![Melissa Lerman, MD, PhD, MSCE](/sites/default/files/styles/crop_and_center_300x375/public/providers-new-lerman-melissa.jpg?itok=85C9qZmX)
Melissa Lerman, MD, PhD, MSCE
Areas of expertise: Juvenile idiopathic arthritis, Non-infectious uveitis, Neuro-inflammatory disease
About Melissa Lerman, MD, PhD, MSCE
Melissa Lerman, MD, PhD, graduated with a BA from Yale University in 1996. Her senior essay was titled, "Activation of Neu in the Mammary Epithelium of Neu Transgenic Mice: the Role of Neu Expression and Activation in Tumorigenesis." For her research, Dr. Lerman received the Yale College DuPuy Award for Scholarship.
She then entered the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine where she completed the MD, PhD program. She earned her PhD in immunology, studying T cell selection and regulation in response to both fetal and self-antigens, specifically focusing on the development of CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells. As a graduate student, she received the Goldie Simon Summer Preceptorship Award from the Lupus Foundation, SE PA (2001).
Dr. Lerman then completed her residency training in general pediatrics, and her fellowship training in pediatric rheumatology, at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP). While a fellow, she began further training to obtain a masters degree in Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics through the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine’s Center for Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics.
Dr. Lerman began to study an area that had interested her greatly, as it is a key issue for children in our clinic — non-infectious uveitis (uveitis). Uveitis occurs in many pediatric rheumatologic diseases and can lead to significant visual problems. Treatment options include steroids or immunomodulators, including tumor necrosis factor alpha inhibitors (TNFα inhibitors). Dr. Lerman is currently studying the largest, and only multicenter, group of patients with pediatric uveitis to date to more precisely estimate the outcomes of treatment with TNFα inhibitors. She has been awarded an American College of Rheumatology Research Education Foundation (ACR REF) Scientist Development Award that will enable her to continue this research. She is more broadly interested in studying the comparative effectiveness of different therapies to treat pediatric inflammatory eye disease.
Dr. Lerman works closely with CHOP neurologists in caring for children with inflammatory brain disease. She also collaborates with oral and maxillofacial surgeons in the treatment of TMJ arthritis (arthritis related to temporomandibular joint dysfunction).
Titles
Attending Physician
Assistant Professor of Clinical Pediatrics, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania
Certifications
Pediatric Rheumatology – American Board of Pediatrics
Pediatrics – American Board of Pediatrics
Awards and Honors
2010, American College of Rheumatology Research and Education Foundation (Rheumatology Research Foundation as of 2012) Scientist Development Award (Funding 2011-2013)
Leadership and Memberships
Memberships in Professional Organizations
American College of Rheumatology (ACR)
Childhood Arthritis & Rheumatology Research Alliance (CARRA)
Editorial and Academic Positions
Academic and Institutional Committees
Member, Uveitis Subcommittee of CARRA
Research Interests
Non-infectious uveitis: achieving and maintaining steroid sparing disease control
TMJ arthritis: long term effects on facial deformity and dysfunction in adults with JIA; and the effect of alternate childhood therapies on these outcomes
Education & training
Graduate Degree
PhD in Immunology - Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
MSCE in Pharmacoepidemiology - Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
Medical Degree
MD - Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
Residency
Pediatrics - The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA
Fellowship
Pediatric Rheumatology - The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA
Publications
Publications
2015
Lerman, MA, Lewen, MD, Kempen, JH, Mills MD. Uveitis Reactivation in Children Treated with Tumor Necrosis Factor-α Inhibitors. Am J Ophthalmol. 2015 Jul;160(1):193-200.e1. (PMID: 25892124).
2013
Lerman, MA, Burnham, JM, Chang, PY, Daniel, E, Foster, SC, Hennessy, S, Jabs, DA, Joffe, M, Kaçmaz, RO, Levy-Clarke, GA, Mills, M, Nussenblatt, RB, Rosenbaum, JT, Suhler, EB, Thorne, JE, Kempen, JH. Response of Pediatric Uveitis to Tumor Necrosis Factor-α Inhibitors. J Rheumatol. 2013 Aug;40(8):1394-403. Epub 2013 Jul 1. PMID: 23818712.
Editorials, Reviews, Chapters
Lieberman SM, Lerman MA, Burnham JM. Joint complaints. In: Shah SS, editor. Pediatric practice: infectious disease. New York: McGraw Hill Medical; 2008. p. 95-101.