Department of Pediatrics

Clinical Interests

Dr. Sprague’s clinical interests include pediatric diabetes (type 1 and type 2) and general endocrine disorders (disorders of growth, puberty, thyroid and adrenal disease). She has a particular interest in endocrine complications of obesity including type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Dr. Sprague is active in the type 2 diabetes education and care program at St. Louis Children’s Hospital. She has a focus on patient education, patient centered outcomes and quality improvement.

Education

• BS, Highest Honors, Indiana University, 2000
• MD, Washington University School of Medicine, 2007
• PhD, Washington UNiversity School of Medicine, 2007

Training

• Pediatrics Residency, St. Louis Children's Hospital, 2007 - 2010
• Pediatric Endocrinology Fellowship, Washington University, 2010 - 2013
• Leadership Development Program, Washington University, 2015 - 2015
• Education Skills Program, Washington University, 2018 - 2018
• Fundamentals of Obesity Treatment, Obesity Medicine Association, 2018
• Latest Evidence and Trends in Pediatric Obesity, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, 2018
• Advanced Therapies for Pediatric Obesity, University of Minnesota, 2018
• Obesity Medicine Association Fall Summit: Overcoming Obesity, Boston, MA, 2019 - 2019

Licensure and Board Certification

• 2010 - PresMO, Medicine
• 2010 - PresGeneral Pediatrics
• 2013 - PresPediatric Endocrinology
• 2020 - PresAmerican Board of Obesity Medicine

Honors and Awards

• National Starch & Chemical Scholarship, 1997 - 1998
• Lubrizol Scholarship in Chemistry, 1998 - 1999
• Ronald E. McNair Post-baccalaureate Achievement Program, 1999 - 2000
• Triple Crown Award - St. Louis Children's Hospital, Children's Direct, 2012
• Best Abstract in Basic Research - Department of Pediatrics Research Retreat, 2013
• PENS Best Case Study Poster Award: Co-author, "Suppression of Pituitary Axis from Inhaled Corticosteroids", 2019

Recent Publications view all (10)

Publication Co-Authors

Ana María Arbeláez, M.D. MSCI

Washington University has a long tradition of collaboration amongst colleagues.The faculty above have co-authored publications with Jennifer Sprague, M.D., Ph.D.

1. Bacha F, El Ghormli L, Arslanian S, Zeitler P, Laffel LM, Levitt Katz LE, Gandica R, Chang NT, Sprague JE, Macleish SA, TODAY Study Group.. Predictors of response to insulin therapy in youth with poorly controlled type 2 diabetes in the TODAY trial. Pediatr Diabetes. 2019. PMID:31418516 
2. Kelsey MM, Braffett BH, Geffner ME, Levitsky LL, Caprio S, McKay SV, Shah R, Sprague JE, Arslanian SA, TODAY Study Group.. Menstrual Dysfunction in Girls from the Treatment Options for Type 2 Diabetes in Adolescents and Youth (TODAY) Study. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2018. PMID:29697830 
3. Weng S, Sprague JE, Oh J, Riek AE, Chin K, Garcia M, Bernal-Mizrachi C. Vitamin D deficiency induces high blood pressure and accelerates atherosclerosis in mice. PLoS One. 2013;8(1):e54625. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0054625  PMCID:PMC3551761  PMID:23349943 
4. Riek AE, Oh J, Sprague JE, Timpson A, de las Fuentes L, Bernal-Mizrachi L, Schechtman KB, Bernal-Mizrachi C. Vitamin D suppression of endoplasmic reticulum stress promotes an antiatherogenic monocyte/macrophage phenotype in type 2 diabetic patients. J Biol Chem. 2012;287(46):38482-94. doi:10.1074/jbc.M112.386912  PMCID:PMC3493893  PMID:23012375 
5. Sprague JE, Arbeláez AM. Glucose counterregulatory responses to hypoglycemia. Pediatr Endocrinol Rev. 2011;9(1):463-73; quiz 474-5. PMID:22783644 
6. Wadas TJ, Deng H, Sprague JE, Zheleznyak A, Weilbaecher KN, Anderson CJ. Targeting the alphavbeta3 integrin for small-animal PET/CT of osteolytic bone metastases. J Nucl Med. 2009;50(11):1873-80. doi:10.2967/jnumed.109.067140  PMCID:PMC2836828  PMID:19875645 
7. Sprague JE, Peng Y, Fiamengo AL, Woodin KS, Southwick EA, Weisman GR, Wong EH, Golen JA, Rheingold AL, Anderson CJ. Synthesis, characterization and in vivo studies of Cu(II)-64-labeled cross-bridged tetraazamacrocycle-amide complexes as models of peptide conjugate imaging agents. J Med Chem. 2007;50(10):2527-35. doi:10.1021/jm070204r  PMID:17458949 
8. Sprague JE, Kitaura H, Zou W, Ye Y, Achilefu S, Weilbaecher KN, Teitelbaum SL, Anderson CJ. Noninvasive imaging of osteoclasts in parathyroid hormone-induced osteolysis using a 64Cu-labeled RGD peptide. J Nucl Med. 2007;48(2):311-8. PMCID:PMC2711534  PMID:17268030 
9. Sprague JE, Li WP, Liang K, Achilefu S, Anderson CJ. In vitro and in vivo investigation of matrix metalloproteinase expression in metastatic tumor models. Nucl Med Biol. 2006;33(2):227-37. doi:10.1016/j.nucmedbio.2005.10.011  PMID:16546677 
10. Sprague JE, Peng Y, Sun X, Weisman GR, Wong EH, Achilefu S, Anderson CJ. Preparation and biological evaluation of copper-64-labeled tyr3-octreotate using a cross-bridged macrocyclic chelator. Clin Cancer Res. 2004;10(24):8674-82. doi:10.1158/1078-0432.CCR-04-1084  PMID:15623652