Rheumatology

Associate Professor, Division of Pediatric Rheumatology, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC
Associate Professor of Pediatrics and Immunology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
Faculty, University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute
Member Faculty, McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine


Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh
John G. Rangos Sr. Research Center, Suite 2-122
3705 Fifth Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15213

412-692-8455
412-692-5565 Fax
abbe.vallejo@chp.edu

Medical School:

1992 University of Mississippi Medical Center, PhD in Immunology & Microbiology

Residency:

1996 Mayo Foundation, Postdoctorate in Molecular Immunology

Fellowship:

1998 Mayo Graduate School of Medicine, Postdoctorate in Rheumatology

• NIH, Clinical Aging (NIAC) Study Section
• American Association of Immunologists
• American Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
• American College of Rheumatology

• Junior Faculty Travel Award, American Association of Immunologists
• Outstanding Paper Award, Institute for Advanced Studies in Aging & Geriatric Medicine
• Mayo Research Building Bridges Award
• Frederik B. Bang Scholar
• The Sigma Xi Research Award

• NIH RO1 (PI): Pathways of T cell senescence
• NIH P20 (Co-I): Integrating Cancer and Aging at the University of Pittsburgh
• NIH RO1 (Co-I): Autologous cellular therapy for ventricular dysfunction
• NIH RO1 (Co-I): Dissection of IGF-Longevity connection in a novel mouse model

Abbe N. de Vallejo, PhD, is a highly regarded researcher and educator with a funded research program. He joined the Division of Pediatric Rheumatology at Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh and was appointed Associate Professor in the Departments of Pediatrics and Immunology at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine in 2004. He also holds appointments as Member Faculty of the McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine and the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute.

Dr. Vallejo earned a master's degree in Pathobiology at Stirling University in Scotland, U.K., and a doctoral degree in Microbiology and Immunology at the University of Mississippi Medical Center. He undertook postdoctoral studies at the Mayo Clinic, focusing on the molecular evolutionary genetics of the MHC gene family in primates. Dr. Vallejo remained at the Mayo Clinic to pursue clinical-oriented training in Rheumatology, which provided the groundwork for his research program focusing on the Immunobiology of Inflammatory Syndromes and Aging. He has held several fellowships throughout his career. Dr. Vallejo's previous academic appointments include serving as Assistant Professor of Medicine and Associate Consultant in Rheumatology at the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine.

Scientific research has defined Dr. Vallejo's career. His recent research on immunobiology of inflammatory syndromes and aging includes projects investigating (a) mechanisms of lymphocyte senescence; (b) the immunobiology of aging; (c) immunology of rheumatic diseases; (d) cardiovascular risk and inflammation in aging, (e) molecular phylogeny and pathogenic dysregulation of multigene families; and (f) molecular pathways linking immunity and longevity. His work includes collaborative research with other investigators on issues related to chronic inflammatory conditions of both children and adults, to formulation of immune criteria for successful aging, and the use of proteomic technology in disease diagnosis and health outcomes. Dr. Vallejo's research interests also include mechanisms of tissue repair and remodeling, and the evolution of immunity.

Dr. Vallejo is the author and co-author of numerous articles that have been published in leading scientific journals. He was associate editor of The Journal of Immunology from 2000-2005, a reviewer for several scientific journals and is a member of the Clinical Aging Study Section of the National Institutes of Health.