Theodoros Kelesidis, M.D., Ph.D. Titles and Appointments Professor Schools Medical School | Graduate School Departments Internal Medicine | Immunology Graduate Programs Immunology You have reached the Academic Profile. For more information on the doctor and patient care, please visit the clinical profile. Biography Theodoros Kelesidis, M.D., Ph.D., M.Sc., is a Professor in the Department of Internal Medicine at UT Southwestern Medical Center and a member of its Division of Infectious Diseases and Geographic Medicine. Originally from Greece, Dr. Kelesidis earned his medical degree at the University of Athens Medical School. He completed internal medicine residency training at St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center in Boston. He then received advanced training in infectious diseases through a fellowship at the University of California, Los Angeles, where he also completed a doctorate in microbiology, immunology, and molecular genetics and a master’s degree in clinical and translational research Dr. Kelesidis joined the UT Southwestern faculty in 2023. Dr. Kelesidis' research focuses on infectious diseases, immunology, and cardiometabolic complications of infectious diseases including HIV infection. His lab aims at understanding the complex interplay between oxidative stress, inflammation, and aberrant host responses that drive end-organ disease in infectious diseases. Dr. Kelesidis’ lab integrates both basic and translational research platforms with the goal to apply tools from multiple fields, such as immunology, virology, molecular biology, and medicine to understand the immunopathogenesis of infectious diseases. His vision is to define the mechanistic links between viral infections such as HIV and SARS-CoV-2 infection, oxidative stress, inflammation, and end-organ disease such as cardiovascular disease. These findings may lead to the development of novel therapeutic interventions that might improve the prognosis of patients infected with viruses such as HIV and SARS-CoV-2. He is recognized as an international expert on infectious diseases and cardiometabolic syndrome and has received numerous awards for his research. Personal Note Dr. Kelesidis’ interests outside of medicine include his family and traveling. Education Medical School University of Athens School of Health Sciences, Greece (2004) Residency St. Elizabeth's Medical Center (2009), Internal Medicine Other Post Graduate Training University of California Los Angeles (2013) Undergraduate School UCLA School of Medicine (2013) Fellowship David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA (2013), Infectious Diseases Undergraduate School UCLA School of Medicine (2016) Research Interest Cardiometabolic disease End organ disease associated with viral infections HIV-associated cardiometabolic disease Host pathogen interactions Immunology Immunopathogenesis of HIV infection Inflammation Oxidative stress Respiratory viruses SARS-CoV-2 Toxicity of antiretroviral therapy Virology Publications Dysfunctional high-density lipoprotein predicts survival, renal recovery and the need for kidney replacement therapy in acute kidney injury Pagonas N, Pfeifer O, Erfurt S, Hoffmeister M, Ritter O, Kelesidis T, Patschan D Journal of Circulating Biomarkers 2026 Mar 15 16-27 Lipoprotein(a) is associated with coronary inflammation in people with HIV and undetectable HIV RNA Nasrallah N, Harb T, Atallah M, Gerstenblith G, Haberlen S, Kelesidis T, Magnani JW, Stosor V, Chan K, Shirodaria C, West HW, Brown TT, Hays AG, Post W, Antoniades C, Leucker TM European Heart Journal, Imaging Methods and Practice 2026 Mar 4 The relationship between high-sensitivity C-reactive protein and coronary slow flow: a systematic review and meta-analysis Zare S, Omidkhoda N, Ghavami V, Mohammadpour AH, Kelesidis T, Khojasteh MR, Samadi S Systematic Reviews 2026 Feb Reduced antioxidant high-density lipoprotein function in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction Sasko B, Kelesidis T, Kostin S, Scharow L, Mueller R, Jaensch M, Wintrich J, Christ M, Ritter O, Ukena C, Pagonas N Clinical Research in Cardiology 2026 Feb 115 232-240 HDL dysfunction: a role in the pathogenesis of cardiometabolic syndrome in chronic HIV infection? Markakis K, Abadi LF, Kombe AK, Christodoulides M, Kelesidis T Metabolism: clinical and experimental 2026 Feb 175 Oxidized high-density lipoprotein associates with cardiometabolic dysfunction in coronary artery disease and acute coronary syndrome Sasko B, Pagonas N, Christ M, Wintrich J, Ritter O, Ukena C, Sultana I, Delalat S, El-Battrawy I, Kelesidis T, Hamdani N Journal of Internal Medicine 2025 Nov 298 464-477 Overview of methods that determine mitochondrial function in human disease Sharma E, Fotooh Abadi L, Kombe Kombe JA, Kandala M, Parker J, Winicki N, Kelesidis T Metabolism: clinical and experimental 2025 Sep 170 When cytokine storms collide: understanding hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis in human herpesvirus 8/Kaposi sarcoma herpesvirus-associated multicentric Castleman disease among people with HIV Ramaswami R, Kelesidis T, Goedert JJ AIDS 2025 Apr 39 618-620 Atherogenic Effects of Acute Electronic Cigarette Compared With Tobacco Cigarette Smoking in People Living With HIV: A Randomized Crossover Trial Kelesidis T, Abadi LF, Ruedisueli I, D’costa ZU, Middlekauff HR Journal of the American Heart Association 2025 Apr 14 Reduced high-density lipoprotein antioxidant function in patients with coronary artery disease and acute coronary syndrome Sasko B, Scharow L, Mueller R, Jaensch M, Dammermann W, Seibert FS, Hillmeister P, Buschmann I, Christ M, Ritter O, Hamdani N, Ukena C, Westhoff TH, Kelesidis T, Pagonas N JCI Insight 2025 Mar 10 Results 1-10 of 183 1 2 3 4 5 Next Last Books Featured Books The HAART induced metabolic syndrome. In Obesity and Diabetes:The HAART induced metabolic syndrome Tsiodras S, Kelesidis T, Mantzoros C (2005). Totowa NJ, Humana Press, Inc Environmental inputs, intake of nutrients and endogenous molecules contributing to the regulation of energy homeostasis. In Nutrition and Metabolism:Environmental inputs, intake of nutrients and endogenous molecules contributing to the regulation of energy homeostasis Kelesidis T, Kelesidis I, Mantzoros C (2009). Totowa, NJ, Humana Press, Inc Central integration of environmental and endogenous signals important in the regulation of food intake and energy expenditure. In Nutrition and Metabolism: Central integration of environmental and endogenous signals important in the regulation of food intake and energy expenditure Kelesidis T, Kelesidis I, Mantzoros C (2009). Totowa, NJ, Humana Press, Inc Clinical Management of Complicated Urinary Tract Infection. In Urinary Tract Immunology: Clinical Management of Complicated Urinary Tract Infection Kelesidis T (2011). InTech Clostridium difficile. In Gut Instincts: A Clinician’s Handbook of Digestive and Liver Diseases: Clostridium difficile Kelesidis T, Pothoulakis C (2012). SLACK Incorporated Honors & Awards R21 AI178632 Research Award (2023) Merck Investigator Studies Program Research Award (2022) R01 AG059502 Research Award (2020) Investigator initiated research Award Gilead (2019) R03AG059462 Research Award (2019) First Place Award in Basic Science Competition, UCLA Department of Medicine Research Day (2018) OS17-LA-002 California HIV Research Program One Step Ahead Award (2018) R01AG059501 Research Award (2018) R03AG059462 Research Award (2018) R21AI36708 Research Award (2018) ACSR Young Investigator Research Award (2017) Campbell Foundation Award Research Award (2016) Teaching Award David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA: Outstanding Problem-Based Learning Tutor Award (2014-2017) K08AI108272 Career development award (2013) Young Investigator Award 19th Conferences on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI 2012) K08AI108272 Career development award (2012) George L Tully III, MD, Medical Educator Award for excellence in patient care and education as well as commitment to student and resident teaching, Caritas St Elizabeth’s Medical Center, Tufts University, Boston, MA (2009) Krishnaswamy Ramaswamy, MD House Officer Award for the most outstanding medical resident Caritas St Elizabeth’s Medical Center, Tufts University, Boston, MA (2009) Teaching Award for Excellence in Teaching of Medical Students, Tufts University, Boston, MA (2008) Commendation awarded from Academia of the University of Athens for ranking first in the class at the Medical School of University of Athens (2005) State Scholarship ‘‘Propondis Foundation’’ for postgraduate research in the Division of Endocrinology, BIDMC, Boston, MA (2005-2007) Commendation awarded from the Dean of Medical School for ranking first in the class at the Medical School of University of Athens (2004) State Scholarship ‘‘A. Maurokordatos’’ from the National Endowments Foundation, Greece (2002-2005) State Scholarship for outstanding academic performance from the State Scholarship Foundation Greece (1998-2001) R21HL134444. Research Award2018 Professional Associations/Affiliations American College of Physicians (2013) American Heart Association (2015) American Medical Association (2013) Infectious Diseases Society of America (2013) International AIDS Society (2014)
