Our Graduates

Youssef Nada
Nada Hany Youssef, MD

Assistant Professor of Pediatrics - University of Illinois
Fellowship: July 2020 – June 2023
Residency Program: University of Illinois College of Medicine- Chicago, Illinois
Medical School: University of Illinois College of Medicine, Rockford, Illinois
Research: Epidemiology and impact of Pseudomonas species other than aeruginosa in Cystic Fibrosis

 

 

 

 

Khaleel Qussous, MD
Nationwide Children's Hospital/Mercy Health Children's Hospital, Toledo, OH.
Fellowship: July 2019 – 2022
Residency Program: Hurley Medical Center, Flint, Michigan
Medical School: University of Jordan Faculty of Medicine
 

 

Dionne Adair, M.B.B.S.
Dionne Adair, MBBS

Assistant Professor of Pediatrics - Children's Hospital of Georgia
Fellowship: July 2018 – 2021
Residency Program: Harlem Hospital Center/Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY
Medical School: University of the West Indies Faculty of Medical Sciences, Jamaica
Research project: “Association between IL6 and asthma severity and relationship with obesity”

 

 

Lauren Castner, DO

Assistant Professor of Pediatrics on the Clinician-Educator track
Division of Pediatric Pulmonary and Sleep Medicine at Children's Wisconsin, Milwaukee
Associate Director of the Pediatric Sleep Lab

Special interests: sleep disorders in the medically complex child, such as neuromuscular disorders, genetic abnormalities, and behavioral disorders; nutrition and weight management as it pertains to sleep and pulmonary health, and quality improvement.

Fellowship: July 2016 – July 2019
Residency Program:  Maimonides Infants and Children's Hospital, Einstein College of Medicine, Brooklyn, NY
Medical School:  Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine of Midwestern University, Downers Grove, IL
Research: Lung microbiome changes associated with initial Pseudomonas acquisition in cystic fibrosis
Quality Improvement Project: Improving clinic follow-up of hospitalized children with asthma

 

Fatima Neemuchwala, MD

Assistant Professor - USCF Benioff Children’s Hospital
Current research: Working on quality improvement projects to improve ambulatory care for children with CF and invasive mechanical ventilation.

Fellowship: July 2015 – June 2018
Residency Program: Sacred Heart Children’s Hospital, Florida State University, Pensacola, FL
Medical School:  Kasturba Medical College, Manipal, Karnataka, India
Research: Use of chest MRI to monitor disease progression in children with cystic fibrosis
Quality Improvement Project:  Monitoring of pelvic floor disease/incontinence in children with cystic fibrosis

Presentations: 
1.
A teenager with chronic cough and multiple cavitary lung lesions.  2017 International Meeting of the American Thoracic Society, Washington, DC.
2. Prevalence of pelvic incontinence in pediatric patients with cystic fibrosis.  2017 International Meeting of the American Thoracic Society, Washington, DC.
3. Anti-TNF therapy in childhood interstitial lung disease (NSIP). 2017 International Meeting of the American Thoracic Society, Washington, DC 
Honors and Awards:  2015 Cystic Fibrosis Foundation First Year Fellowship Training Grant

 

Aarti Shakkottai, M.D.
Aarti Shakkottai, MD

Fellowship: September 2013 – June 2017
Residency Program:  C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI
Medical School: University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey/Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Piscataway, NJ
Current Position: Assistant Professor at UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX          
Research: Adherence to chest physiotherapy in patients with cystic fibrosis. 
Quality Improvement Project: Adherence to chest physiotherapy in patients with cystic fibrosis. 
Publications:
1.  Shakkottai A, Kidwell KM, Townsend M, Nasr SZ. A five-year retrospective analysis of adherence in cystic fibrosis. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2015;50(12):1224-1229.
2.  Shakkottai A, Nasr SZ. The use of home spirometry in pediatric cystic fibrosis patients. Global Pediatr Health. 2017;4. doi:10.1177/2333794x17690315. 

Presentations:
1. Adherence to medications in cystic fibrosis patients: A five-year retrospective analysis. American Thoracic Society Meeting, May 2014, San Diego, CA. 2.  A five-year retrospective analysis of medication adherence in cystic fibrosis patients. North American Cystic Fibrosis Conference, October 2014, Atlanta, GA. 
3.  Improving adherence to medications in cystic fibrosis patients: The patient perspective. North American Cystic Fibrosis Conference, October 2014, Atlanta, GA.
4.  Feasibility of home spirometry measurement in children with cystic fibrosis. North American Cystic Fibrosis Conference, October 2015, Phoenix, AZ.
5.  Improving adherence in children with cystic fibrosis through home spirometry: Results of a feasibility study. American Thoracic Society Meeting, May 2016, San Francisco, CA.
6.  The impact of frequent home spirometry on medication adherence, health outcomes and quality of life among adolescents with cystic fibrosis. American Thoracic Society Meeting, May 2017, Washington, DC.

Honors and Awards:
1. 2012  Cystic Fibrosis Foundation First Year Fellowship Training Grant
2. 2012  Charles Woodson Biostatistics Award, University of Michigan
3. 2014  Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Second Year Fellowship Training Grant
4. 2015  Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Third Year Fellowship Training Grant

 

Khalid Safi, MD

Fellowship: July 2012 -  June, 2015
Residency Program: Children’s Hospital of Michigan, Wayne State University Medical School, Detroit, MI     
Medical School:  Jordan University of Science and Technology, Jordan
Current position:  Division Chief, Pediatric Sleep Medicine, Dayton Children's Hospital, Dayton, OH
Research: Effectiveness of a multidisciplinary asthma clinic on health care utilization. 
Quality Improvement Project: Extended-interval aminoglycoside use in cystic fibrosis exacerbations
Publications: 

  1. Safi KH, Filbrun AG, Nasr SZ. Hypervitaminosis A Causing Hypercalcemia in Cystic Fibrosis. Case Report and Focused Review. Ann Am Thorac Soc 2014;11(8):1244-1247.
  2. Safi KH, Damiani JM, Sturza J, Nasr SZ. extended-interval aminoglycoside use in cystic fibrosis exacerbation in children and young adults. Global Pediatr Health. 2016;3. doi:10.1177/2333794x16635464.
  3. Safi KH, Stoermer-Grossman KJ, Kidwell KM, et al. A comprehensive pediatric asthma management program reduces emergency department visits and hospitalizations. Pediatr Allergy Immunol Pulmonol. 2016;29(1):17-23. doi:10.1089/ped.2015.0561.
  4. Safi KH, Bernat JA, Keegan CE, Ahmad A, Hershenson MB, Arteta M. Interstitial lung disease of infancy caused by a new NKX2-1 mutation. Clin Case Rep. 2017;5(6):739-743. doi:10.1002/ccr3.901.
    Presentations: Hypercalcemia and acute kidney injury in a 4-year old CF patient. 2013 North American Cystic Fibrosis Conference, Salt Lake City UT.

 

Thomas Saba, MD

Fellowship: July, 2011 – June, 2014
Residency Program: Montreal Children's Hospital, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Medical School: McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada 
Current Position: Assistant Professor, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Director of Pediatric Pulmonary Fellowship Training Program, University of Michigan Medical School
Research: Role of airway macrophages in rhinovirus-induced asthma exacerbations.
Quality Improvement Project: Identification of pediatric patients with refractory asthma
Publications:
1.Saba TG, Chung Y, Hong JY, Sajjan US, Bentley JK, Hershenson MB.  Rhinovirus induces macrophage cytokine expression through a TLR2-dependent mechanism which does not require viral endocytosis or replication.  Am J Respir Cell Mol Biol  2014 May;50(5):974-84.
2.Saba TG, Fleck DE, Wilson AM, Hoeltzel MF, Rabah R, Hershenson MB. Connecting the Dots: A Rare Cause of Pulmonary Nodules in a 13-Year-Old Boy. Pediatr Allergy Immunol Pulmonol 2015;28(1):68-71.
3.Saba TG, Hershenson MB, Arteta M, Ramirez IA, Mullan PB, Owens ST. Pre-clinical medical student experience in a pediatric pulmonary clinic. Med Educ Online. 2015;20(1):28654. 
Book chapters
Saba T, Filbrun A. (2013). Dyspnea.  In Cabana M (ed): Five-minute Pediatric Clinical Consult.  Lippencott Williams & Wilkins, Philadelphia, PA.
Saba T, Filbrun A. (2013). Laryngomalacia and Tracheomalacia.  In Cabana M (ed): Five-minute Pediatric Clinical Consult.  Lippencott Williams & Wilkins, Philadelphia, PA.
Presentations:
1.Severe airway malacia treated with chronic mechanical ventilation in an infant with CF. North American Cystic Fibrosis Conference, Salt Lake City, UT, 2013.
2.Connecting the dots: a rare cause of pulmonary nodules in a 13year-old boy. 2014 International Meeting of the American Thoracic Society, San Diego, CA.
Honors and Awards: Fellowship Teaching Award, 2012.  Awarded by House Officers to Fellow in recognition of quality teaching. 

 

Meghan Keaton, MD

Fellowship: July, 2010 – June, 2013
Residency Program: University of Toledo Medical Center, Toledo, OH
Medical School: University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences, Toledo, OH
Current position: Clinical Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH
Research:  Roles of lipid mediators and adipokines in the pathogenesis of cystic fibrosis lung disease.
Quality Improvement Project: Evaluation of cystic fibrosis transition program
Publications:  Keaton M, Chaudhry S, Nasr S. Evaluation of cystic fibrosis transition program from pediatric to adult care. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2013; 48(7):658-65.
Presentations:
Failure to thrive and liver disease in an infant with elevated sweat chloride.  North American CF Conference, Orlando, FL; October 12, 2012
Sputum adiponectin inversely correlates with lung function in patients with cystic fibrosis. Presented at 2013 North American CF Conference, Salt Lake City, UT.
Honors and Awards:
2013  Resident and Fellow Research Award, Michigan Thoracic Society Annual Scientific Session
2011  Charles Woodson Biostatistics Fund Award, University of Michigan, Department of Pediatrics and Communicable Diseases

 

Ixsy Ramirez, MD
Ixsy Ramirez, MD, MPH

Fellowship: July, 2009 – June, 2012
Residency Program: University of Toledo Medical Center Toledo, OH
Medical School:  Ross University, Dominica, West Indies
Current position:  Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
Research: Role of viral infections in exacerbations of cystic fibrosis
Quality Improvement Project: Improving the body mass index of children with cystic fibrosis
Publications:
1.Lewis TC, Henderson TA, Ramirez IA, McHenry CL, Goldsmith AM, Ren X, Mentz G, Mukherjee B, Robins TG, Joiner T, Mohammad L, Roe E, Carpenter A, Burns MA, Burke DT, Hershenson MB. Nasal cytokine responses to natural colds in asthmatic children.  Clin Exp Allergy (Editor’s Choice) 42:1734-44, 2012.
2.Ramirez IA, Caverly LJ, Kalikin LM, Goldsmith AM, Lewis TC, Burke DT, LiPuma JJ, Sajjan US, Hershenson MB.  Differential responses to rhinovirus- and influenza-associated pulmonary exacerbations in patients with cystic fibrosis. Ann Am Thorac Soc. 2014;11:554-61.
Commentary:  Ramirez I, Lumeng CN.  Commentary on “Daily and intermittent corticosteroids have similar impact on recurrent wheezing in young children.”  J Pediatr 160; 881, 2012
Presentations:
1.Endobronchial inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor in a 7-year-old female: Diagnostic and therapeutic challenges. Presented at the 2011 International Conference of the American Thoracic Society, Denver, CO.
2.The use of a novel ligation detection multiplex assay for identification of RNA viruses in cystic fibrosis sputum.  Presented at the 2012 International Conference of the American Thoracic Society, San Francisco, CA.
3.A quality improvement project aimed at improving the body mass index of children with cystic fibrosis.  Presented at the 2012 North American Cystic Fibrosis Conference, Orlando, FL.