UCSF Faculty
Scott J. Soifer, MD
Professor of Pediatrics
Chief, Division of Critical Care Medicine
Critical Care Fellowship Director, UCSF
Dr. Soifer is jointly appointed to both the Divisions of Critical Care and Cardiology. In addition to clinical activities in the ICU, Dr. Soifer continues to maintain an outpatient pediatric cardiology practice. Dr. Soifer's clinical and research interests have focused on cardiac and pulmonary physiology.
Ian Adatia, MD, MRCP (UK), FRCP (C)
Associate Professor of Pediatrics
Director, Pediatric Cardiac Intensive Care Unit
Dr. Adatia received his medical degree at Bristol University, UK. He completed Pediatric Residency in Edmonton, Alberta, followed by subspecialty fellowships at Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, Great Ormond Street Hospital in London, and The Children's Hospital in Boston. Dr. Adatia's prior academic institution affiliations include positions as Lecturer at the University of London, Lecturer at the University of Freiburg (Germany), and Associate Professor at the University of Toronto. His primary academic focus is clinical research in cyanotic and pulmonary vascular disorders.
Conrad L. Epting
Adjunct Instructor, Pediatrics UCSF
Medical Staff, Children's Hospital Oakland
Dr. Epting received his medical degree from Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in Baltimore. He completed a pediatric residency at the University of Colorado and the Denver Children's Hospital, followed by Critical Care Fellowship in the combined UCSF-Children's program. He then completed a three-year post-doctoral research fellowship at the CVRI as part of the Pediatric Scientist Development Program. His research interests include mechanisms of cell-cell fusion and muscle regeneration. His work has focused on a particular cell surface protein, Stem Cell Antigen-1, which regulates myoblast differentiation and fusion. For more information about research in his research group, please visit the Bernstein Laboratory.
Jeffrey R. Fineman, MD
Professor of Pediatrics
Dr. Fineman received his medical degree from the New York University School of Medicine. He completed Pediatric Residency at NYU/Bellevue Medical Center, followed by Critical Care Fellowship at UCSF, prior to the merger of programs with Children's Oakland. Dr. Fineman's research interests focus on the regulation of the pulmonary circulation and pulmonary hypertensive disorders. Specifically, he is studying endothelial function and NO-mediated signaling in acute changes in pulmonary blood flow in models of single ventricle physiology and chronic changes in models of pulmonary hypertension secondary to in utero placement of aorto-pulmonary grafts. He has also been the largest faculty supporter of Critical Care Fellow research, mentoring the more fellows currently, and in the past, than any other faculty member.
Mustafa Khokha, MD
Adjunct Assistant Professor of Pediatrics
Assistant Research Molecular Biologist, Step 1, UC Berkeley
Dr. Khokha received his medical degree at Northwestern University. He completed Pediatric Residency at St. Louis Children's Hospital/ Washington University. He entered Critical Care Fellowship at UCSF-Children's Oakland after selection to the Pediatric Scientist Development Program. Dr. Khokha's research at UC Berkeley focuses on embryonic development, in particular where signaling events are critical for converting a uniform mass of cells into a well patterned organism that has structures correctly defined along its embryonic axes. Specifically, he has focused on two classic problems in development: patterning of the vertebrate limb and initial dorsal specification of the embryo from Spemann's Organizer. In the mouse vertebrate limb, pattern is carefully regulated by signaling centers that create the three-dimensional pattern of the limb that is so critical for its proper function; Dr. Khokha has identified a critical role for the molecule Gremlin in this process and studies its effects on limb patterning and the formation of the skeleton and muscles. Spemann's Organizer is a signaling center during early development that instructs the embryo to transform from a uniform mass of cells to one that has dorsal-ventral asymmetry, and in this process defines the brain, muscles, and notochord; Dr. Khokha's lab has identified a group of signaling molecules that are absolutely required for this activity using the emerging model system Xenopus tropicalis. For more details please visit the Harland Xenopus tropicalis site.
Isabelle N. King, MD
Adjunct Instructor of Pediatrics
Visiting Scientist, Gladstone Institute of Cardiovascular Disease
Dr. King received her medical degree at the Medical College of Wisconsin. She completed Pediatric Residency at Yale University, followed by Critical Care Fellowship at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. Dr. King's research interests include the biochemical and structure-function analysis of cardiovascularly enriched proteins important for cardiovascular development in humans. Her work has focused on a specific family of transcription factors named HRT1, 2 and 3 (Hairy-Related Transcription factors 1, 2, and 3) which are members of the large class of basic helix-loop-helix transcription factors. Her group has identified co-factors for these proteins that have important combinatorial regulatory effects on gene transcription. In addition, they have sequenced the coding regions of HRT1 and 2 of patients with congenital heart disease and have identified mutations within a highly conserved carboxy-terminal region of HRT. Her group is currently undertaking further studies to better characterize the function of this domain. For more information about her group's work, please visit Gladstone Institutes.
Patrick S. McQuillen, MD
Assistant Professor of Pediatrics
Dr. McQuillen received his medical degree from the University of California, San Diego. He completed Pediatric Residency at UCSF, followed by Critical Care Fellowship in the joint UCSF-Children's Oakland program. His fellowship was performed in conjunction with the Pediatric Scientist Development Program. Dr. McQuillen's lab studies brain development and plasticity, with a particular interest in the translational impact of early hypoxic-ischemic brain injury. They focus on the role of a transient population of cortical neurons, subplate neurons, important for normal visual system development. Dr. McQuillen's clinical research interests are in the identification and care of neonates and children with hypoxic ischemic brain injury. Along with Drs Steven Miller and George Gregory, he is using pre- and post-operative magnetic resonance imaging and spectroscopy and intra-operative near-infrared spectroscopy to determine the timing and significance of brain injury in infants and children undergoing cardiopulmonary bypass for the correction of congenital heart disease. They have initiated a Phase 1 safety and tolerability study of fructose-1, 6-bisphosphate given during cardiopulmonary bypass to prevent brain injury in these patients.
Peter Oishi, MD
Adjunct Clinical Instructor
Dr. Oishi received his medical degree at Albany Medical College. He completed Residency in Pediatrics at the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center. After completing Fellowship in Critical Care at the UCSF-Children's Oakland joint program, Dr. Oishi has joined the faculty at UCSF, studying the fetal, transitional, and postnatal pulmonary circulation utilizing an integrated anatomic, physiologic, cellular and molecular approach. He is working together with Dr. Jeffrey Fineman, whose nationally recognized program utilizes state-of-the-art large animal models, including a model of congenital heart disease with increased pulmonary blood flow. Dr. Oishi's work within the group focuses on the role of reactive oxygen species in normal and abnormal pulmonary vascular endothelial signaling.
Anil Sapru, MD
Adjunct Clinical Instructor
Dr. Sapru is a native of India, where he earned his medical doctorate and completed his initial post-graduate training, including Pediatric Residency at specialty training in Critical Care. Dr. Sapru ultimately completed further training in the US through Pediatric Residency at New York Medical College. After completing Critical Care Fellowship in the UCSF-Children's Oakland program, he joined the UCSF faculty. His research focuses on diabetes.
Maurice A. Zwass, MD
Professor of Anesthesia and Pediatrics
Associate Director, Critical Care Fellowship, UCSF
Dr. Zwass is a graduate of UCSF School of Medicine. He completed Pediatric Residency at the University of California, San Diego, followed by Anesthesia Residency at UCSF. Dr. Zwass completed Pediatric Critical Care Fellowship at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. He is the only faculty member holding a primary appointment in the Department of Anesthesia. In addition to his clinical ICU duties, Dr. Zwass maintains a busy O.R. schedule. He is actively involved in medical student, resident and fellow education, both in Pediatrics and Anesthesia. He is Director of the Clinical Fellowship in Pediatric Anesthesia and Chair of the UCSF Hospital Sedation Committee.