Michael Yee
Daniel A. Weiser
<p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Childhood cancer research laboratory</strong></span></p>
<p>Our laboratory is focused on childhood cancer research with a goal of elucidating the underlying biology of the most aggressive malignancies. In such patients with typically incurable cancer, we are striving to identify new approaches to and types of treatment. We have multiple ongoing projects:</p>
<p><strong>+ Identification of biologic drivers of ultra-high-risk neuroblastoma</strong>. Neuroblastoma is one of the most common and deadly childhood cancers. Despite intensive research, there are limited therapeutic strategies for patients with <em>de novo </em>chemotherapy resistance that leads to particularly poor outcomes. We have been studying neuroblastoma since 2009 and are identifying additional biologic drivers of highly lethal tumors.</p>
<p>We compare tumor features from patients with early death from tumor progression compared to those with a maintained complete response. We assess unique histo-morphologic and proteomic features and computationally integrate these data with genomic and transcriptomic datasets to develop a combined predictor of primary refractory disease. Patients with this entity require non-standard and/or intensified treatment. Oncogenic drivers are being characterized in the lab which will facilitate strategies for novel pharmacologic intervention.</p>
<p><strong>+ Characterization of neuroblastoma development from neural crest cells</strong>. We are studying pathways and interactions that results in uncontrolled cell proliferation early in neuroblastoma development with an ultimate goal of identifying new targets and approaches for pharmacologic intervention.</p>
<p><strong>+ Evaluation of novel combinatorial targeted therapeutic approaches in neuroblastoma</strong>. With expected outcomes lagging behind those of more common childhood cancers, children with neuroblastoma require new approaches to treatment. Our lab works with multiple international clinical and research consortium groups to perform preclinical studies that substantiate human clinical trials. </p>
<p><strong>+ Detection of circulating tumor DNA in osteosarcoma</strong>. With no reliable non-invasive approach for disease monitoring during and after treatment, we are applying cutting edge next-generation sequencing approaches to identify solid tumors with a blood-based “liquid” biopsies. This will allow clinicians to assess tumor responsiveness to chemotherapy and predict likelihood of recurrence.</p>
<p><strong>+ Assessment of accelerated aging using miRNA-seq in survivors of childhood cancer</strong>. Chemotherapy has many untoward effects on healthy cells and leads to many signs of accelerated aging in children treated for cancer. Using a known microRNA “aging” signature discovered at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, we are studying what causes this phenotype in childhood cancer, with a goal of offering improved intervention to minimize long-term toxicity of treatment.</p>
<p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Physician Summary</span></strong></p>
<p>Daniel A. Weiser, MD, is board-certified in pediatric hematology/oncology with clinical expertise in neuroblastoma and other tumors of the adrenal glands, kidneys, liver, and gonads. He is the medical director of the intra-abdominal solid tumor program at the Children’s Hospital at Montefiore and brings together a highly specialized multi-disciplinary care team to provide comprehensive treatment for diverse pediatric malignancies. In addition, Dr. Weiser directs a childhood cancer research laboratory that focuses on the identification of new targeted agents for cancer therapy, especially in the treatment of rare and aggressive malignancies such as neuroblastoma. His research goals are to understand the role of certain genes in the risk, development, and treatment of cancer. The approaches taken and agents studied hold promise for improving management of all patients with solid tumors.</p>
<p>Dr. Weiser participates in the efforts of a number of professional organizations including the Children’s Oncology Group (COG), American Association for Cancer Research (AACR), American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), Advances in Neuroblastoma Research Association (ANRA), National Pediatric Cancer Foundation (NPCF), and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). He has received numerous awards including the Brigid Leventhal Special Merit Award from ASCO and the Conquer Cancer Foundation, and a prestigious K12 from the National Cancer Institute for the training of the next generation of physician-scientists in pediatric cancer. Dr. Weiser is actively involved in teaching and mentorship of trainees, and takes great pride in providing advanced and compassionate care to his patients and their families.</p>
<p><strong>Clinical Expertise</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Neuroblastoma (adrenal tumors)</li>
<li>Wilms tumor (renal tumors)</li>
<li>Hepatoblastoma (liver tumors)</li>
<li>Germ cell tumors (including testicular and ovarian tumors)</li>
<li>Thyroid and other rare tumors</li>
<li>Experimental therapeutics</li>
<li>Cancer genetics and biomarkers</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Board Certifications</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Pediatrics</li>
<li>Pediatric Hematology/Oncology</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Professional Education</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>M.D. – Stony Brook University, NY</li>
<li>Residency – Children’s Hospital of NY-Presbyterian, Columbia University, NY</li>
<li>Chief Residency – Children’s Hospital of NY-Presbyterian, Columbia University, NY</li>
<li>Fellowship – The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, PA</li>
</ul>
DR. Weiser's clinical focuses are neuroblastoma and adrenal tumors, Wilms tumor and other kidney (renal) tumors, hepatoblastoma, and other liver tumors, germ cell tumors (including testicular and ovarian tumors), Thyroid and other rare tumors, experimental therapeutics, and cancer genetics and biomarkers.
Dr. Weiser’s research goals are to understand the role of certain genes in the risk, development, and treatment of cancer. The approaches taken and agents studied hold promise in the treatment of all solid tumors. Dr. Weiser’s laboratory focuses on childhood cancer research with a goal of elucidating the underlying biology of the most aggressive malignancies. He has multiple ongoing projects, such as identification of biologic drivers of neuroblastoma at ultra-high risk for treatment failure, characterization of neuroblastoma development from neural crest cells, and evaluation of novel combinatorial targeted therapeutic approaches in neuroblastoma, among others.
<p>Daniel A. Weiser, MD, is a Medical Director of the Intra-abdominal Solid Tumor Program in the Pediatrics Hematology/Oncology department at Children’s Hospital at Montefiore. He is also Associate Professor in the Pediatrics and Genetics departments at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. His clinical focuses are neuroblastoma and adrenal tumors, Wilms tumor and other kidney (renal) tumors, hepatoblastoma and other liver tumors, germ cell tumors (including testicular and ovarian tumors), Thyroid and other rare tumors, experimental therapeutics, and cancer genetics and biomarkers. Dr. Weiser is actively involved in teaching and mentorship of trainees and takes great pride in his active participation in patient care.</p><p>Dr. Weiser received his Bachelor of Science in Neurobiology in 1995 at Haverford College, PA. In 2004, he received his Doctor of Medicine at Stony Brook University School of Medicine, NY. He is currently earning his Master of Science in Translational Research at the University of Pennsylvania. He began a residency in Pediatrics at the New York-Presbyterian, Columbia University in 2007. Dr. Weiser then completed a three-year fellowship in Pediatric Hematology/Oncology at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. </p><p>Dr. Weiser’s research goals are to understand the role of certain genes in the risk, development, and treatment of cancer. The approaches taken and agents studied hold promise in the treatment of all solid tumors. Dr. Weiser’s laboratory focuses on childhood cancer research with a goal of elucidating the underlying biology of the most aggressive malignancies. He has multiple ongoing projects, such as identification of biologic drivers of neuroblastoma at ultra-high risk for treatment failure, characterization of neuroblastoma development from neural crest cells, and evaluation of novel combinatorial targeted therapeutic approaches in neuroblastoma, among others. His research has been published in many reviewed journals. </p><p>Dr. Weiser participates in the efforts of a number of professional organizations including the Children’s Oncology Group (COG), American Association for Cancer Research (AACR), American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). He has received many awards including the Brigid Leventhal Special Merit Award through ASCO, and he has been awarded a prestigious K12 from the NCI for the training of the next generation of physician-scientists in pediatric cancer.</p><p>He is board certified in Pediatric Hematology/Oncology and General Pediatrics.</p>
Jacqueline Weingarten-Arams
Nutrition
Pulmonary hypertension
Sepsis
<p>Jacqueline Weingarten-Arams, MD, is an attending physician and Professor, Pediatrics at Montefiore Einstein. Dr. Weingarten-Arams’ pediatric critical care expertise focuses on cardiac critical care, acute hypoxemic respiratory failure, nutrition in critical illness and energy expenditure, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (quality CPR) and extracorporeal life support (ECMO).</p><p>After obtaining her Bachelor of Science in nutritional biochemistry at Cornell University in 1982, Dr. Weingarten-Arams earned her Doctor of Medicine at the same institution in 1986. She then completed her pediatric residency at Columbia University in 1990, where she was Chief Resident in her final year. Following this, Dr. Weingarten-Arams completed a fellowship in pediatric critical care medicine at New York Hospital Cornell University Medical College in 1996.</p><p>Dr. Weingarten-Arams research focus includes the use of deliberate simulated practice in improving outcomes in pediatric critical illness, pediatric resuscitation and pediatric airway management. Her other projects involve chronic critical illness, bioethics in pediatric critical care and oxidative injury in respiratory failure. She has been principal investigator and co-investigator on several research projects, and her work has been shared through numerous peer-reviewed publications and invited presentations.</p><p>Dr. Weingarten-Arams is a Diplomate of the National Board of Medical Examiners and the American Board of Pediatrics. She is a Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American College of Chest Physicians. She is also a member of several professional organizations, including the American Medical Association, the Pediatric Cardiac Intensive Care Society and the Society of Critical Care Medicine. Dr. Weingarten-Arams has been named in Castle Connolly’s “Top Doctors: New York Metro Area” for multiple years. In 2006, she was inducted into the Leo M. Davidoff Society and in 2019, Dr. Weingarten-Arams won the William Obrinsky Award for Excellence in Medical Student Education.</p>
Preeti Viswanathan
Dr. Viswanathan received her Medical training at Kempegowda Institute of Medical Sciences in Bangalore, India. She then completed her Pediatric Residency at Miami Children?s Hospital and her fellowship at The Children?s Hospital at Montefiore. She has presented her research at national meetings and has received the Best Research Award at Pediatric Research Day Children?s Hospital at Montefiore 2011.
Victoria Vapnyar
Vlad A. Tomuta
Gitit Tomer
<p><span><span>Dr. Tomer is the director of the Pediatric Inflammatory Bowel Disease program at the Children's Hospital at Montefiore. </span></span>She is Associate Professor of Clinical Pediatrics. Dr. Tomer graduated from Sackler School of Medicine, Tel- Aviv, Israel. Dr. Tomer completed her Pediatric Residency at New York University School of Medicine and her Pediatric Gastroenterogy and Nutrition Fellowship at Mount Sinai Medical Center, New York. Dr Tomer was Assistant Professor of Pediatrics in the Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital for four years prior to joining the Pediatric GI Division at The Children’s Hospital at Montefiore in 2009. Dr. Tomer’s research interests include inflammatory bowel diseases, quality improvement work, and capsule endoscopy. </p>
<p>1. Obtaining research biopsies during pediatric colonoscopy: Safety and adverse events. Mait-Kaufman J, Kahn S, Tomer G. World J Gastrointest Endosc. 2015 Jun 25;7(7):736-40. doi: 10.4253/wjge.v7.i7.736.</p>
<p>2. Improving Nonattendance at Outpatient Pediatric Endoscopy Unit of a Tertiary Center. Kogan-Liberman D, Rivas Y, Thompson J, Tomer G. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr. 2015 Aug;61(2):234-7. doi: 10.1097/MPG.0000000000000791.</p>
<p>3. Improving the timeliness of procedures in a pediatric endoscopy suite. Tomer G, Choi S, Montalvo A, Sutton S, Thompson J, Rivas Y. Pediatrics. 2014 Feb;133(2):e428-33. doi: 10.1542/peds.2013-2316. Epub 2014 Jan 20.</p>
<p>4. Improved outcomes with quality improvement interventions in pediatric inflammatory bowel disease. Samson CM, Morgan P, Williams E, Beck L, Addie-Carson R, McIntire S, Booth A, Mendez E, Luzader C, Tomer G, Saeed S, Donovan E, Bucuvalas J, Denson LA. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr. 2012 Dec;55(6):679-88. doi: 10.1097/MPG.0b013e318262de16.</p>
<p>5.Factors that determine risk for surgery in pediatric patients with Crohn's disease. Schaefer ME, Machan JT, Kawatu D, Langton CR, Markowitz J, Crandall W, Mack DR, Evans JS, Pfefferkorn MD, Griffiths AM, Otley AR, Bousvaros A, Kugathasan S, Rosh JR, Keljo DJ, Carvalho RS, Tomer G, Mamula P, Kay MH, Kerzner B, Oliva-Hemker M, Kappelman MD, Saeed SA, Hyams JS, Leleiko NS. Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2010 Sep;8(9):789-94. doi: 10.1016/j.cgh.2010.05.021. Epub 2010 May 31.</p>
<p> 6. Extraintestinal manifestations of pediatric inflammatory bowel disease and their relation to disease type and severity. Dotson JL, Hyams JS, Markowitz J, LeLeiko NS, Mack DR, Evans JS, Pfefferkorn MD, Griffiths AM, Otley AR, Bousvaros A, Kugathasan S, Rosh JR, Keljo D, Carvalho RS, Tomer G, Mamula P, Kay MH, Kerzner B, Oliva-Hemker M, Langton CR, Crandall W. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr. 2010 Aug;51(2):140-5. doi: 10.1097/MPG.0b013e3181ca4db4.</p>
<p>7. Outcome following infliximab therapy in children with ulcerative colitis. Hyams JS, Lerer T, Griffiths A, Pfefferkorn M, Stephens M, Evans J, Otley A, Carvalho R, Mack D, Bousvaros A, Rosh J, Grossman A, Tomer G, Kay M, Crandall W, Oliva-Hemker M, Keljo D, LeLeiko N, Markowitz J; Pediatric Inflammatory Bowel Disease Collaborative Research Group. Am J Gastroenterol. 2010 Jun;105(6):1430-6. doi: 10.1038/ajg.2009.759. Epub 2010 Jan 26.</p>
<p> 8. Polymorphisms in the IBD5 locus are associated with Crohn disease in pediatric Ashkenazi Jewish patients. Tomer G, Wetzler G, Keddache M, Denson LA. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr. 2009 May;48(5):531-7. doi: 10.1097/MPG.0b013e318183138a.</p>
<p>9. Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor autoantibodies in murine ileitis and progressive ileal Crohn's disease. Han X, Uchida K, Jurickova I, Koch D, Willson T, Samson C, Bonkowski E, Trauernicht A, Kim MO,Tomer G, Dubinsky M, Plevy S, Kugathsan S, Trapnell BC, Denson LA. Gastroenterology. 2009 Apr;136(4):1261-71, e1-3. doi: 10.1053/j.gastro.2008.12.046. Epub 2008 Dec 24.</p>
<p>10. Loci on 20q13 and 21q22 are associated with pediatric-onset inflammatory bowel disease. Kugathasan S, Baldassano RN, Bradfield JP, Sleiman PM, Imielinski M, Guthery SL, Cucchiara S, Kim CE, Frackelton EC, Annaiah K, Glessner JT, Santa E, Willson T, Eckert AW, Bonkowski E, Shaner JL, Smith RM, Otieno FG, Peterson N, Abrams DJ, Chiavacci RM, Grundmeier R, Mamula P,Tomer G, Piccoli DA, Monos DS, Annese V, Denson LA, Grant SF, Hakonarson H. Nat Genet. 2008 Oct;40(10):1211-5. doi: 10.1038/ng.203. Epub 2008 Aug 31.</p>
<p> 11. Genetic variants in the autophagy pathway contribute to paediatric Crohn's disease. Peterson N, Guthery S, Denson L, Lee J, Saeed S, Prahalad S, Biank V, Ehlert R, Tomer G, Grand R, Rudolph C, Kugathasan S. Gut. 2008 Sep;57(9):1336-7; author reply 1337. doi: 10.1136/gut.2008.152207. No abstract available.</p>
<p> 12. Electronic clinical challenges and images in GI. Meckel's diverticulum. Zeisler B, Moyer SM, Farrell M, Collins MH, Tomer G. Gastroenterology. 2008 Apr;134(4):e3-4. doi: 10.1053/j.gastro.2008.02.039. No abstract available. Erratum in: Gastroenterology. 2008 Jul;135(1):326.</p>
<p>13.NOD2/CARD15 variants are associated with lower weight at diagnosis in children with Crohn's disease. Tomer G, Ceballos C, Concepcion E, Benkov KJ. Am J Gastroenterol. 2003 Nov;98(11):2479-84.</p>
<p>14. Disorders of bile formation and biliary transport. Tomer G, Shneider BL. Gastroenterol Clin North Am. 2003 Sep;32(3):839-55, vi. Review.</p>
<p>15. Differential developmental regulation of rat liver canalicular membrane transporters Bsep and Mrp2. Tomer G, Ananthanarayanan M, Weymann A, Balasubramanian N, Suchy FJ. Pediatr Res. 2003 Feb;53(2):288-94.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Gitit Tomer, MD, is Director of the Pediatric Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) Program at Children’s Hospital at Montefiore (CHAM) and Professor of Pediatrics at our Albert Einstein College of Medicine. Dr. Tomer has been a member of the Montefiore team since 2009, with a clinical focus on inflammatory bowel disease, performance improvement and capsule endoscopy.</p><p>Dr. Tomer received her medical degree from Sackler School of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, in 1995. She completed her Pediatric internship and residency at New York University School of Medicine in 1998, and went on to complete her Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition fellowship at Mount Sinai Medical Center in 2001.</p><p>Dr. Tomer’s focus on IBD, performance improvement and endoscopy extend to her research interests. She is the CHAM physician leader of ImproveCareNow, a national collaborative that champions improved care for children and youth with Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. Her research in pediatric IBD examines many facets, extending from the racial differences in initial presentation, early treatment and 1-year outcomes in pediatric Crohn’s disease, to differences in satisfaction with work-life balance among pediatric gastroenterologists. Dr. Tomer’s work has been published in a number of reviewed journals, books, review articles, and abstracts.</p><p>Dr. Tomer is board certified by the American Board of Pediatrics in Pediatric Gastroenterology. She is a member of the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) and the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America (CCFA), and serves as the chair of the Professional Development Committee of the North American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition (NASPGHAN).</p>
Aaron Zev Tokayer
<p>Dr. Tokayer received his B.A. in from Yeshiva College and his M.D. from Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University. He completed an internship and residency at the Bronx Municipal Hospital Center and GI and Hepatology fellowship at Johns Hopkins Medical Center. He received an MHS degree in Clinical Epidemiology from Johns Hopkins School of Public Health. Dr. Tokayer then joined the Montefiore GI Faculty in 1992. He has been involved in the spectrum of clinical patient care, endoscopic interventions and teaching in the GI fellowship program. His areas of interest include clinical practice, patient care and education, endoscopic procedures and interventions, functional GI and motility disorders. He is Director of the GI Motility Lab where studies such as Esophageal Manometry, Esophageal Acid Monitoring and Impedance Testing, Ano-rectal Manometry and Defecatory Testing, Hydrogen Breath Testing for Bacterial overgrowth and Carbohydrate Maldigestion , and studies of gastric and intestinal transit. He works closely with colleagues of the Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine as well as the Department of Surgery in diagnosing and treating GI motility disorders.</p>
Alecia M. Thompson
Dr. Thompson-Branch's research has focused on the role of cytokines in bronchopulmonary dysplasia and use of ultrasound to diagnose necrotizing enterocolitis.
<p>With an emphasis on general pediatrics and neonatology, Dr. Thompson completed her residency at NYU Medical Center in 2007 and fellowship at Yale-New Haven Hospital in 2010. During her fellowship, Dr. Thompson also audited the Robert Wood Johnson Clinical Scholars Program, with an interest in performing clinical research. Her research has focused on the role of cytokines in bronchopulmonary dysplasia and use of ultrasound to diagnose necrotizing enterocolitis. She plans to conduct research on the use of near-infrared spectroscopy to delineate central nervous system pathology in preterm infants and predict short-term neurologic outcomes.</p>