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Welcome to The Division of Pediatric Respiratory Medicine, a division devoted to the care of children with allergic and pulmonary (lung) diseases. Our division is a major referral center in Virginia and the Mid-Atlantic states for children with Asthma, Cystic Fibrosis, Sleep Disorders of Breathing (including Obstructive Sleep Apnea), and a variety of other pulmonary and allergic diseases as described below. Physicians in the division are board certified in either Pediatric Pulmonology and/or Allergy/Immunology.
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| Research Projects |
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Division faculty have well established research programs, devoted to improving the health of children with respiratory diseases. Most investigations in the division are funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), including collaborative studies of viral induced attacks of wheezing in infants and children.
Several of these studies by Drs. Heymann, Hunt, and Gaston, are focused on infections caused by rhinovirus which is associated with over half of the asthma attacks experienced by children, especially those who are allergic.
A team of investigators, headed by Dr. Gaston, is involved in detailed studies of S-nitrosothiol chemistry and the production of nitric oxide (NO) in the airways. This novel research is leading to new findings regarding the evaluation and treatment of airway inflammation, bronchoconstriction, and the impairment of oxygenation in children and adults with asthma, cystic fibrosis, and other lung diseases.
Dr. Hunt’s laboratory has discovered rapid and significant reductions in airway pH (acidification) which occur in children and adults during attacks of asthma and other causes of lung inflammation. Learning about the determinants of airway pH changes and how pH measurements (simply done by collecting small amounts of exhaled breath condensate) can be used to monitor asthma holds great promise for improving management and developing new treatments.
The division is also involved with research to help children with Cystic Fibrosis (Drs. Froh and Gaston) and in helping children with obstructive sleep apnea, especially those who are overweight (Dr. Yu).
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| Faculty Members |
Fellows |
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Peter Heymann, M.D
Benjamin Gaston, MD
Deborah Froh, MD
John Hunt, MD
Pearl Yu, MD
Gabrielle Ford, FNP (Sleep Center)
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Scott Commins, MD
Jeffrey Culp, MD
Autumn Ford, MD
Marla Maloney, MD
Victoria McMeen, MD
Amy Stallings, MD
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| Division Nurses |
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Jackie Brown, RN (Pulmonary)
Deborah Murphy, RN (Allergy)
Lauren Ahrens, RN (CF Center) |
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Fellowship Information
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ALLERGY
Director: Peter Heymann, M.D.
Contact: Sandra Turner-Purvis
434-924-0408
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PULMONOLOGY
Director: Dr. John F. Hunt
Contact: Jane Shannon
434-924-1820
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Allergy Referrals: For appointments to see Dr. Heymann call 434-924-5321. These clinics are held at the University of Virginia Asthma and Allergic Diseases Center at Northridge.
Pulmonary Referrals: Referrals to Drs. Gaston, Froh, Yu, Hunt, and Gabrielle Ford, FNP can be made by calling 434-924-5321. The Pulmonary clinics and Dr. Hunt’s Allergy/Pulmonary clinic are held at the Primary Care Center. The UVA Cystic Fibrosis clinic is held at the Kluge Children’s Rehabilitation Center (KCRC)
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