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Roy F. Chemaly, M.D., M.P.H., F.A.C.P., F.I.D.S.A.

Present Title & Affiliation

Primary Appointment

Associate Professor, Department of Infectious Diseases, Infection Control and Employee Health, Division of Internal Medicine, The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Director, Infection Control Program, Department of Infection Control, Infectious Diseases and Employee Health, The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX

Education & Training

Degree-Granting Education

1992 Saint Joseph University, Faculty of Medicine, Beirut, Lebanon, MD, Doctor of Medicine

Postgraduate Training

1/2001-1/2002 Fellowship, Clinical Microbiology, The Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH
1/2000-1/2002 Masters in Public Health, Northeastern Ohio Universities, Rootstown, OH
1/1998-1/2000 Fellowship, Infectious Diseases, The Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH
1/1997-1/1998 Chief Medical Resident, Staten Island University Hospital, Staten Island, NY
1/1994-1/1997 PGYI, PGYII, PGYIII, Staten Island University Hospital, Staten Island, NY
1/1993-1/1994 Internship, Internal Medicine, American University Hospital, Beirut, Lebanon

Board Certifications

2001 American Board of Pathology Medical Microbiology Subspecialty
2000 American Board of Internal Medicine Infectious Diseases Subspecialty
1997 American Board of Internal Medicine

Honors and Awards

2008 Awarded Best Clinical Poster Presentation (Mentor to Dr. Karen Vigil) Second Infections in Cancer Symposium, The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center
2008 Medical Leadership Award for the Infections in Cancer Symposium, The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
2008 Patient Safety Champion Award (related to the investigation of the Serratia marescens Outbreak), The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
2007 America's Top Physician, Consumers Research Council of America
2007 Certificate of Appreciation (for providing excellent protocol review), The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center
2007 Fellow, Infectious Disease Society of America
2007 Fellow, The American College of Physicians
2007 Second Prize Winner (Mentor for Dr. Harrys Torres) for outstanding poster at the Annual Meeting, Texas Infectious Diseases Society
2005 First Prize Winner for our work on Influenza Infections in Leukemia Patients and the Impact of Neuraminidase Inhibitors (Mentor to Harrys Torres, MD), The First Biannual National Meeting for Infection in Cancer Symposium, Houston, Texas
2005 Leadership Award, Alumni Association of North America, American University of Beirut
2000 Finalist Award, Infectious Diseases Society of Ohio

Selected Publications

Peer-Reviewed Original Research Articles
1. Adachi JA, Perego C, Graviss L, Dvorak T, Hachem R, Chemaly RF, Raad II. The role of interventional molecular epidemiology in controlling clonal clusters of multidrug resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa in critically ill cancer patients. Am J Infect Control 37(6):442-6, 8/2009. PMID: 19118923.
2. Chemaly RF, Hanmod SS, Jiang Y, Rathod DB, Mulanovich V, Adachi JA, Rolston KV, Raad II, Hachem RY. Tigecycline use in cancer patients with serious infections: a report on 110 cases from a single institution. Medicine (Baltimore) 88(4):211-20, 7/2009. PMID: 19593226.
3. Vigil KJ, Mulanovich VE, Chemaly RF, Tarrand J, Raad II, Adachi JA. Severe parainfluenza virus type 2 supraglottitis in an immunocompetent adult host: an unusual cause of a paramyxoviridae viral infection. J Intern Med, 3/2009. PMID: 19019183.
4. Aisenberg G, Torres H, Tarrand J, Safdar A, Bodey G, Chemaly RF. Herpes Simplex Virus Lower Respiratory Tract Infection in Patients with Solid Tumors. Cancer 115(1):199-206, 1/2009. PMID: 19090003.
5. Hachem RY, Kontoyiannis DP, Chemaly RF, Jiang Y, Reitzel R, Raad I. Utility of galactomannan enzyme immunoassay and (1,3) beta-D-glucan in diagnosis of invasive fungal infections: low sensitivity for Aspergillus fumigatus infection in hematologic malignancy patients. J Clin Microbiol 47(1):129-33, 1/2009.
6. Torres HA, Aguilera E, Safdar A, Rohatgi N, Raad II, Sepulveda C, Luna M, Kontoyiannis DP, Chemaly RF. Fatal cytomegalovirus pneumonia in patients with haematological malignancies: an autopsy-based case-control study. Clin Microbiol Infect 14(12):1160-6, 12/2008. PMID: 19046167.
7. Ghanem G, Hachem RY, Chemaly RF, Dvorak T, Hulten K, Graviss L, Raad II. The role of molecular methods in the prevention of nosocomial methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus clusters in cancer patients. Am J Infect Control 36(9):656-60, 11/2008. PMID: 18834742.
8. Raad I, Reitzel R, Jiang Y, Chemaly RF, Dvorak T, Hachem R. Anti-adherence Activity and Antimicrobial Durability of Anti-infective-Coated Catheters Against Multidrug-Resistant Bacteria. J Antimicrob Chemother 62(4):746-50, 10/2008. PMID: 18653489.
9. Winston DJ, Young JA, Pullarkat V, Papanicolaou GA, Vij R, Vance E, Alangaden GJ, Chemaly RF, Petersen F, Chao N, Klein J, Sprague K, Villano SA, Boeckh M. Maribavir prophylaxis for prevention of cytomegalovirus infection in allogeneic stem-cell transplant recipients: a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, dose-ranging study. Blood 111(11):5403-10, 6/2008. PMID: 18285548.
10. Lamaris GA, Esmaeli B, Chamilos G, Desai A, Chemaly RF, Raad II, Safdar A, Lewis RE, Kontoyiannis DP. Fungal endophthalmitis in a tertiary care cancer center: a review of 23 cases. Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis 27(5):343-7, 5/2008. PMID: 18183439.
11. Youssef S, Hachem R, Chemaly RF, Adachi J, Ying J, Rolston K, Raad I. The role of vitamin B6 in the prevention of haematological toxic effects of linezolid in patients with cancer. J Antimicrob Chemother 61(2):421-4, 2/2008. PMID: 18174198.
12. Chemaly RF, Torres HA, Hachem R, Kontoyiannis DP, Safdar A, Raad II. Human herpesvirus-6 DNAemia in immunosuppressed adult patients with leukemia at risk for mold infection. Haematologica 93(1):157-8, 1/2008. PMID: 18166808.
13. Safdar A, Rodriguez GH, De Lima MJ, Petropoulos D, Chemaly RF, Worth LL, Shpall EJ, Rolston KV, Raad II, Chan KW, Champlin RE. Infections in 100 cord blood transplantations: spectrum of early and late posttransplant infections in adult and pediatric patients 1996-2005. Medicine (Baltimore) 86(6):324-33, 11/2007. PMID: 18004177.
14. Chamilos G, Luna M, Lewis RE, Chemaly R, Raad II, Kontoyiannis DP. Effects of liposomal amphotericin B versus an amphotericin B lipid complex on liver histopathology in patients with hematologic malignancies and invasive fungal infections: a retrospective, nonrandomized autopsy study. Clin Ther 29(9):1980-6, 9/2007. PMID: 18035197.
15. Sims CR, Thompson K, Chemaly RF, Shpall EJ, Champlin RE, Safdar A. Oral topical cidofovir: novel route of drug delivery in a severely immunosuppressed patient with refractory multidrug-resistant herpes simplex virus infection. Transpl Infect Dis 9(3):256-9, 9/2007. PMID: 17605730.
16. Ghanem G, Hachem R, Jiang Y, Chemaly RF, Raad I. Outcomes for and Risk Factors Associated with Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococcus faecalis and Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococcus faecium Bacteremia in Cancer Patients. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 28(9):1054-1059, 9/2007. PMID: 17932826.
17. Lee LD, Berkheiser M, Jiang Y, Hackett B, Hachem RY, Chemaly RF, Raad II. Risk of bioaerosol contamination with Aspergillus species before and after cleaning in rooms filtered with high-efficiency particulate air filters that house patients with hematologic malignancy. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 28(9):1066-1070, 7/2007. PMID: 17932828.
18. Hachem RY, Chemaly RF, Ahmar CA, Jiang Y, Boktour MR, Rjaili GA, Bodey GP, Raad II. Colistin is effective in treatment of infections caused by multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa in cancer patients. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 51(6):1905-11, 6/2007. PMCID: PMC1891378.
19. Chemaly RF, Torres HA, Aguilera EA, Mattiuzzi G, Cabanillas M, Kantarjian H, Gonzalez V, Safdar A, Raad II. Neuraminidase inhibitors improve outcome of patients with leukemia and influenza: an observational study. Clin Infect Dis 44(7):964-7, 4/2007. PMID: 17342649.
20. Torres HA, Aguilera EA, Mattiuzzi GN, Cabanillas ME, Rohatgi N, Sepulveda CA, Kantarjian HM, Jiang Y, Safdar A, Raad II, Chemaly RF. Characteristics and Outcome of Respiratory syncytial virus infection in patients with leukemia. Haematologica 92(9):1216-1223, 2007. PMID: 17666367.
21. Ozdemir E, Saliba RM, Champlin RE, Couriel DR, Giralt SA, de Lima M, Khouri IF, Hosing C, Kornblau SM, Anderlini P, Shpall EJ, Qazilbash MH, Molldrem JJ, Chemaly RF, Komanduri KV. Risk factors associated with late cytomegalovirus reactivation after allogeneic stem cell transplantation for hematological malignancies. Bone Marrow Transplant 40(2):125-136, 2007. PMID: 17530009.
22. Raad I, Hachem R, Hanna H, Bahna P, Chatzinikolaou I, Fang X, Jiang Y, Chemaly RF, Rolston K. Sources and Outcome of Bloodstream Infections in Cancer Patients: The Role of Central Venous Catheters. Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis 26(8):549-56, 2007. PMID: 17582536.
23. Kumashi PR, Safdar A, Chamilos G, Chemaly RF, Raad II, Kontoyiannis DP. Fungal osteoarticular infections in patients treated at a comprehensive cancer centre: a 10-year retrospective review. Clin Microbiol Infect 12(7):621-6, 7/2006. PMID: 16774557.
24. Torres HA, Chemaly RF, Storey R, Aguilera EA, Nogueras GM, Safdar A, Rolston KV, Raad II, Kontoyiannis DP. Influence of type of cancer and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation on clinical presentation of Pneumocystis jiroveci pneumonia in cancer patients. Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis 25(6):382-8, 6/2006. PMID: 16767486.
25. Chamilos G, Luna M, Lewis RE, Bodey GP, Chemaly R, Tarrand JJ, Safdar A, Raad II, Kontoyiannis DP. Invasive fungal infections in patients with hematologic malignancies in a tertiary care cancer center: an autopsy study over a 15-year period (1989-2003). Haematologica 91(7):986-9, 6/2006. PMID: 16757415.
26. Torres HA, Kontoyiannis DP, Aguilera EA, Younes A, Luna MA, Tarrand JJ, Nogueras GM, Raad II, Chemaly RF. Cytomegalovirus infection in patients with lymphoma: an important cause of morbidity and mortality. Clin Lymphoma Myeloma 6(5):393-8, 3/2006. PMID: 16640816.
27. Torres HA, Hanna HA, Graviss L, Chaiban G, Hachem R, Chemaly RF, Girgawy E, Raad II. Chest tube-related empyema due to methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus: could the chest tube be coated with antiseptics? Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 27(2):195-7, 2/2006. PMID: 16465639.
28. Yusuf SW, Ali SS, Swafford J, Durand JB, Bodey GP, Chemaly RF, Kontoyiannis DP, Tarrand J, Rolston KV, Yeh ET, Raad II, and Safdar A. Culture-Positive and Culture-Negative Endocarditis in Patients with Cancer: A Retrospective Observational Study (1994-2004). Medicine (Baltimore) 85(2):86-94, 2006. PMID: 16609347.
29. Aisenberg GM, Jacobson K, Chemaly RF, Rolston KV, Raad II, Safdar A. Extrapulmonary tuberculosis active infection misdiagnosed as cancer: Mycobacterium tuberculosis disease in patients at a Comprehensive Cancer Center (2001-2005). Cancer 104(12):2882-7, 12/15/2005. PMID: 16245341.
30. Torres HA, Hachem RY, Chemaly RF, Kontoyiannis DP, Raad II. Posaconazole: a broad-spectrum triazole antifungal. Lancet Infect Dis 5(12):775-85, 12/2005. PMID: 16310149.
31. Torres HA, Kontoyiannis DP, Bodey GP, Adachi JA, Luna MA, Tarrand JJ, Nogueras GM, Raad II, Chemaly RF. Gastrointestinal cytomegalovirus disease in patients with cancer: a two decade experience in a tertiary care cancer center. Eur J Cancer 41(15):2268-79, 10/2005. PMID: 16143517.
32. Chemaly RF, Yen-Lieberman B, Chapman J, et al. Clinical utility of cytomegalovirus viral load in bronchoalveolar lavage in lung transplant recipients. Am J Transplant 5(3):544-8, 2005. PMID: 15707409.
33. Chemaly RF, Torres HA, Hachem RY, et al. Cytomegalovirus pneumonia in patients with lymphoma. Cancer 104(6):1213-20, 2005. PMID: 16078263.
34. Chemaly RF, Yen-Lieberman B, Castilla EA, Reilly A, Arrigain S, Farver C, Avery RK, Gordon SM, Procop GW. Correlation between viral loads of cytomegalovirus in blood and bronchoalveolar lavage specimens from lung transplant recipients determined by histology and immunohistochemistry. J Clin Microbiol 42(5):2168-72, 5/2004. PMCID: PMC404658.
35. Safdar A, Chemaly RF, Perego CA, Gonzalez VR, Rolston KV, Raad,, II, Tarrand JJ, Callender DL. Hospitalization of an oncology patient suspected of having severe acute respiratory syndrome: a setup for an infection control quagmire at a comprehensive cancer center. Cancer 98(12):2738-9, 12/2003. PMID: 14669300.
36. Chemaly RF, Hall GS, Keys TF, Procop GW. Microbiology of liver abscesses and the predictive value of abscess gram stain and associated blood cultures. Diagn Microbiol Infect Dis 46(4):245-8, 8/2003. PMID: 12944014.
37. Hicks KL, Chemaly RF, Kontoyiannis DP. Common community respiratory viruses in patients with cancer: more than just "common colds". Cancer 97(10):2576-87, 5/2003. PMID: 12733157.
38. Liu W, Chemaly RF, Tuohy MJ, LaSalvia MM, Procop GW. Pasteurella multocida urinary tract infection with molecular evidence of zoonotic transmission. Clin Infect Dis 36(4):E58-60, 2/2003. PMID: 12567321.
39. Gumbo T, Chemaly RF, Isada CM, Hall GS, Gordon SM. Late complications of Candida (Torulopsis) glabrata fungemia: description of a phenomenon. Scand J Infect Dis 34(11):817-8, 10/2002. PMID: 12578150.
40. Chemaly RF, Fox SB, Alkotob LM, Scharpf J, Sobecks R, Eliachar I, Procop GW, Smith M, Avery RK, Schmitt SK. A case of zygomycosis and invasive candidiasis involving the epiglottis and tongue in an immunocompromised patient. Scand J Infect Dis 34(2):149-51, 5/2002. PMID: 11928855.
41. Chemaly RF, de Parres JB, Rehm SJ, Adal KA, Lisgaris MV, Katz-Scott DS, Curtas S, Gordon SM, Steiger E, Olin J, Longworth DL. Venous thrombosis associated with peripherally inserted central catheters: a retrospective analysis of the Cleveland Clinic experience. Clin Infect Dis 34(9):1179-83, 5/2002. PMID: 11941543.
42. Chemaly RF, Rehm SJ. A young woman with fever, headache, and lymphadenopathy. Cleve Clin J Med 68(7):584, 586-7, 591-93, 7/2001. PMID: 11453074.
43. Chemaly RF, Tomford JW, Hall GS, Sholtis M, Chua JD, Procop GW. Rapid diagnosis of Histoplasma capsulatum endocarditis using the AccuProbe on an excised valve. J Clin Microbiol 39(7):2640-1, 7/2001. PMID: 11427583.

Grant & Contract Support

Title: A Randomized, Double -Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study To Assess The Efficacy And Safety of Prophylactic Use of Maribavir For The Prevention Of Cytomegalovirus Disease in Recipients of Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplants
Funding Source: Viropharm Inc.
Role: Principal Investigator
Duration: 11/8/2008 - 10/8/2009
 
Title: Clinical experience with Tigecycline
Funding Source: Wyeth Pharmaceuticals
Role: Principal Investigator
Duration: 2006 - 2008
 
Title: Randomized trial evaluating two different schedules of aerosolized Ribavirin for treatment of RSV upper respiratory infections in patients with hematological malignancies
Funding Source: Valeant Pharmaceuticals Inc.
Role: Principal Investigator
Duration: 2/5/2003 - 4/1/2008
 
Title: Risk Factors for MRSA Surgical Site Infection in Patients with Cancer
Funding Source: GlaxoSmithKline Inc
Role: Principal Investigator
Duration: - 2004

Last updated: 10/19/2009