Our Infectious Disease faculty are experts in the diagnosis, management, and prevention of infections in immunocompromised patients. Among patients with cancer and other immunocompromising conditions, infection is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality and often occurs secondary to uncommon pathogens. As a result, our faculty has subspecialized training and experience with unusual bacterial pathogens such as Nocardia species and mycobacteria, viral pathogens such as cytomegalovirus (CMV), fungi such as Aspergillus species and Mucorales, and parasites and protists such as Cryptosporidium and Toxoplasma species, among other common and rare conditions.
The division includes multiple sections of clinical and academic leadership, which includes Infection Control & Prevention, Antimicrobial Stewardship and Clinical Microbiology.
Infection Control & Prevention
Our Infection Control & Prevention team has specialized expertise in infection control practices specific to an immunocompromised patient population. We work alongside Roswell Park’s quality-based teams to assure that the environment is maximally safe from the threats of contagion. Responsibilities include identification and reporting of hospital acquired infections, potential outbreak management, and reportable communicable diseases (such as tuberculosis). Infection Control & Prevention is led by Katherine Mullin, MD, who oversees a team of infection preventionists.
Antimicrobial stewardship
This quality-based initiative has become increasingly essential as unnecessary antimicrobial usage has driven the development of antibiotic, antifungal, and antiviral resistance over the last several decades. Antimicrobial stewardship initiatives have been cited by public health experts, in addition to regulatory and credentialing organizations, as a significant emerging mission critical to maintaining the efficacy of life-saving antimicrobial medications. Dr. Mullin is also the Medical Director for Antimicrobial stewardship alongside Marissa Walsh, PharmD, who leads the pharmacy component.
Clinical Microbiology
Roswell Park is unique among many other institutions for Clinical Microbiology by way of the dual role of John Bonnewell, MD, MSc, in the Division of Infectious Diseases and Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, in which he serves as both an Infectious Diseases physician-scientist and the Director for the Clinical Microbiology Laboratory (CML).
Dr. Bonnewell and the CML provide expert knowledge and advanced infectious disease diagnostics for the patients at Roswell Park to optimize management of infectious conditions. Among its strengths are a robust mycology section for the diagnosis of fungal infections and an emphasis on improving utilization and results from routine and advanced diagnostics for bacteriology, including technologies to better and more quickly identify bloodstream infection. Dr. Bonnewell also has a strong interest in diagnostic stewardship and test utilization, which can positively impact patient results and reduce costs within the organization.
