Pitt Pediatrics congratulates assistant professor Traci M. Kazmerski, MD, MS, of the Division of Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine, on her receipt of a Clincial Research Scholars Award from the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.
The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Clinical Research Scholars Program (CRSP) is to enable outstanding early career pediatricians and internists to develop the necessary clinical research capabilities to become independent investigators who formulate and lead multi-center, clinical research studies in cystic fibrosis (CF). Kazmerski is the sole 2021 CRSP recipient, mentored by division director Elizabeth Miller, MD, PhD, FSAHM, and Joseph M. Pilewski, MD, of Pitt's Department of Medicine.
Kazmerski's primary CRSP project seeks to determine the health impact of parenthood on people with CF. As survival improves and more people with CF consider parenthood, a greater understanding of its effects is required to inform reproductive decisions and better support those who become parents. Her study team is planning the first, large-scale study of how becoming a parent interplays with having a chronic disease, such as CF. The CRSP training and support will enhance her ability to conduct multi-center clinical studies to better understand and effectively meet the needs of people with CF as they live longer and healthier lives.