Our Research Team
Pouneh K. Fazeli, MD, MPH
Principal Investigator
Dr. Fazeli is a clinical/translational researcher with a primary interest in understanding the benefits and negative consequences of undernutrition. Her research program has focused primarily on studying women with anorexia nervosa and the hormonal adaptations that lead to profound bone loss in this population. She has performed clinical studies investigating therapies for the treatment of bone loss in women with anorexia nervosa and is currently investigating the effects of transdermal estrogen through an NIH-funded protocol. Dr. Fazeli’s research has also focused on understanding the pathophysiology of bone loss in chronic undernutrition and the potential role and function of bone marrow adipose tissue, a fat depot which is paradoxically increased in states of starvation. As Director of the Neuroendocrinology Unit, Dr. Fazeli has a strong interest in caring for patients with pituitary disease and optimizing the delivery of care to this patient population.
Education and Training:
Harvard University, AB, Anthropology
University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, MD
Harvard School of Public Health, MPH
Intern, Resident, and Chief Resident, Department of Medicine, Columbia University Medical Center
Fellow in Endocrinology, Massachusetts General Hospital
Sura Alqaisi, MD
Endocrinology Fellow, PGY-5
Dr. Sura Alqaisi graduated from Al-Mustanisryah University College of Medicine in Baghdad, Iraq. She completed her Internal Medicine Residency at Cleveland Clinic before relocating to Pittsburgh to pursue an Endocrinology Fellowship at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine, her primary interests lie in women’s health, endocrine in pregnancy, obesity, neuroendocrine disease, and metabolic bone disease. Dr. Alqaisi’s research centers on investigating the impact of estrogen deficiency on poor sleep quality, elevated cortisol secretion, and diminished bone density. She specifically focuses on conditions such as Turner syndrome and premature ovarian insufficiency, comparing them with another state of estrogen deficiency in anorexia nervosa patients. Through her work, Dr. Alqaisi seeks to understand the connections between hormonal imbalances and these critical health factors, contributing valuable insights to the women’s health.
Tânia Amorim, PhD
Postdoctoral Associate
Dr. Amorim completed her PhD at the University of Porto (Portugal) and University of Wolverhampton (United Kingdom). Her PhD focused on osteoporosis in populations prone to developing osteoporosis at early stages of life due to caloric restriction. She joined the Fazeli Lab at the University of Pittsburgh in 2021 as a Postdoctoral Research Associate. Her current research focuses on investigating the effects of fasting on bone metabolism and understanding the health consequences of caloric restriction with a focus on the role of both bone cells and bone marrow adipose tissue.
Albert Chang, MD
Endocrinology Fellow, PGY-5
Dr. Chang received his B.S. in Exercise Science, Kinesiology from Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey. He received his medical degree from St. George’s University School of Medicine in Grenada. He completed his internal medicine residency at Stony Brook University Hospital in Long Island, New York before coming to UPMC for a fellowship in Endocrinology. He is interested in adrenal and pituitary endocrinopathies, and his current research activities include hypercortisolemia, adrenal nodules, and pituitary adenomas.
Natalie David, BS
Research Coordinator
Natalie David graduated from Boston University in 2016 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering. She worked in clinical research on osteoporosis treatment trials at Massachusetts General Hospital prior to coming to the University of Pittsburgh. At Pitt, she works on studies related to aging, metabolism, and Cushing disease. She is pursuing a career in medicine.
Jacob Quaytman, MD
Endocrinology Fellow, PGY-5
Dr. Quaytman received his BA in Biology with a neuroscience minor from St. Mary’s College of Maryland. He received his MD from University of Maryland School of Medicine before coming to Pittsburgh for his internal medicine residency and endocrinology fellowship at UPMC. He is interested in the metabolic effects of fasting, and his current research involves comparing the metabolomics of zero-calorie versus low-calorie partial fasts as well as studying whether there are metabolic benefits of fasting independent of weight loss.