Benjamin T. Galen

Benjamin T. Galen, M.D.

Area of research

  • Point-of-Care Ultrasound (POCUS)

Email

Phone

Location

  • Jack D. Weiler Hospital 1825 Eastchester Road 2-76 Bronx, NY 10461

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Research Profiles

Professional Interests

Dr. Galen graduated from Brown University with honors in the biological sciences and earned an M.D. from Tufts University School of Medicine.  He trained in internal medicine at Yale University where he was elected to the Gold Humanism Honor Society and was the class speaker at residency graduation.  He joined Montefiore and Einstein in 2013 as a teaching attending in Hospital Medicine

Dr. Galen is an Associate Program Director in The Einstein/Montefiore Internal Medicine Residency Program, the Director of Firm 3 and the Director of ultrasound and procedure training.  In 2015 Dr. Galen received the Sharon R. Silbiger Faculty Teaching Award from the Einstein residents.  He has led hundreds of resident teaching conferences and has worked to formalize curricula for point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) and bedside procedures, such as lumbar puncture and paracentesis.  Dr. Galen has taught in the EPHEM, Microbiology, and PDC classes at Einstein.  He has led translational research on recurrent meningitis, collaborting with members of Betsy Herold's laboratory. He has co-authored over 20 original research studies.  Dr. Galen is passionate about medical case reports and he has mentored residents and junior faculty in the process of publishing cases in a variety of venues.  

Dr. Galen is the editor-in-chief of POCUS Journal (https://pocusjournal.com/), the world's leading peer-reviewed, open-access publication for point-of-care ultrasound.  He teaches POCUS nationally at a variety of workshops and conferences. 

Selected Publications

Original Research:

 

1.     Doughty LA, Carlton S, Galen B, Cooma-Ramberan I, Chung CS, Ayala A. Activation of Common Antiviral Pathways Can Potentiate Inflammatory Responses to Septic Shock. Shock. 2006; 26(2): 187-94. 

2.     Galen B, Cheshenko N, Tuyama A, Ramratnam B, Herold BC. Access to Nectin Favors HSV Infection at the Apical Surface of Polarized Human Epithelial Cells. Journal of Virology. 2006; 80(24): 12209-18.  

3.     Hazrati E, Galen B, Lu W, Wang W, Ouyang Y, Keller MJ, Lehrer RI, Herold BC. Human Alpha- and Beta-Defensins Block Multiple Steps in Herpes Simplex Virus Infection. The Journal of Immunology. 2006; 177(12): 8658-66.  

4.     Galen BT, Martin AP, Hazrati E, Garin A, Guzman E, Wilson SS, Porter DD, Lira SA, Keller MJ, Herold BCA Comprehensive Murine Model to Evaluate Topical Vaginal Microbicides: Mucosal Inflammation and Susceptibility to Genital Herpes as Surrogate Markers of Safety. The Journal of Infectious Diseases. 2007; 195(9): 1332-9.  

5.     Patel S, Hazrati E, Cheshenko N, Galen B, Yang H, Guzman E, Wang R, Herold BC, Keller MJ. Seminal Plasma Reduces the Effectiveness of Topical Polyanionic Microbicides. The Journal of Infectious Diseases. 2007; 196(9): 1394-402.  

6.     Kalinowski A, Ueki I, Min-Oo G, Ballon-Landa E, Knoff D, Galen B, Lanier L, Nadel J, and Koff J. EGFR activation suppresses respiratory virus-induced IRF1-dependent CXCL10 production. American Journal of Physiology - Lung Cellular and Molecular Physiology. 2014 Jul 15; 307(2): L186-96.

7.     Galen BT and Southern WN.  Ultrasound-Guided Peripheral Intravenous Catheters to Reduce Central Venous Catheter Use on the Inpatient Medical Ward.  Quality Management in Healthcare.  2018 Jan/Mar;27(1):30-32

8.     Kalinowski A, Galen BT, Ueki IF, Sun Y, Mulenos A, Osafo-Addo A, Clark B, Joerns J, Liu W, Nadel JA, Dela Cruz CS, Koff JL.  Respiratory syncytial virus activates epidermal growth factor receptor to suppress interferon regulatory factor 1-dependent interferon-lambda and antiviral defense in airway epithelium.  Mucosal Immunol.  2018 May;11(3):958-967

9.     Galen B, Conigliaro R.  A Curriculum for Lumbar Puncture Training in Internal Medicine Residency.  MedEdPublish, 2019. 8, [1], 33

10.  Galen BT, Baron S, Young S, Hall A, Spivack LB, Southern WN. Reducing Peripherally Inserted Central Catheters and Midline Catheters by Training Nurses in Ultrasound-Guided Peripheral Intravenous Catheter Placement. BMJ Quality & Safety. 2020 Mar;29(3):245-249. 

11.  Maw A, Ortiz-Lopez C, Morris M, Jones, C, Gee E, Tchernodrinski S, Kramer H, Galen B, Dempsey A, Soni N. Hospitalist Perspectives of Available Tests to Monitor Volume Status in Patients With Heart Failure: A Qualitative Study. Cureus. June 26, 2020. 12(6): e8844. 

12.  Aschner CB, Loh LN, Galen B, et al. HVEM Signaling Promotes Protective Antibody-Dependent Cellular Cytotoxicity (ADCC) Vaccine Responses to Herpes Simplex Viruses. Science Immunology. 2020 Aug 14;5(50):eaax2454

13.  Pierce CA, Preston-Hurlburt P, Dai Y, Aschner CB, Cheshenko N, Galen B, et al.  Immune responses to SARS-CoV-2 infection in hospitalized pediatric and adult patients. Science Translational Medicine.. 2020 Oct 7;12(564):eabd5487

14.  Merkin, R, Kruger A, Bhardwaj A, Kajita G, Shapiro L, Galen BT. Internal Medicine Resident Work Absence During The COVID-19 Epidemic at a Large Academic Medical Center in New York City. Journal of Graduate Medical Education. 2020 Dec;12(6):682-685.

15.  Koleilat I, Galen B*, Choinski K, Hatch AN, Jones DB, Billett H, Indes J, Lipsitz E. Clinical Characteristics of Acute Lower Extremity Deep Venous Thrombosis Diagnosed by Duplex in Patients Hospitalized for Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19), Journal of Vascular Surgery: Venous and Lymphatic Disorders (2021) Jan;9(1):36-46. 

16.  Pierce CA, Sy S, Galen B, Goldstein DY, Orner E, Keller M, Herold KC, Herold B. Natural Mucosal Barriers and COVID-19 in Children. JCI Insight. 2021 May 10;6(9):148694.

17.  REMAP-CAP Investigators; ACTIV-4a Investigators; ATTACC Investigators, Goligher EC, Bradbury CA, McVerry BJ, Lawler PR, Berger JS, Gong MN, [et al., including Galen BT]. Therapeutic Anticoagulation with Heparin in Critically Ill Patients with Covid-19. N Engl J Med. 2021 Aug 4. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa2103417. Epub ahead of print.

18.  ATTACC Investigators; ACTIV-4a Investigators; REMAP-CAP Investigators, Lawler PR, Goligher EC, Berger JS, Neal MD, McVerry BJ, Nicolau JC, [et al., including Galen BT]. Therapeutic Anticoagulation with Heparin in Noncritically Ill Patients with Covid-19. N Engl J Med. 2021 Aug 4. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa2105911. Epub ahead of print.

19.  ACTIV-4a Investigators; Berger JS, Kornblith LZ, Gong MN, Reynolds HR, Cushman M, Cheng Y, [et al., including Galen BT]. Effect of P2Y12 Inhibitors on Survival Free of Organ Support Among Non-Critically Ill Hospitalized Patients With COVID-19: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA. 2022 Jan 18;327(3):227-236. doi: 10.1001/jama.2021.23605. 

20.  REMAP-CAP, ATTACC, and ACTIV-4a Investigators; Goligher EC, Lawler PR, Jensen TP, Talisa V, Berry LR, Lorenzi E [et al., including Galen BT]. Heterogeneous Treatment Effects of Therapeutic-Dose Heparin in Patients Hospitalized for COVID-19. JAMA. 2023 Mar 21.

21.  Eman G, Synn S, Galen B, Shah R, Nauka P, Hope AA, Congdon S, Islam M. Thoracic Ultrasound in COVID-19: Use of Lung and Diaphragm Ultrasound in Evaluating Dyspnea in Survivors of Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome from COVID-19 Pneumonia in a Post-ICU Clinic. Lung. 2023 Apr;201(2):149-157

22.  Schechter M, Baron S, Gohari A, Southern W, Galen B. Midline Catheter Associated Thrombosis (MCAT): Does Tip Location in the Axillary Vein Increase Risk? Journal of Infusion Nursing. In press, 2024

 

*Co-First Author

 

Case Reports:

 

1.     Galen BT, Banach DB, Gitman MR, and Trow TK. Meningoencephalitis due to Gemella hemolysans. Journal of Medical Microbiology. 2014; (63): 138-139.

2.     Galen BT and Rose MG. Darier’s Sign in Mastocytosis. Blood. 2014; 123(8): 1127.

3.     Galen BT and Federman DG. Large Tophi and Nodal Arthritis. Journal of Clinical Rheumatology. 2014 Sep; 20(6): 336.

4.     Zheng Q, Galen BT. Wellens’ Syndrome in an Elderly Patient with Dementia. The Journal of General Internal Medicine. 2015 Jul; 30(7): 1035-6.

5.     Galen BT. Approaching End-of-life with Aplomb and Plombage. The Journal of General Internal Medicine.  2017 Feb;32(2):227

6.     Shah A, Bello R, Galen BT. Coronary Artery Embolism from Large Aortic Valve Vegetation due to Staphylococcus aureusEndocarditis. The Journal of General Internal Medicine.  2017 May;32(5):582

7.     Platovsky A and Galen BT. Case File: Point-of-care ultrasound should end the outdated practice of “marking for a tap” POCUS Journal. 2017; 2(2):11-12

8.     Advani R and Galen BT. Giant left atrium encountered during right-sided thoracentesis. Respiratory Medicine Case Reports. 2017 Nov 11;23:21-22

9.     Mittal J, Szymczak W, Pirofski L, and Galen BT. Fungemia due to Aureobasidium pullulans in a Patient with Advanced AIDS: A Case Report and Review of the Medical Literature. JMM Case Reports. 2018 Mar 14;5(4):e005144

10.  Quach C, Galen BT. HLA-B*5801 Testing to Prevent Allopurinol Hypersensitivity Syndrome: A Teachable Moment. JAMA Intern Med. 2018 Sep 1; 178(9):1260-1261

11.  Nayi V, Wang Y, Galen B. When Appearance Is Everything: Chylous Ascites. Am J Med. 2018 Nov 131 (11): 1314-1316

12.  Howell D, Galen BT. Recurrent rheumatoid pleural effusions complicated by Mycobacterium heckeshornense infection. Respiratory Medicine Case Reports. 2018 Oct 26;25:333-335

13.  Gluck L, Robbins M, and Galen BT. Mollaret Cells in Recurrent Benign Lymphocytic Meningitis.  The Neurohospitalist. 2019; 9(1), 49–50

14.  Chang KM, Galen BT.  Shingles of the Wrist with a Bullous Evolution.  Mayo Clinic Proceedings. 2019 Aug;94(8):1404-1405.

15.  Ceniceros A, Galen B, and Madaline T.  Gonococcal Breast Abscess. IDCases. 2019, Aug 9;18:e00620

16.  Nauka P, Feinberg A, Palma E, and Galen BTDiaphragmatic Pacing Diagnosed with Point-of-Care Ultrasound.  The American Journal of Medicine. 2020 Apr;133(4):e151-e152.

17.  Schultz, E, Swartz K, Galen, B.  69-year-old Man with Syncope. Chest 2021; 159(6):e421-e423 

18.  Shah, R; Zhang, L, Galen, B. A 73-year-old Woman with PEA Arrest. Chest. 2021 Dec;160(6):e665-e667

19.  Chiang V, Nauka P, Galen B, Islam M. A 62-Year-Old Man with Rapidly Progressive Hypoxemia. Chest. 2022May;161(5):e317-e320.

20.  Hirsch E, Qunaj L, Latib A, Galen B. Polycythemia Vera Presenting as ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction. The American Journal of Medicine. 2022 Aug;135(8):964-965

21.  Singh J, Oliver-Krasinski J, Tauras J, Galen BT. Systemic Amyloidosis: Is It ATTR or AL? Am J Med. 2023 Jul;136(7):652-654.

 

 

Letters to the Editor and Editorials:

 

1.     Galen BT. Post Test Probability According to Prevalence. The Journal of General Internal Medicine. 2011; 26(10): 1090.  

2.     Galen BT. In Support of Residency Training at an Academic Veterans Hospital. Academic Medicine. 2012; 87(8): 993-4.  

3.     Galen BT. Is Pocket Ultrasound Ready for Prime Time? Critical Care. 2012; 16(6): 436.  

4.     Galen BT and Siegel MD. Sedation interruption for mechanically ventilated patients. JAMA. 2013; 309(10): 981-2.  

5.     Galen BT. McConnell’s sign is not specific to PE nor should this finding alone prompt use of thrombolytics. eLetter, BMJ Case Reports. Published online May 14, 2014.

6.     Galen BT. The Impact of Cost Displays on Ordering. The Journal of General Internal Medicine. 2014 Oct; 29(10): 1331.

7.     Galen BT. Inpatient End-of-Life Decisions Informed by Definitive Diagnosis. Journal of Palliative Medicine. 2014 Dec; 17(12): 1295.

8.     Galen BT. Underpad weight to estimate urine output in adult patients with urinary incontinence. Journal of Geriatric Cardiology. 2015 Mar; 12(2): 189-190.

9.     Galen BT. Attending an autopsy assured me I had done all I could for my patient. Student BMJ. April 30 2015; 23:h1904.

10.  Galen BT, Fogerty RL, Juthani-Mehta M.  Don’t Order a Test Just Because You Can. Southern Medical Journal. 2015 May; 108(5): 251-3.

11.  Galen BT and Schnobrich, DJ. Pocket-sized Ultrasound for Physical Diagnosis. The Journal of General Internal Medicine. 2015 Jul; 30(7): 883.

12.  Galen BT. Refractory hypoglycemia at the end of life treated with continuous dextrose infusion through ambulatory infusion pump. J Palliat Med. 2016. Aug;19(8):802

13.  Galen BT. Screening cerebrospinal fluid prior to herpes simplex virus PCR testing might miss cases of herpes simplex encephalitis. J Clin Microbiol. 2017 Oct; 55:3142–3143.

14.  Galen BT and Conigliaro RL.  The Montefiore 10: A Pilot Curriculum in Point-of-Care Ultrasound for Internal Medicine Residency Training. Journal of Graduate Medical Education. 2018 February; 10(1): 110-111

15.  Cooper JD and Galen BT. Is The Bow Tie a Less Formidable Fomite than the Necktie? SGIM Forum. 2019; V42, NO.1

16.  Nauka PC, LeFrancois D, Galen BT. An Introductory Curriculum for Internal Medicine Interns in Point-of-Care Ultrasound to Detect Lower Extremity Deep Vein Thrombosis. POCUS J. 2022 Nov 21;7(2):185-186.  

 

B. Books, Chapters in Books, and Review Articles:

 

1.     Galen, BenjaminThe Internal Medicine Intern Survival Guide. Hyperink Publishing. San Francisco, California. 2012. 

2.     Galen BT, Sankey C. Sepsis: an update in management. Journal of Hospital Medicine. 2015 Nov; 10(11):746-52 

3.     Rosenberg J, Galen BT. Recurrent Meningitis.  Curr Pain Headache Rep. 2017 Jul;21(7):33. 

4.     Johri AM, Galen B, Kirkpatrick J, Lanspa M, Mulvagh S, Thamman R. ASE Statement on Point-of-Care Ultrasound (POCUS) During the 2019 Novel Coronavirus Pandemic.  Journal of the American Society of Echocardiography. 2020 Jun;33(6):670-673

5.     Mathews BK, Koenig S, Kurian L, Galen B, Mints G, Liu G, Soni N.  Clinical Progress Note: Point-of-Care Ultrasound Applications in COVID-19. Journal of Hospital Medicine. 2020 Jun;15(6):353-355

6.     Nauka PC, Galen BT. The Focused Assessment with Sonography in Cancer (FASC) Examination. POCUS J. 2020 Nov 18;5(2):42-45. doi: 10.24908/pocus.v5i2.14428.  

7.     Varrias D, Palaiodimos L, Balasubramanian P, Barrera CA, Nauka P, Melainis AA, Zamora C, Zavras P, Napolitano M, Gulani P, Ntaios G, Faillace RT, Galen B. The Use of Point-of-Care Ultrasound (POCUS) in the Diagnosis of Deep Vein Thrombosis. J Clin Med. 2021 Aug 30;10(17):3903.  

8.     Johri A, Glass C, Hill B, Jensen T, Puentes W, Olusanya O, Capizzano JN ,Dancel R, Reierson K, Reisinger N, Liblik K, Galen BT. The Evolution of Cardiovascular Ultrasound: A Review of Cardiac Point-of-Care Ultrasound (POCUS) Across Specialties. Am J Med. 2023 Jul;136(7):621-628.

 

9.     Amer M. Johri, Braeden Hill, Benjamin T. Galen. Chapter 34, POCUS for the Non-Cardiologist.  Clinical Echocardiography Review: A Self-Assessment Review, Third Edition. Wolters Kluwer, in press