Dr. Yelin Personal Statement

I graduated from Medical School in 1995 at the University of Buenos Aires, Argentina where I completed my residency in pediatrics. I was a visiting researcher and did clinical rotations at the Miami Children's hospital in Florida and at the St. Christopher’s hospital for Children in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. After moving to the United States, I completed a residency in pediatrics at Monmouth Medical Center in New Jersey and completed a year on Neurology at New York Presbyterian - Cornell University Medical Center.

I recently completed a 3 year fellowship in Developmental Behavioral Pediatrics at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. My fellowship was possible thanks to the support of the Catherina Marcus Foundation. The gift provided me with the opportunity to join the Program for Neurodevelopmental Function in Rare Disorders (NFRD) in 2006. This program focuses on research, clinical service and training in Lysosomal Storage Disorders. My research project during the Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics fellowship was under the mentorship of Dr. Escolar who trained me in all aspects of neurodevelopmental care of children with rare diseases with special interest in Mucopolysaccharidosis. My first 6 months were spent learning about retrospective review, IRB approvals and statistical methodology for analyzing longitudinal developmental data as well as an overview of scientific writing. The product of this initial work, which was done under close guidance from Dr. Escolar, was the first manuscript on Krabbe Disease (see below). The second project was to do the same type of analysis but with Hurler’s syndrome. In order to do this, I had to first be exposed to the clinical aspects of this disease. Since I started my fellowship, I have been part of the evaluation team of more than 300 patients with Lisosomal Storage Disorders and have followed during more than 2 years approximately 38 children with Hurler Syndrome. My main research project was to review the long term neurodevelopmental outcomes of children with Hurler Syndrome who have received unrelated umbilical cord blood transplantation. A secondary project was a literature review of  vision problems in MPS syndromes and other genetic disorders that affect the cornea and retina. The purpose was to identify possible therapeutic strategies that can be used in children with Hurler syndrome. My last year of fellowship was devoted to learning other conditions so that I can become board certified. I will start writing a manuscript summarizing my findings and will continue working on advancing the understanding of Mucopolysaccharidosis through clinical and research activities. Another of my goals is to educate the medical community, allied health professionals and teachers to assure a well-being of children with similar rare diseases in USA.     

I am fluent in Spanish and my mother owns a school for children with intellectual disabilities in Buenos Aires, Argentina where I plan to disseminate my knowledge through conferences and interactions with other physicians.

Publications during my fellowship:

Yelin K, Poe MD, Kurtzberg J, Escolar M. Longterm outcomes of Hurler Syndrome after unrelated umbilical cord blood transplantation.
In preparation, August 2009.

Escolar, ML, Yelin, K, Poe, MD. Neurodevelopmental Outcomes of Children with Infantile Krabbe Disease Treated with Umbilical Cord Blood Transplantation: 10 Years of Follow-up. Lysosomal Storage Disease J.2006 Sep.

Other Publications:

Perea A, Meyer K, Paez J, Yelin K, Birchansky SB, Jayakar P, Alfonso I. Canavan Disease in a patient of African origin. International Pediatrics.1999 Feb;14(2): 111-3.

Ma Y, Yelin K, Perea A, Meyer K,Jayakar P, Altman NR, Soliz AF, Alfonso I. Germinolytic Cysts and Partial Albinism in Neonatal Generalized Glutathione Synthetase Deficiency. International Pediatrics. 1999 May; 14(2):22-4

Alfonso I, Alvarez L, Yelin K, Gilman JT, Estrada F. Doses of Intravenous Valproic Acid in a neonate. International Pediatrics. 1999 Jun; 14(14):52-3.

Yelin K, Alfonso I, Papazian O. Syndrome of  Ohtahara. Rev Neurol. 1999. Aug 16-31; 29(4): 340-2.

Alfonso I, Alvarez LA, Gilman J, Dunoyer C, Yelin K, Papazian O. Intravenous valproate dosing in neonates. J Child Neurol.2000 Dec; 15(12): 827-9.

Alfonso I, Prieto G, Vasconcellos E, Aref K, Pacheco E, Yelin K. Internal carotid artery thrombus: an underdiagnosed source of brain emboli in neonates? J Child Neurol.2001 Jun; 16(6): 446-7.

Alfonso I, Jayakar P, Yelin K, Dunoyer C, Papazian O, Vasconcellos E, Valeron NM. Continuous-display four-channel electroencephalographic monitoring in the evaluation of neonates with paroxysmal motor events. J Child Neurol. 2001 Aug; 16(11):857.

Krolczyk S, Pacheco E, Valencia P, Papazian O, Yelin K, Alfonso I. Opsoclonus: an early sign of neonatal herpes encephalitis. J Child Neurol. 2003 May;18(5):356-8.

Katsetos CD, MD, PhD,MRCP,Reddy G, MS, Draberova E,PhD, Smejkalova B,PhD,Del Valle L,MD, Qazi A,MD,Tadevosyan A, MD, Yelin K, MD,Maraziotis T, MD,Mishra P, PhD,Mork S,MD,PhD, Legido MD, PhD, Nissanov,PhD, Baas, PhD,Chadarevain, MD,FRCPC, Draber P,PhD, Altered Cellular Distribution and Subcellular Sorting of gamma tubulin in diffuse astrocytic gliomas and human glioblastoma Cell Lines suggest centrosome protein amplification. J Neuropathol Exp Neurol. 2006 May;65(5):465-77.

Valencia I, Legido A, Yelin K, Khurana D, Kothare SV, Katsetos CD. Anomalous inhibitory circuits in cortical tubers of human tuberous sclerosis complex associated with refractory epilepsy: aberrant expression of parvalbumin and calbindin-D28k in dysplastic cortex. J Child Neurol. 2006 Dec;21(12):1058-63.