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Hayley N. Varela, MD, a third-year Neonatal-Perinatal fellow in the UPMC Newborn Medicine Program, earned a Trainee Travel Award for her research accepted at the Pediatric Academic Societies (PAS) 2025 Annual Meeting in Honolulu, Hawaii at the end of April.
The recognition highlights the importance of Dr. Varela's approach to understanding the pathogenesis of neonatal infections driven by group B streptococcus (GBS).
"I’m honored to have my work recognized by PAS and grateful for the support I’ve received at UPMC to pursue this research," says Dr. Varela.
During her fellowship training at UPMC, Dr. Varela has conducted research for the past two years in the Hooven Laboratory under the mentorship of Thomas A. Hooven, MD, whose lab is focused on studies around GBS infections in neonates.
Her award-winning abstract, titled "Applying CRISPR-Cas9 to Determine Group B Streptococcus Surface-Anchored Proteins Important for Adhesion to Intestinal Epithelial Cells," explores factors involved in neonatal late-onset disease (LOD) caused by Group B Streptococcus (GBS).
GBS remains a leading cause of neonatal sepsis and meningitis worldwide. While preventive measures have significantly reduced early-onset GBS disease, rates of late-onset disease have remained stable, indicating the need for further research. Dr. Varela’s project specifically explores how GBS surface proteins contribute to adhesion to intestinal epithelial cells, an essential step preceding bloodstream invasion and severe infection.
Using a novel CRISPR interference (CRISPRi) screening method, Dr. Varela individually repressed the expression of 75 GBS surface proteins. This screen revealed five proteins that significantly impacted GBS adhesion. Subsequent validation studies identified four key proteins: an adhesin, a serine hydrolase, a peptidylprolyl isomerase, and a pilus subunit, each critical in GBS adherence to intestinal cells. Additional experiments are ongoing to confirm these results through targeted gene deletions and recombinant protein expression.
Dr. Varela grew up in Mountain View, Arkansas, where her early interest in medicine was influenced by her family background.
“Both of my parents worked in medicine, so becoming a doctor felt natural to me from a young age,” says Dr. Varela. “I don't remember when I decided medicine was for me; I always remember thinking, 'yeah, I'm going to be a doctor.' And luckily, I found something within that—neonatology—that I can't see myself doing anything else," says Dr. Varela.
Dr. Varela earned her medical degree from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in 2019 after completing undergraduate studies at the University of Arkansas, where she graduated summa cum laude with a degree in biology. She completed her pediatric residency training at Riley Children’s Hospital, Indiana University Health, where she served as Resident Medical Education Chair, before joining the University of Pittsburgh and UPMC Newborn Medicine Program for fellowship training in Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine in July 2022.
"I chose UPMC for fellowship because of its reputation for exceptional clinical training and the wide range of experiences it offers. The clinical rigor here is unmatched, preparing fellows for virtually any scenario in neonatal care they may likely encounter," says Dr. Varela. “The NICUs at UPMC Children’s and UPMC Magee handle a very large geography and some of the most complex cases you can imagine. As a trainee, you see it all.”
At UPMC, Dr. Varela has gained significant experience managing critically ill neonates, mastering procedures such as neonatal resuscitation and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). She emphasizes the collaborative environment as a highlight of her training.
“The strong relationships I’ve formed here with nurses, nurse practitioners, and NICU colleagues have been incredibly rewarding and essential to my growth as a clinician,” says Dr. Varela. “My colleagues in the Hooven Lab — lab manager Sophia Carlin, and Gideon Hilebrand and Lizzie Giacobe, both PhD candidates — have also been instrumental in helping me navigate the complexities of basic science research.”
In addition to the recent PAS Trainee Travel Award, Dr. Varela has received multiple honors recognizing her academic work, including the 2024 Marshall Klaus Neonatal-Perinatal Research Award from the American Academy of Pediatrics and a 2023 Magee-Womens Research Institute Clinical Trainee Research Award.
After she wraps up her fellowship training at the end of June, Dr. Varela will be heading to a faculty position at Stanford University. There, she will provide clinical care in the level III NICU at Dominican Hospital in Santa Cruz and the level IV NICU at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital in Palo Alto.
“I’m very excited about the opportunity at Stanford. My primary role will be clinical, but I plan to remain involved in medical education and possibly continue some research projects,” says Dr. Varela. “Working in an academic setting is important to me because of the diverse opportunities to engage in research, teaching, and clinical practice.”
Dr. Varela's work and training at UPMC and the University of Pittsburgh highlights the importance of supporting emerging clinician-scientists dedicated to improving neonatal outcomes through innovative research and comprehensive clinical care.