University of Colorado Department of Pediatrics

Happy New Year! Welcome to the first 2021 edition of the Department of Pediatrics Newsletter. Here you will find a sampling of all the amazing activity happening within the Department of Pediatrics and at Children’s Hospital Colorado. Thanks to all our talented faculty, trainees, and staff who make this the best Pediatrics Department in the country!

CU Equity Certificate Program Offering

The critically important national reckoning on the need for racial justice and health equity was again highlighted by serious allegations of institutional racism at Seattle Children’s Hospital. It is our collective responsibility to improve our shared understanding of the issues of bias and to demonstrate equity centered leadership.

The CU Denver | CU Anschutz Medical Campus is offering a 6-hour Equity Certificate Program to all faculty and staff. This insightful, 4-part series (via ZOOM) is designed to provide knowledge and skill-building opportunities in equity principles to improve equity and inclusive excellence on our campuses. I highly recommend that everyone find the time to complete this program during its offered times in February and March.

Pancreatic GLP-1 the Focus of Sandoval’s Multidisciplinary Research

In September of last year, the Department welcomed Darleen Sandoval, PhD (Visiting Professor, Section of Nutrition) from the University of Michigan to serve as a senior research investigator focusing on endocrine disease, metabolic stress, obesity and type 2 diabetes. In transitioning her research laboratory to Colorado, Dr. Sandoval continues her National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) research project (R01-DK107282) award titled, “A novel paracrine role for GLP-1 in the islet.” Part of this project is focused on the pharmacological function of pancreatic GLP-1 and will test the hypothesis that the contribution of pancreatic GLP-1 to β-cell function increases in bariatric surgery and streptozotocin-induced diabetes.

Dr. Sandoval’s multi-disciplinary work is yet another example of the rich collaborations that occur on the Anschutz Medical Campus and the partnership between the Department of Pediatrics, the Department of Surgery, the University of Colorado Anschutz Health and Wellness Center, and the Center for Children’s Surgery.

Kaul Selected President-Elect for SAHM

Paritosh Kaul, MD (Professor, Section of Adolescent Medicine) has been selected as the next President-Elect for the Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine (SAHM). Dr. Kaul will serve as President-elect for one year, beginning after the conclusion of the 2021 Annual Meeting in March. He will then become President at the Annual Meeting in 2022. SAHM is a multidisciplinary organization committed to the promotion of optimal health and well-being of all adolescents and young adults by supporting adolescent health and medicine professionals through the advancement of clinical practice, care delivery, research, advocacy, and professional development. Congratulations, Dr. Kaul!

Scott Receives National Research Service Award

Congratulations to Kathryn Scott (Research Assistant, Section of Developmental Biology) on being awarded a Ruth L. Kirschstein Predoctoral Individual National Research Service Award (F31-NS116922) from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS).

Kathryn’s award is for her project titled, “Prdm8 inhibits oligodendrocyte differentiation through gene repression.” Aberrant oligodendrocyte development and myelination is observed in many neurological disorders ranging from Multiple Sclerosis to Autism that result in motor and cognitive dysfunction. A deeper comprehension of the molecular mechanisms that regulate oligodendrocyte development are required to understand the etiology of these disorders and to develop therapeutics that promote myelin repair. Katheryn’s research intends to uncover transcriptional mechanisms that inhibit oligodendrocyte differentiation and myelination.

The Kirschstein program is designed to enable promising predoctoral students with potential to develop into a productive, independent research scientist, and to obtain mentored research training while conducting dissertation research.

Palliative Medicine is Newest DOP Section

I am pleased to announce the creation of a new Section of Palliative Medicine within the Department of Pediatrics and the University of Colorado School of Medicine. This is an important step for our Department and for Children’s Hospital Colorado towards the goal of having one of the best pediatric palliative care programs in the country.

I want to recognize Brian Greffe, MD (Professor, Section of Hematology, Oncology and Bone Marrow Transplantation and H.O.P.E. Clinic Medical Director) for his long-standing commitment to palliative care. Dr. Greffe has been instrumental in the development of the REACH team and their success in making palliative care accessible to our families and care teams. The creation of the Section of Palliative Medicine builds upon the foundation the REACH team has established and communicates that both academic inquiry and education in palliative care should stand alongside this outstanding clinical care program.

A search committee, chaired by David Brumbaugh, MD (Associate Professor, Section of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition and Chief Medical Officer, Children's Hospital Colorado) has been launched to spearhead the national recruitment for the inaugural Head of the new Section. I would like to thank Children’s Hospital Colorado and the CHCO Foundation for their support in reaching this important milestone. The posting for the position can be found here at the CU Careers site.

Career Cornerstones Junior Faculty Career Development Program

The first session of the 2021 (virtual) Career Cornerstones was held on January 19 with good turnout and collaboration. Eight of 34 faculty enrolled in the program are from the Department of Pediatrics. There is still time to register for the 2021 cohort even though the first session already ran.

Career Cornerstones is an interdepartmental professional development program with content targeted for early career faculty. All DOP Assistant Professors are encouraged to participate in preparation for completion of their mid-point reviews. While the program’s content is designed for years 1-4 as an assistant professor, the program is open to assistant professors who have not yet applied for promotion to associate professor.

Developed and delivered in partnership with the Departments of Medicine, Emergency Medicine, Family Medicine, Ophthalmology, Pediatrics, and Radiology, Career Cornerstones provides faculty with the opportunity to foster relationships with colleagues across departments and build foundational skills necessary for ongoing professional success.

The next two sessions are scheduled for Tuesday, March 2, 2021, 1-4:30 p.m. and Tuesday, April 6, 2021, 1-4:30 p.m. Register for 2021 Career Cornerstones

Faculty Working Groups Call for Nominations

To best support all our faculty and to provide equitable opportunities for career development, the Department of Pediatrics is adding two new Faculty Working Groups and seeks nominations for new members. You may nominate yourself or another faculty member. Joining the group is a great opportunity to support your colleagues through important representation, network across the DOP, and fulfill promotion service requirements.

Mid-Career Faculty Working Group (MFWG)

The group supports faculty who generally have 7-13 years of total experience in their field, regardless of rank or institution. A maximum of six members will be elected for a three-year term. Potential immediate goals for this group include pathway to professor planning and mentoring, increased awareness of specific faculty needs, provider wellness, and growing networking opportunities.

Senior-Career Faculty Working Group (SFWG)

The group supports faculty who generally have more than 13 years of total experience in their field, regardless of rank or institution. A maximum of six members will be elected for a three-year term. Potential immediate goals for this group include increasing awareness of specific faculty needs, provider wellness, generating new opportunities for connections to earlier-career faculty, retirement planning, and emeritus faculty engagement.

Responsibilities of group members are anticipated to include:

• Spearheading and managing different projects/tasks.
• Planning the annual FWG calendar.
• Contributing to monthly meeting content.
• Networking with other faculty and SOM departments for recruitment, event advertising, faculty feedback, and event evaluations.

Membership Requirements:

• Eligibility for the applicable group being represented.
• Attendance at no less than eight monthly meetings per year.
• Commitment to attend as many group-sponsored events as possible.
• Facilitate or manage at least one event during their terms.
• Represent their FWG at a minimum of one Academic and Faculty Affairs Committee meeting per year (one-hour long monthly meeting).

How to Nominate:

To nominate yourself or someone else, please complete this form no later than January 31, 2021. Nominations will be reviewed and members elected by the Faculty Working Group Steering Committee. If you have further questions, please contact Faculty Affairs Coordinator Justin Lotspeich.

2020 Performance Review in the School of Medicine (PRiSM)