and Sims will serve as the co-principal investigators on the project, “The Therapeutic Potential of Pasteurized Human Donor Breast Milk Exosomes.” The two-year grant totals more than $400,000. Martin and Sims are proposing a potential treatment to a devastating disease known as necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC). NEC is the leading cause of intestinal mortality in newborns and is characterized by intestinal epithelial cell injury or death and systemic inflammation. DR. ROSS NAMED PEW STAND UP TO SUPERBUGS AMBASSADOR Shannon Ross, M.D., MSPH , associate professor in the Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, served as an ambassador for The Pew Charitable Trusts’ Stand Up to Superbugs initiative. Dr. Ross joined more than 40 other ambassadors in Washington, DC, to meet with the Presidential Advisory Council on Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria, leaders from CDC, FDA and other key agencies and members of Congress and their staffs to urge action to fight the growing threat of antibiotic-resistant infections. Ambassadors represented health care, public health, research, farming, veterinary medicine and patients and patient families impacted by superbugs. Ambassadors met with the representatives from their states to share their expertise and experience to advocate for funding and support to preserve the effectiveness of existing antibiotics and to develop new antibiotics. DR. KONG NAMED TO GOOD MORNING AMERICA INSPIRATION LIST Michele Kong, M.D. , associate professor in the Division of Pediatric Critical Care, was named to the “Good Morning America Inspiration List: Who’s Making Asian American Pacific Islander History Right Now” for her work with Kulture City, a nonprofit organization with the mission to create a world where all individuals, regardless of their disabilities /sensory needs, can be accepted and included.

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DR. WADHWA ACCEPTED INTO TRANSDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH ON ENERGETICS AND CANCER (TREC) FELLOWSHIP Aman Wadhwa, M.D., MSPH , assistant professor in the Division of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, has been accepted into the Transdisciplinary Research on Energetics and Cancer (TREC) Training Workshop 2021 fellowship cohort. The TREC 2021 fellowship cohort consists of an array of researchers from a variety of backgrounds, including basic, clinical and population cancer research. Fellows will participate in a five-day virtual training workshop focused on transdisciplinary (TD) research in energy balance and cancer, followed by 12 months of guidance and mentorship from course faculty and fellow alumni. This workshop is designed for junior faculty and post-doctoral fellows to gain experience and to develop their own transdisciplinary expertise. DR. WADHWA RECEIVES EMERGING SCIENTIST AWARD Aman Wadhwa, M.D., MSPH , assistant professor in the Division of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, was awarded an Emerging Scientist Award from the Children’s Cancer Research Fund. This award will help fund Dr. Wadhwa’s research project titled, “Body composition and adverse outcomes in pediatric Hodgkin lymphoma.” Emerging Scientist Award winners receive $100,000 for a one-year period and must be in the first seven years of their career. AMERICAN SOCIETY OF HEMATOLOGY SELECTS DR. WADHWA TO PARTICIPATE IN THE 2021 CLINICAL RESEARCH TRAINING INSTITUTE Aman Wadhwa, M.D., MSPH , assistant professor in the Division of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, has been selected by the American Society of Hematology (ASH) to participate in the 2021 ASH Clinical Research Training Institute (CRTI). CRTI is a year-long program that offers a broad education on clinical research methods, research collaborations, statistical analysis, and managing the demands of family and career. The goal of the program is to produce leaders armed with ideas for clinical hematology research and the tools and resources to make their ideas a reality. DR. SALAS RECEIVES 2021 TRAVEL AWARD FROM THE INTERNATIONAL PEDIATRIC RESEARCH FOUNDATION Ariel Salas, M.D., MSPH , assistant professor in the Division of Neonatology, received a 2021 Travel Award grant for Early Career Investigators from the International Pediatric Research Foundation (IPRF) and the journal, Pediatric Research. This award is given to three authors of papers that appeared in Pediatric Research in the previous calendar year. Dr. Salas is being honored for his paper, “Serial assessment of fat and fat-free mass accretion in very preterm infants: a randomized trial.” DR. WILLIS SELECTED FOR EDITORIAL BOARD FELLOWSHIP Kent Willis, M.D. , assistant professor in the Division of Neonatology, has been selected for the AJP-Lung Editorial Board Fellowship Program (EBFP). Dr. Willis is among 10 other early-career researchers selected for the program. The EBFP provides insight into the many stages of manuscript processing.

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DR. WHITE ELECTED AS CHAIR ELECT FOR SECTION ON SIMULATION AND INNOVATIVE LEARNING METHODS Marjorie Lee White, M.D., MPPM, MEd , professor in the Division of Pediatric Emergency Medicine, has been elected chair elect for the American Academy of Pediatrics Section on Simulation and Innovative Learning Methods (SILM). Dr. White currently serves on the executive committee for the SILM. Her term begins in November 2021, and she will serve for three years. DR. WHITLEY RECEIVES ROTARY VOCATIONAL SERVICE AWARD FOR 2020–2021 Richard Whitley, M.D. , professor in the Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, received the 2020–2021 Rotary Vocational Service Award by the Rotary Club of Birmingham. This award is given each year to a non-Rotarian in recognition of excellence in a vocational service that is recognized beyond the territory of the club. Dr. Whitley was selected for this award for his important work and contributions related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Richard Whitley, M.D. , professor in the Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, received the 2020 National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID) John P. Utz Leadership Award. This award recognizes Dr. Whitley’s leadership in the field of clinical virology and infectious diseases. The John P. Utz Leadership Award was established by the NFID in 2007 as a lasting memorial to the late John P. Utz, M.D., a champion in the fight against infectious diseases. The award is presented to individuals who exemplify leadership in the field of infectious diseases, as selected by the NFID Board of Directors. DR. WHITLEY RECIPIENT OF THE 2020 NATIONAL FOUNDATION FOR INFECTIOUS DISEASES JOHN P. UTZ LEADERSHIP AWARD DR. OATES, ROWE AND HARRIS ARTICLE SELECTED AS BEST OF JOURNAL OF CYSTIC FIBROSIS The paper, “Tobacco Smoke Exposure Limits the Therapeutic Benefit of Tezacaftor/ Ivacaftor in Pediatric Patients with Cystic Fibrosis,” by Gabriela Oates, Ph.D. , assistant professor in the Division of Pediatric Pulmonary and Sleep Medicine; Steven Rowe, M.D. ; professor in the Division of Pediatric Pulmonary and Sleep Medicine; and Tom Harris, M.D. , associate professor in the Division of Pediatric Pulmonary and Sleep Medicine, has been selected as Best of Journal of Cystic Fibrosis for 2020. Dr. Oates presented the article in a special session, “Best of Journal of Cystic Fibrosis, The Lancet Respiratory Medicine and European Respiratory Journal” at the European Cystic Fibrosis Society annual meeting in June 2021. Each journal selects one paper to highlight at the conference.

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1600 7th Avenue South Birmingham, Alabama 35233

You're Invited to visit our booth #533 at the annual PAS (Pediatric Academic Societies) Meeting

April 21–25, 2022 Denver, Colorado

For more information, contact Heather Watts, hwatts@peds.uab.edu or visit pas-meeting.org