Department of Pediatrics

Clinical Interests

Dr. Bednarski's clinical practice focuses on bone marrow transplantation for the treatment of malignant and immunological disorders in children and young adults. Dr. Bednarski is a member of the Primary Immune Deficiency Treatment Consortium and currently has an open clinical trial using a new regimen for bone marrow transplant in patients with immune deficiency. In collaboration with adult oncologists, Dr. Bednarski is also opening a trial using immune cells to treat leukemia.

Dr. Bednarski's research centers on the development of the immune system. During lymphocyte differentiation, the rearrangement of the antigen receptor genes is essential to ensure a diverse and function immune response. This process requires the intentional generation of breaks in DNA at specific locations in the genes. These breaks are subsequently repaired with removal of some DNA and joining of the remaining segments. The DNA breaks pose an extreme risk to the developing cells. Mis-repair can lead to cell death or to translocations that can result in leukemias and lymphomas. Therefore, it is critical that the breaks be carefully managed by cellular processes that ensure proper repair and maintenance of genomic integrity. Dr. Bednarski's research focuses on how the signals from this DNA damage cooperate with other developmental processes to direct lymphocyte differentiation and survival. His overall goals are to understand the signals important for lymphocyte development and how these signals may be corrupted and thus contribute to the generation of leukemia and lymphoma.

Education

• BS, Summa Cum Laude, Duke University, 1995
• PhD, University of Michigan, 2003
• MD, Graduation with Distinction in Research, University of Michigan, 2003

Training

• Postdoctoral Fellow in Pediatric Hematology-Oncology, Boston Children's Hospital, 2003 - 2003
• Resident in Pediatrics, St. Louis Children's Hospital, 2003 - 2006
• Clinical Fellow in Pediatric Hematology-Oncology, Washington University School of Medicine, 2006 - 2009
• Postdoctoral Fellow in Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, 2007 - 2013

Licensure and Board Certification

• 2006 - PresAmerican Board of Pediatrics, Board Certified
• 2009 - PresMO, Medical License
• 2011 - PresPediatric Hematology-Oncology, Board Certified

Honors and Awards

• Phi Eta Sigma, National Freshman Honor Society, 1992
• Golden Key National Honor Society, 1993
• National Institute of General Medicine Summer Scholar, 1993
• Phi Beta Kappa, 1994
• Phi Lambda Upsilon, National Honorary Chemical Society, 1994
• Summa cum laude graduate, Duke University, 1995
• Regent's Fellowship, University of Michigan Rackham Graduate School, 1997 - 2001
• Graduation with Distinction in Research, University of Michigan Medical School, 2003
• James P. Keating Ouststanding Resident Award, St. Louis Children's Hospital, 2005
• David Gilstrap Memorial Award, St. Louis Children's Hospital, 2008
• Hyundai Hope on Wheels Scholar, 2012 - 2013
• Hyundai Hope on Wheels Scholar, 2012 - 2013
• American Society of Hematology Junior Faculty Scholar, 2018 - 2020
• American Society of Hematology Junior Faculty Scholar Award, 2018 - Pres
• Distinguished Service Teaching Award, Washington University School of Medicine, 2019
• Distinguished Service Teaching Award, Washington University School of Medicine, 2019
• Unsung Hero Award, Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine, 2020
• Department of Pediatrics Faculty Teaching Award, 2020
• Department of Pediatrics Faculty Unsung Hero Award, 2020

Recent Publications view all (40)

Publication Co-Authors

Megan A. Cooper, M.D., Ph.D.

Shalini Shenoy, M.D.

Erica G Schmitt, M.D., Ph.D.

Stephanie S Cabler

Ashley Steed, M.D., Ph.D.

Marwan Shinawi, M.D.

Mary C. Dinauer, M.D., Ph.D.

Jason Newland, M.D., M.Ed.

David A. Hunstad, M.D.

Laura Schuettpelz, M.D, Ph.D.

Sima Bhatt

Maleewan Kitcharoensakkul, MD, MSCI

Avraham Beigelman, M.D.

Yi-Shan Lee

Cecelia Calhoun

Aaron Ver Heul

Chang Liu

Beth Helmink

Julia Therese Warren, M.D., Ph.D.

S. Celeste Morley, M.D., Ph.D.

Robert J. Hayashi, M.D.

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

1. Kitcharoensakkul M, Aluri J, Elsharkawi I, Steed A, Putnam CD, Swayampakula AK, Cooper MA, Bednarski JJ. A Case of Severe Combined Immunodeficiency Missed by Newborn Screening. J Clin Immunol. 2021;41(6):1352-1355. PMCID:PMC7954206  PMID:33712943 
2. Aluri J, Bach A, Kaviany S, Chiquetto Paracatu L, Kitcharoensakkul M, Walkiewicz MA, Putnam CD, Shinawi M, Saucier N, Rizzi EM, Harmon MT, Keppel MP, Ritter M, Similuk M, Kulm E, Joyce M, de Jesus AA, Goldbach-Mansky R, Lee YS, Cella M, Kendall PL, Dinauer MC, Bednarski JJ, Bemrich-Stolz C, Canna SW, Abraham SM, Demczko MM, Powell J, Jones SM, Scurlock AM, De Ravin SS, Bleesing JJ, Connelly JA, Rao VK, Schuettpelz LG, Cooper MA. Immunodeficiency and bone marrow failure with mosaic and germline TLR8 gain of function. Blood. 2021;137(18):2450-2462. PMCID:PMC8109013  PMID:33512449 
3. Dorsey M, Wright NAM, Chaimowitz NS, Dávila Saldaña BJ, Miller H, Keller MD, Thakar MS, Shah AJ, Abu-Arja R, Andolina J, Aquino V, Barnum JL, Bednarski JJ, Bhatia M, Bonilla FA, Butte MJ, Bunin NJ, Burroughs LM, Chandra S, Chaudhury S, Chen K, Chong H, Cuvelier G, Dalal J, DeFelice ML, DeSantes KB, Forbes LR, Gillio A, Goldman F, Joshi AY, Kapoor N, Knutsen AP, Kobrynski L, Lieberman JA, Leiding JW, Oshrine B, Patel KP, Prockop S, Quigg TC, Quinones R, Schultz KR, Seroogy C, Shyr D, Siegel S, Smith AR, Torgerson TR, Vander Lugt MT, Yu LC, Cowan MJ, Buckley RH, Dvorak CC, Griffith LM, Haddad E, Kohn DB, Logan B, Notarangelo LD, Pai SY, Puck J, Pulsipher MA, Heimall J. Correction to: Infections in Infants with SCID: Isolation, Infection Screening and Prophylaxis in PIDTC Centers. J Clin Immunol. 2021;41(2):498-500. PMID:33274413 
4. Mantravadi V, Nguyen ST, Morley SC, Bednarski JJ, Kitcharoensakkul M, Cooper MA. Recovery from COVID-19 in a Child with Chronic Granulomatous Disease and T Cell Lymphopenia. J Clin Immunol. 2021;41(1):23-25. PMCID:PMC7588587  PMID:33108551 
5. Dorsey MJ, Wright NAM, Chaimowitz NS, Dávila Saldaña BJ, Miller H, Keller MD, Thakar MS, Shah AJ, Abu-Arja R, Andolina J, Aquino V, Barnum JL, Bednarski JJ, Bhatia M, Bonilla FA, Butte MJ, Bunin NJ, Chandra S, Chaudhury S, Chen K, Chong H, Cuvelier GDE, Dalal J, DeFelice ML, DeSantes KB, Forbes LR, Gillio A, Goldman F, Joshi AY, Kapoor N, Knutsen AP, Kobrynski L, Lieberman JA, Leiding JW, Oshrine B, Patel KP, Prockop S, Quigg TC, Quinones R, Schultz KR, Seroogy C, Shyr D, Siegel S, Smith AR, Torgerson TR, Vander Lugt MT, Yu LC, Cowan MJ, Buckley RH, Dvorak CC, Griffith LM, Haddad E, Kohn DB, Logan B, Notarangelo LD, Pai SY, Puck J, Pulsipher MA, Heimall J. Infections in Infants with SCID: Isolation, Infection Screening, and Prophylaxis in PIDTC Centers. J Clin Immunol. 2021;41(1):38-50. PMCID:PMC8388237  PMID:33006109 
6. Kitcharoensakkul M, Song Z, Bednarski JJ, Dinauer M. A Novel CYBB Variant Causing X-Linked Chronic Granulomatous Disease in a Patient with Empyema. J Clin Immunol. 2021;41(1):266-269. PMID:33090293 
7. Bhatt ST, Bednarski JJ. Immune Reconstitution in Pediatric Patients Following Hematopoietic Cell Transplant for Non-malignant Disorders. Front Immunol. 2020;11:1988. PMCID:PMC7461808  PMID:33013851 
8. Blincoe A, Heeg M, Campbell PK, Hines M, Khojah A, Klein-Gitelman M, Talano JA, Speckmann C, Touzot F, Lankester A, Legger GE, Rivière JG, Garcia-Prat M, Alonso L, Putti MC, Lehmberg K, Maier S, El Chazli Y, Elmaksoud MA, Astigarraga I, Kurjane N, Bulina I, Kenina V, Bryceson Y, Rascon J, Lortie A, Goldstein G, Booth C, Worth A, Wassmer E, Schmitt EG, Warren JT, Bednarski JJ, Ali S, Chiang KY, Krueger J, Henry MM, Holland SM, Marsh RA, Ehl S, Haddad E. Neuroinflammatory Disease as an Isolated Manifestation of Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis. J Clin Immunol. 2020;40(6):901-916. doi:10.1007/s10875-020-00814-6  PMID:32638196 
9. Cabler SS, Hogan PG, Fritz SA, Bednarski JJ, Hunstad DA. Incidence and treatment of hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis in hospitalized children with Ehrlichia infection. Pediatr Blood Cancer. 2020;Jul 24:e28436. doi:10.1002/pbc.28436  PMID:32706439 
10. Collins PL, Purman C, Porter SI, Nganga V, Saini A, Hayer KE, Gurewitz GL, Sleckman BP, Bednarski JJ, Bassing CH, Oltz EM. DNA double-strand breaks induce H2Ax phosphorylation domains in a contact-dependent manner. Nat Commun. 2020;11(1):3158. doi:10.1038/s41467-020-16926-x  PMCID:PMC7308414  PMID:32572033 
11. Chan AY, Leiding JW, Liu X, Logan BR, Burroughs LM, Allenspach EJ, Skoda- Smith S, Uzel G, Notarangelo LD, Slatter M, Gennery AR, Smith AR, Pai SY, Jordan MB, Marsh RA, Cowan MJ, Dvorak CC, Craddock JA, Prockop SE, Chandrakasan S, Kapoor N, Buckley RH, Parikh S, Chellapandian D, Oshrine BR, Bednarski JJ, Cooper MA, Shenoy S, Davila Saldana BJ, Forbes LR, Martinez C, Haddad E, Shyr DC, Chen K, Sullivan KE, Heimall J, Wright N, Bhatia M, Cuvelier GDE, Goldman FD, Meyts I, Miller HK, Seidel MG, Vander Lugt MT, Bacchetta R, Weinacht KG, Andolina JR, Caywood E, Chong H, de la Morena MT, Aquino VM, Shereck E, Walter JE, Dorsey MJ, Seroogy CM, Griffith LM, Kohn DB, Puck JM, Pulsipher MA, Torgerson TR. Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation in Patients With Primary Immune Regulatory Disorders (PIRD): A Primary Immune Deficiency Treatment Consortium (PIDTC) Survey. Front Immunol. 2020;11:239. doi:10.3389/fimmu.2020.00239  PMCID:PMC7046837  PMID:32153572 
12. Greenberg ZJ, Monlish DA, Bartnett RL, Yang Y, Shen G, Li W, Bednarski JJ, Schuettpelz LG. The Tetraspanin CD53 Regulates Early B Cell Development by Promoting IL-7R Signaling. J Immunol. 2020;204(1):58-67. PMCID:PMC6926393  PMID:31748347 
13. Soodgupta D, White LS, Yang W, Johnston R, Andrews JM, Kohyama M, Murphy KM, Mosammaparast N, Payton JE, Bednarski JJ. RAG-Mediated DNA Breaks Attenuate PU.1 Activity in Early B Cells through Activation of a SPIC-BCLAF1 Complex. Cell Rep. 2019;29(4):829-843.e5. PMID:31644907 
14. Bhatt ST, Schulz G, Hente M, Slater A, Murray L, Shenoy S, Bednarski JJ. A single-center experience using alemtuzumab, fludarabine, melphalan, and thiotepa as conditioning for transplantation in pediatric patients with chronic granulomatous disease. Pediatr Blood Cancer. 2019;e28030. PMID:31599480 
15. Sadanand A, Newland JG, Bednarski JJ. Safety of Probiotics Among High-Risk Pediatric Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant Recipients. Infect Dis Ther. 2019;8(2):301-306. PMCID:PMC6522555  PMID:30989592 
16. Bednarski JJ, Sleckman BP. At the intersection of DNA damage and immune responses. Nat Rev Immunol. 2019;19(4):231-242. PMCID:PMC6438741  PMID:30778174 
17. Bhatt ST, Bednarski JJ, Berg J, Trinkaus K, Murray L, Hayashi R, Schulz G, Hente M, Grimley M, Chan KW, Kamani N, Jacobsohn D, Nieder M, Hale G, Yu L, Adams R, Dalal J, Pulsipher MA, Haut P, Chaudhury S, Davis J, Jaroscak J, Andreansky M, Willert J, Shenoy S. Immune Reconstitution and Infection Patterns after Early Alemtuzumab and Reduced Intensity Transplantation for Nonmalignant Disorders in Pediatric Patients. Biol Blood Marrow Transplant. 2019;25(3):556-561. PMID:30321596 
18. Haddad E, Logan BR, Griffith LM, Buckley RH, Parrott RE, Prockop SE, Small TN, Chaisson J, Dvorak CC, Murnane M, Kapoor N, Abdel-Azim H, Hanson IC, Martinez C, Bleesing JJH, Chandra S, Smith AR, Cavanaugh ME, Jyonouchi S, Sullivan KE, Burroughs L, Skoda-Smith S, Haight AE, Tumlin AG, Quigg TC, Taylor C, Dávila Saldaña BJ, Keller MD, Seroogy CM, Desantes KB, Petrovic A, Leiding JW, Shyr DC, Decaluwe H, Teira P, Gillio AP, Knutsen AP, Moore TB, Kletzel M, Craddock JA, Aquino V, Davis JH, Yu LC, Cuvelier GDE, Bednarski JJ, Goldman FD, Kang EM, Shereck E, Porteus MH, Connelly JA, Fleisher TA, Malech HL, Shearer WT, Szabolcs P, Thakar MS, Vander Lugt MT, Heimall J, Yin Z, Pulsipher MA, Pai SY, Kohn DB, Puck JM, Cowan MJ, O'Reilly RJ, Notarangelo LD. SCID genotype and 6-month posttransplant CD4 count predict survival and immune recovery. Blood. 2018;132(17):1737-1749. PMCID:PMC6202916  PMID:30154114 
19. Franco M, Panas MW, Marino ND, Lee MW, Buchholz KR, Kelly FD, Bednarski JJ, Sleckman BP, Pourmand N, Boothroyd JC. Erratum for Franco et al., "A Novel Secreted Protein, MYR1, Is Central to Toxoplasma's Manipulation of Host Cells". MBio. 2018;9(5). PMCID:PMC6168865  PMID:30279290 
20. Fistonich C, Zehentmeier S, Bednarski JJ, Miao R, Schjerven H, Sleckman BP, Pereira JP. Cell circuits between B cell progenitors and IL-7⁺ mesenchymal progenitor cells control B cell development. J Exp Med. 2018;215(10):2586-2599. PMCID:PMC6170173  PMID:30158115 
21. Zafar R, Ver Heul A, Beigelman A, Bednarski JJ, Bayliss SJ, Dehner LP, Rosman IS, Coughlin CC. Omenn Syndrome Presenting with Striking Erythroderma and Extreme Lymphocytosis in a Newborn. Pediatr Dermatol. 2017;34(1):e37-e39. PMID:27862277 
22. Bednarski JJ, Pandey R, Schulte E, White LS, Chen BR, Sandoval GJ, Kohyama M, Haldar M, Nickless A, Trott A, Cheng G, Murphy KM, Bassing CH, Payton JE, Sleckman BP. RAG-mediated DNA double-strand breaks activate a cell type-specific checkpoint to inhibit pre-B cell receptor signals. J Exp Med. 2016;213(2):209-23. PMCID:PMC4749927  PMID:26834154 
23. Franco M, Panas MW, Marino ND, Lee MC, Buchholz KR, Kelly FD, Bednarski JJ, Sleckman BP, Pourmand N, Boothroyd JC. A Novel Secreted Protein, MYR1, Is Central to Toxoplasma's Manipulation of Host Cells. MBio. 2016;7(1):e02231-15. PMCID:PMC4742717  PMID:26838724 
24. Liu C, Duffy B, Bednarski JJ, Calhoun C, Lay L, Rundblad B, Payton JE, Mohanakumar T. Maternal T-Cell Engraftment Interferes With Human Leukocyte Antigen Typing in Severe Combined Immunodeficiency. Am J Clin Pathol. 2016;145(2):251-7. PMCID:PMC4901308  PMID:26834123 
25. Bednarski JJ. DNA damage signals inhibit neutrophil function. Blood. 2015;126(26):2773-4. PMCID:PMC4692138  PMID:26705340 
26. Koues OI, Kowalewski RA, Chang LW, Pyfrom SC, Schmidt JA, Luo H, Sandoval LE, Hughes TB, Bednarski JJ, Cashen AF, Payton JE, Oltz EM. Enhancer sequence variants and transcription-factor deregulation synergize to construct pathogenic regulatory circuits in B-cell lymphoma. Immunity. 2015;42(1):186-98. doi:10.1016/j.immuni.2014.12.021  PMCID:PMC4302272  PMID:25607463 
27. Griffith LM, Cowan MJ, Notarangelo LD, Kohn DB, Puck JM, Pai SY, Ballard B, Bauer SC, Bleesing JJ, Boyle M, Brower A, Buckley RH, van der Burg M, Burroughs LM, Candotti F, Cant AJ, Chatila T, Cunningham-Rundles C, Dinauer MC, Dvorak CC, Filipovich AH, Fleisher TA, Bobby Gaspar H, Gungor T, Haddad E, Hovermale E, Huang F, Hurley A, Hurley M, Iyengar S, Kang EM, Logan BR, Long-Boyle JR, Malech HL, McGhee SA, Modell F, Modell V, Ochs HD, O'Reilly RJ, Parkman R, Rawlings DJ, Routes JM, Shearer WT, Small TN, Smith H, Sullivan KE, Szabolcs P, Thrasher A, Torgerson TR, Veys P, Weinberg K, Zuniga-Pflucker JC, workshop participants. Primary Immune Deficiency Treatment Consortium (PIDTC) report. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2014;133(2):335-47. doi:10.1016/j.jaci.2013.07.052  PMCID:PMC3960312  PMID:24139498 
28. Steinel NC, Lee BS, Tubbs AT, Bednarski JJ, Schulte E, Yang-Iott KS, Schatz DG, Sleckman BP, Bassing CH. The ataxia telangiectasia mutated kinase controls Igκ allelic exclusion by inhibiting secondary Vκ-to-Jκ rearrangements. J Exp Med. 2013;210(2):233-9. doi:10.1084/jem.20121605  PMCID:PMC3570110  PMID:23382544 
29. Bednarski JJ, Sleckman BP. Integrated signaling in developing lymphocytes: the role of DNA damage responses. Cell Cycle. 2012;11(22):4129-34. doi:10.4161/cc.22021  PMCID:PMC3524208  PMID:23032308 
30. Bednarski JJ, Nickless A, Bhattacharya D, Amin RH, Schlissel MS, Sleckman BP. RAG-induced DNA double-strand breaks signal through Pim2 to promote pre-B cell survival and limit proliferation. J Exp Med. 2012;209(1):11-7. doi:10.1084/jem.20112078  PMCID:PMC3260864  PMID:22201128 
31. Bednarski JJ, Sleckman BP. Lymphocyte development: integration of DNA damage response signaling. Adv Immunol. 2012;116:175-204. doi:10.1016/B978-0-12-394300-2.00006-5  PMID:23063077 
32. Gapud EJ, Dorsett Y, Yin B, Callen E, Bredemeyer A, Mahowald GK, Omi KQ, Walker LM, Bednarski JJ, McKinnon PJ, Bassing CH, Nussenzweig A, Sleckman BP. Ataxia telangiectasia mutated (Atm) and DNA-PKcs kinases have overlapping activities during chromosomal signal joint formation. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2011;108(5):2022-7. doi:10.1073/pnas.1013295108  PMCID:PMC3033293  PMID:21245316 
33. Helmink BA, Tubbs AT, Dorsett Y, Bednarski JJ, Walker LM, Feng Z, Sharma GG, McKinnon PJ, Zhang J, Bassing CH, Sleckman BP. H2AX prevents CtIP-mediated DNA end resection and aberrant repair in G1-phase lymphocytes. Nature. 2011;469(7329):245-9. doi:10.1038/nature09585  PMCID:PMC3150591  PMID:21160476 
34. Helmink BA, Bredemeyer AL, Lee BS, Huang CY, Sharma GG, Walker LM, Bednarski JJ, Lee WL, Pandita TK, Bassing CH, Sleckman BP. MRN complex function in the repair of chromosomal Rag-mediated DNA double-strand breaks. J Exp Med. 2009;206(3):669-79. doi:10.1084/jem.20081326  PMCID:PMC2699138  PMID:19221393 
35. Bednarski JJ, Lyssiotis CA, Roush R, Boitano AE, Glick GD, Opipari AW Jr. A novel benzodiazepine increases the sensitivity of B cells to receptor stimulation with synergistic effects on calcium signaling and apoptosis. J Biol Chem. 2004;279(28):29615-21. doi:10.1074/jbc.M403507200  PMID:15123639 
36. Bednarski JJ, Warner RE, Rao T, Leonetti F, Yung R, Richardson BC, Johnson KJ, Ellman JA, Opipari AW Jr, Glick GD. Attenuation of autoimmune disease in Fas-deficient mice by treatment with a cytotoxic benzodiazepine. Arthritis Rheum. 2003;48(3):757-66. doi:10.1002/art.10968  PMID:12632430 
37. Fleming JC, Tartaglini E, Kawatsuji R, Yao D, Fujiwara Y, Bednarski JJ, Fleming MD, Neufeld EJ. Male infertility and thiamine-dependent erythroid hypoplasia in mice lacking thiamine transporter Slc19a2. Mol Genet Metab. 2003;80(1-2):234-41. PMID:14567973 
38. Blatt NB, Bednarski JJ, Warner RE, Leonetti F, Johnson KM, Boitano A, Yung R, Richardson BC, Johnson KJ, Ellman JA, Opipari AW Jr, Glick GD. Benzodiazepine-induced superoxide signals B cell apoptosis: mechanistic insight and potential therapeutic utility. J Clin Invest. 2002;110(8):1123-32. doi:10.1172/JCI16029  PMCID:PMC150800  PMID:12393848 
39. Chung SH, Song WJ, Kim K, Bednarski JJ, Chen J, Prestwich GD, Holz RW. The C2 domains of Rabphilin3A specifically bind phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate containing vesicles in a Ca2+-dependent manner. In vitro characteristics and possible significance. J Biol Chem. 1998;273(17):10240-8. PMID:9553075 
40. Clementz T, Bednarski JJ, Raetz CR. Function of the htrB high temperature requirement gene of Escherichia coli in the acylation of lipid A: HtrB catalyzed incorporation of laurate. J Biol Chem. 1996;271(20):12095-102. PMID:8662613