Department of Medicine
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Division of General Internal Medicine

Faculty Profiles
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photo Galen E. Switzer, PhD

General Internal Medicine

Professor of Medicine, Psychiatry, and Clinical and Translational Science

Director, PhD Program in Clinical and Translational Science

Director, PhD Faculty Affairs

Email: gswitzer@pitt.edu

Phone: 412-692-4837
Contact
Office: 600 McKee Professional Building
230 McKee Place
Pittsburgh, PA 15213
 
Phone: 412-692-4837
Fax: 412-692-4838
E-mail: gswitzer@pitt.edu
Administrative Assistant:
Jessica Bruce
Address: 600 McKee Professional Building
230 McKee Place
Pittsburgh, PA 15213
Email: jbruce1@pitt.edu
Phone: 412-692-2016
Fax: 412-586-9255
Administrative Assistant:
Vidya Kuniyil
Address: 600 McKee Professional Building
Pittsburgh, PA 15213
Email: vik46@pitt.edu
Phone: 412-246-6564
Fax: 412-586-9255
Education and Training
Education
BA, Psychology, McPherson College, 1985
MA, Social Psychology, Arizona State University, 1989
PhD, Sociology, University of Colorado, Boulder, 1993
Training
Postdoctoral Studies in Medical Sociology, University of Pittsburgh, 1996
Research Interest
Dr. Switzer is an expert regarding the motives and experiences of individuals who join an adult stem-cell donation registry and volunteer to donate to a stranger. In collaboration with the U.S.-based National Marrow Donor Program, U.K.-based Anthony Nolan Registry, and German-based D.K.M.S., his research group has become internationally known for its findings about registry members' experience at critical points leading to donation, as well motivations for joining the registry and factors associated with opting-out after having preliminarily matched a patient in need of a transplant. Dr. Switzer has also investigated the donation experience from the donor perspective. Finally, for more than 20 years, he has developed and evaluated clinical and psychosocial research measures and compiled validated measures for research projects across multiple contexts.
Educational Interest
Dr. Switzer is the Director of the PhD Program in Clinical and Translational Science and teaches graduate students through the Institute for Clinical Research Education (ICRE). He has extensive training and experience in qualitative and quantitative measurement and the administration of survey-based investigations. Dr. Switzer has trained and mentored many junior investigators in quantitative and qualitative methods and instructs a core ICRE course focused on Measurement in Clinical Research for our Certificate, MS, and PhD programs in clinical and translational science.
Publications
For my complete bibliography, Click Here.
Selected Publications:
Pulsipher, M.A. et al, Switzer, G.E. Higher risks of toxicity and incomplete recovery in 13-17 year old females after marrow donation: RDSafe peds results. Biology of Blood and Marrow Transplantation. 2019.
La Casta, A.H., Shaw, B.E., Anthias, C., Bruce, J.G., Pastorek, G., Billen, A., O’Leary, A., Switzer, G.E. Motives for joining an unrelated HSC donor registry: Description, categorization, and association with donor availability. Bone Marrow Transplantation. 2018; https://doi.org/10.1038/s41409-018-0278-2.
Switzer, G.E., Macis, M., Fabi, R., Abress, L., Confer, D., Bruce, J., Howe, K., Fowler, S., McNulty, M., Pastorek, G., Dew, M.A. Providing level-of-match information to perfectly matched unrelated donors: Evaluating acceptability and potential changes in donor availability. Biology of Blood and Marrow Transplantation. 2018; 24(10): 2110-2118.
Dew, M.A., Switzer, G.E. Listening to living donors. Transplantation. 2018; 102(5): 718-719.
Switzer, G.E., Bruce, J., Pastorek, G., Kiefer, D.M., Koyusingye, H., Drexler, R., Besser, R., Confer, D.L., Horowitz, M.M., King, R., Shaw, B., van Walraven, S.M., Wiener, L., Packman, W., Varni, J., Pulsipher, M.A. Parent versus child donor perceptions of the bone marrow donation experience. Bone Marrow Transplantation. 2017; 52(9): 1338-1341.
Switzer, G.E., Bruce, J.G., Kiefer, D.M., Kobusingye, H., Drexler, R., Besser, R.M., Confer, D.L., Horowitz, M.M., King, R.J., Shaw, B.E., Riches, M., Hayes-Lattin, B., Linenberger, M., Bolwell, B., Rowley, S.D., Litzow, M.R., Pulsipher, M.A. Health-related quality of life among older related HSC donors (>60 Yrs.) is equivalent to that of younger related donors (18-60 Yrs.): An RDSafe study. Biology of Blood and Marrow Transplantation. 2017; 23(1): 165-171.
Switzer, G.E., Bruce, J., Kiefer, D.M., Kobusingye, H., Drexler, R., Besser, R.M., Confer, D.L., Horowitz, M.M., King, R.J., Shaw, B.E., van Walraven, S.M., Wiener, L., Varni, J.W., Pulsipher, M.A. Health-related quality of life among pediatric hematopoietic stem cell donors. Journal of Pediatrics. 2016; 178: 178:164-170.e1.
Switzer, G.E., Bruce, J.G., Harrington, D., Haagenson, M., Drexler, R., Foley, A., Confer, D.L., Bishop, M., Anderlini, P., Rowley, S., Leitmen, S.F., Anasetti, C., Wingard, J.R. Health-related QoL of bone marrow versus PBSC donors: A Pre-specified subgroup analysis from a phase III RCT—BMTCTN protocol 0201. Biology of Blood and Marrow Transplantation. 2014; 20(1): 118-127.
Switzer, G.E., Bruce, J.G., Myaskovsky, L., DiMartini, A., Shellmer, D., Confer, D.L., Abress, L.K., King, R.J., Harnaha, A.G., Ohngemach, S., Dew, M.A. Race and ethnicity in decisions about unrelated hematopoietic stem cell donation. Blood. 2013; 121(8): 1469-1476.
Switzer, G.E., Dew, M.A., Harrington, D.J., Crowley-Matoka, M., Myaskovsky, L., Abress, L.K., Confer, D.L. Ethnic differences in donation-related characteristics among potential hematopoietic stem cell donors. Transplantation. 2005; 80(7): 890-896.
Sponsored Research/Activities
Title: Health-Related Quality of Life Among Pediatric Hematopoietic Stem Cell Disorders
Role: Principal Investigator
Funding Agency: National Heart, Lung, & Blood Institute
Grant Number: R01 HL131731
Start Year: 2018
End Year: 2022
Title: Improving the Availability of Younger Unrelated Hematopoietic Stem Cell Donors
Role: Principal Investigator
Funding Agency: National Heart, Lung, & Blood Institute
Grant Number: R01 HL130388
Start Year: 2016
End Year: 2019
Title: Social Media Use and Depression Outcomes among U.S. Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Young Adults
Role: Co-Investigator
Funding Agency: National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities
Grant Number: R00 MD012813
Start Year: 2020
End Year: 2023
Title: University of Pittsburgh Clinical and Translational Science Institute (Team Science)
Role: Co-Investigator
Funding Agency: National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences
Grant Number: UL1 TR001857
Start Year: 2016
End Year: 2021
Title: Center for Health Equity Research and Promotion
Role: Associate Director
Funding Agency: VA HSR&D
Grant Number: Center CIN 13-405
Start Year: 2013
End Year: 2018
Notable Achievements
Excellence in Teaching Award, University of Pittsburgh Institute for Clinical Research Education, 2018
Best Publication Award: Sociology of Mental Health Section, American Sociological Association. Handbook on the Sociology of Mental Health Aheshensel C.S. and J.C. Phelan (Eds.), (1999)., 2001
Dlin/Fischer Clinical Research Award for significant contributions to research, 1999
Associate: Center for Medical Ethics, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, 1993-present
University Fellow, University of Colorado, 1989-1991
Regents’ Fellow, Arizona State University, 1987-1988
Magna Cum Laude, McPherson College, 1985
Outstanding Research Project, Regional Research Competition, 1985

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Geriatric Medicine
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Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology

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