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Deborah Jo Levine MD| UT Health San Antonio

Contact

210-567-2878

levinedj@uthscsa.edu

Departments & Divisions

Deborah Jo Levine, M.D.

Professor/Clinical

Medical Director Lung Transplantation

Director of Pulmonary Hypertension Center

I have been on faculty as a full-time lung transplant pulmonologist at our transplant center since 2003 after completing a one year fellowship in lung transplantation. I am immersed in both outpatient and inpatient care of our patients, and have attained the role of inpatient pulmonary transplant director. I have also been extremely involved in both translational and clinical research in several areas of lung transplantation. We have formed a strong alliance for research in lung transplantation with our transplant pulmonology, surgical, immunological and pathological specialists. Our collaborative efforts have led to multiple research trials and publications in all areas of lung transplantation since our program’s inception in 1989. Six years ago, I assembled an outstanding team of expert investigators at our center to analyze all aspects of antibody-mediated-rejection (AMR) in lung transplant recipients. Our main goal of establishing our lung transplant AMR team was not only to evaluate the role of each element of AMR, but to develop a set of criteria that could be used as a universal standard for this diagnosis. We have performed three studies evaluating a combination of serologic donor specific antibodies (DSA) and C4d staining and histopathology of transbronchial biopsies on transplant recipients in order to better define this entity. We have presented this work in two national conferences and have six abstracts on this topic. Manuscripts resulting from these abstracts are in preparation. The goals of this proposal are in line with the work being done by our team here. I look forward to continuing this important work by participating in this multi-center trial looking at the evaluation and treatment of AMR.

  • Professional Background

    Education

    • 2003 - Clinical Fellowship - Lung Transplantation/Interventional Pulmonology - UTHSCSA
    • 2002 - Clinical Fellowship - Critical Care Medicine - UTHSCSA
    • 2001 - Clinical Fellowship - Pulmonary Disease - Good Samaritan/VAMC
    • 1999 - Internship - Internal Medicine - University of Arizona/Banner/VAMC
    • 1996 - MD - Medicine - University of Arizona College of Medicine
    • 1992 - MS - Pharmacology/Toxicology - University of Arizona/College of Medicine
    • 1991 - BS - Physiology - University of California

    Appointments

    • 9/2016 - Professor of Medicine and Cardiothoracic Surgery and Medical Director of Lung Transplantation, Director of Pulmonary Hypertension Center - University of Texas Health Science Center, Medicine, San Antonio

  • Research & Grants

    Grants

    Private

    Funding Agency Title The role of C4D staining and donor specific antibodies in Lung Transplant Rejection: A Retrospective Chart Review to evaluate the role of C4D staining and histologic featurers of transplant trans-bronchial biopsies. Status Active Period 5/2008 - Present Role Principal Investigator Grant Detail Funding Agency Emphasys, Inc. Title Endobronchial Valve for Emphysema Palliation Trial - VENT Status Active Period 6/2008 - Present Role Co-Investigator Grant Detail Goal: To relieve symptoms and improve quality of life of emphysema patients without surgical intervention

    Evaluate the safety and efficacy of the Emphasys Endobronchial Valve for Emphysema Palliation Trial (VENT)

    Funding Agency United Therapeutics Title ASPIRE: PAH study - A postmarketing observational study to assess respiratory tract adverse events in pulmonary arterial hypertension pstients treated with Tyvaso (Treprostinil) inhalation solution Status Active Period 5/2011 - 1/2029 Role Co-Principal Investigator Grant Detail PAH study - A postmarketing observational study to assess respiratory tract adverse events in pulmonary arterial hypertension pstients treated with Tyvaso (Treprostinil) inhalation solution Funding Agency Spiration Inc. Title A prospective randomized controlled multicenter clinical trial to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of the IBV valve system for the treatment of severe emphysema. Status Active Period 7/2005 - 1/2029 Role Co-Investigator Grant Detail Funding Agency Co Therix Inc Title Registry to EValuate Early and Long-term Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension Disease Management (REVEAL Registry) Status Active Period 11/2010 - 1/2019 Role Principal Investigator Grant Detail Total funding amount and receipt dependent on participant enrollment. Approved for up to $187,500.
    Patients are enrolled and updates are done on a quarterly basis for 5 years. There is an annual meeting nationally for centers involved in this area.

     

    Funding Agency UHN Toronto Title A Multicenter, Multinational, Retrospective Review of Voriconazole Experience for the Prophylaxis against Invasive Aspergillosis in Lung Transplant Recipients Status Active Period 10/2012 - Present Role Principal Investigator Grant Detail

  • Publications

      Abstract

      Hamandi B, Fegbeutel C, Silveira FP, Verschuuren EA, Younus M, Mo J, Yan J, Ussetti P, Chin-Hong PV, Sole A, Holmes-Liew CL, Billaud EM, Grossi PA, Manuel O, Levine DJ, Barbers RG, Hadjiliadis D, Aram J, Singer LG, Husain S. Voriconazole and squamous cell carcinoma after lung transplantation: A multicenter study. Am J Transplant; 2017 Sep. (Am J Transplant). Riera J, Maldonado C, Mazo C, Martinez M, Baldira J, Lagunes L, Augustin S, Roman A, Due M, Rello J, Levine DJ. Prone positioning as a bridge to recovery from refractory hypoxaemia following lung transplantation; 2017 Aug. (Interact Cardiovasc Thorac Surg). Reinsmoen NL, Mirocha J, Ensor CR,, Marrari M, Chaux G, Levine DJ, Zhang X, Zeevi A. A 3-Center Study Reveals New Insights Into the Impact of Non-HLA Antibodies on Lung Transplantation Outcome; 2017 Jun. (Transplantation). Zamanian RT, Levine DJ, Bourge RC, De Souza SA, Rosenzweig EB, Alnuaimat H, Burger C, Mathai SC, Leedom N, DeAngelis K, Lim A, De Marco T. An observational study of inhaled-treprostinil respiratory-related safety in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension; 2016 Sep. (Pulmonary Circ). Levine DJ, Glanville AR, Aboyoun C, Belperio J, Benden C, Berry GJ, Hachem R, Hayes D Jr,, Neil D, Reinsmoen NL, Snyder LD, Sweet S, Tyan D,, Verleden G, Westall G, Yusen RD, Zamora M, Zeevi A. Antibody-mediated rejection of the lung: A consensus report of the International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation; 2016 Apr. (J Heart Lung Transplant). Palacio F, Reyes LF, Levine DJ, Sanchez JF, Angel LF, Fernandez JF, Levine SM, Rello J, Abedi A, Restrepo MI. Understanding the Concept of Health Care-Associated Pneumonia in Lung Transplant Recipients. Chest; 2015 Aug. (CHEST). Kotloff RM, Blosser S, Fulda GJ, Malinoski D, Ahya VN, Angel L, Byrnes MC, DeVita MA, Grissom TE, Halpern SD, Nakagawa TA, Stock PG, Sudan DL, Wood KE, Anillo SJ, Bleck TP, Eidbo EE, Fowler RA, Glazier AK, Gries C, Hasz R, Herr D, Khan A, Landsberg D, Lebovitz DJ, Levine DJ, Mathur M, Naik P, Niemann CU, Nunley DR, O'Connor KJ, Pelletier SJ, Rahman O, Ranjan D, Salim A, Sawyer RG, Shafer T, Sonneti D, Spiro P, Valapour M, Vikraman-Sushama D, Whelan TP. Society of Critical Care Medicine/American College of Chest Physicians/Association of Organ Procurement Organizations Donor Management Task Force. Management of the Potential Organ Donor in the ICU: Society of Critical Care Medicine/American College of; 2015 Jun. (Crit Care Med). Colman RE, Curtis JR, Nelson JE, Efferen L, Hadjiliadis D, Levine DJ, Meyer KC, Padilla M, Strek M, Varkey B, Singer LG. Barriers to optimal palliative care of lung transplant candidates; 2013 Mar. Levine DJ, Riley DJ, Jorgensen JH, McClain WD, Tio F, Visvesvara GS, Abboud-Werner SL. Key diagnostic features of granulomatous interstitial nephritis due to Encephalitozoon cuniculi in a lung transplant recipient; 2013 Mar. (Am J Surg Pathol). Burguete SR, Levine SM, Restrepo MI, Angel LF, Levine DJ, Coalson JJ, Peters JI. Lung transplantation for Williams-Campbell syndrome with a probable familial association; 2012 Sep. Cadena J, Levine DJ, Angel LF, Maxwell PR, Brady R, Sanchez JF, Michalek JE, Levine SM, Restrepo MI. Antifungal prophylaxis with voriconazole or itraconazole in lung transplant recipients: hepatotoxicity and effectiveness; 2009 Sep. Angel LF, Levine DJ, Restrepo MI, Johnson S, Sako E, Carpenter A, Calhoon J, Cornell JE, Adams SG, Chisholm GB, Nespral J, Roberson A, Levine SM. Impact of a lung transplantation donor-management protocol on lung donation and recipient outcomes; 2006 Jun. (Am J Respir Crit Care Med). Aposhian HV, Maiorino RM, Rivera M, Bruce DC, Dart RC, Hurlbut KM, Levine DJ, Zheng W, Fernando Q, Carter D. et al. Human studies with the chelating agents, DMPS and DMSA. J Toxicol Clin Toxicol; 1992 Feb.

      Journal Article

      Palacio F, Reyes, Luis F, Levine DJ, Sanchez, Juan F, Angel LF, Fernandez, Juan F, Levine SM, Rello, Jordi, Abedi A, Restrepo MI. Understanding the concept of health care associated pneumonia (HCAP) in lung transplant recipients CHEST 2015 Aug;148(2):516-522. Kotloff RM, Blosser S, Fulda GJ, Malinoski D, Ahya VN, Angel LF, Byrnes MC, DeVita MA, Grissom TE, Halpern SD, Nakagawa TA, Stock PG, Sudan DL, Wood KE, Anillo SJ, Bleck TP, Eidbo EE, Fowler RA, Glazier AK, Gries C, Hasz R, Herr D, Khan A, Landsberg D, Lebovitz DJ, Levine DJ, Mathur M, Naik P, Niemann CU, Nunley DR, O`Connor KJ, Pelletier SJ, Rahman O, Ranjan D, Salim A, Sawyer RG, Shafer T, Sonneti D, Spiro P, Valapour M, Vikraman-Sushama D, Whelan TP. Management of the Potential Organ Donor in the ICU: Society of Critical Care Medicine/American College of Chest Physicians/Association of Organ Procurement Organizations Consensus Statement Crit Care Med 2015 Jun;43(6):1291-1325. R.R. Hachem, M. Kamoun, M. Budev, M. Askar, A. Vivek, Levine DJ, Pollack MS, Dhillon, K. Schechtman, L.E. Lorriana, L.A. Baxter-Lowe, T. Mohanakumar, D. Tyan, R.D. Yusen. HLA Antibodies After Lung Transplantation: Early results of the HALT Study Journal of Heart and Lung Transplantation 2013 Apr;32(4):S76-S77. Levine DJ. Diagnosis and Management of Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension: Implications for Respiratory Care Respiratory Care 2006 Apr;51(4):368-381. Grasseschi RM, Ramaswamy RB, Levine DJ, Klaassen CD, Wesselius LJ. Cadmium accumulation and detoxification by alveolar macrophages of cigarette smokers Chest 2003 Nov;124(5):1924-1928. Aposhian HV, Levine DJ, Rivera M, Fernando Q. Determination and metabolism of dithiol chelating agents: the zinc chelate of the dimethyl ester of meso-2,3-dimercaptosuccinic acid increase biliary excretion of cadmium and platinum 1993 Mar;.

      Not Specified

      Rivera M, Levine DJ, Aposhian HV, Fernando Q. Synthesis and properties of the monomethyl ester of meso-dimercaptosuccinic acid and its chelates of lead (II), cadmium(II), and mercury(II) Chem Res Toxicol 1991 Jan;4(1):107-114.

  • Clinical

    Board Certifications

    • American Board of Internal Medicine/Critical Care Medicine
    • American Board of Internal Medicine/Pulmonary Disease