Rachel Ruppert, MSN, RN, CPNP-PC
B.S.N.
Belmont University
M.S.N.
Pediatric Primary Care Nurse Practitioner - Vanderbilt University
B.S.N.
Belmont University
M.S.N.
Pediatric Primary Care Nurse Practitioner - Vanderbilt University
Specialty
Pediatric Hospital Medicine, Inpatient Pediatric Medicine
B.S.N.
Hartwick College, 2008
M.S.N.
Tennessee State University, 2018
Postgraduate Training
Pediatric Nurse Practitioner in Acute Care - University of South Alabama, 2023
Dr. Kacie Denton served as chief Pediatrics resident at East Tennessee State University. She also earned her MD degree and a Master of Public Health degree with a concentration in Community Health at ETSU. Her undergraduate education included a double major with highest honors from Carson-Newman University: BA in biology, BS in biochemistry, and a minor in religion.
In 2019, Dr. Denton was honored with the National Rural Health Association Student Achievement Award, presented to one student annually for excellent in research and advocacy. She is highly dedicated to volunteer service, including substantial advocacy and fundraising with the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation. During her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family and her dogs, photography, traveling, and reading mystery novels.
Chief Resident: East Tennessee State University (Johnson City, TN)
Master of Public Health: East Tennessee State University (Johnson City, TN)
Medical School: East Tennessee State University Quillen College of Medicine (Johnson City, TN)
Undergraduate: Carson-Newman University (Jefferson City, TN)
Dr. Melissa Castro Rivadeneira was born in Quito, Ecuador. She earned her MD from Universidad Científica del Sur Facultad de Medicina Humana in Lima, Peru, and she continued to grow her academic career during residency at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital in Miami, FL.
Between medical school and residency, Dr. Castro served for nearly two years as a research fellow in the Division of Minimally Invasive and Bariatric Surgery at Duke University. She enjoys being active in a variety of ways, including playing on a women's soccer team and training for a half-marathon. Dr. Castro also enjoys playing the piano, guitar, cooking, and hiking.
Residency: Nicklaus Children's Hospital (Miami, FL)
Medical School: Universidad Científica del Sur Facultad de Medicina Humana (Lima, Peru)
Newborn hospital medicine, breastfeeding medicine, pediatric hospital medicine
M.D.
Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, Shreveport, LA
Residency
Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
Congenital Heart Defects, Pediatric Cardiology and Cancer, Multiple Congenital Anomalies
M.S.
Genetic Counseling - University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, 2023
Cleft & Craniofacial
M.S.
Genetic Counseling - Kean's Genetic Counseling Graduate Program, Union, NJ, 2023
The main focus of Dr. Rollins-Smith's research is host pathogen interactions using amphibian model systems. Currently, her laboratory is pursuing a number of questions concerning the nature of innate and adaptive immune defenses in frog skin. Understanding the immune defense mechanisms of amphibians has taken on increased importance in recent years because of the urgent problem of global amphibian declines. Little is known about the conventional adaptive immune response against Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, a skin pathogen associated with global amphibian declines. Ongoing studies have shown that B. dendrobatidis releases factors which inhibit lymphocyte responses. Current research investigates the specific mechanisms by which this fungus escapes immune clearance.
Another focus of her research is the study of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) in frog skin in defense against bacterial, viral, and fungal pathogens. Her lab uses MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry to examine the profiles of skin peptides and growth inhibition assays to test the ability of purified AMPs and natural mixtures of skin peptides to interfere with growth of specific pathogens that have been associated with global amphibian declines. They continue to try to determine whether some species have better peptide defenses against specific pathogens than other species.
Another newer area of research is the effects of temperature on immune defenses of local Tennessee amphibians. This relates to the question of how climate change may impact southern amphibians. A new species of Batrachochytrium (B. salamandrivorans) threatens native amphibian species. With collaborators, she is also studying the role of skin microbiota as protectors of amphibians fromBatrachochytrium pathogens.
M.S.
University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN
Ph.D.
University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN
Dr. Hartnett's research focuses on helping to develop novel methods of identification of ASD in adolescent and adult populations.
Assessment and diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and neurodevelopmental disabilities across the lifespan; Co-occurring conditions in ASD; School-based consultation for Autistic students
Psy.D.
Internship - Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Department of Psychiatry
Fellowship - Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Department of Developmental Medicine, Treatment Research Institute for Autism Spectrum Disorders (TRIAD)
Cardiac MRI, Echocardiography, General Pediatric Cardiology
M.D.
University of Mississippi School of Medicine
Residency
Pediatrics - Vanderbilt University Medical Center/Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt
Fellowships
Pediatric Cardiology - Emory University/Children's Healthcare of Atlanta
Non-invasive Imaging - Emory University/Children's Healthcare of Atlanta