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Melanie Ruffner, MD/PhD

Assistant Professor of Pediatrics (Allergy/Immunology)


Department: Pediatrics
Division: Allergy/Immunology


Graduate Group Affiliations


Contact Information

Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
Division of Allergy and Immunology
3615 Civic Center Blvd.
Abramson Research Center, 1202C
Philadelphia, PA 19104
Office: 2155902549
Lab Phone: 2674253074
Fax: 2155906849


I3H Keywords

  • Allergy, Asthma, and Other Inflammatory Diseases

Publications

Pubmed Link


Links


Education

  • B.S. (Biomedical Engineering)
    Johns Hopkins University, 2003
  • Ph.D. (Bioengineering)
    University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, 2009
  • M.D. (Medicine)
    University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, 2011
  • M.S. (Translational Research)
    University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, 2020

Post-Graduate Training

  • Resident
    Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia Pediatric Residency Program, 2011 - 2014
  • Fellow
    Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Allergy and Immunology Fellowship, 2014 - 2017
  • Post-Doctoral Fellow
    Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Research Institute, 2015 - 2018

Certifications

  • American Board of Pediatrics, 2014
  • American Board of Allergy and Immunology, 2016

Description of ITMAT Expertise

Eosinophilic esophagitis affects approximately 1 in 2000 children and adults in westernized countries and results in long-term esophageal damage if left untreated. Current therapy for eosinophilic esophagitis is nonspecific and some patients remain symptomatic with continued signs of epithelial dysfunction on esophageal biopsy despite treatment. This leaves the esophagus vulnerable to continued immunologic stimulation from luminal food and microbial antigens. The goal of my research is to better understand the esophageal epithelium innate immune mechanisms that govern barrier function against these environmental stimuli. We currently utilize variety of techniques including in vitro three-dimensional human cell culture models, flow cytometry, and next-generation techniques including RNA-seq and chromatin immunoprecipitation followed by sequencing to define the epigenetic status within esophageal epithelium.

Selected Publications

  • Ruffner MA*, Shoda T*, Lal M, Mrozek Z, Muir AB, Spergel JM, Dellon ES, Rothenberg ME (*contributed equally) : Persistent esophageal changes after histologic remission in eosinophilic esophagitis J Allergy Clin Immunol 153(4) : 1063-1072, Apr 2024
  • Spergel BL, Ruffner MA, Godwin BC, Liacouras CA, Cianferoni A, Gober L, Hill DA, Brown-Whitehorn TF, Chaiboonma K, Aceves SA, Muir AM, Spergel JM : Improvement in eosinophilic esophagitis when using dupilumab for other indications or compassionate use Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol 128(5) : 589-593, May 2022
  • Tran P, Gober L, Garabedian EK, Fuleihan RL, Puck JM, Sullivan KE, Spergel JM, Ruffner MA : Eosinophilic gastrointestinal disorders in patients with inborn errors of immunity: Data from the USIDNET registry Front Immunol 13(987895) : doi: 10.3389, Sep 2022 Notes: epub
  • Ruffner MA*, Hu A*, Dilollo J, Benocek K, Shows D, Gluck M, Spergel JM, Ziegler SF, Hill DA, Cerosaletti K (*contributed equally) : Conserved interferon signature in adult and pediatric eosinophilic esophagitis Journal of Immunology 206(6) : 1361-1371, Mar 2021
  • Benitez AJ, Bittinger K, Tanes C, Hofstaedter CE, Kim DK, Gross J, Ruffner MA, Albenberg L, Spergel JM, Muir AB : Effect of topical swallowed steroids on the bacterial and fungal esophageal microbiota in eosinophilic esophagitis. Allergy 76(5) : 1549-1552, May 2021
  • Ruffner MA, Zhang Z, Maurer K, Muir AB, Cianferoni C, Sullivan KE, Spergel JS : RNA sequencing identifies global transcriptional changes in peripheral CD4 + cells during active oesophagitis and following epicutaneous immunotherapy in eosinophilic oesophagitis Clin Transl Immunology 10(7) : e1314, July 2021
  • Ruffner MA, Song L, Mauer K, Shi L, Wang JX, Muir AB, Spergel JM, Sullivan KE : Toll like receptor 2 stimulation augments esophageal barrier integrity Allergy 74(12) : 2449-2460, Dec 2019
  • Ruffner MA, Wang KY, Dudley JW, Cianferoni A, Grundemeier R, Spergel JM, Brown-Whitehorn TF, Hill DA : Elevated Allergic Comorbidity in Patients with Food Protein-Induced Enterocolitis J Allergy Clin Immunol Pract 8(3) : 1039-1046, Mar 2020
  • Kennedy K, Muir AB, Grossman A, Brown-Whitehorn T, Cianferoni A, Spergel JM, Furuta GT, Wilkins BJ, Shuker M, Ruffner MA. : Modified oral enteric-coated budesonide regimens to treat pediatric eosinophilic gastroenteritis, a single center experience. J Allergy Clin Immunol Pract 7(6) : 2059-2061, Jul 2019
  • Wang KY, Lee J, Cianferoni A, Ruffner MA, Dean A, Molleston JM, Pawlowski NA, Heimall J, Saltzman RW, Ram GS, Fiedler J, Gober LM, Spergel JM, Brown-Whitehorn TF : Food Protein-Induced Enterocolitis Syndrome Food Challenges: Experience from a Large Referral Center J Allergy Clin Immunol Pract. 7(2) : 444-450, Sept 2018