Global Health Grand Rounds

Roberta L. DeBiasi, MD, MS, Chief, Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Professor of Pediatrics and Microbiology, Immunology and Tropical Medicine, The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences

August 22, 2019

About the Lecture: Updates will be provided on Children’s National’s role and activities as a designated Ebola Treatment Center and institutional Ebola preparedness, as well as updates on the ongoing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, which has recently been designated as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. Updates on other currently relevant Emerging Infectious Diseases including Acute Flaccid Myelitis, Measles and Zika will also be presented.

Marsha Griffin, MD, FAAP, Director, Community for Children, Director, Division of Child and Family Health, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley School of Medicine

March 13, 2019

About the Lecture: Academic medical centers across the nation are finding that the frontlines of immigration policy and global health have arrived in their own communities. Today, when the stakes are higher and disparities greater, academic medical centers are challenged to provide quality care to the immigrant population in their midst. Lack of legal immigration status negatively affects the physical and mental health of patients. Frontline clinical staff are impacted by the fear and stress experienced by their immigrant patients. This session will discuss the current experiences of immigrant children on the border and how communities, hospitals and academic medical centers are harnessing their expertise to provide quality care to children and families who have immigrated and improve health in their community.

Deborah Persaud, MD, Professor, Department of Pediatrics, Division of Infectious Diseases, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Department of International Health and Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

November 28, 2018

About the Lecture: An estimated 36.7 million people worldwide were living with HIV in 2016 and 19.5 million are receiving antiretroviral treatment (ART). However, antiretroviral treatment is lifelong due to the incurable nature of HIV. The search for treatments that will enable a state of ART-free HIV remission or cure is underway. These modalities will be discussed along with lessons learned, the challenges and promise.

Andrew Campbell, MD, Comprehensive Pediatric Sickle Cell Disease Program, Children’s National Health system, Associate Professor, George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences

October 17, 2018

About the Lecture: Just over 100 years ago, sickle cell disease(SCD) was discovered in a patient in Chicago, IL. However, It was described for hundreds of years before in Subsaharan Africa; It is estimated that ~ 80% of all the annual SCD Births occur in sub-Saharan Africa ( ~ 242,000) compared to only 2600 SCD births in North America and 1300 SCD births In Europe. This supports the presumed hypothesis that the sickle cell gene frequency overlaps with the malarial belts of the world. Global Mortality from SCD remains the highest in sub-Saharan Africa, especially in under-resourced and economically challenged countries within this region. The clinical presentation within all forms of sickle cell disease( i.e. Hgb SS, Hgb SC, Sickle Cell-Beta Thalassemia +,Sickle Cell Beta Thalassmia Zero Disease) varies significantly globally which leads to a poorer understanding of the disease phenotype . To address this gap in knowledge of SCD, we have to improve funding and expand research collaborations in SSA and other regions of the world where the incidence of the SCD is highest. Outstanding researchers within SSA are making new discoveries within SCD pathophysiology and improving our understanding of SCD not only in Africa but across the world. I hope to show you that some of my research collaborations in SSA has my enhanced knowledge in SCD globally and locally.

Barbara Warner, MD, Professor of Pediatrics, Division of Newborn Medicine, Children’s Hospital of St. Louis, Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine

November 29, 2017

About the Lecture: The microbial organisms in our intestines (the gut microbiome) are in a symbiotic relationship with the human host. There is no time more critical in that relationship than in early infancy, when we move from a sterile or relatively sterile gut to a diverse community. Early interactions affect long-term immune responses, as well as short-term health and disease. This is most evident in our preterm population who exhibit a dysbiotic gut microbiome, contributing to common morbidities. Understanding the contributors to that microbial community have important implications for child health.

Tom Kenyon, MD, MPH, CEO, Project Hope

October 26, 2017

About the Lecture: Current global health challenges include preventable maternal newborn child mortality, infectious diseases, non-communicable diseases, and response to emergency and disasters. More and more US based universities and teaching institutions are becoming important actors on the global health stage. It is therefore important for any practicing physician or health professional practicing in the US to be aware of global health priorities.

Andrea Beaton, MD, Pediatric Cardiology, Children’s National Health System, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, George Washington University

September 25, 2017

About the Lecture: In the late 19th and early 20th century, acute rheumatic fever was one of the leading causes of child mortality in the United States. Research, education, advocacy and luck lead to a dramatic decline to the point where rheumatic fever was considered nearly eliminated in high-income settings. However, rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease continue unabated in many parts of the world and remain a disease of disparity here at home. Why . . . and what are we doing?

Roberta DeBiasi, MD, Division Chief, Infectious Diseases, Children’s National Health System

June 2, 2017

About the Lecture: Learning Objectives: Attendees of this session will be able to: 1. Describe the local, national and international epidemiology of measles and recent resurgence 2. Recognize the clinical presentation of measles and how it is similar to and different from other common childhood viral illnesses 3. Identify the rationale and implementation of appropriate infection control measures when evaluating patients with highly contagious diseases 4. Discuss appropriate measures for lab testing for measles 5. Interpret local and national immunization rates and how this impacts the resurgence of vaccine-preventable illness

Mark Batshaw, MD, Executive Vice President, Physician-in-Chief, Chief Academic Officer, Children’s National Health System

May 10, 2017

About the Lecture: Learning Objectives: Attendees of this session will be able to: 1. Describe the importance of compliance in conduct of clinical trials 2. Describe response to and resiliency in the face of professional crisis 3. Identify advances in viral-based gene therapy including gene editing