Department of Medicine
Faculty Profiles by Division

Division of Renal-Electrolyte

Faculty Profiles
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photo Geetha Chalasani, MD

Renal-Electrolyte

Assistant Professor of Medicine

Email: gec12@pitt.edu

Phone: 412-383-5924
Contact
Office: BST W1554
200 Lothrop Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15261
 
Phone: 412-383-5924
Fax: 412-624-1172
E-mail: gec12@pitt.edu
Administrative Assistant:
Maria Simonic
Address: C1100 - UPMC Presbyterian
200 Lothrop St
Pittsburgh, PA 15213
Email: simonicma@upmc.edu
Phone: 412-802-8652
Education and Training
Education
Pre-University, Karnataka Science College, India, 1989
MBBS, Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences, India, 1996
Training
Residency in Internal Medicine, Wayne State Univ., Detroit Medical Center, 2000
Fellowship in Nephrology, Emory University School of Medicine, 2001
Fellowship in Nephrology, Yale University School of Medicine, 2004
Research Interest
Dr. Chalasani’s main interests include memory T cell biology, antibody-independent functions of B cells and pathogenesis of chronic rejection. Her laboratory is focused on understanding how memory T cells are generated in transplantation. Her group is investigating how B cell functions and their innate activation pathways contribute to T cell memory and chronic rejection, and how different B cell populations impact these processes. Other relevant translational areas of research include changes in B cell subpopulations and functions under depletional and non-depletional induction regimens in kidney transplant recipients; impact of circulating BAFF levels and concominant donor specific B and T cell memory in kidney transplant recipients undergoing early rejection; and immune exhaustion in pediatric liver transplant recipients as a mechanism of operational tolerance off immunosuppression.
Publications
For my complete bibliography, Click Here.
Selected Publications:
Hoffman W, Lakkis FG, Chalasani G. B Cells, Antibodies, and More. Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology. 2016; 11 (1): 137-54.
Ramaswami B, Chalasani G. The end is in sight: targeting sensitization in hematopoietic cell transplantation. American Journal of Transplantation. 2015; 15(4): 857-8.
Zeng Q, Ng YH, Singh T, Jiang K, Sheriff KA, Ippolito R, Zahalka S, Li Q, Randhawa P, Hoffman RA, Ramaswami B\, Lund FE, Chalasani G. B cells mediate chronic allograft rejection independently of antibody production. Journal of Clinical Investigation. 2014; 124(3): 1052-6.
Sponsored Research/Activities
Title: B Cells in Pathogenesis of Allograft Rejection
Role: Principal Investigator
Funding Agency: National Institute of Allergy & Infectious Diseases
Grant Number: R01 AI079177
Start Year: 2016
End Year: 2021
Title: Tertiary Lymphoid Organs In Transplantation
Role: Co-Investigator
Funding Agency: National Institute of Allergy & Infectious Diseases
Grant Number: R01
Start Year: 2019
End Year: 2024

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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