Department of Medicine
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Department of Medicine

Faculty Profiles
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photo Patrizia Fuschiotti, PhD

Rheumatology

Assistant Professor of Medicine

Email: paf23@pitt.edu

Phone: 412-648-9385
Contact
Office: S709 Biomedical Science Tower
200 Lothrop St
Pittsburgh, PA 15261
 
Phone: 412-648-9385
Fax: 412-383-8753
E-mail: paf23@pitt.edu
Administrative Assistant:
Kim Reynolds
Address: 3500 Terrace Street
Biomedical Science Tower, 7th Floor
Pittsburgh, PA 15261
Email: kir4@pitt.edu
Phone: 412-648-9782
Fax: 412-383-8753
Education and Training
Education
BS, University of Perugia, Italy, 1985
Ph.D., University of Perugia, Italy, 1993
Training
Visiting Associate, Laboratory of Immunology, NIAID/NIH, Bethesda MD, USA, 1995
Postdoctoral Fellow, CNRS, IBS & CEA, Grenoble, France., 2004
Research Assistant Professor, University of Pittsburgh Medical School., 2009
Assistant Professor, University of Pittsburgh Medical School, 2009
Research Interest
Dr. Fuschiotti’s research interests focus on the cellular and molecular mechanisms of pathogenesis by T cell and T cell-derived cytokines in chronic inflammatory conditions. Particular emphasis is given to the roles played by cytokine IL-13 and its receptors (IL-13Ra1 and IL-13Ra2) in fibrosis, autoimmunity, and cancer. The context of this work has been in human diseases primarily affecting the skin, namely systemic sclerosis (SSc), an autoimmune connective tissue disease whose main clinical feature is fibrosis, and cutaneous T cell lymphoma (CTCL). Dr. Fuschiotti has shown that IL-13 and its molecular pathways are involved in both diseases, acting as a major pro-fibrotic factor in SSc and as an autocrine factor for CTCL. In addition to understanding the underlying mechanisms of pathogenesis, Dr. Fuschiotti has also been developing strategies aimed at targeting IL-13 and its molecular pathways for therapeutic relief. Recent work includes single-cell transcriptome analysis of CTCL skin tumors to investigate tumor heterogeneity with the aim to develop therapeutic strategies tailored to specific patients.
Educational Interest
Director and Lecturer, Comprehensive Immunology, Graduate Program in Immunology
Lecturer, Immunology in Health and Disease, Graduate Program in Immunology
Instructor, Immunology in Health and Disease, PBL UPSOM
Publications
For my complete bibliography, Click Here.
Selected Publications:
Fuschiotti P. Current perspectives on the role of CD8+ T cells in systemic sclerosis. Immunol Lett. 2018; 195: 55-60.
Cascio, S., Medsger, T. A. Jr., Hawse, W. F., Watkins, S. C., Milcarek, C., Moreland, L. W., Lafyatis, R. A., Fuschiotti, P. 14-3-3z sequesters cytosolic T-bet, upregulating IL-13 levels in TC2 and CD8+ lymphocytes from patients with scleroderma. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2017; S0091-6749(17): 31760-31768.
Li, G., Larregina, A. .T, Domsic, R. T., Stolz, D. B., Medsger, T. A. Jr., Lafyatis, R., Fuschiotti, P. Skin-Resident Effector Memory CD8+CD28- T Cells Exhibit a Profibrotic Phenotype in Patients with Systemic Sclerosis. J Invest Dermatol. 2017; 137(5): 1042-1050.
Fuschiotti, P. Current perspectives on the immunopathogenesis of systemic sclerosis. Immunotargets Ther. 2016; 5: 21-35.
Geskin, L. J., Viragova, S., Stolz, D. B., Fuschiotti, P. Interleukin-13 is overexpressed in cutaneous T-cell lymphoma cells and regulates their proliferation. Blood. 2015; 125(18): 2798-2805.
Fuschiotti, P., Larregina, A. T., Ho, J., Feghali-Bostwick, C., Medsger, T. A . Jr. Interleukin-13-producing CD8+ T cells mediate dermal fibrosis in patients with systemic sclerosis. Arthritis Rheum. 2013; 61(1): 236-246.
Fuschiotti, P. Role of IL-13 in systemic sclerosis. Cytokine. 2011; 56(3): 544-549.
Fuschiotti, P. CD8+ T cells in systemic sclerosis. Immunol Res. 2011; 50(2-3): 188-194.
Medsger, T. A. Jr., Ivanco, D. E., Kardava, L., Morel, P. A., Lucas, M. R., Fuschiotti, P. GATA-3 up-regulation in CD8+ T cells as a biomarker of immune dysfunction in systemic sclerosis, resulting in excessive interleukin-13 production. Arthritis Rheum. 2011; 63(6): 1738-1747.
Morel, P. A., Srinivas, M., Turner, M. S., Fuschiotti, P., Munshi, R., Bahar, I., Feili-Hariri, M., Ahrens, E. T. Gene expression analysis of dendritic cells that prevent diabetes in NOD mice: analysis of chemokines and costimulatory molecules. J Leukoc Biol. 2011; 90(3): 539-550.
Sponsored Research/Activities
Title: Single-cell transcriptome analysis of IL-4Ra-positive cells in Mycosis Fungoides skin tumors.
Role: Principal Investigator
Funding Agency: Cutaneous Lymphona Foundation
Grant Number: RES
Start Year: 2020
End Year: 2020
Title: Role of dupilumab on CTCL tumor cell proliferation
Role: Principal Investigator
Funding Agency: Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Start Year: 2019
End Year: 2022
Title: Translational Studies for Identifying and Targeting Novel Pathways in Systemic Sclerosis Pathogenesis
Role: Co-Investigator
Funding Agency: National Institute of Arthristis, Muscoskel, & Skin Disease
Grant Number: P50 AR060780
Start Year: 2017
End Year: 2022

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

Department of Medicine
1218 Scaife Hall
3550 Terrace Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15261
Email:  chairoff@pitt.edu
Phone:  412-648-9636
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