Dr. Kwak's research interests include the following: outcomes and therapeutics in viral infections in solid organ transplant recipients, in particular; cytomegalovirus and respiratory viral infections in lung transplant recipients; management and prophylaxis for fungal infections in lung transplant recipients; outcomes and management of infections by multidrug resistant (MDR) pathogens in solid organ transplant recipients; management of nontuberculous mycobacterial infections in transplant recipients and candidates; post-operative surgical site infections in liver transplant recipients; and antibiotic stewardship in the era of MDR infections.
Dr. Kwak has 15 years of clinical expertise in management of infections in immunocompromised hosts, specifically in solid organ transplant recipients. This includes anything from early post operative infections to late infections with opportunistic pathogens, in particular with fungal, mycobacterial, and viral pathogens. She is also interested in infection prevention strategies in transplant candidates. In addition, her practice includes patients with end stage heart disease and ventricular device infections.
Dr. Kwak is interested in clinical training of infectious diseases fellows who might consider pursuing a career in the field of transplant infectious diseases.
- DEC Health Sciences, John Abbott College, Canada, 1991
- MD, McGill University, Canada, 1996
- Residency, University of Toronto, Canada, 1999
- Fellowship, Infectious Diseases, University of Ottawa, Canada, 2001
- Fellowship, Transplant Infectious Diseases, University of Pittsburgh, 2003
Education & Training
Eschenauer GA, Kwak EJ, Humar A, Potoski BA, Clarke LG, Shields RK, Abdel Massih R, Silveira FP, Vergidis P, Clancy CJ, Nguyen MH. Targeted versus universal antifungal prophylaxis among liver transplant recipients. Am J Transplant. 2015; 15(1): 180-9.
Assi M, Martin SL, Wheat J, Hage C, Freifeld A, Avery R, Baddley J, Vergidis P, Miller R, Andes D, Young JA, Hammoud K, Huprikar S, McKinsey D, Myint T, Garcia Diaz J, Esguerra E, Kwak EJ, Morris M, Mullane K, Prakash V, Burdette J, Sandid M, Kubrin J, Ostrander D, Kaul DR. Histoplasmosis After Solid Organ Transplantation. Clin Infect Dis. 2013; 57(11): 1542-9.
Clancy CJ, Chen L, Shields RK, Zhao Y, Cheng S, Chavda KD, Hao B, Hong JH, Doi Y, Kwak EJ, Silveira FP, Abdel-Massih R, Bogdanovich T, Humar A, Perlin DS, Kreiswirth BN, Hong Nguyen M. Epidemiology and Molecular Characterization of Bacteremia Due To Carbapenem-Resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae in Transplant Recipients. Am J Transplant. 2013; 13(10): 2619-33.
Balair JA, Joyce JM, Kwak EJ. Detection of Infected Liver Cysts by 111In WBC SPECT/CT in Polycystic Liver Disease. Clin Nucl Med. 2014; 39(1): 59-61.
Shielods RK, Clancy CJ, Gillis LM, Kwak EJ, Silveira FP, Massih RC, Eschenauer GA, Potoski BA, Nguyen MH. Epidemiology, clinical characteristics and outcomes of extensively drug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii infections among solid organ transplant recipients. PLOS One. 2012; 1212;7(12): e52349.doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0052349.
