from the division director
Save The Date! Dr. Kanner has announced that she will host our annual College Preparation Event on April 15, 2024 at 5 pm. The event focuses on preparation for college success for those with type 1 diabetes. Students, parents, future roommates, and any others interested are welcomed to attend. If you are interested, contact us, either through the email link at Dr. Kanner’s webpage (link) or by contacting our diabetes nursing team. The event’s flyer is immediately below.
Dr. Ramakrishna from our division has worked diligently with with several other pediatric sub-specialties to create the regions first clinic for children with DSD (differences in sex development). DSD represent a collection of conditions whereby the usual processes of sexual development have not occurred in the usual fashion. The usual anatomic, functional, hormonal, and/or reproductive functions are altered, absent, or mixed. DSDs are often evident at or even before birth, but some forms are not diagnosed until adulthood. Dr. Ramakrishna has partnered with pediatric urologist Dr. Gina Lockwood and clinical psychologist Dr. Laura Fuller to create the Iowa Gender Multi-Specialty (iGeMS) clinic. The clinic works to maximize the physical and emotional health of youth with DSD, using a multidisciplinary approach. The clinic additionally is staffed by clinical geneticists, pediatric radiologists, with support from reproductive endocrinology and clinical pharmacy services. Referral and appointment requests can be made as outlined on Dr. Ramakrishna’s clinical webpage (link).
Pediatric Research Day 2023 at the University of Iowa was held on the afternoon of April 7th, highlighting six speakers and multiple posters. The Division of Endocrinology and Diabetes was well represented. Faculty Dr. Cat Pinnaro gave a research talk entitled “Explaining phenotypic variability in Turner syndrome: Does X Mark the Spot”. Third year endocrinology fellow Dr. Alexander Tuttle gave an award-winning talk entitled “An Interactive E-Book Resource About Inpatient Pediatrics Diabetes Management for Medical Learners: Preliminary Results of a Pilot Study”. Dr. Graciela Parra Villasmil presented a research “data blitz” and poster entitled “Variability in glycemia measured by CGM in children and young adults with acute recurrent or chronic pancreatitis”. Importantly, these highlight our division’s ongoing efforts to improve the care of children with endocrine conditions.
We were graced today by a clinical grand rounds talk from Philippe Backeljauw, MD. Dr. Backeljauw is Professor at the University of Cincinnati Department of Pediatrics. He is also Director of their Pediatric Endocrine Fellowship Program and Director of the Cincinnati Center for Pediatric and Adult Turner Syndrome Care. He spoke at our Pediatric Grand Rounds. Dr. Backeljauw is an internationally recognized expert in the clinical care of patients with growth disorders and patients with Turner syndrome. He received his MD from the University of Ghent in Belgium, completed pediatric residency at Cleveland Clinic, and pediatric endocrinology fellowship at the University of North Carolina. He has published over 100 peer-reviewed manuscripts. Recently, he was instrumental in devising clinical practice guidelines related to Turner Syndrome via the International Turner Syndrome Consensus Group. Dr. Backeljauw spoke today on the “Clinical Management of Turner Syndrome”.