University of Rochester Medical Center

TRAINING PROGRAM DIRECTOR: Jennifer Nayak, MD

ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR/CO-DIRECTOR: Regina Rowe, MD, PhD

COORDINATOR:  Ms. Shelley Weekes

CHIEF, INFECTIOUS DISEASES:  Jennifer Nayak, MD

MAJOR FEATURES OF TRAINING PROGRAM:  Our fellowship program is designed as a research intensive program where fellows receive the training necessary to establish independent research careers in academic medical centers. The research emphasis of the program is in areas related to basic research relevant to opportunistic pathogens and infections in the immunocompromised host; however, other areas of investigation, such as viral pathogenesis and translational research, also are active research activities in the division. Research activities takes place not only within the Division of Infectious Diseases but throughout the laboratories in the clinical and in the basic science departments of the University of Rochester Medical Center. Broad-based collaborative research programs are a particular strength of the training program. In addition to the research training, our fellows are required to take graduate level course work relevant to their specific projects. Over the course of the three-year training period, fellows receive one year of clinical training in the form of inpatient consultations (including a one month rotation on the adult infectious diseases service), outpatient consultations, clinical conferences, journal clubs, and weekly case conferences.

TITLE(S) OF RECENT FELLOWS’ PUBLISHED PAPERS OR RESEARCH PROJECT:

1. Broad Hemagglutinin-Specific Memory B Cell Expansion by Seasonal Influenza Virus Infection Reflects Early-Life Imprinting and Adaptation to the Infecting Virus. Tesini BL, Kanagaiah P, Wang J, Hahn M, Halliley JL, Chaves FA, Nguyen PQT, Nogales A, DeDiego ML, Anderson CS, Ellebedy AH, Strohmeier S, Krammer F, Yang H, Bandyopadhyay S, Ahmed R, Treanor JJ, Martinez-Sobrido L, Golding H, Khurana S, Zand MS, Topham DJ, Sangster MY.J Virol. 2019 Apr 3;93(8):e00169-19. doi: 10.1128/JVI.00169-19. Print 2019 Apr 15.PMID: 30728266
2. Immunization with Pneumocystis Cross-Reactive Antigen 1 (Pca1) Protects Mice against Pneumocystis Pneumonia and Generates Antibody to Pneumocystis jirovecii. Tesini BL, Wright TW, Malone JE, Haidaris CG, Harber M, Sant AJ, Nayak JL, Gigliotti F.Infect Immun. 2017 Mar 23;85(4):e00850-16. doi: 10.1128/IAI.00850-16. Print 2017 Apr.PMID: 28031260
3. Combination Immunotherapy with Passive Antibody and Sulfasalazine Accelerates Fungal Clearance and Promotes the Resolution of Pneumocystis-Associated Immunopathogenesis. Hoy Z, Wright TW, Elliott M, Malone J, Bhagwat S, Wang J, Gigliotti F.Infect Immun. 2020 Jan 22;88(2):e00640-19. doi: 10.1128/IAI.00640-19. Print 2020 Jan 22.PMID: 31611280

AFFILIATED HOSPITAL:

Golisano Children’s Hospital at University of Rochester Medical Center

NUMBER OF INPATIENT/OUTPATIENT CONSULTS PER YEAR: 749

FELLOWS ACCEPTED EACH YEAR: 1

VISAS ACCEPTED: J1

FUNDING ENSURED FOR ALL 3 YEARS: Yes

IS COMPLETION OF PEDIATRIC RESIDENCY TRAINING IN THE U.S. OR CANADA A REQUIREMENT: Yes

Program provides training (didactic lectures, hands on experience, or antimicrobial stewardship meetings/membership) in:

1. Microbiology lab on site
2. Infection control and hospital epidemiology
3. Antimicrobial stewardship
4. Immunocompromised hosts

Opportunities to fulfill the ABP requirements for scholarly activity is available in the following general areas:

1. Antimicrobial agents
2. Antimicrobial stewardship
3. Bacteriology/bacterial infections
4. Clinical trials
5. Epidemiology and statistics
6. Global health
7. HIV
8. Immunizations
9. Infection control/hospital epidemiology
10. Medical education
11. Mycology/fungal infections
12. Parasitology/parasitic diseases
13. Public health
14. Quality improvement
15. Transplant medicine
16. Virology/viral diseases

Opportunities exist for research outside of the ID Division: Yes

Program offers the opportunity to obtain a Master’s degree in a field such as Public Health, Education, Clinical Sciences, or Epidemiology (assuming appropriate arrangements are made): Yes