Ajay Sheshadri, MD, MSCI
Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Division of Internal Medicine
Education & Training
Degree-Granting Education
2014 | Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA, MS, Clinical Investigation |
2007 | University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA, MD, Medicine |
2003 | Rice University, Houston, TX, USA, BA, Biochemistry |
Postgraduate Training
2010-2013 | Fellowship, Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO |
2007-2010 | Clinical Residency, Internal Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, St. Louis, MO |
Board Certifications
2014 | ABIM, Critical Care Medicine |
2013 | ABIM, Pulmonary Diseases |
2010 | ABIM, Internal Medicine |
Experience & Service
Academic Appointments
Assistant Professor, Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Division of Internal Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 2015 - 2021
Instructor, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 2015 - 2015
Administrative Appointments/Responsibilities
Medical Director of Pulmonary Function Testing Laboratory, Department of Pulmonary Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 2016 - Present
Institutional Committee Activities
Member, Clinical Research, Division of Internal Medicine Research Committee, 2021 - Present
Member, IOTOX Working Group, 2019 - Present
Member, Faculty Academic Referee Committee, 2017 - Present
Honors & Awards
2020 | MDA Teaching Excellence Award, McGovern Medical School |
2013 | AsthmaNet Clinical Skills Development Core Scholarship |
2013 | Outstanding Abstract, American Thoracic Society 2013 International Conference |
2005 | Outstanding Poster, Spring Research Symposium, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center |
2002 | Predoctoral Scholar, Integrative Graduate and Research Traineeship, Rice University |
2001 | Predoctoral Scholar, Summer Medical and Research Training Program, Baylor College of Medicine |
2000 | Louis J. Walsh Scholarship in Engineering, Rice University |
Professional Memberships
Selected Publications
Peer-Reviewed Articles
- Altan M, Soto F, Zhong LL, Akhmedzhanov FO, Wilson NR, Zarifa A, Albittar AA, Yang V, Lewis J, Rinsurongkawong W, Jack Lee J, Rinsurongkawong V, Zhang J, Gibbons DL, Vaporciyan AA, Jennings K, Khawaja F, Faiz SA, Shannon VR, Shroff G, Godoy MCB, Daver NG, Gandhi S, Mendoza TR, Naing A, Daniel-MacDougall C, Heymach JV, Sheshadri A. Incidence and Risk Factors for Pneumonitis Associated With Checkpoint Inhibitors in Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: A Single Center Experience. Oncologist 28(11):e1065-e1074, 2023. e-Pub 2023. PMID: 37156009.
- Al-Tashi Q, Saad MB, Muneer A, Qureshi R, Mirjalili S, Sheshadri A, Le X, Vokes NI, Zhang J, Wu J. Machine Learning Models for the Identification of Prognostic and Predictive Cancer Biomarkers: A Systematic Review. Int J Mol Sci 24(9), 2023. e-Pub 2023. PMID: 37175487.
- Alkhunaizi M, Patel B, Bueno L, Bhan N, Ahmed T, Arain MH, Saliba R, Rondon G, Dickey BF, Bashoura L, Ost DE, Li L, Wang S, Shpall E, Champlin RE, Mehta R, Popat UR, Hosing C, Alousi AM, Sheshadri A. Risk Factors for Bronchiolitis Obliterans Syndrome after Initial Detection of Pulmonary Impairment after Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation. Transplant Cell Ther 29(3):204.e1-204.e7, 2023. e-Pub 2022. PMID: 36503180.
- Trivedi A, Hall C, Goss C, Lew D, Krings J, McGregor M, Samant M, Sieren J, Li H, Schechtman K, Schirm J, McEleney S, Peterson S, Moore W, Bleecker E, Meyers D, Israel E, Washko G, Levy B, Leader J, Wenzel S, Fahy J, Schiebler M, Fain S, Jarjour N, Mauger D, Reinhardt J, Newell J, Hoffman E, Castro M, Sheshadri A. Quantitative Computed Tomographic Characteristics of Cluster Phenotypes in the Severe Asthma Research Program Cohorts. Radiology, 2022.
- Turner J, He Q, Baker K, Chung L, Lazarevic-Fogelquist A, Bethune D, Hubbard J, Guerriero M, Sheshadri A, Syrjala KL, Martin PJ, Boeckh M, Lee SJ, Gooley T, Flowers ME, Cheng GS. Home Spirometry Telemonitoring for Early Detection of Bronchiolitis Obliterans Syndrome in Patients with Chronic Graft Versus Host Disease. Transplant Cell Ther 27(7):616.e1-616.e6, 2021. e-Pub 2021. PMID: 33781975.
- Sheshadri A, Keus L, Blanco D, Lei X, Kellner C, Shannon VR, Balachandran DD, Jimenez CA, Bashoura L, Faiz SA. Pulmonary function testing in patients with tracheostomies: feasibility and technical considerations. Lung 199(3):307-310, 2021. e-Pub 2021. PMID: 33779802.
- Evans SE, Jennerich AL, Azar MM, Cao B, Crothers K, Dickson RP, Herold S, Jain S, Madhavan A, Metersky ML, Myers LC, Oren E, Restrepo MI, Semret M, Sheshadri A, Wunderink RG, Dela Cruz CS. Nucleic Acid-based Testing for Noninfluenza Viral Pathogens in Adults with Suspected Community-acquired Pneumonia. An Official American Thoracic Society Clinical Practice Guideline. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 203(9):1070-1087, 2021. PMID: 33929301.
- Krings JG, Goss CW, Lew D, Samant M, McGregor MC, Boomer J, Bacharier LB, Sheshadri A, Hall C, Brownell J, Schechtman KB, Peterson S, McEleney S, Mauger DT, Fahy JV, Fain SB, Denlinger LC, Israel E, Washko G, Hoffman E, Wenzel SE, Castro M, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute’s Severe Asthma Research Program Investigators. Quantitative CT metrics are associated with longitudinal lung function decline and future asthma exacerbations: results from SARP-3. J Allergy Clin Immunol. e-Pub 2021. PMID: 33577895.
- Sagar AES, Landaeta MF, Adrianza AM, Aldana GL, Pozo L, Armas-Villalba A, Toquica CC, Larson AJ, Vial MR, Grosu HB, Ost DE, Eapen GA, Sheshadri A, Morice RC, Shannon VR, Bashoura L, Balachandran DD, Almeida FA, Uzbeck MH, Casal RF, Faiz SA, Jimenez CA. Complications following symptom limited thoracentesis using suction. Eur Respir J 56(5), 2020. e-Pub 2020. PMID: 32499336.
- Sheshadri A, Saliba R, Patel B, Ahmed T, Bueno LC, Arain MH, Mehta RS, Popat UR, Hosing CM, Rondon G, Bashoura L, Dickey BF, Champlin RE, Alousi AM. Azithromycin may increase hematologic relapse rates in matched unrelated donor hematopoietic cell transplant recipients who receive anti-thymocyte globulin, but not in most other recipients. Bone Marrow Transplant. e-Pub 2020. PMID: 33009515.
- Mendoza T, Sheshadri A, Altan M, Hess K, George G, Stephen B, Castillo L, Rodriguez E, Gong J, Peterson C, Rodon Ahnert J, Fu S, Piha-Paul SA, Pant S, Dumbrava E, Yap TA, Janku F, Tsimberidou AM, Subbiah V, Karp DD, Zarifa A, McQuinn LM, Cleeland C, Hong DS, Naing A. Evaluating the psychometric properties of the Immunotherapy module of the MD Anderson Symptom Inventory. J Immunother Cancer 8(2), 2020. PMID: 33097611.
- Sheshadri A, Alousi A, Bashoura L, Stolar K, Baghaie S, Arain MH, Noor L, Balagani A, Jain A, Blanco D, Ortiz A, Peterson SK, Langhals R, Taylor M, Stenzler A, Mehta RS, Popat UR, Hosing C, Rondon G, Shen F, Li L, Cheng GS, Ost DE, Champlin RE, Dickey BF. Feasibility and Reliability of Home-based Spirometry Telemonitoring in Allogeneic Hematopoietic Cell Transplant Recipients. Ann Am Thorac Soc 17(10):1329-1333, 2020. PMID: 32614241.
- Patel B, Sheshadri A, Faiz SA. Cavitary Lesions in a Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant Patient. Arch Bronconeumol. e-Pub 2020. PMID: 32576396.
- Bailey M, Eapen G, Ost D, Casal RF, Jimenez C, Datar S, Molina S, Bashoura L, Faiz SA, Balachandran DD, Shannon VR, Sheshadri A, Grosu HB. Routine Microbiologic Studies of Pleural Fluid Specimens in Cancer Patients. Am J Med 133(2):240-244, 2020. e-Pub 2019. PMID: 31401163.
- Kim ST, Sheshadri A, Shannon V, Kontoyiannis DP, Kantarjian H, Garcia-Manero G, Ravandi F, Im JS, Boddu P, Bashoura L, Balachandran DD, Evans SE, Faiz S, Ruiz Vazquez W, Divenko M, Mathur R, Tippen SP, Gumbs C, Neelapu SS, Naing A, Wang L, Diab A, Futreal A, Nurieva R, Daver N. Distinct Immunophenotypes of T Cells in Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid From Leukemia Patients With Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors-Related Pulmonary Complications. Front Immunol 11:590494, 2020. e-Pub 2021. PMID: 33552049.
- Grosu HB, Lu W, Ost DE, Vial MR, Hernandez M, Ghosh N, Noor L, Hasan AM, Bashoura L, Faiz S, Balachandran D, Casal R, Eapen G, Shannon V, Sheshadri A, Tang X, Rahman N, Wistuba II. Pleural Fluid Cytokine Levels at Baseline and Over Time are Associated With Time to IPC Removal: An Exploratory Study. J Bronchology Interv Pulmonol 27(1):4-13, 2020. e-Pub 2019. PMID: 31373905.
- Grosu H, Lu W, Ost D, Vial M, Hernandez M, Ghosh N, Noor L, Arain M, Bashoura L, Faiz S, Balachandran D, Casal R, Eapen G, Shannon V, Sheshadri A, Tang X, Wistuba I. A Longitudinal Assessment of Pleural Fluid Cytokines in Patients with Malignant Pleural Effusions Treated with an Indwelling Pleural Catheter: Can We Predict Pleurodesis?. J Bronchology Interv Pulmonol 27(1):4-13, 2020. PMID: 31373905.
- Sheshadri A, Karimipour M, Vakil E, Bashoura L, Godoy M, Arain MH, Evans SE, Dickey BF, Ost DE, Chemaly RF, Faiz SA. Refinement of estimates of mortality risk using the Radiologic Severity Index in hematologic malignancy patients with respiratory syncytial virus infection. Transpl Infect Dis 21(4):e13105, 2019. e-Pub 2019. PMID: 31081570.
- Sheshadri A, Chemaly RF, Alousi AM, Shah PK, Rondon G, Bashoura L, Kmeid J, Azzi J, Blanco DW, Kaous M, Dickey BF, Champlin RE, Shah DP. Pulmonary impairment following respiratory viral infections is associated with high mortality in allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplant recipients. Biol Blood Marrow Transplant 25(4):800-809, 2019. e-Pub 2018. PMID: 30521974.
- Sheshadri A, Godoy M, Erasmus JJ, Gruschkus S, Hasan A, Evans SE, Barreda-Garcia J, Chemaly RF, Dickey B, Ost D. Progression of the Radiologic Severity Index is associated with increased mortality and healthcare resource utilisation in acute leukaemia patients with pneumonia. BMJ Open Respir Res 6(1):e000471, 2019. e-Pub 2019. PMID: 31921429.
- Lai K, Shannon VR, Balachandran D, Sheshadri A, Bashoura L, Faiz SA. Role of Infliximab in Immune Check Point Inhibitor Induced Pneumonitis. American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine 199, 2019.
- Debiane L, Reitzel R, Rosenblatt J, Gagea M, Chavez MA, Adachi R, Grosu HB, Sheshadri A, Hill LR, Raad I, Ost DE. A Design-Based Stereologic Method to Quantify the Tissue Changes Associated with a Novel Drug-Eluting Tracheobronchial Stent. Respiration 98(1):1-10, 2019. e-Pub 2019. PMID: 30799409.
- Vakil E, Sheshadri A, Faiz SA, Shah DP, Zhu Y, Li L, Kmeid J, Azzi J, Balagani A, Bashoura L, Ariza-Heredia E, Chemaly RF. Risk factors for mortality after respiratory syncytial virus lower respiratory tract infection in adults with hematologic malignancies. Transpl Infect Dis 20(6):e12994, 2018. e-Pub 2018. PMID: 30195271.
- Patel S, Leavey A, Sheshadri A, Kumar P, Kandikuppa S, Tarsi J, Mukhopadhyay K, Johnson P, Balakrishnan K, Schechtman KB, Castro M, Yadama G, Biswas P. Associations between Household Air Pollution and Reduced Lung Function in Women and Children in Rural Southern India. Journal of Applied Tocicology 38(11):1405-1415, 2018. e-Pub 2018. PMID: 30047157.
- Fujii T, Colen RR, Bilen MA, Hess KR, Hajjar J, Suarez-Almazor ME, Alshawa A, Hong DS, Tsimberidou A, Janku F, Gong J, Stephen B, Subbiah V, Piha-Paul SA, Fu S, Sharma P, Mendoza T, Patel A, Thirumurthi S, Sheshadri A, Meric-Bernstam F, Naing A. Incidence of immune-related adverse events and its association with treatment outcomes: the MD Anderson Cancer Center experience. Invest New Drugs 36(4):638-646, 2018. e-Pub 2017. PMID: 29159766.
- Colen RR, Fujii T, Bilen MA, Kotrotsou A, Abrol S, Hess KR, Hajjar J, Suarez-Almazor ME, Alshawa A, Hong DS, Giniebra-Camejo D, Stephen B, Subbiah V, Sheshadri A, Mendoza T, Fu S, Sharma P, Meric-Bernstam F, Naing A. Radiomics to predict immunotherapy-induced pneumonitis: proof of concept. Invest New Drugs 36(4):601-607, 2018. e-Pub 2017. PMID: 29075985.
- Balagani A, Arain M, Sheshadri A.. Case report: Bronchiolitis obliterans after combination immunotherapy with pembrolizumab and ipilimumab. J Immunother Precis Oncol 1(1):49-52, 2018.
- Ontiveros N, Eapen-John D, Osorio N, Song J, Li L, Sheshadri A, Tiang X, Ghosh N, Vaporciyan A, Correa A, Walsh G, Grosu HB, Ost DE. Predicting post-operative lung function following lobectomy: a new method to adjust for inherent selection bias. Respiration 96(5):434-445, 2018. e-Pub 2018. PMID: 30257257.
- Sheshadri A, Shah DP, Godoy M, Erasmus JJ, Song J, Li L, Evans SE, Chemaly RF, Dickey BF, Ost DE. Progression of the Radiologic Severity Index Predicts Mortality in Patients with Parainfluenza Virus-Associated Lower Respiratory Infections. PLoS One 13(5):e0197418, 2018. e-Pub 2018. PMID: 29771962.
- Sheshadri A, Rodriguez A, Chen R, Kozlowski J, Burgdorf D, Koch T, Tarsi J, Schutz R, Wilson B, Schechtman K, Leader JK, Hoffman EA, Castro M, Fain SB, Gierada DS. Effect of Reducing Field of View on Multidetector Quantitative Computed Tomography Parameters of Airway Wall Thickness in Asthma. Journal of Computer Assisted Tomography 39(4):584-90, 2015. PMID: 25938213.
- Thomen RP, Sheshadri A, Quirk JD, Kozlowski J, Ellison HD, Szczesniak RD, Castro M, Woods JC. Regional ventilation changes in severe asthma after bronchial thermoplasty with (3)He MR imaging and CT. Radiology 274(1):250-9, 2015. e-Pub 2014. PMID: 25144646.
- Witt CA, Sheshadri A, Carlstrom L, Tarsi J, Kozlowski J, Wilson B, Gierada DS, Hoffman E, Fain SB, Cook-Granroth J, Sajol G, Sierra O, Giri T, O'Neill M, Zheng J, Schechtman KB, Bacharier LB, Jarjour N, Busse W, Castro M, NHLBI Severe Asthma Research Program (SARP). Longitudinal changes in airway remodeling and air trapping in severe asthma. Academic Radiology 21(8):986-93, 2014. PMID: 25018070.
- Castro M, King TS, Kunselman SJ, Cabana MD, Denlinger L, Holguin F, Kazani SD, Moore WC, Moy J, Sorkness CA, Avila P, Bacharier LB, Bleecker E, Boushey HA, Chmiel J, Fitzpatrick AM, Gentile D, Hundal M, Israel E, Kraft M, Krishnan JA, LaForce C, Lazarus SC, Lemanske R, Lugogo N, Martin RJ, Mauger DT, Naureckas E, Peters SP, Phipatanakul W, Que LG, Sheshadri A, Smith L, Solway J, Sullivan-Vedder L, Sumino K, Wechsler ME, Wenzel S, White SR, Sutherland ER, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute’s AsthmaNet. Effect of vitamin D3 supplementation on asthma treatment failures in adults with symptomatic asthma and lower vitamin D levels: the VIDA randomized clinical trial. Journal of the American Medical Association 311(20):2083-91, 2014. PMID: 24838406.
- Valley T, Sheshadri A, Hoopman T. A young man with empyema: a report of isolated fusobacterial disease. Infect Dis Clin Pract 19(6):e31-e32, 2011.
Invited Articles
- Bertini CD, Khawaja F, Sheshadri A. Coronavirus Disease-2019 in the Immunocompromised Host. Clin Chest Med 44(2):395-406, 2023. e-Pub 2022. PMID: 37085228.
- Jain A, Shannon V, Sheshadri A. Pneumonitis after precision oncology therapies: a concise review. Journal of Immunotherapy and Precision Oncology 1(1):26-37, 2018.
- Sheshadri A, McKenzie M, Castro M. Critical Review of Bronchial Thermoplasty: Where Should It Fit in Asthma Therapy?. Curr Allergy and Asthma Rep 14(11):470, 2014. PMID: 25189294.
- Sheshadri A, Castro M, Chen A. Bronchial thermoplasty: a novel therapy for severe asthma. Clin Chest Med 34(3):437-444, 2013. e-Pub 2013. PMID: 23993815.
Editorials
- Sheshadri A. Quantitative lung imaging in hematopoietic cell transplant recipients: a window into the physiology of bronchiolitis obliterans. Chest 158(3):852-853, 2020. PMID: 32892879.
- Sumino K, Sheshadri A, Castro M. Calcium channel blocker reduces airway remodeling. Or does it?. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 191(8):876-83, 2015. PMID: 25876196.
- Sheshadri A, Hoffman EA, Castro M. Can computed tomography help us identify asthmatic phenotypes?. J Allergy Clin Immunol 133(3):739-40, 2014. PMID: 24472625.
- Sheshadri A, Hoffman EA, Castro M. Can CT help us identify asthmatic phenotypes?. J Allergy Clin Immunol 133:739-40, 2014.
Book Chapters
- Zhong L, Altan M, Shannon VR, Sheshadri A. Immune-related Adverse Events: Pneumonitis. In: Adv Exp Med Biol, 255-269, 2020.
- Aslam W, Sheshadri A, Lamb C. Chapter 12: Bronchial Thermoplasty. In: Practical Guide to Interventional Pulmonology. 1. Elsevier, 2020.
- Jain A, Shannon VR, Sheshadri A. Immune-related Adverse Events: Pneumonitis. In: Adv Exp Med Biol. 2nd, 131-149, 2018.
- Sarikonda K, Sheshadri A and Castro M. Asthma. In: The Washington Manual of Outpatient Medicine. 2nd. Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins: Philadelphia, 2015.
- Sheshadri A and Castro M. Asthma. In: The Washington Manual of Medical Therapeutics. 34th ed. Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins: Philadelphia, 2013.
- Shannon V, Eapen G, Jimenez C, Grosu H, Morice RC, Bashoura L, Sheshadri A, Evans S, Adachi R, Kroll M, Faiz S, Balachandran D, Pravinkumar S, Dickey B. Respiratory Complication. In: Cancer Medicine. 10.
Grant & Contract Support
Title: | Predictors of Response in Bronchiolitis Obliterans after Hematopoietic Transplantation |
Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
Role: | Principal Investigator |
Title: | Predictive biomarkers for pneumonitis after chemoradiotherapy and immunotherapy |
Funding Source: | Gateway for Cancer Research |
Role: | Co-Principal Investigator |
Title: | Longitudinal Impact of Respiratory Viruses and Lung Infections on Bronchiolitis Obliterans Syndrome in Allogeneic Hematopoietic Cell Transplant Recipients |
Funding Source: | NIH/NHLBI |
Role: | Co-Investigator |