Biography

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Ezra Burstein, M.D., Ph.D., is Professor of Internal Medicine at UT Southwestern Medical Center and Chief of its Division of Digestive and Liver Diseases.

Originally from Lima, Peru, Dr. Burstein received his medical degree from Cayetano Heredia University in Lima. He completed internal medicine residency training at UT Southwestern and advanced training in gastroenterology through a fellowship program at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. He then completed a research fellowship in immunology at the Vaccine Research Center of the National Institutes of Health.

Board certified in internal medicine and in gastroenterology, he joined the UT Southwestern faculty in 2008.

Dr. Burstein′s research training and expertise is in the area of molecular immunology. Broadly, the work in his laboratory is focused on basic mechanisms that control inflammatory responses in human disease, particularly inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Work from the laboratory has investigated the regulation of the NF-kB transcription factor, which led to the discovery of the COMMD protein family. His group also investigated the basic functions of these factors in immune regulation, including the discovery of their role in endosomal protein sorting. More recently, the lab investigated the genetic and molecular basis of altered immunity in patients with defined Mendelian disorders. These studies led to important discoveries, including the identification of cytosolic RNA:DNA hybrids as regulators of the interferon pathway.

Dr. Burstein is active in several professional organizations, including the American Gastroenterological Association, American Society for Clinical Investigation, American Society for Cell Biology, and American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases.

Education

Medical School
Cayetano Heredia Peruvian University (1994)
Residency
UT Southwestern Medical Center (1998), Internal Medicine
Fellowship
University of Michigan Hospitals & Health Centers (2001), Gastroenterology
Graduate School
University of Groningen (2013), Molecular Genetics

Research Interest

  • COMMD proteins: We study the regulation of endosomal protein sorting and immune function by members of this protein family.
  • Genetics of inflammatory disorders: Out lab investigates the genetic basis of disorders of immune function, particularly affecting the GI tract
  • Mucosal immunity and immune-tumor interactions in the GI tract

Publications

Featured Publications LegendFeatured Publications

Lipid kinases VPS34 and PIKfyve coordinate a phosphoinositide cascade to regulate Retriever-mediated recycling on endosomes.
Giridharan SSP, Luo G, Rivero-Rios P, Steinfeld N, Tronchere H, Singla A, Burstein E, Billadeau DD, Sutton MA, Weisman LS, Elife 2022 Jan 11

Honors & Awards

  • Physician Champion of the Year
    Crohn's and Colitis Foundation, North Texas Chapter (2021)
  • Berta M. and Cecil O. Patterson Chair in Gastroenterology
    UT Southwestern (2019)
  • Physician of the Year
    Crohn's and Colitis Foundation, North Texas Chapter (2017)
  • Helmsley Scholar
    Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America (2010)
  • AGA Research Scholar Award
    Foundation for Digestive Health and Nutrition (2003)
  • John S. Miller Award for Outstanding Performance as a House Officer
    UT Southwestern Medical School (1998)
  • Valedictorian
    Medical School of Cayetano Heredia University (1994)

Professional Associations/Affiliations

  • American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases
  • American Gastroenterological Association
  • American Society for Cell Biology
  • American Society for Clinical Investigation