Publications and presentations, April 2026

Presentations

Presenting at PAS? Make sure you’re on our list (external link)!

McGovern Medical School will have excellent representation from the Department of Pediatrics at the Pediatric Academic Societies (PAS) meeting this year. View our list of PAS Meeting posters and presenters (external link) and let Clarissa Webb know if you have any to add.

Upcoming

• Yuying Liu, PhD, MEd, to present at the AAI Annual Meeting (external link) — Immunology2026 — April 15-19 in Boston, MA: “Limosilactobacillus reuteri-educated T cells protect against activation of liver inflammation in immunocompromised mice”

• Sheela Gavvala, DO, FAAP, and Zoabe Hafeez, MD, have been accepted to speak at the Texas Pediatric Society meeting (external link) in September.

• Gabriel Anzueto, MD, and Kimberly Ellison, PhD, to present at the International Society for Autism Research (INSAR) Annual Meeting in Prague.

33rd European Conference on Obesity (external link) Presentations

• Michael Yafi, MD, and Mona Eissa, MD, PhD: Obesity in Art History poster presentation

• Michael Yafi, MD; Mohammad Abdulmonem, MD; Syed Hashmi, MD, PhD; Mona Eissa, MD, PhD: Depression in Adolescents with Severe Obesity: A Population Comparison poster presentation

• Michael Yafi, MD; Khubaib Ahmed, MD; Michael Wassef, MD: Evidence of PCOS in Teenagers with Obesity and Type 2 Diabetes poster presentation

• Michael Yafi, MD; Khubaib Ahmed, MD: Pediatric Obesity and TSH Levels poster presentation

Previous

Hematology has strong presence at THSNA 2026

Medical Genetics represents at ACMG 2026

Nivedita Thakur, MD, (pictured above, 4th from right) and S. Nick Russo, MD, presented at the 2nd Annual UTHealth Houston Movement Disorders Symposium (external link) held at Helix Park on February 21.

Maria Caldas-Vasquez, MD; Monica Arango, MD; and PGY-3 resident Joud Ayoub, MD, presented posters at the Pediatric Endocrine Society of Texas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas (PESTOLA (external link)) Annual Conference. (pictured above)

Chinyere O’Connor, MD, and Thao Nguyen, MD, presented at the Shine Academy Conference (external link). (pictured above)

Matthew Rysavy, MD, PhD, spoke to the FDA about challenges in conducting research to support neonatal product development. (pictured above)

American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (AAAAI) 2026 Annual Meeting (external link) Presentations

• Leah Kaplan, MD (PGY-4 Resident): Evaluating reaction timing and serum IgE as predictors of cow’s milk allergy resolution poster presentation (pictured above, bottom right)

• Omar Alaina, MD (PGY-2 Resident): Characterizing the clinical course and associated factors in pediatric wheat allergy poster presentation (above, bottom left)

• Anandu Dileep, DO (Fellow, Year 2): Identifying clinical and demographic predictors of shellfish allergy resolution poster presentation (above, top left)

• Mark Matthews (MS4): Examining clinical predictors associated with peanut allergy resolution in a multicenter cohort poster presentation (above, top right)

Publications

Children's Learning Institute Division

• Dana DeMaster, PhD; Dr. Zucker; et al.: “How to Support “Little Engineers:” Exploring Preschool Parent–Child Talk during an Engineering Bridge Challenge (external link)”
• Kelly A. Vaughn, PhD; et al.: “Beyond bilingual and monolingual: Cognitive, language and demographic profiles of adolescents in the United States (external link)”
• Michael Assel, PhD, et al.: “Are Manipulatives Necessary for Assessing Early Operations? (external link)”
• Yusra Ahmed, PhD; Dr. Zucker; Dr. DeMaster; Michael P. Mesa, PhD; et al.: “When Toys Talk Science: How motivational beliefs shape elementary-aged girls’ and boys’ toy choices (external link)”

Gastroenterology, Hepatology, & Nutrition Division

Ana Fadhel Alvarez, MD; Salomea Giorgberidze; Melissa Munroe, MD; J. Marc Rhoads, MD; Yuying Liu, MEd, PhD; et al.: “Limosilactobacillus reuteri alleviates proinflammatory T-cell-mediated liver injury and transcriptomic changes in immunocompromised mice (external link)”

General Academic Pediatrics Division

Andrea Ramirez Varela, MD, PhD, et al.: “Creating Space for New Ideas and Advancing Gender Equity in Physical Activity and Health Research: Reflections on the Nature Portfolio Physical Activity Series (external link)”

Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine Division

• Amir Khan, MD, et al.: “Single Ventricle Physiology May Not Preclude Cardiac Repair in the Setting of Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia (external link)”
  • Dr. Khan: “The case against use of inhaled nitric oxide for hypoxic respiratory failure in the premature neonate (external link)“
• Matthew Rysavy, MD, PhD, et al.: “Infants ≤24 weeks are not just smaller extremely preterm infants (external link)”
  • Dr. Rysavy: “The case for improving care for patients and families affected by birth at <25 weeks’ gestation (external link)”
• David L. Weisoly, DO; Dr. Rysavy; et al.: “Ethical tensions in decisions about treatment for babies born at the borderline of viability: Discussion and consensus (external link)”
• Maria del Mar Romero López, MD, PhD; Rafael Bravo Santos, PhD; Claudia Pedroza, PhD; et al.: “Early phosphorus management practices for very low birth weight infants: A survey of U.S. NICUs (external link)”

Pediatric Population Health Program

Ashley Gibson, MD; Kaleigh Riggs-Harpur; Sandra McKay, MD, FAAP, et al.: “Healthcare Utilization Following Implementation of a Pediatric Social Needs Screening Program (external link)”

 

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