Department of Medicine
Faculty Profiles by Division

Division of General Internal Medicine

Faculty Profiles
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photo Kaleab Z. Abebe, PhD

General Internal Medicine

Associate Professor of Medicine, Biostatistics, and Clinical and Translational Science

Assistant Vice Chancellor for Clinical Trials, Health Sciences

Director, Center for Clinical Trials and Data Coordination (CCDC)

Director, Center for Research on Health Care Data Center

Email: kza3@pitt.edu

Phone: 412-246-6931
Contact
Office: Center for Research on Health Care
200 Meyran Avenue, Suite 300
Pittsburgh, PA 15213
 
Phone: 412-246-6931
Fax: 412-586-9672
E-mail: kza3@pitt.edu
Administrative Assistant:
Nicole Kaefer
Email: ndm9@pitt.edu
Education and Training
Education
BA, Mathematics, Goshen College, 2003
MA, Statistics, University of Pittsburgh, 2006
PhD, Statistics, University of Pittsburgh, 2009
Research Interest
Dr. Abebe's collaborative research focuses on the design, conduct, and analysis of multicenter, randomized, controlled trials (RCTs), namely in areas polycystic kidney disease (PKD), sickle disease (SCD), and gestational diabetes (GDM). He is the Co-PI forthe CaRISMA study, which is a pragmatic trial examining the effectiveness of computerized cognitive behavioral therapy (vs pain education) on pain intensity in adults with SCD. I am also the PI of the DCCs for the TAME-PKD study, which is a phase II RCT that is assessing safety and tolerability of metformin in PKD and for the STERIO-SCD study, a phase II trial evaluating safety and tolerability of riociguat in SCD. Additionally, Dr. Abebe collaborates with the Division of Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine on the design and analysis of cluster randomized trials in violence prevention. Dr. Abebe directs the Center for Research on Health Care Data Center, and he is the founding director of the Center for Clinical Trials & Data Coordination, created to standardize the design, conduct, and analysis of RCTs.
Educational Interest
Dr. Abebe is involved in education and mentoring within the University of Pittsburgh's Institute for Clinical Research Education (ICRE). He is a graduate faculty member in the School of Medicine, as well as core faculty in the ICRE. He is the director of the Clinical Trials Track for the MS in Clinical Research; he currently teaches the Clinical Trials courses, but has also taught many of the biostatistics courses in the ICRE. In addition, Dr. Abebe is the co-director of the Career Education and Enhancement for Health Care Research Diversity (CEED) Program, which provides fellows and junior faculty who are underrepresented in academic medicine and health sciences with a solid foundation for research via professional development, networking, and mentoring.
Publications
For my complete bibliography, Click Here.
Selected Publications:
Scifres, C.M., Abebe, K.Z., Jones, K.A., Comer, D.M., Costacou, T., Freiberg, M.S., Simhan, H.N., Day, N.L., Davis, E.M. Gestational Diabetes Diagnostic Methods (GD2M) Pilot Randomized Trial. Maternal and Child Health Journal. 2014; 19(7): 1472-80.
Abebe, K. Z., Rockhold, F. W. The impact of landscape changes on DSMB oversight of clinical trials. NEJM Evid. 2022; 1(9).
Abebe, K. Z., Althouse, A. D., Comer, D., Holleran, K., Koerbel, G., Kojtek, J., Weiss, J., Spillane, S. Creating an academic research organization to efficiently design, conduct, coordinate, and analyze clinical trials: The Center for Clinical Trials & Data Coordination. Contemporary Clinical Trials Communications. 2019; 16: 100488.
Abebe, K. Z., Scifres, C., Simhan, H. M. N., Day, N., Catalano, P., Bodnar, L. M., Costacou, T., Matthew, D., Illes, A., Orris, S., Duell, J., Ly, K., Davis, E. M. Comparison of two screening strategies for gestational diabetes (GDM2) trial: Design and rationale. Contemporary Clinical Trials Communications. 2017; 62: 43-49.
Schrier, R. W., Abebe, K. Z., Perrone, R. D., Torres, V. E., Braun, W. E., Steinman, T. I., Winklhofer, F. T., Brosnahan, G., Czarncki, P. G., Hogan, M. C., Miskulin, D. C., Rahbari-Oskoui, F. F., Grantham, J. J., Harris, P. C., Flessner, M. F., Bae, K. T., Moore, C. G., Chapman, A. B., The HALT-PKD Trial Investigators. Blood pressure in early autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease. NEJM. 2014; 371(24): 2255-2266.
Sponsored Research/Activities
Title: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Real-time pain-management Interventions for Sickle cell via Mobile Applications (CaRISMA)
Role: Principal Investigator
Funding Agency: Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute
Grant Number: RES
Start Year: 2020
End Year: 2023
Title: Pittsburgh VAMC Biostatistical Reporting Services
Role: Principal Investigator
Funding Agency: US Department of Veterans Affairs
Start Year: 2019
End Year: 2019
Title: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Real-time pain-management Interventions for Sickle cell via Mobile Applications (CaRISMA)
Role: Co-Principal Investigator
Funding Agency: Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute
Grant Number: RES
Start Year: 2020
End Year: 2024
Title: Designing Implementation Strategies for Routine Mental Health Treatment in adolescents and adults with sickle cell disease
Role: Co-Investigator
Funding Agency: National Institute of Mental Health
Grant Number: R34 MH125152
Start Year: 2020
End Year: 2022
Title: Building Up
Role: Co-Investigator
Funding Agency: National Institute of General Medical Science
Grant Number: U01 GM132133
Start Year: 2019
End Year: 2024
Title: Appalachian Node
Role: Co-Investigator
Funding Agency: National Agency for Drug Abuse
Grant Number: UG1 DA049436
Start Year: 2019
End Year: 2024
Title: Creating Peace: Community-based Youth Violence Prevention to Address Racism and Discrimination
Role: Co-Investigator
Funding Agency: National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities
Grant Number: R01
Start Year: 2019
End Year: 2024
Title: A Mobile Relational Agent to Enhance Atrial Fibrillation Self-care
Role: Co-Investigator
Funding Agency: National Heart, Lung, & Blood Institute
Grant Number: R61 HL144669
Start Year: 2019
End Year: 2020
Title: The Center for Enhancing Triage and Utilization for Depression and Emergent Suicidality (ETUDES) in Pediatric Primary Care (Method Core)
Role: Co-Investigator
Funding Agency: National Institute of Mental Health
Grant Number: P50 MH115838
Start Year: 2018
End Year: 2022
Title: Mobile Health Intervention for Rural Atrial Fibrillation
Role: Co-Investigator
Funding Agency: National Heart, Lung, & Blood Institute
Grant Number: R56 HL143010
Start Year: 2018
End Year: 2019
Title: Comparison of Dendritic Cell-Based Therapeutic Vaccine Strategies for HIV Functional Cure
Role: Co-Investigator
Funding Agency: National Institute of Allergy & Infectious Diseases
Grant Number: U01 AI131285
Start Year: 2017
End Year: 2022
Title: A Cluster Randomized Trial of a Supportive Care Intervention (CONNECT) for Patients with Advanced Cancer
Role: Co-Investigator
Funding Agency: National Cancer Institute
Grant Number: R01 CA197103
Start Year: 2016
End Year: 2021
Title: Metformin as a Novel Therapy for Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease
Role: Co-Investigator
Funding Agency: Department of Defense
Start Year: 2015
End Year: 2020
Title: Leading Emerging and Diverse Scientists to Success (LEADS)
Role: Co-Investigator
Funding Agency: National Institute of General Medical Science
Grant Number: R25 GM116740
Start Year: 2015
End Year: 2020
Title: College Health Center-Based Alcohol and Sexual Violence Intervention
Role: Co-Investigator
Funding Agency: National Institute on Alcohol Abuse & Alcoholism
Grant Number: R01 AA023260
Start Year: 2014
End Year: 2019
Title: Expanding National Capacity in PCOR Through Training (ENACT)
Role: Co-Investigator
Funding Agency: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
Grant Number: R25 HS023185
Start Year: 2014
End Year: 2019
Title: Comparison of Two Screening Strategies for Gestational Diabetes
Role: Co-Investigator
Funding Agency: National Institute of Child Health & Human Development
Grant Number: R01 HD079647
Start Year: 2014
End Year: 2019
Title: Expanding National Capacity in PCOR Through Training (ENACT)
Role: Co-Investigator
Funding Agency: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
Grant Number: R25 HS023185
Start Year: 2014
End Year: 2019
Title: University of Pittsburgh Clinical and Translational Science Institute (Workplace Development)
Role: Co-Program Director
Funding Agency: National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences
Grant Number: UL1 TR001857
Start Year: 2016
End Year: 2021
Title: Tailoring Clinical Interventions for Adolescent Relationship Abuse
Role: Statistician
Funding Agency: National Institute of Child Health & Human Development
Grant Number: K24 HD075862
Start Year: 2014
End Year: 2019
Notable Achievements
Most Valuable Player Award, Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, 2022
Permanent Member, Kidney, Endocrine and Digestive Disorders (KEDD) Study Section, NIH Center for Scientific Review, 2020-2024
Elected Board Member, Society for Clinical Trials, 2020-2024
Chancellor’s Affirmative Action Award (on behalf of the CEED program), University of Pittsburgh., 2014

Division Websites

Cardiology

Endocrinology and Metabolism

Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition

General Internal Medicine

Geriatric Medicine
Hematology/Oncology

Infectious Diseases

Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine

Renal-Electrolyte

Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology

Contact

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Phone:  412-648-9636
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