Natalia Imad Khalaf, MD, MPH, FACP
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Natalia Imad Khalaf, MD, MPH, FACP
Assistant Professor
Positions
- Assistant Professor
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Medicine-Gastroenterology
Baylor College of Medicine
- Clinical Investigator
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Clinical Effectiveness and Population Health Program, Center for Innovations in Quality, Effectiveness and Safety, Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center
- Core Faculty Member in Health Policy, Quality & Informatics (HPQI) Program
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Center for Innovations in Quality, Effectiveness and Safety (IQuESt). MEDVAMC
Education
- BA from Rice University
- 05/2007 - Houston
- Biological Sciences
- MD from Baylor College of Medicine
- 05/2011 - Houston
- Residency at Baylor College of Medicine
- 05/2014 - Houston
- Internal Medicine
- Residency at Baylor College of Medicine
- 06/2015 - Houston
- Chief Medical Resident
- Clinical Fellowship at Brigham and Women's Hospital
- 06/2018 - Boston
- Gastroenterology and Hepatology
- MPH from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
- 06/2018 - Boston
- Epidemiology
Certifications
- American Board of Internal Medicine
- Board certified in Internal Medicine.
- American Board of Internal Medicine
- Board certified in Gastroenterology & Hepatology.
Honors & Awards
- Chief Medical Resident and Instructor in Medicine, BCM, Houston, TX
- 07/2014 - 06/2015
- Introduction to Clinical Medicine Course Preceptor, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
- 07/2017 - 06/2018
- AGA Academy of Educators Elected Member
- 05/2018
- Partners in Excellence Quality Treatment and Service Award
- Harvard Medical/Partners System (05/2017)
- Bob Parsons Inaugural Fellow in Pancreatic Cancer Research
- Dana Farber Cancer Institute (01/2017 - 06/2018)
- American Gastroenterological Association Certificate of Recognition as an Early Career Investigator for an oral presentation at Digestive Disease Week
- 05/2017
- GI Fellowship Mentoring Award,
- Brigham and Women's Hospital (06/2017)
- Soma Weiss Award for Excellence in Clinical Teaching
- Brigham and Women's Hospital (06/2017)
- Ambulatory Lecturing Fellow Award
- Brigham and Women's Hospital (06/2017)
- Clinical Teaching Skills Workshop Grant Recipient, Center of Expertise in Medical Education
- Harvard Medical School (03/2016)
- Gold Humanism Honor Society, Elected Residency Chapter President
- Baylor College of Medicine (06/2010 - 06/2015)
- Bobby Alford Award for Clinical Professionalism Selection Committee
- Baylor College of Medicine (01/2013 - 06/2015)
- Dean of Medical Education Outstanding Resident Teacher Award
- Baylor College of Medicine (06/2013)
- Outstanding Achievement Award for Continuity Clinic
- Baylor College of Medicine (06/2014)
- Michael E. Debakey VA Hospital Intern of the Month
- Baylor College of Medicine (01/2011)
- Phi Beta Kappa
- Rice University (06/2007)
Selected Publications
- Sharara A, Mokahal A, Harb A, Khalaf N, et al. "A Novel Risk Prediction Rule for Advanced Neoplasia at First Screening Colonoscopy for Average-Risk Individuals.." World Journal of Gastroenterology. 2020 Oct; Pubmed PMID: 33088163
- Babic A, Zhang X, Moralez-Oyarvide V, Yuan C, Khalaf N, et al. "Acid-suppressive Medications and Risk of Colorectal Cancer: Results from Three Large Prospective Cohort Studies." Br J Cancer. 2020; Pubmed PMID: 32541871
- Babic, A., Rosenthal, M.H., Sundaresan, T.K., Khalaf, N, et al "Adipose tissue and skeletal muscle wasting precede clinical diagnosis of pancreatic cancer." Nat Commun. 2023 Jul 18;14(1):4317. Pubmed PMID: 37463915
- Qian ZR, Rubinson DA, Nowak JA, Morales-Oyarvide V, Dunne RF, Kozak MM, Welch MW, Brais LK, Da Silva A, Li T, Li W, Masuda A, Yang J, Shi Y, Gu M, Masugi Y, Bui J, Zellers CL, Yuan C, Babic A, Khalaf N, et al "Association of Alterations in Main Driver Genes Predict Patient Outcomes in Resected Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma.." JAMA Oncology. 2018 Mar;4(3):e173420. Pubmed PMID: 29098284
- Khalaf N, El-Serag H, Abrams H, Thrift A "Burden of Pancreatic Cancer: From Epidemiology to Practice." Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology. 2019;
- Khalaf N, Ali B. "Challenges and Opportunities in Pancreatic Cancer Screening Among High-Risk Individuals.." Gastroenterology. 2022 Jun;162(7):2113-2120. Pubmed PMID: 35364067
- Murthy S, Khalaf N, Shah S, Ma B, Goldsmith C, Kass J "Churg-Strauss Syndrome: An Uncommon Cause of Intracerebral Hemorrhage." JAMA Neurology. 2013;70:1580-1. Pubmed PMID: 24126465
- Khalaf N, Crews J, DuPont HL, Koo HL "Clostridium difficile: An Emerging Pathogen in Children." Discovery Medicine.;14:105-13. Pubmed PMID: 22935207
- Saini SD, Schoenfeld P, Goebel S, von Rosenvinge EC ... Khalaf N, et al. "CONFIRM Study Group. Baseline Features and Reasons for Nonparticipation in the Colonoscopy Versus Fecal Immunochemical Test in Reducing Mortality From Colorectal Cancer (CONFIRM) Study, a Colorectal Cancer Screening Trial.." JAMA Netw Open. 2023 Jul 3;6(7):e2321730. Pubmed PMID: 37432690
- Khalaf N, Liu Y, Kramer JR, El-Serag HB, Kanwal F, Singh H "Defining and Understanding Diagnostic Delays Among Pancreatic Cancer Patients: A Retrospective Cohort Study." Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2024 Jul 27; Pubmed PMID: 39074521
- Claridge H, Price CA, Ali R, Cooke E, de Lusignan S, Harvey-Sullivan A, Hodges C, Khalaf N, et al "Determining the feasibility of calculating pancreatic cancer risk scores for people with new-onset diabetes in primary care (DEFEND PRIME): study protocol." BMJ Open. 2024 Jan 22;14(1):e079863. Pubmed PMID: 38262635
- Khalaf N, Kramer J, Liu Y, Abrams D, Singh H, El- Serag HB, Kanwal F "Diabetes Status and Pancreatic Cancer Survival in the Nationwide Veterans Affairs Healthcare System." Dig Dis Sci.. 2023 Sep;68(9):3634-3643. Pubmed PMID: 37474717
- Yuan C, Babic A, Khalaf N, et al. "Diabetes, Weight Change, and Pancreatic Cancer Risk." JAMA Oncol. 2020 Oct;6(10):e202948. Pubmed PMID: 32789511
- Szafron D, Kim H, Turin C, Benzi E, Khalaf N, Hernaez R "Duodenal and liver lesions in an adult with generalized weakness." Gut. 2019;
- Khalaf N, Ali B, Liu Y, Kramer JR, El-Serag H, Kanwal F, Singh H "Emergency Presentations Predict Worse Outcomes Among Patients with Pancreatic Cancer." Dig Dis Sci. 2023 Dec 16;69(2):603-614. Pubmed PMID: 38103105
- Hamada T, Yuan C, Yurgelun MB, Perez K, Khalaf N, et al "Family history of cancer, Ashkenazi Jewish ancestry, and pancreatic cancer risk." Br J Cancer. 2019 Apr;120(8):848-854. Pubmed PMID: 30867564
- Yurgelun M, Chittenden A, Morales V, Dunne R, Kozak M, Quian ZR, Welch M, Brais L, Da Silva A, Bui J, Yuan C, Li T, Li W, Masuda A, Gu M, Bullock A, Chang D, Clancy T, Linehan D, Findeis-Hosey J, Doyle L, Thorner A, Ducar M, Wollison B, Khalaf N, et al "Germline cancer susceptibility gene variants and paired somatic analyses in patients with resected pancreatic adenocarcinoma." Genetics in Medicine. 2019 Jan;21(1):213-223. Pubmed PMID: 29961768
- Khalaf N, Mittal S "Hepatic portal venous gas: an ominous sign of mesenteric ischemia." Image of the Month, Clinical Gatroenterology and Hepatology. 2014;12(6):A29-30. Pubmed PMID: 24440213
- Zaid M, Elganainy D, Dogra P, Dai A, Widmann L, Fernandes P, Wang Z, Pelaez MJ, Ramirez JR, Singhi A, Dasyam A, Brand R, Park W, Rahmanuddin S, Rosenthal M, Wolpin B, Khalaf N, et al. "Imaging-based subtypes of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma exhibit differential growth and metabolic patterns in the pre-diagnostic period: implications for early detection." Frontiers in Oncology. 2020 Dec 2;10 Pubmed PMID: 33344245
- Jacob J, Millien V, Berger S, Ketwaroo A, Flores A, Hernaez A, Hou J, Jarbrink Sehgal M, Khalaf N, et al. "Improving Adherence to Clinical Practice Guidelines for Managing Gastric Intestinal Metaplasia among Gastroenterologists at a U.S. Academic Institution.." J Clin Gastroenterol.. 2023 Jul;58(5):432-439. Pubmed PMID: 37436841
- Millien V, Jacob J, Ketwaroo G, Flores A, Hernaez R, Hou J, Husain N, Jarbrink-Sehgal M, Khalaf N et al. "Improving Adherence to Gastric Intestinal Metaplasia Clinical Practice Guidelines Among Gastroenterologists at a U.S. Academic Institution.." J Clin Gastroenterol. 2021 Jul;161(1):e28-e29. Pubmed PMID: 37436841
- Khalaf N, El-Serag H, Kuzniarek J, Ramsey D, Tabasi S, White D, Kanwal F "Intake of Coffee and Caffeine are Associated with Decreased Risk of Advanced Hepatic Fibrosis among Patients with Hepatitis C." Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology. 2015;13:1521-1531. Pubmed PMID: 25777972
- Khalaf N, Anish R, Buehler G "Intragastric Balloon in the Emergency Department: An Unusual Cause of Gastric Outlet Obstruction." Journal of Emergency Medicine. 2014;46:113-6. Pubmed PMID: 24495937
- Khalaf N, Felice F, Sejpal D "Jejunal Dieulafoy’s Lesion: A Rare Cause of Lower Gastrointestinal Bleed." Practical Gastroenterology. 2014;37(10)
- Morales-Oyarvide V, Rubinson DA, Dunne RF, Kozak MM, Bui JL, Yuan C, Qian ZR, Babic A, Da Silva A, Nowak JA, Khalaf N, et al "Lymph node metastases in resected pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma: predictors of disease recurrence and survival. British Journal of Cancer 2017 Dec 5." Br J Cancer. 2017 Dec;117(12):1874-1882. Pubmed PMID: 28982112
- Khalaf N, Wolpin BW "Metabolic Alterations as a Signpost to Early Pancreatic Cancer.." Gastroenterology. 2019 May;156:1560-1563. Pubmed PMID: 30926350
- 12. Khalaf N, Ying J, Mittal S, Temple S, El-Serag H "Natural History of Untreated HCC in a U.S. Cohort and the Role of Cancer Surveillance." Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology. 2016;16:30517-1. Pubmed PMID: 27521507
- Khalaf N, Ali B "New-Onset Diabetes as a Signpost of Early Pancreatic Cancer: The Role of Screening." Clinical Gastroenterology & Hepatology. 2022 Feb;in press
- Khalaf N, Ali B. "New-onset Diabetes as a Signpost of Early Pancreatic Cancer: The Role of Screening." Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology. 2022 Sep;20(9):1927-1930. Pubmed PMID: 35181568
- Khalaf N, Nguyen T, Ramsey D, El-Serag H "Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs and the Risk of Barrett’s Esophagus." Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology. 2014;12:1832-9. Pubmed PMID: 24793026
- Millenia V, Abrams D, Khalaf N "Not all terminal ileitis is Crohn’s disease: Intestinal tuberculosis causing small bowel obstruction." Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology. 2020;
- Khalaf N, Kramer J, Ramsey D, El-Serag H "Personal and family history of cancer and the risk of Barrett’s esophagus in men." Diseases of the Esophagus. 2015;28:283-90. Pubmed PMID: 24529029
- Hamada T, Khalaf N, Yuan C, et al "Pre-diagnosis Use of Statins Associates With Increased Survival Times of Patients With Pancreatic Cancer." Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology. 2018 Aug;16(8):1300-1306. Pubmed PMID: 2947497
- Yuan C, Morales-Oyarvide V, Khalaf N, et al "Prediagnostic Inflammation and Pancreatic Cancer Survival.." J Natl Cancer Inst. 2021 Sep; Pubmed PMID: 33739411
- Yuan C, Morales-Oyarvide V, Khalaf N, et al. "Prediagnostic Inflammation and Pancreatic Cancer Survival.." J Natl Cancer Inst.. 2021 Sep 4;113(9):1186-1193. Pubmed PMID: 33739411
- Hamada T, Yan C, Bao Y, Zhang M, Khalaf N, et al "Prediagnostic Leukocyte Telomere Length and Pancreatic Cancer Survival." Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention [Accepted]. 2019;
- Pan S, Brand R, Lai L, Dawson D, Donahue T, Kim S, Khalaf N, et al "Proteome heterogeneity and malignancy detection in pancreatic cyst fluids." Clin Transl Med.. 2021 Aug; Pubmed PMID: 34459141
- Pan S, Brand R, Lai L, Dawson D, Donahue T, Kim S, Khalaf N, et al. "Proteome heterogeneity and malignancy detection in pancreatic cyst fluids.." Clin Transl Med.. 2021 Aug;11(8):e506. Pubmed PMID: 34459141
- Abrams H, Lee M, Dahdal S, Khalaf N "Rapid Rectal Polyposis Development in a Patient with Familial Adenomatous Polyposis." ACG Case Reports Journal. 2020;
- Abrams H, Lee M, Dahdal S, Khalaf N "Rapid Rectal Polyposis Development in a Patient with Familial Adenomatous Polyposis." ACG Case Reports. 2020 Oct 26;7(10):e00469. Pubmed PMID: 33134403
- Khalaf N, Yuan C, Tsuyoshi Hamada, et al "Regular Use of Aspirin or Non-Aspirin Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs Is Not Associated With Risk of Incident Pancreatic Cancer in Two Large Cohort Studies." 2018 Apr;154(5):1380-1390. Pubmed PMID: 29229401
- Khan N, Husain SA, Husain SI, Khalaf N, George J, Raissi F, Segura A, Biswajit K, Bogaev R, Frazier O "Remission of Chronic Anthracycline-Induced Heart Failure with Support from a Continuous-Flow Left Ventricular Assist Device." Texas Heart Institute Journal. 2012;39:554-556. Pubmed PMID: 22949777
- Sharara A, Mokahal A, Harb A, Khalaf N, et al. "Risk prediction rule for advanced neoplasia on screening colonoscopy for average-risk individuals.." World Journal of Gastroenterology. 2020 Oct 7;26(37):5705-5717. Pubmed PMID: 33088163
- Hamada T, Khalaf N, Yuan C, et al "Statin Use and Pancreatic Cancer Risk in Two Prospective Cohort Studies." Journal of Gastroenterology. 2018 Aug;53(8):959-966. Pubmed PMID: 29362938
- Nguyen T, Khalaf N, Ramsey D, El-Serag H "Statin Use is Associated with a Decreased Risk of Barrett's Esophagus." Gastroenterology. 2014;14:314-23. Pubmed PMID: 24798416
- Khalaf N, Xu A, Nguyen T, Kramer J, Liu Y, Singh H, El-Serag, Kanwal F. "The Impact of Race on Pancreatic Cancer Treatment and Survival in the Nationwide Veterans Affairs Healthcare System.." Pancreas. 2024 Jan 1;53(1):e27-e33. Pubmed PMID: 37967826
- Khalaf N, El-Serag H, Kanwal F, et al. "The Influence of Gut and Tumor Microbiome on Pancreatic Cancer Outcomes." Gastroenterology,. 2020 Sep;159(3):1184-1185. Pubmed PMID: 32681921
- Jiang K, Bazarbashi AN, Dahdal S, Voiculescu A, Khalaf N "The Spiraling Case of a Yellow Chef: Isolated Hyperbilirubinemia." Case Reports Hepatol. 2018 Aug;23:5876718. Pubmed PMID: 30210882
- 3. Srivatsav A, Ghanayem R, Dahdal S, Khalaf N "Treatment of Esophageal Stricture After Lye Ingestion: A Case of Dysphagia following Colon Interposition." ACG Case Reports. 2020;
- Khalaf N, Samadder NJ "Utility of Genetic Testing In Persons With Multiple Colorectal Polyps." Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology. 2019 Mar 12;3565(19):30259-9. Pubmed PMID: 30876960
- Khalaf N, Abrams H, Chemezian E, Kanwal F, El-Serag H "Why Do Small IPMNs Create Such a Huge Management Challenge? How International Classification of Diseases Codes Have Failed Us." Pancreas. 2022 Feb;in press
Memberships
- Texas Digestive Disease Center
- National Arab American Medical Association, Houston Chapter, Vice President
- Texas Gulf Coast GI Society
- National Pancreas Foundation
- American Pancreatic Association
- Massachusetts Gastroenterology Association
- Massachusetts Medical Society
- American College of Gastroenterology
- Texas Medical Association
- American Gastroenterological Association
- American Medical Association
- American College of Physicians
- Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center
Funding
- Young Investigator Grant in Pancreatitis (04/01/2019 - 03/01/2021) American Pancreatic Association
- Precision Risk Stratification for Pancreatic Cancer: A Deep Learning Approach (01/01/2020 - 12/01/2021) Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center Pilot Project Award
- Imaging repository for pre-diagnostic and early stage pancreatic cancer (01/01/2020 - 03/31/2022) UO1 Early Detection Research Network (EDRN) supplemental grant program Research Grant
- Predicting Risk of Long-term Complications of Acute Pancreatitis in a U.S. Veteran Population
- $50,000.00 (01/01/2021 - 06/30/2022) Grant funding from Texas Medical Center Digestive Diseases Center Pilot/Feasibility Award
- Health Informatics Approaches to Improve Early Diagnosis of Pancreatic Cancer - #1 IK2 HX003346-01A2; NIH Appl. ID:10425951
- $1,090,647.00 (04/01/2022 - 09/30/2026) Grant funding from VA Health Services Research & Development Career Development
- Systematic improvement in care through the study of emergency cancer diagnosis (01/01/2022 - 09/30/2022) Grant funding from Houston Center for Innovations in Quality, Effectiveness and Safety (IQuESt) SWIFT Award
- Implementing Digital Quality Measures into Learning Health Systems for Diagnostic Excellence in Cancer Care (06/01/2024 - 06/01/2025) National Academy of Sciences
- Clinical Quality Measures to Improve the Diagnosis for Gastrointestinal Cancers (09/01/2022 - 06/01/2027) Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation
Languages
Arabic
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