Dr. Catherine H. Poholek

Catherine Poholek, MD, PhD is currently an Instructor of Pediatrics in the Division of Rheumatology and an early career physician scientist. She completed her Bachelor of Science degree in Biochemistry at the University of Notre Dame and received a Master of Science degree in Teaching at Pace University. Poholek went on to earn her MD and PhD in Immunology from the University of Alabama at Birmingham, where she studied the role of interleukin-21 in intestinal health and disease.Poholek completed her Pediatrics Residency at UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh as part of the Pediatric Scientist Development Program and remained at CHP to complete a fellowship in Pediatric Rheumatology. During her fellowship she was awarded a position on the University of Pittsburgh’s Autoimmunity and Immunopathology T32 training grant to perform research under the mentorship of Mandy McGeachy, PhD. Her research culminated in a publication in the Journal of Experimental Medicine showing that the transcription factor STAT3 alters immunometabolism and antigen response of Th17 cells during autoimmunity. She went on to investigate the role of IL-17 signaling on lymph node stromal cells during the immune response in intestinal inflammation. Poholek is the proud recipient of a position on the Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh Scholars/NIH K12 grant, which supports her current research under the mentorship of Alison Kohan, PhD. Ongoing research interests focus on investigating the underlying etiologies of pediatric autoimmune disease to improve treatment options. Poholek’s current work centers on the role of lipid metabolism and a cholesterol-binding protein called apolipoprotein E in lymph node stromal cells during the immune response. Professional and Scientific Society Memberships- The Childhood Arthritis and Rheumatology Research Alliance (CARRA)- The American College of Rheumatology (ACR)- The American Association of Immunologists (AAI)- The American Heart Association Council on Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology (ATVB)Education & Training- BS, Biochemistry, University of Notre Dame, 2005- MS, Teaching, Pace University, 2007- PhD, Immunology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 2014- MD, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 2016- Residency in Pediatrics, UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, 2016-2019- Fellowship in Pediatric Rheumatology, UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, 2019-2022.

Dr. Poholek is board certified in American Board Of Pediatrics and American Board Of Pediatrics. She is actively involved in clinical research, co-authoring 4 peer reviewed articles. Dr. Poholek is currently accepting new patients.