University of Maryland

TRAINING PROGRAM DIRECTOR:  Matthew Laurens, MD, MPH

COORDINATOR:  Ms. Carol Kairo

CHIEF, INFECTIOUS DISEASES:  Karen Kotloff, MD

MAJOR FEATURES OF TRAINING PROGRAM: The Division of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Pediatrics of the University of Maryland School of Medicine is a three-year ACGME accredited program. Clinical training takes place at the University of Maryland Children’s Hospital, a large tertiary level referral hospital that houses all pediatric and surgical sub-specialty services. Ten Pediatric Infectious Diseases faculty members are clinician-scientists committed to fellow education and professional development in clinical Pediatric Infectious Diseases, and clinical and epidemiological studies. In addition, trainees are mentored by teams of leaders in their respective fields. The Division of Peds ID is part of the UMB’s Center for Vaccine Development and Global Health (CVD), recognized internationally for expertise in all aspects of vaccine development both domestic and international from basic science vaccinology research, infectious diseases epidemiology and burden of disease, to cutting-edge immunology and to post-licensure studies. The CVD provides a rich, international training environment with research support for fellows available through an NIH T32 Training Grant in Vaccinology. Trainees advance to positions in academia, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), clinical infectious diseases, industry, and international non-governmental organizations (NGOs).

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

1. Friedman-Klabanoff DJ, Berry AA, Travassos MA, Cox C, Zhou Y, Mo AX, Nomicos EYH, Deye GA, Pasetti MF, Laurens MB. Low dose recombinant full-length circumsporozoite protein-based Plasmodium falciparum vaccine is well-tolerated and highly immunogenic in phase 1 first-in-human clinical testing. Vaccine. 2021 Feb 22;39(8):1195-1200. PMID: 33494963
2. Friedman-Klabanoff DJ, Campbell JD. A 29-day-old Infant with Poor Feeding and a Rash. Pediatr Rev. 2021 Jan;42(Suppl 1):S15-SS18. PMID: 33386352
3. Dagalakis U, Hammershaimb E, McArthur MA, Macatangay RA. SARS-CoV-2 infection in pediatric patient with hemoglobin SC disease. Pediatr Blood Cancer. 2020 Nov;67(11):e28430. PMID: 32776470
4. Friedman-Klabanoff DJ, Travassos MA, Ifeonu OO, Agrawal S, Ouattara A, Pike A, Bailey JA, Adams M, Coulibaly D, Lyke KE, Laurens MB, Takala-Harrison S, Kouriba B, Kone AK, Doumbo OK, Patel JJ, Thera MA, Felgner PL, Tan JC, Plowe CV, Berry AA. Epitope-specific antibody responses to a Plasmodium falciparum subunit vaccine target in a malaria-endemic population. J Infect Dis. 2020 Sep 29:jiaa611. PMID: 32992328
5. Stucke EM, Niangaly A, Berry AA, Bailey JA, Coulibaly D, Ouattara A, Lyke KE, Laurens MB, Dara A, Adams M, Pablo J, Jasinskas A, Nakajima R, Zhou AE, Agrawal S, Friedman-Klabanoff DJ, Takala-Harrison S, Kouriba B, Kone AK, Rowe JA, Doumbo OK, Felgner PL, Thera MA, Plowe CV, Travassos MA. Serologic responses to the PfEMP1 DBL-CIDR head structure may be a better indicator of malaria exposure than those to the DBL-α tag. Malar J. 2019 Aug 13;18(1):273. PMID: 31409360

GRANT FUNDING RECEIVED FOR FELLOW RESEARCH PROJECTS:

1. NIH T32 Training Grant – 3 fellows
2. Vaccine and Treatment Evaluation Unit (VTEU) – 1 fellow
3. The Burroughs-Wellcome/ASTMH Postdoctoral Fellowship in Tropical Infectious Diseases – 1 fellow
4. The Pichichero Family Foundation Vaccines for Children Initiative Research Award in Pediatric Infectious Diseases – 1 fellow
   

AFFILIATED HOSPITAL(S):

University of Maryland Children’s Hospital

NUMBER OF INPATIENT/OUTPATIENT CONSULTS PER YEAR:  500

FELLOWS ACCEPTED EACH YEAR: 2

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. Vaccinology
17. 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