Department of Medicine
Faculty Profiles by Division

Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine

Faculty Profiles
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photo Anna Zemke, MD, PhD

Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine

Assistant Professor of Medicine

Email: zemkea@upmc.edu

Phone: 412-647-8477
Contact
Office: UPMC Montefiore Hospital, NW 628
3459 Fifth Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15213
 
Phone: 412-647-8477
Fax: 412-692-2260
E-mail: zemkea@upmc.edu
Administrative Assistant:
M. Sharon Droppa
Address: UPMC Montefiore Hospital, NW 628
3459 Fifth Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15213
Email: droppam2@upmc.edu
Phone: 412-647-8477
Fax: 412-692-2260
Education and Training
Education
BS, Biochemistry, summa cum laude, Seattle Pacific University, 2001
PhD, Cell Biology and Molecular Physiology, University of Pittsburgh, 2007
MD, University of Pittsburgh, 2009
Training
Residency, Internal Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, 2009
Fellowship, Pulmonary and Critical Care, University of Pittsburgh, 2015
Research Interest
Dr. Zemke’s scientific interests focus on Gram-negative host-pathogen biology in chronic airway disease. She has two current areas of work.

1) Cystic Fibrosis causes severe chronic sinus infections in most people. She has lead a multi-center study to determine the impact of the new highly effective corrector (HEMT) therapies on CF sinus disease, which a specific scientific focus on the effects of HEMT on the microbiome.

2) Dr. Zemke is conducting an NIH funded, observational cohort study in people with have had a tracheostomy placed following critical illness admitted at a Long Term Acute Care Hospital. Three study goals include a) determining shifts in the airway microbial populations associated with tracheobronchitis episodes b) assessing populations Pseudomonas aeruginosa (the most common pathogen in the cohort) for evidence of bacterial evolution and c) determining the inflammatory response to tracheobronchitis episodes. The study also includes collaborations with faculty from the School of Rehabilitation Sciences to determine the role of oropharyngeal dysphagia on respiratory infections in chronic critical illness.
Clinical Interest
Dr. Zemke currently practices as an intensivist at UPMC East, sees outpatient general pulmonary clinic in New Castle, PA and rounds at a Long-Term Acute Care Hospital.
Publications
For my complete bibliography, Click Here.
Selected Publications:
Zemke AC, Hilliam Y, Stapleton AL, Kimple AJ, Goralski JL, Shaffer AD, Pilewski JM, Senior BA, Lee SE, Cooper VS. Elexacaftor-tezacaftor-ivacaftor decreases pseudomonas abundance in the sinonasal microbiome in cystic fibrosis. Int Forum Allergy Rhinol. 2023; Oct 14. doi: 10.1002/alr.23288: Epubaheadofprint.PMID:37837613.
Zemke AC, D’Amico EJ, Torres AM, Carreno-Florez GP, Keely P, DuPont M, Kastuiarachi N, Bomberger JM. Bacterial respiratory inhibition triggers dispersal of Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms. Applied Enviro Microbiology. 2023; Oct 31;89(10): e0110123.
Haas AL, Zemke AC, Melvin JA, Armbruster CR, Hendricks MR, Moore J, Nouraie SM, Thibodeau PH, Lee SE, Bomberger JM. Iron bioavailability regulates Pseudomonas aeruginosa interspecies interactions through type VI secretion expression. Cell Rep. 2023; Mar 28;42(3): 112270.
Ambruster CR, Li K, Kiedrowski MR, Zemke AC, Melvin JA, Moore J, Atteih S, Fitch AC, Dupont M, Manko CD, Weaver ML, Gaston JR, Alcorn JF, Morris A, Methe BA, Lee SE, Bomberger JM. Low Diversity and Instability of the Sinus Microbiota over Time in Adults with Cystic Fibrosis. Microbiol Spectr. 2022; Oct 26;10(5): e0125122.
Stapleton A, Kimple AJ, Goralski JL, Nouraie SM, Branstetter BG, Shaffer AD, Pilewski JM, Senior BA, Lee SE, Zemke AC. Elexacaftor-Tezacaftor-Ivacaftor improves sinonasal outcomes in cystic fibrosis. J Cyst Fibrosis. 2022; Sep;21(5): 792-799.
Armbruster CR, Marshall CW, Garber AI, Melvin JA, Zemke AC, Moore J, Zamora PF, Li K, Fritz IL, Manko CD, Weaver ML, Gaston JR, Morris A, Methé B, DePas WH, Lee SE, Cooper VS, Bomberger JM. Adaptation and genomic erosion in fragmented Pseudomonas aeruginosa populations in the sinuses of people with cystic fibrosis. Cell Rep. 2021; Oct 19;37(3): 109829.
Bacon DR, Stapleton A, Goralski JL, Ebert CS Jr, Thorp BD, Nouraie M, Shaffer AD, Senior BA, Lee SE, Zemke AC, Kimple AJ. Olfaction before and after initiation of Elexacaftor-Tezacaftor-Ivacaftor in a cycstic fibrosis cohort. Int Forum Allergy Rhinol. 2021; Oct 28: doi:10.1002/alr.22891.
Zemke AC, Madison CJ, Kasturiarachi N, Pearce LL, Peterson J. Antimicrobial Synergism Toward Pseudomonas aeruginosa by Gallium(III) and Inorganic Nitrite. Front. Microbiol. 2020; Aug21;11: 2113.
Zemke AC, D’Amico EJ, Snell EC, Torres AM, Kasturiarachi, N,, Bomberger JM. Dispersal of Epithelium-Associated Pseudomonas aeruginosa Biofilms. mSphere. 2020; Jul15;5(4): e00630-20.
Zemke AC, Nouraie SM, Moore J, Gaston JR, Rowan NR, Pilewski JM, Bomberger JM, Lee SE. Clinical predictors of cystic fibrosis chronic rhinosinusitis severity. Int Forum Allergy Rhinol. 2019; Jul;9(7): 759-765.
Sponsored Research/Activities
Title: Clinical and microbiological assessment of CFTR modulators on CF Sinus Disease
Role: Principal Investigator
Funding Agency: Cystic Fibrosis Foundation
Start Year: 2019
End Year: 2022
Notable Achievements
ATS Abstract Scholarship Travel Award, 2013
ATS Abstract Scholarship Travel Award, 2015
Member, American Society for Microbiology, 2016-present
Member, American Thoracic Society, 2012-present
Department of Medicine: Fellow Bench Research Award, 2015
Cystic Fibrosis Foundation (CFF) Clinical Fellowship Training Award, 2014-2015

Division Websites

Cardiology

Endocrinology and Metabolism

Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition

General Internal Medicine

Geriatric Medicine
Hematology/Oncology

Infectious Diseases

Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine

Renal-Electrolyte

Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology

Contact

Department of Medicine
1218 Scaife Hall
3550 Terrace Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15261
Email:  chairoff@pitt.edu
Phone:  412-648-9636
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