Department of Medicine
Faculty Profiles by Division

Department of Medicine

Faculty Profiles
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photo Maja Stefanovic-Racic, MD, PhD

Endocrinology and Metabolism

Associate Professor of Medicine

Director, EDM Fellowship Training Program

Email: stefanovicracicm@upmc.edu

Phone: 412-586-9884
Contact
Office: Falk Medical Building, Suite 3A
3601 Fifth Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15213
 
Phone: 412-586-9884
Fax: 412-648-3290
E-mail: stefanovicracicm@upmc.edu
Administrative Assistant:
Lorrie Fox
Address: Falk Medical Building
3601 Fifth Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15213
Email: johnsonla2@upmc.edu
Phone: 412-586-9884
Fax: 412-586-9726
Education and Training
Education
MD, University of Belgrade School of Medicine, Serbia, 1989
PhD, University of Pittsburgh, 1996
Training
Postdoctoral Fellow, Dept. of Orthopaedic Res., University of Pittsburgh, 1998
Internal Medicine Resident, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, 2001
Fellowship, Endocrinology & Metabolism, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, 2004
Fellowship, Endocrinology, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, 2004
Research Interest
Dr. Stefanovic's interests are related to mechanisms involved in development of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD), which is associated with obesity, insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. More specifically, she has been focusing on the role of immune system, both innate and adaptive, in transitioning from simple liver steatosis (fatty liver) to liver inflammation (nonalcoholic steatohepatitis or NASH). Results of experiments performed in animal models of obesity showed that one of immune cell type, called dendritic cells, plays a particularly important role in liver inflammation. The most intriguing question related to this finding is whether manipulation of dendritic cells could reduce inflammation in liver and other tissues in obesity, leading to a reduced risk of developing insulin resistance and diabetes.
Clinical Interest
As a general endocrinologist, Dr. Stefanovic treats a variety of endocrinologic conditions, with a special interest in diabetes and lipid disorders.
Educational Interest
Dr. Stefanovic is involved in education of medical students, Internal Medicine residents and Endocrinology fellows.
Publications
For my complete bibliography, Click Here.
Selected Publications:
Distefano, G., Standley, R. A., Dube, J. J., Carnero, E. A., Ritov, V. B., Stefanovic-Racic, M., Toledo, F. G., Piva, S. R., Goodpaster, B. H., Coen, P. M. Chronological age does not influence ex-vivo mitochondrial respiration and quality control in skeletal muscle. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2016; Epub ahead of print.
Hames, K. C., Coen, P. M., King, W. C., Anthony, S. J., Stefanovic-Racic, M., Toledo, F. G., Lowery, J. B., Helbling, N. L., Dube, J. J., DeLany, J. P., Jakicic, J. M., Goodpaster, B. H. Resting and exercise energy metabolism in weight-reduced adults with severe obesity. Obesity. 2016; 24: 1290-1298.
Metlakunta, A., Huang, W., Stefanovic-Racic, M., Dedousis, N., Sipula, I., O'Doherty, R.M. Kupffer cells facilitate the acute effects of leptin on hepatic lipid metabolism. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab. 2016; 312(1): E11-E18.
Menshikova, E.V., Ritov, V.B., Dube, J.J., Amati, F., Stefanovic-Racic, M., Toledo, F.G., Coen, P.M., Goodpaster, B.H. Calorie restriction-induced weight loss and exercise have differential effects on skeletal muscle mitochondria despite similar effect on insulin sensitivity. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2017; 73(1): 81-87.
Liu, A., Chen, M., Kumar, R., Stefanovic-Racic, M., O'Doherty, R.M., Ding, Y., Jahnen-Dechent, W., Borghesi, L. Bone marrow lympho-myeloid malfunction in obesity requires precursor cell-autonomous TLR4. Nat Commun. 2018; 9(1): 708.
Toledo, F.G.S., Dube, J.J., Goodpaster, B.H., Stefanovic-Racic, M., Coen, P.M., DeLany, J.P. Mitochondrial respiration is associated with lower energy expenditure and lower aerobic capacity in African American women. Obesity. 2018; 26(5): 903-909.
Edem, D., McCarthy, P., Ng, J.M., Stefanovic-Racic, M., Korytkowski, M.T. Insulin pump therapy: patient practices and glycemic outcomes. J Diabetes Sci Technol. 2018; 12(6): 1250-1251.
Harmon, D.B., Chao, W., Dedousis, N., Sipula, I.J., Stefanovic-Racic, M., Schoiswohl, G., O'Donnell, C.P., Alonso, L.C., Kershaw, E.E., Kelley, E.E., O'Doherty, R.M. Adipose tissue derived free fatty acids initiate myeloid cell accumulation in mouse liver in states of lipid oversupply. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab. 2018; 315(5): E758-E770.
Harmon, D.B., Mandler, W.K., Sipula, I.J., Dedousis, N., Lewis, S.E., Eckels, J.T., Du, J., Wang, Y., Huckestein, B.R., Pagano, P.J., Cifuentes-Pagano, E., Homanics, G.E., Van't Erve, T.J., Stefanovic-Racic, M., Jurczak, M.J., O'Doherty, R.M., Kelley, E.E. Hepatocyte-specific ablation of whole-body inhibition of xanthine oxidoreductase in mice corrects obesity-induced systemic hyperuricemia without improving metabolic abnormalities. Diabetes. 2019; 68(6): 1221-1229.
Hughan, K.S., Levine, A., Helbling, N., Anthony, S., DeLany, J.P., Stefanovic-Racic, M., Goodpaster, B.H., Gladwin, M.T. Effects of oral sodium nitrite on blood pressure, insulin sensitivity, and intima-media arterial thickening in adults with hypertension and metabolic syndrome. Hypertension. 2020; 76(3): 866-874.

Division Websites

Cardiology

Endocrinology and Metabolism

Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition

General Internal Medicine

Geriatric Medicine
Hematology/Oncology

Infectious Diseases

Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine

Renal-Electrolyte

Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology

Contact

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