Dr. Dimitri Poddighe graduated cum laude in 2003 from the medical school of the University of Pavia (Italy) cum laude; here, he also completed his residency/clinical fellowship program and became a Medical Specialist in Pediatrics (PhD-equivalent, EQF level 8) cum laude in 2008. He was also an alumnus at the Collegio Ghislieri in Pavia.

From 2007 to 2009, Dr. Dimitri Poddighe worked as Research Fellow in Immunology at the Children’s Hospital Boston Harvard University (MA, USA). After his return to Italy, he served as a consultant pediatrician in several hospitals in Lombardy (Italy), including the Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo (Pavia), affiliated with the University of Pavia, where he has been lecturer/instructor at the Department of Pediatrics since 2015.

During his professional career, Dr. Dimitri Poddighe completed three 2nd level Master academic programs (EQF level 8): I) Pediatric Hematology at the Univesity “La Sapienza” in Rome (2010-2011); II) Pediatric Immunology at the University of Pavia (2011-2012); III) Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition at the University “La Sapienza” in Rome (2016-2017). In 2015-2016 he also completed clinical training in the Department of Pediatric Rheumatology at the Istituto G. Pini (Milano, Italy).

Dr. Dimitri Poddighe joined the School of Medicine at Nazarbayev University (NUSOM) in 2018. Currently, he is an Associate Professor at NUSOM and Director of the Clinical Academic Department of the University Medical Center (UMC) in Nur-Sultan. Moreover, he is the Director of the Pediatric Residency Program started in September 2019.

His research activity is focused on allergic, immune-mediated, and autoimmune pediatric diseases. He is currently the principal investigator of a project aiming at assessing the epidemiological burden, diagnostic resources, and medical management of pediatric Celiac Disease in Kazakhstan.

Pediatrics, Rheumatology, Gastroenterology, Biologics, Celiac Disease, Mycoplasma pneumoniae, Allergy, Asthma, Chronic Urticaria

- Med.M.Sc. (EQF level 8) in Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Universita’ degli Studi di Roma “La Sapienza”, Italy (2017)

- Professional Internship in Pediatric Rheumatology Dipartimento di Reumatologia dell’eta’ evolutiva, Istituto Ortopedico Gaetano Pini, Milano (2016)

- Med.M.Sc. (EQF level 8) in Pediatric Immunology, Universita’ degli Studi di Pavia, Italy (2012)

- Med.M.Sc. (EQF level 8) in Pediatric Hematology, Universita’ degli Studi di Roma “La Sapienza”, Italy, (2011)

- Medical Specialist in Pediatrics (EQF level 8, PhD-equivalent), Universita’ degli Studi di Pavia, Italy (2009)

- Medical Doctor (M.D.), Universita’ degli Studi di Pavia, Italy (2003)

- Coordinator of the NUSOM Pediatric Program (MD year-3 clerkships, MD year-4 internships, residency program) (2018-current)

- Year-3 MD Block Leader, Nazarbayev University School of Medicine, Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan (2019-current)

- Director of NUSOM Pediatric Residency Program, Nazarbayev University School of Medicine, Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan (2019-current)

- Chair of NUSOM-IREC, Nazarbayev University School of Medicine, Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan, (2018-2021)

- Lecturer – Instructor, Dipartimento di Pediatria, Universita’ degli Studi di Pavia, Italy (2015-2017)

- Pediatric Consultant position at several hospital in Italy (2010-2017)

- Research Fellow, Department of Immunology, Children’s Hospital Boston – Harvard University (2007-2009)

 – Poddighe D, Vangelista L. Effects of omalizumab on basophils: potential biomarkers in asthma and chronic spontaneous urticaria. Cell Immunol 2020; [Epub ahead of Print]

– Dossybayeva K, Abdukhakimova D, Poddighe D. Basophils and Systemic Lupus Erythematosus in Murine Models and Human Patients. Biology (Basel). 2020; 9(10):E308. doi: 10.3390/biology9100308.

– Poddighe D, Turganbekova A, Mukusheva Z, Asylbekova M, Abdirakhmanova A, Abdrakhmanova S. HLA-B*51 allelic and carrier frequency in Kazakhstan: insights into Behçet’s Disease prevalence in Central Asia. Intern Emerg Med. 2020; [Epub ahead of Print]

– Poddighe D, Rebuffi C, De Silvestri A, Capittini C. Carrier frequency of HLA-DQB1*02 allele in patients affected with celiac disease: A systematic review assessing the potential rationale of a targeted allelic genotyping as a first-line screening. World J Gastroenterol. 2020;26(12):1365-1381.

– Poddighe D, Turganbekova A, Baymukasheva D, Saduakas Z, Zhanzakova Z, Abdrakhmanova S. Genetic predisposition to celiac disease in Kazakhstan: Potential impact on the clinical practice in Central Asia. PLoS One. 2020; 15(1):e0226546.

– Poddighe D. Macrolide Resistance in MORDOR I — A Cluster- Randomized Trial in Niger. N Engl J Med. 2019; 381(22):2184.

– Poddighe D. Mycoplasma pneumoniae-related hepatitis in children. Microb Pathog. 2019; 139:103863.

– Poddighe D, Dauyey K. Macrophage activation syndrome in juvenile idiopathic dermatomyositis: a systematic review. Rheumatol Int. 2019; 40(5): 695-702

– Poddighe D, Capittini C, Gaviglio I, Brambilla I, Marseglia GL. HLA-DQB1*02 allele in children with celiac disease: Potential usefulness for screening strategies. Int J Immunogenet. 2019; 46(5):342-345.

– Poddighe D, Mathias CB, Brambilla I, Marseglia GL, Oettgen HC. Importance of basophils in eosinophilic asthma: the murine counterpart. J Biol Regul Homeost Agents. 2018;32(2):335-339.

– Poddighe D, Sazonov V. Acute acalculous cholecystitis in children. World J Gastroenterol. 2018;24(43):4870-4879.

– Poddighe D, Brambilla I, Licari A, Marseglia GL. Pediatric rhinosinusitis and asthma. Respir Med. 2018; 141:94-99.

– Poddighe D, Romano M, Gattinara M, Gerloni V. Biologics for the Treatment of Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis. Curr Med Chem. 2018;25(42):5860-5893.

– Poddighe D. Extra-pulmonary diseases related to Mycoplasma pneumoniae in children: recent insights into the pathogenesis. Curr Opin Rheumatol. 2018;30(4):380-387.

– De Silvestri A, Capittini C, Poddighe D, Valsecchi C, Marseglia G, Tagliacarne SC, Scotti V, Rebuffi C, Pasi A, Martinetti M, Tinelli C. HLA-DQ genetics in children    with celiac disease: a meta-analysis suggesting a two-step genetic screening procedure starting with HLA-DQ β chains. Pediatr Res. 2018; 83(3):564-572.

– Poddighe D, Comi EV, Brambilla I, Licari A, Bruni P, Marseglia GL. Increased Total Serum Immunoglobulin E in Children Developing Mycoplasma pneumoniae-related Extra-pulmonary Diseases. Iran J Allergy Asthma Immunol. 2018;17(5):490-496.

– De Silvestri A, Capittini C, Poddighe D, Marseglia GL, Mascaretti L, Bevilacqua E, Scotti V, Rebuffi C, Pasi A, Martinetti M, Tinelli C. HLA- DRB1 alleles and juvenile idiopathic arthritis: Diagnostic clues emerging from a meta-analysis. Autoimmun Rev. 2017;16(12):1230-1236.

– Poddighe D, Cavagna L, Brazzelli V, Bruni P, Marseglia GL. Hyper-ferritinemia syndrome evolving in recurrent macrophage activation syndrome, as an onset of amyopathic juvenile dermatomyositis: a challenging clinical case in light of the current diagnostic criteria. Autoimmun Rev. 2014;13(11):1142-1148.

– Poddighe D, Mathias CB, Freyschmidt EJ, Kombe D, Caplan B, Marseglia GL, Oettgen HC. Basophils are rapidly mobilized following initial aeroallergen encounter in naïve mice and provide a priming source of IL-4 in adaptive immune responses. J Biol Regul Homeost Agents. 2014;28(1):91-103.

– Mathias CB, Hobson SA, Garcia-Lloret M, Lawson G, Poddighe D, Freyschmidt EJ, Xing W, Gurish MF, Chatila TA, Oettgen HC. IgE-mediated systemic anaphylaxis and impaired tolerance to food antigens in mice with enhanced IL-4 receptor signaling. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2011;127(3):795-805.

– Mathias CB, Freyschmidt EJ, Caplan B, Jones T, Poddighe D, Xing W, Harrison KL, Gurish MF, Oettgen HC. IgE influences the number and function of mature mast cells, but not progenitor recruitment in allergic pulmonary inflammation. J Immunol. 2009;182(4):2416-24.