Juliet Emamaullee, MD, PhD

Juliet Emamaullee, MD, PhD, FRCSC, FACS

Research Director, Division of Abdominal Organ Transplantation
Attending Physician
Associate Professor of Surgery (Clinical Scholar), Keck School of Medicine of USC

Dr. Emamaullee is an Associate Professor of Clinical Surgery at the USC Keck School of Medicine and an attending transplant surgeon at Keck Hospital of USC and Children's Hospital-Los Angeles. She is a surgeon-scientist with a translational immunology lab, with a research focus on immunological phenotypes associated with liver transplant recipients. Dr. Emamaullee’s other research interests include living donor liver transplantation, Hepatitis C and its impact on hepatocellular carcinoma, and tolerance strategies to improve allograft survival.

Dr. Emamaullee received her B.Sc. in Chemistry (Honors) in 2000 from the University of Alabama, where she also competed on the varsity volleyball team. She completed her Ph.D. in Immunology at the University of Alberta, in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada in 2005, and her involvement in the clinical transplant program inspired her to pursue a career in medicine. She graduated from medical school at the University of Alberta in 2010. Dr. Emamaullee completed her residency in General Surgery at Emory University in Atlanta, GA in 2015. She returned to the University of Alberta for fellowship training in transplant and hepatobiliary surgery and joined the faculty of USC upon completion, in the Fall of 2017.

Visit Dr. Emamaullee's lab page here.

Clinical Interests

Pediatric liver transplantation, living donor liver transplantation

Education

Medical School

University of Alberta, MD (2010)

Graduate School

University of Alberta, PhD (2005)

Internship

Emory University

Residency

Emory University

Fellowship

University of Alberta

Accomplishments

Certifications

General Surgery, American Board of Surgery

Professional Memberships

American Society of Transplant Surgeons
American College of Surgeons
Association of Women Surgeons
International Liver Transplant Society
Pacific Coast Surgical Society
Society of University Surgeons
Association for Academic Surgery
Latino Surgical Society

Awards

2009 Association of Women Surgeons Patricia Numann Medical Student Award 
2009 Canadian Medical Association Award for Young Leaders in Medicine 
2018 USC Deans Pilot Research Grant 
2019 USC Undergraduate Research Award Program Grant
2020 American Society of Transplant Surgeons Faculty Development Grant 
2020 American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases Clinical, Translational, and Outcomes Research Award 
2020 National Cancer Institute K08 Career Development Award 
2020 One Legacy Foundation Grant
2020 Gilead Research Foundation Liver Scholar Award
2021 American Society of Transplantation Clinical Science Career Development Award
2022 Association for Academic Surgery Royal Australasian College of Surgeons Visiting Professorship
2023 American Society of Transplant Surgeons Rising Star in Transplant Surgery Award
2023 International Liver Transplant Society Basic Science Investigator Award
2023 USC Mentoring Award for Undergraduate Students
2023 American College of Surgeons Jacobson Promising Investigator Award

Publications

R. Lewitt, C.M. Black, L. Camp, J. Matthews, J. Emamaullee, and A. Gosain. Gender Disparities in NIH Funding of Surgeon-Scientists. Association of Female Sex, Race, and Ethnicity with National Institutes of Health Funding of Surgeon-Scientists. JAMA Surgery 2020, In Press.

S. Zhou, L. Wang, J. Emamaullee, C. Weaver, N. Shillingford, M. Warren, J.H. Bawab, N.Tiwari, T. Mitsinikos, Y. Genyk, D. Thomas, D. Parham. Clinicopathologic characteristics and outcomes of late acute antibody-mediated rejection in pediatric liver transplant recipients: A single institution experience. Transplantation 2020 Oct 7. doi: 10.1097/TP.0000000000003469.

J. Emamaullee, L. Tenorio, S. Khan, C. Butler, S. Kim, J. Shapiro, S. Saigal, and Y. Genyk. Living Donor Financial Support in Liver Transplantation: The Global Perspective. Clinical Transplant 2020 Sep 3:e14073. doi: 10.1111/ctr.14073.

B. Rocque, J. Kahn, and J. Emamaullee. A Healthy Liver After SVR: Food for Thought (invited editorial). Dig Dis Sci 2020, Aug 12. doi: 10.1007/s10620-020-06547-1.

M. H. Raza, W. Jackson, A. Dell, L. Ding, J. Shapiro, E. Pomfret, Y. Genyk, L. Sher, and J. Emamaullee. Analysis of the Overall Health-Related Quality of Life After Anonymous Nondirected Living Liver Donation: A Multi-Center, North American Collaboration. Am J Transplant 2020, Aug 1. doi: 10.1111/ajt.16229.

J. Emamaullee, M. Bowdish, P. Yan, V. Rodina, and L. Sher. Rapid Adaptation of a Surgical Research Unit to Implement Clinical Trials during the Coronavirus-19 Pandemic. J Surg Res 2020 Jun 29;256:76-82.

Y.C. Yoon, K. Etesami, N. Kaur, J. Emamaullee, J. Kim, S. Zielsdorf, A. Ahearn, L. Sher, Y. Genyk, Y.K. Kwon. Can Biliary Internal Stents reduce Biliary Complications in Adult Liver Transplantation? Transplant Proc 2020 Jul 16:S0041-1345(20)30453-X.

J. Emamaullee, T. Lian, S. Moroz, B. Zuckerbraun, J. Matthews, and A. Gosain. Defining the “Tipping Point” to Success as a Surgeon-Scientist: An Analysis of Applicants and Awardees of the American College of Surgeons Jacobson Promising Investigator Award. Ann Surg 2020 Jul 7. doi: 10.1097/SLA.0000000000004142.

S. Khan, H. Aziz, and J. Emamaullee. Research Priorities in Patients with Fontan-Associated Liver Disease. Curr Opin in Organ Trans 2020 Aug 21. doi: 10.1097/MOT.0000000000000803.

J. Emamaullee, A.N. Zaidi, T. Schiano, J. Kahn, P.L. Valentino, R.E. Hofer, T. Taner, J. Bucuvalas, and R. Fischer. Fontan-Associated Liver Disease (FALD): Screening and management considerations. Circulation 2020 Aug 11;142(6):591-604.

R. Hogen, M. Kim, H. Aziz, M. Lo, A. Sedra, J. Kahn, Y. Qazi, L. O’Brien, J. Kim, L. Sher, Y. Genyk, and J. Emamaullee. Liver Transplantation in Patients with Sickle Cell Disease: an Analysis of the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients. J Surg Res 2020: Jun 12;255:23-3.

H. Aziz, M. Zeeshan, N. Kaur, J. Emamaullee, A. Ahearn, S. Kulkarni, Y. Genyk, R. Selby, and M. Sheikh. A Potential Role for Robotic Cholecystectomy in Patients with Advanced Liver Disease: Analysis of the NSQIP Database. Am Surg 2020: Apr 86;4:341-5.

M. Kim, A. Nguyen, M. Lo, S.R. Kumar, J. Bucuvalas, R. Fischer, and J. Emamaullee. Big data in transplantation practice - the devil is in the detail - Fontan Associated Liver Disease. Transplantation 2020: Jul 2. doi: 10.1097/TP.0000000000003308.

N. Kaur, J. Emamaullee, T. Lian, M. Lo, Y. Genyk, J. Kahn, and L. Sher. Impact of Morbid Obesity on Liver Transplant Candidacy and Outcomes: National and Regional trends. Transplantation 2020, In Press.

S. Shaikh, J. Emamaullee, G. Lal, L. Rodriguez, M. Hughes, and L. Tatebe. The Association of Women Surgeons Research Grant: An analysis of the first 25 years. Am J Surg 2020 I Jul 1:S0002-9610(20)30397-4. doi: 10.1016/j.amjsur

Kim MH, Akbari O, Genyk Y, Kohli R, Emamaullee J. Immunologic benefit of maternal donors in pediatric living donor liver transplantation. Pediatr Transplant. 2019 Aug 11;:e13560. doi: 10.1111/petr.13560. [Epub ahead of print] Review. PubMed PMID: 31402535.

Zielsdorf S, Kelly B, Genyk Y, Emamaullee J. Chronically Retained Central Venous Catheter in Deceased Donor Liver Allograft. Case Rep Transplant. 2019;2019:4359197. doi: 10.1155/2019/4359197. eCollection 2019. PubMed PMID: 31183242; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC6515144.

Emamaullee JA, Bral M, Meeberg G, Montano-Loza AJ, Bain VG, Burak KW, Bigam D, Shapiro AMJ, Kneteman N. HCV Eradication with Direct-Acting Antivirals Does Not Impact HCC Progression on the Waiting List or HCC Recurrence after Liver Transplantation. Can J Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2019;2019:2509059. doi: 10.1155/2019/2509059. eCollection 2019. PubMed PMID: 30775356; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC6354133.

Emamaullee JA, Nekrasov V, Gilmour S, Kneteman N, Yanni G, Kohli R, Thomas D, Genyk Y. Case series and systematic review of acquired diaphragmatic hernia after liver transplantation. Pediatr Transplant. 2018 Dec;22(8):e13296. doi: 10.1111/petr.13296. Epub 2018 Oct 2. PubMed PMID: 30280450.

Emamaullee J. Profiles in Surgical Research: John Alverdy, MD FACS. ACS Bulletin. 2018 October; 103(10):21-8..

Emamaullee JA, Nowak K, Beach M, Bacani J, Shapiro AMJ. Hepatic Epithelioid Hemangioendothelioma Presenting as an Enlarging Vascular Lesion within the Spleen. Case Rep Transplant. 2018;2018:3948784. doi: 10.1155/2018/3948784. eCollection 2018. PubMed PMID: 29850364; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC5925158.

Bral M, Gala-Lopez B, Bigam D, Kneteman N, Malcolm A, Livingstone S, Andres A, Emamaullee J, Russell L, Coussios C, West LJ, Friend PJ, Shapiro AM. Preliminary Single-Center Canadian Experience of Human Normothermic Ex Vivo Liver Perfusion: Results of a Clinical Trial. Am J Transplant. 2017 Apr;17(4):1071-1080. doi: 10.1111/ajt.14049. Epub 2016 Dec 9. PubMed PMID: 27639262.

Emamaullee JA, Itani KMF. Profiles in surgical research: Mary T. Hawn, MD, MPH, FACS. Bull Am Coll Surg. 2017 Jan;102(1):26-32. PubMed PMID: 28925609.

Emamaullee JA, Itani KM. Profiles in surgical research: Anthony Atala, MD, FAC5. Bull Am Coll Surg. 2016 May;101(5):30-5. PubMed PMID: 27311231.

Emamaullee JE, Besner GE. Profiles in surgical research: Dorry L. Segev, MD, PhD, FACS. Bull Am Coll Surg. 2015 Jul;100(7):27-33. PubMed PMID: 26248397.

Harrison MR, Emamaullee JE, Besner GE. Profiles in surgical research: Michael R. Harrison, MD, FACS. Bull Am Coll Surg.2015 Jan;100(1):35-40. PubMed PMID: 25626264.

Sun RC, Kulaylat A, Grant SB, Emamaullee J. Improved communication techniques enable residents to provide better care now and in the future. Bull Am Coll Surg. 2013 Aug;98(8):26-32. PubMed PMID: 24205572.

Emamaullee JA, Lyons MV, Berdan E, Bazzarelli A. Women leaders in surgery: past, present, and future. Bull Am Coll Surg. 2012 Aug;97(8):24-9. PubMed PMID: 22973745.

McCall MD, Maciver AM, Kin T, Emamaullee J, Pawlick R, Edgar R, Shapiro AM. Caspase inhibitor IDN6556 facilitates marginal mass islet engraftment in a porcine islet autotransplant model. Transplantation. 2012 Jul 15;94(1):30-5. doi: 10.1097/TP.0b013e318257745d. PubMed PMID: 22706322.

Merani S, McCall M, Pawlick RL, Edgar RL, Davis J, Toso C, Emamaullee JA, Kin T, Shapiro AM. AEB071 (sotrastaurin) does not exhibit toxic effects on human islets in vitro, nor after transplantation into immunodeficient mice. Islets. 2011 Nov-Dec;3(6):338-43. doi: 10.4161/isl.3.6.17766. Epub 2011 Nov 1. PubMed PMID: 21934354.

McCall M, Toso C, Emamaullee J, Pawlick R, Edgar R, Davis J, Maciver A, Kin T, Arch R, Shapiro AM. The caspase inhibitor IDN-6556 (PF3491390) improves marginal mass engraftment after islet transplantation in mice. Surgery. 2011 Jul;150(1):48-55. doi: 10.1016/j.surg.2011.02.023. Epub 2011 May 18. PubMed PMID: 21596412.

Emamaullee JA, Thiesen A, Owen RJ, Shapiro AM. Education and imaging. Hepatobiliary and pancreatic: Multinodular fatty liver associated with porphyria cutanea tarda. J Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2011 Jan;26(1):211. doi: 10.1111/j.1440-1746.2010.06578.x. PubMed PMID: 21175820.

Emamaullee JA, Davis J, Pawlick R, Toso C, Merani S, Cai SX, Tseng B, Shapiro AM. Caspase inhibitor therapy synergizes with costimulation blockade to promote indefinite islet allograft survival. Diabetes. 2010 Jun;59(6):1469-77. doi: 10.2337/db09-0502. Epub 2010 Mar 23. PubMed PMID: 20332344; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC2874708.

Toso C, McCall M, Emamaullee J, Merani S, Davis J, Edgar R, Pawlick R, Kin T, Knudsen LB, Shapiro AM. Liraglutide, a long-acting human glucagon-like peptide 1 analogue, improves human islet survival in culture. Transpl Int. 2010 Mar 1;23(3):259-65. doi: 10.1111/j.1432-2277.2009.00984.x. Epub 2009 Oct 12. PubMed PMID: 19821955.

Emamaullee JA, Edgar R, Toso C, Thiesen A, Bain V, Bigam D, Kneteman N, Shapiro AM. Vascular endothelial growth factor expression in hepatic epithelioid hemangioendothelioma: Implications for treatment and surgical management.Liver Transpl. 2010 Feb;16(2):191-7. doi: 10.1002/lt.21964. PubMed PMID: 20104492.

Toso C, Isse K, Demetris AJ, Dinyari P, Koh A, Imes S, Kin T, Emamaullee J, Senior P, Shapiro AM. Histologic graft assessment after clinical islet transplantation. Transplantation. 2009 Dec 15;88(11):1286-93. doi: 10.1097/TP.0b013e3181bc06b0. PubMed PMID: 19996928.

Emamaullee JA, Davis J, Merani S, Toso C, Elliott JF, Thiesen A, Shapiro AM. Inhibition of Th17 cells regulates autoimmune diabetes in NOD mice. Diabetes. 2009 Jun;58(6):1302-11. doi: 10.2337/db08-1113. Epub 2009 Mar 16. PubMed PMID: 19289457; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC2682686.

Emamaullee J, Toso C, Merani S, Shapiro AM. Costimulatory blockade with belatacept in clinical and experimental transplantation - a review. Expert Opin Biol Ther. 2009 Jun;9(6):789-96. doi: 10.1517/14712590902942284. Review. PubMed PMID: 19426116.

Emamaullee JA, Merani S, Toso C, Kin T, Al-Saif F, Truong W, Pawlick R, Davis J, Edgar R, Lock J, Bonner-Weir S, Knudsen LB, Shapiro AM. Porcine marginal mass islet autografts resist metabolic failure over time and are enhanced by early treatment with liraglutide. Endocrinology. 2009 May;150(5):2145-52. doi: 10.1210/en.2008-1116. Epub 2009 Jan 8. PubMed PMID: 19131571.

Merani S, Edgar RL, Toso C, Emamaullee J, Thiesen A, Shapiro AM. AEB-071 has minimal impact on onset of autoimmune diabetes in NOD mice. Autoimmunity. 2009 Mar;42(3):242-8. doi: 10.1080/08916930802587950. PubMed PMID: 19301207.

Toso C, Edgar R, Pawlick R, Emamaullee J, Merani S, Dinyari P, Mueller TF, Shapiro AM, Anderson CC. Effect of different induction strategies on effector, regulatory and memory lymphocyte sub-populations in clinical islet transplantation.Transpl Int. 2009 Feb;22(2):182-91. doi: 10.1111/j.1432-2277.2008.00746.x. Epub 2008 Aug 15. PubMed PMID: 18713144.

Merani S, Pawlick RL, Edgar RL, Toso C, Emamaullee J, Anderson CC, Shapiro AM. Protein kinase C inhibitor, AEB-071, acts complementarily with cyclosporine to prevent islet rejection in rats. Transplantation. 2009 Jan 15;87(1):59-65. doi: 10.1097/TP.0b013e31819198b4. PubMed PMID: 19136892.

Merani S, Toso C, Emamaullee J, Shapiro AM. Optimal implantation site for pancreatic islet transplantation. Br J Surg.2008 Dec;95(12):1449-61. doi: 10.1002/bjs.6391. Review. PubMed PMID: 18991254.

Toso C, Serre-Beinier V, Emamaullee J, Merani S, Armanet M, Wojtusciszyn A, Bosco D, Calandra T, Roger T, Morel P, Shapiro AM, Berney T. The role of macrophage migration inhibitory factor in mouse islet transplantation.Transplantation. 2008 Nov 27;86(10):1361-9. doi: 10.1097/TP.0b013e31818bdbef. PubMed PMID: 19034004.

Toso C, Emamaullee JA, Merani S, Shapiro AM. The role of macrophage migration inhibitory factor on glucose metabolism and diabetes. Diabetologia. 2008 Nov;51(11):1937-46. doi: 10.1007/s00125-008-1063-3. Epub 2008 Jul 9. Review. PubMed PMID: 18612626.

Merani S, Truong W, Emamaullee JA, Toso C, Knudsen LB, Shapiro AM. Liraglutide, a long-acting human glucagon-like peptide 1 analog, improves glucose homeostasis in marginal mass islet transplantation in mice. Endocrinology. 2008 Sep;149(9):4322-8. doi: 10.1210/en.2008-0501. Epub 2008 May 29. PubMed PMID: 18511515.

Emamaullee JA, Davis J, Pawlick R, Toso C, Merani S, Cai SX, Tseng B, Shapiro AM. The caspase selective inhibitor EP1013 augments human islet graft function and longevity in marginal mass islet transplantation in mice. Diabetes. 2008 Jun;57(6):1556-66. doi: 10.2337/db07-1452. Epub 2008 Mar 20. PubMed PMID: 18356409.

Emamaullee JA, Merani S, Larsen CP, Shapiro AM. Belatacept and basiliximab diminish human antiporcine xenoreactivity and synergize to inhibit alloimmunity. Transplantation. 2008 Jan 15;85(1):118-24. doi: 10.1097/01.tp.0000296832.92128.94. PubMed PMID: 18192921.

Truong W, Emamaullee JA, Merani S, Anderson CC, James Shapiro AM. Human islet function is not impaired by the sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor modulator FTY720. Am J Transplant. 2007 Aug;7(8):2031-8. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-6143.2007.01880.x. PubMed PMID: 17617868.

Emamaullee JA, Stanton L, Schur C, Shapiro AM. Caspase inhibitor therapy enhances marginal mass islet graft survival and preserves long-term function in islet transplantation. Diabetes. 2007 May;56(5):1289-98. doi: 10.2337/db06-1653. Epub 2007 Feb 15. PubMed PMID: 17303806.

Emamaullee JA, Shapiro AM. Factors influencing the loss of beta-cell mass in islet transplantation. Cell Transplant.2007;16(1):1-8. Review. PubMed PMID: 17436849.

Emamaullee JA, Shapiro AMJ. Factors Influencing the Loss of β-Cell Mass in Islet Transplantation. Cell Transplant. 2007 Jan;16(1):1-8. doi: 10.3727/000000007783464461. PubMed PMID: 28880676.

Emamaullee JA, Shapiro AM, Rajotte RV, Korbutt G, Elliott JF. Neonatal porcine islets exhibit natural resistance to hypoxia-induced apoptosis. Transplantation. 2006 Oct 15;82(7):945-52. doi: 10.1097/01.tp.0000238677.00750.32. PubMed PMID: 17038911.

Emamaullee JA, Shapiro AM. Interventional strategies to prevent beta-cell apoptosis in islet transplantation. Diabetes.2006 Jul;55(7):1907-14. doi: 10.2337/db05-1254. Review. PubMed PMID: 16804057.

Emamaullee JA, Rajotte RV, Liston P, Korneluk RG, Lakey JR, Shapiro AM, Elliott JF. XIAP overexpression in human islets prevents early posttransplant apoptosis and reduces the islet mass needed to treat diabetes. Diabetes. 2005 Sep;54(9):2541-8. doi: 10.2337/diabetes.54.9.2541. PubMed PMID: 16123341.

Emamaullee J, Liston P, Korneluk RG, Shapiro AM, Elliott JF. XIAP overexpression in islet beta-cells enhances engraftment and minimizes hypoxia-reperfusion injury. Am J Transplant. 2005 Jun;5(6):1297-305. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-6143.2005.00891.x. Review. PubMed PMID: 15888033.

Clodfelder BJ, Emamaullee J, Hepburn DD, Chakov NE, Nettles HS, Vincent JB. The trail of chromium(III) in vivo from the blood to the urine: the roles of transferrin and chromodulin. J Biol Inorg Chem. 2001 Jun;6(5-6):608-17. PubMed PMID: 11472024.

Sun Y, Ramirez J, Woski SA, Vincent JB. The binding of trivalent chromium to low-molecular-weight chromium-binding substance (LMWCr) and the transfer of chromium from transferrin and chromium picolinate to LMWCr. J Biol Inorg Chem. 2000 Feb;5(1):129-36. PubMed PMID: 10766445.

Sun Y, Mallya K, Ramirez J, Vincent JB. The biomimetic [Cr3O(O2CCH2CH3)6(H2O)3]+ decreases plasma cholesterol and triglycerides in rats: towards chromium-containing therapeutics. J Biol Inorg Chem. 1999 Dec;4(6):838-45. PubMed PMID: 10631616.

Research

immunological tolerance, allograft rejection, disparity in access to living donor liver transplantation

Health Care Consultation Center, 1510 San Pablo St, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA

1510 San Pablo St
Los Angeles, CA 90033
United States