Training Program
Clinical Trials and Other Experience
The Divisions of Pediatric Allergy and Immunology and Clinical Immunology conduct a number of clinical studies in adult allergy and asthma, pediatric and adult food allergy, and primary immunodeficiency.
Current ongoing clinical trials include:
- Studying the treatment of hereditary angioedema using human C1 esterase inhibitor as replacement therapy;
- Studying the treatment of hyper-eosinophilic syndromes using anti-IL5 monoclonal antibodies;
- Studying the role of dendritic cells in asthma;
- Investigating the use of Chinese herbal medicines for the treatment of allergic asthma and food allergies;
- Studying the use of oral immunotherapy to treat milk and peanut allergy;
- Investigating of the mechanism of outgrowing milk allergy, in particular, tolerance to heated milk;
- Investigating genetic causes of antibody deficiencies;
- Investigating the use of IL-2 for T cell defects;
- Studying the development of memory B cells;
- Developing methods to identify immunodeficiencies in minorities;
- Developing a computer screening method of medical records as a tool to detect immune deficient subjects; and
- Studying the use of immunomodulators in immune dysregulation diseases.
As part of their fellowship training, fellows are encouraged to participate in one or more of these clinical trials. Some projects are also performed in the General Clinical Research Center, a facility sponsoring both in- and outpatient clinical research. Through involvement in these projects, fellows can gain practical skills and valuable experience in conducting clinical research protocols.
Throughout the year, fellows play an active teaching role for medical students and residents who rotate through the adult and pediatric services. In addition, senior fellows organize talks for a series of introductory clinical lectures given to the first year fellows. Other formal teaching opportunities exist though presentations at the weekly Allergy and Immunology Grand Rounds, various journal clubs, and the preparation of resident teaching conferences for the house staff at the Mount Sinai Hospital and our affiliate community hospitals.
Fellows may also elect to spend time on the Rheumatology, Dermatology, Gastroenterology, Pulmonary, Otolaryngology, and/or Solid Organ or Bone Marrow Transplantation services (among others) for additional experience in these areas. There is also the opportunity for further practice in interpreting lung function tests in the pulmonary function laboratory at Mount Sinai.
Another popular elective is to rotate through the medical offices of Drs. Michael Chandler and Gary Stadtmauer to gain exposure to outpatient management in the private office environment.