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Dr. Chew is a pediatric cardiologist who conducts clinical research on pediatric cardiovascular disorders. He has utilized large, national databases to characterize rare disease processes. His recent work has focused on congenital heart defects in patients with Turner syndrome. Specifically, he has described the distribution and outcomes of congenital heart surgeries, with a specific focus on single ventricle palliation, in these patients. Dr. Chew also published the first description of heart transplantation in patients with Turner syndrome by leveraging a unique linkage of two multicenter databases. The goal of this work is to allow for more informed decision-making in these challenging clinical situations by generating an evidence-based understanding of individual patient's risk profiles. Additionally, Dr. Chew's research program explores the application of advanced imaging methods for the diagnosis and clinical evaluation of cardiovascular disease with high morbidity and mortality. Specifically, he has used both echocardiography and cardiac MRI based approaches to investigate pulmonary arterial hypertension and cardiomyopathies. The overall aim of this work is for enhanced imaging techniques to lead to better diagnosis and monitoring of clinical disease and, ultimately, improved patient outcomes.

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Dr. Chappell's scientific interests encompass the biology, pathogenesis, etiology, prevention, and treatment of viral diseases. His current research includes the contemporary pathogen spectrum, microbial genetic features, clinical presentation, and host risk factors associated with acute viral respiratory and gastrointestinal illnesses; vaccine effectiveness against these infections; and vaccine responses in diverse populations.

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The Cassat lab studies host-pathogen interactions during invasive bacterial infections, with a specific focus on osteomyelitis. We are also interested in how inflammation and the microbiome impact skeletal cell biology. Finally, we study interconnections between the vertebrate immune and skeletal systems. Current projects include: the study of how S. aureus survives within bone, delineating how co-infecting pathogens shape staphylococcal physiology and virulence during osteomyelitis, discovering how host responses to bacterial pathogens in bone shape bone remodeling, creating new molecular imaging protocols to study the host-pathogen interface during osteomyelitis, elucidating how host comorbidities such as hyperglycemia impact osteomyelitis pathogenesis, and deciphering how inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and the gut microbiota alter bone homeostasis.

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The lab uses a very broad array of techniques including molecular and cellular biology, state-of-the-art imaging, flow cytometry, bioinformatics, structural biology and bioengineering approaches to understand the human antibody response to major pathogens. Current studies center on Influenza, Zika, Ebola, Marburg, respiratory syncytial virus, and numerous other emerging pathogens. In addition to understanding the immunology of the response, we are dedicated to harnessing this response as a source of antibodies for protective and therapeutic applications. We are particularly interested in rapid antibody discovery methods where this human antibody-centered discovery platform can empower real-time pandemic medical countermeasure development.

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Dr. Kate Carlson, MD, MMHC, is the Medical Director of the Vanderbilt Pediatric Primary Care Clinic. Located on the 8th floor of the Children's outpatient tower, the VPPCC (or "DOT8 as it is affectionately called) serves as the medical home for 17,500 patients and primary care learning hub for 77 pediatric residents each year. Dr. Carlson's primary career focus is to increase capacity for quality pediatric care for immigrants and underserved children. She achieves this through primary clinical work ask a spanish-speaking pediatrician and education as a leader in the Spanish Language clinic on DOT8. Her scholarly work uses quality improvement methodology to standardize approaches within the clinic to improve the health of all patients, and to improve the experience of patients and providers alike through efficiency initiatives most recently related to documentation timeliness and clinic throughout.

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