Giuseppe Cullaro, MD

Assistant Professor

I am a gastroenterologist and transplant hepatologist who cares for patients with general hepatology and transplant hepatology needs.

My academic interests lie at the intersection of hepatology and nephrology. Specifically, I focus on improving outcomes for patients with end-stage liver disease by identifying predictive markers of future kidney dysfunction—markers that may inform the mechanism of disease pathogenesis and allow for the implementation of preventative strategies.

I earned my undergraduate and medical degrees from Boston University. I completed a residency in Internal Medicine at New York Presbyterian—Columbia University, followed by a gastroenterology fellowship at UCSF, and a transplant hepatology fellowship at New York Presbyterian—Cornell and Columbia University in 2020. I obtained a Master of Advanced Studies in Clinical Research through the UCSF Graduate Division in 2019.

Education
06/2020 - Advanced/Transplant Hepatology, New York Presbyterian—Cornell and Columbia University
06/2019 - Gastroenterology Fellowship, University of California, San Francisco
MAS, 06/2019 - Masters in Clinical Research, University of California, San Francisco
06/2016 - Internal Medicine Residency, New York Presbyterian—Columbia University
MD, 05/2013 - , Boston University School of Medicine
BS, 05/2009 - Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Boston University
Honors and Awards
  • AASLD Early Career Investigator Award in Clinical/Translational Science, American Association For The Study Of Liver Disease, 2019
  • AASLD Foundation Advanced/Transplant Hepatology Award, American Association For The Study Of Liver Disease, 2019
  • Young Investigator Award, American Transplant Congress, 2019
  • GI Jeopardy Champion, American College of Gastroenterology, 2017
  • House Staff Teaching Award, New York Presbyterian—Columbia University, 2015
  • Alpha Omega Alpha, Boston University School of Medicine, 2013
Publications

  1. Fallahzadeh MA, Alegretti AS, Nadim MK, Mahmud N, Patidar KR, Cullaro G, Saracino G, Asrani SK. Performance of race-neutral eGFR equations in patients with decompensated cirrhosis. Liver transplantation : official publication of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases and the International Liver Transplantation Society 2024. PMID: 38814160


  2. Cullaro G, Allegretti AS, Patidar KR, Verna EC, Lai JC. Applying Metabolomics and Aptamer-based Proteomics to Determine Pathophysiologic Differences in Decompensated Cirrhosis Patients Hospitalized with Acute Kidney Injury. Research square 2024. PMID: 38765962


  3. Przybyszewski EM, Wilechansky RM, McLean Diaz P, Allegretti AS, VanWagner LB, Cullaro G, Levitsky J, Ginès P, Piano S, Asrani SK, Patidar KR, from the HRS-Harmony Consortium. Controversies in terlipressin and transplantation in the United States: How do we MELD the two? Liver transplantation : official publication of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases and the International Liver Transplantation Society 2024. PMID: 38537069


  4. Cullaro G, Chiou SH, Fenton C, Ge J, McCulloch CE, Rubin J, Shui AM, Yao F, Lai JC. Outpatient mean arterial pressure: A potentially modifiable risk for acute kidney injury and death among cirrhosis patients. Liver transplantation : official publication of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases and the International Liver Transplantation Society 2024. PMID: 38535488


  5. Cullaro G, Allegretti AS, Fenton C, Ge J, Patidar KR, Rubin J, Sharma A, Lai JC. The association between mean arterial pressure and acute kidney injury reversal among decompensated cirrhosis patients. Hepatology (Baltimore, Md.) 2024. PMID: 38537129


  6. Allegretti AS, Patidar KR, Ma AT, Cullaro G. From past to present to future: Terlipressin and hepatorenal syndrome-acute kidney injury. Hepatology (Baltimore, Md.) 2024. PMID: 38353565


  7. Cullaro G, Ge J, Lee BP, Lai JC, Wadhwani SI. Association between neighborhood-based material deprivation and liver transplant waitlist registrants demographics and mortality. Clinical transplantation 2023. PMID: 37937349


  8. Lai M, Fenton C, Ge J, Rubin J, Lai JC, Cullaro G. Nonselective beta-blockers may lead to stage 2 acute kidney injury and waitlist mortality in child class C cirrhosis. Hepatology communications 2023. PMID: 37756037


  9. Patidar KR, Cullaro G, Naved MA, Kabir S, Grama A, Orman ES, Piano S, Allegretti AS. Prognostic significance of acute kidney injury stage 1B in hospitalized patients with cirrhosis: A US nationwide study. Liver transplantation : official publication of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases and the International Liver Transplantation Society 2023. PMID: 37556190


  10. Wang M, Wadhwani SI, Cullaro G, Lai JC, Rubin JB. Racial and Ethnic Disparities Among Patients Hospitalized for Acute Cholangitis in the United States. Journal of clinical gastroenterology 2022. PMID: 35997698


  11. Wang M, Ge J, Ha N, Shui AM, Huang CY, Cullaro G, Lai JC. Clinical Characteristics Associated With Posttransplant Survival Among Adults 70 Years Old or Older Undergoing Liver Transplantation. Journal of clinical gastroenterology 2023. PMID: 37279205


  12. Cullaro G. Reply: Variability in serum creatinine is associated with waitlist and post-liver transplant mortality in patients with cirrhosis. Hepatology (Baltimore, Md.) 2023. PMID: 37119206


  13. Patidar KR, Naved MA, Kabir S, Grama A, Allegretti AS, Cullaro G, Asrani SK, Worden A, Desai AP, Ghabril MS, Nephew LD, Orman ES. Longer time to recovery from acute kidney injury is associated with major adverse kidney events in patients with cirrhosis. Alimentary pharmacology & therapeutics 2023. PMID: 36883210


  14. Patidar KR, Piano S, Cullaro G, Belcher JM, Allegretti AS, HRS-Harmony Consortia. Recent Advances in the Management of Hepatorenal Syndrome: A US Perspective. Clinical gastroenterology and hepatology : the official clinical practice journal of the American Gastroenterological Association 2023. PMID: 36801201


  15. Wang M, Huang CY, Cullaro G, Covinsky K, Lai JC. Women with cirrhosis have lower self-rated health than men. Hepatology communications 2023. PMID: 36757393


  16. Postalcioglu M, Cullaro G, Park M. Much Ado About Something: The Clinical Pattern of Tolvaptan-Associated Liver Injury in Participants With ADPKD. American journal of kidney diseases : the official journal of the National Kidney Foundation 2022. PMID: 36528464


  17. Chebrolu S, Phipps M, Yao F, Lai J, Verna E, Serper M, Cullaro G, Asrani SK, VanWagner LB. Multicenter Assessment of Hypertension Management of Liver Transplant Recipients. Liver transplantation : official publication of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases and the International Liver Transplantation Society 2022. PMID: 35839287


  18. Barman PM, Patel YA, Xie J, Zhang M, Jo J, Sinha J, Answine A, Schluger A, Walter K, Biggins SW, Cullaro G, Wong R, Lai JC, VanWagner LB, Magee J, Verna EC, Sharma P. Predictors of Length of Stay and Mortality During Simultaneous Liver-Kidney Transplant Index Admission: Results From the US-Multicenter SLKT Consortium. Transplantation direct 2022. PMID: 36398193


  19. Jo J, Crespo G, Gregory D, Sinha J, Xie J, Zhang M, Magee J, Barman P, Patel YA, Schluger A, Walters K, Biggins S, Filipek N, Cullaro G, Wong R, Lai JC, Perreault GJ, Verna EC, Sharma P, VanWagner LB. Factors associated with cardiovascular events after simultaneous liver-kidney transplant from the US Multicenter Simultaneous Liver-Kidney Transplant Consortium. Hepatology communications 2022. PMID: 36285830


  20. Cullaro G, Kanduri SR, Velez JCQ. Acute Kidney Injury in Patients with Liver Disease. Clinical journal of the American Society of Nephrology : CJASN 2022. PMID: 35902128


  21. Sharma P, Xie J, Wang L, Zhang M, Magee J, Answine A, Barman P, Jo J, Sinha J, Schluger A, Perreault GJ, Walters K, Cullaro G, Wong R, Filipek N, Biggins SW, Lai JC, VanWagner LB, Verna EC, Patel YA. Burden of Early Hospitalization after Simultaneous Liver-Kidney Transplantation: Results from the US Multicenter SLKT Consortium. 2022. PMID: 35665591


  22. Cullaro G, Hsu CY, Lai JC. Variability in Serum Creatinine is Associated with Waitlist and Post-Liver Transplant Mortality in Cirrhosis Patients. 2022. PMID: 35357707


  23. Cullaro G. Timing of Acute Kidney Injury Recovery a Promising Indicator of Outcomes After Liver Transplantation. 2021. PMID: 34172645


  24. Cullaro G, Verna EC, McCulloch CE, Lai JC. Improving the model for end-stage liver disease with sodium by incorporating kidney dysfunction types. 2022. PMID: 35298079


  25. Lee BP, Cullaro G, Vosooghi A, Yao F, Panchal S, Goldberg DS, Terrault NA, Mahmud N. Discordance in categorization of acute-on-chronic liver failure in the United Network for Organ Sharing database. 2022. PMID: 35074470


  26. Cullaro G, Rubin J, Mehta N, Yao F, Verna EC, Lai JC. Sex-Based Disparities in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Recurrence After Liver Transplantation. Transplantation 2020. PMID: 33323764


  27. Cullaro G, Verna EC, Duarte-Rojo A, Kappus MR, Ganger DR, Rahimi RS, Boyarsky B, Segev DL, McAdams-DeMarco M, Ladner DP, Volk ML, Hsu CY, Lai JC. Frailty and the Risk of Acute Kidney Injury Among Patients With Cirrhosis. 2021. PMID: 34676697


  28. Cullaro G, Verna EC. Estimating Glomerular Filtration Rate in Cirrhosis: A Variable Science That Needs Clinical Awareness. 2021. PMID: 34411404


  29. Cullaro G, Sharma P, Jo J, Rassiwala J, VanWagner LB, Wong R, Lai JC, Magee J, Schluger A, Barman P, Patel YA, Walter K, Biggins SW, Verna EC. Temporal Trends and Evolving Outcomes After Simultaneous Liver-Kidney Transplantation (SLKT): Results from the US SLKT Consortium. Liver transplantation : official publication of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases and the International Liver Transplantation Society 2021. PMID: 34265161


  30. Cullaro G, Rubin JB, Fortune BE, Crawford CV, Verna EC, Hsu CY, Liu KD, Brown RS, Lai JC, Rosenblatt R. Association Between Kidney Dysfunction Types and Mortality Among Hospitalized Patients with Cirrhosis. Digestive diseases and sciences 2021. PMID: 34292470


  31. Sharma P, Sui Z, Zhang M, Magee JC, Barman P, Patel Y, Schluger A, Walter K, Biggins SW, Cullaro G, Wong R, Lai JC, Jo J, Sinha J, VanWagner L, Verna EC. Renal Outcomes After Simultaneous Liver-Kidney Transplantation: Results from the US Multicenter Simultaneous Liver-Kidney Transplantation Consortium. Liver transplantation : official publication of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases and the International Liver Transplantation Society 2021. PMID: 33641218


  32. Cullaro G, Verna EC, Emond JC, Orandi BJ, Mohan S, Lai JC. Early Kidney Allograft Failure After Simultaneous Liver-kidney Transplantation (SLKT): Evidence for Utilization of the Safety Net? Transplantation 2020. PMID: 32413016


  33. Rubin JB, Cullaro G, Ge J, Lai JC. Women who undergo liver transplant have longer length of stay post-transplant compared with men. Liver international : official journal of the International Association for the Study of the Liver 2020. PMID: 32412164


  34. Sheshadri A, Cullaro G, Johansen KL, Lai JC. Association of Karnofsky Performance Status with Waitlist Mortality among Older and Younger Adults Awaiting Kidney Transplantation. Clinical transplantation 2020. PMID: 32112458


  35. Cullaro G, Verna EC, Lee BP, Lai JC. Chronic Kidney Disease in Liver Transplant Candidates: A Rising Burden Impacting Post-Liver Transplant Outcomes. Liver transplantation : official publication of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases and the International Liver Transplantation Society 2019. PMID: 31785069


  36. Cullaro G, Asrani SK. Not All Episodes of Acute Kidney Injury Are Equal in Patients With Cirrhosis, Based on Patterns of Renal Dysfunction. Volume 18 of Issue 8. Clinical gastroenterology and hepatology : the official clinical practice journal of the American Gastroenterological Association 2020. PMID: 32184186


  37. Mazumder N, Atiemo K, Kappus M, Cullaro G, Harinstein ME, Ladner D, Verna E, Lai J, Levitsky J. A Comprehensive Review of Outcome Predictors in Low MELD Patients. Transplantation 2019. PMID: 31517785


  38. Cullaro G, Sharma R, Trebicka J, Cárdenas A, Verna EC. Precipitants of Acute-on-Chronic Liver Failure: An Opportunity for Preventative Measures to Improve Outcomes. Volume 26 of Issue 2. Liver transplantation : official publication of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases and the International Liver Transplantation Society 2020. PMID: 31714011


  39. Cullaro G, Rubin JB, Mehta N, Lai JC. The Differential Impact of Age Among Liver Transplant Candidates With and Without HCC. Liver transplantation : official publication of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases and the International Liver Transplantation Society 2019. PMID: 31610089


  40. Cullaro G, Hirose R, Lai JC. Changes in Simultaneous Liver Kidney Transplant Allocation Policy May Impact Post Liver Transplant Outcomes. Transplantation 2018. PMID: 30086097


  41. Lee BP, Vittinghoff E, Dodge JL, Cullaro G, Terrault NA. National Trends and Long-term Outcomes of Liver Transplant for Alcohol-Associated Liver Disease in the United States. JAMA internal medicine 2019. PMID: 30667468


  42. Cullaro G, Verna EC, Lai JC. Association Between Renal Function Pattern and Mortality in Patients with Cirrhosis. Clinical gastroenterology and hepatology : the official clinical practice journal of the American Gastroenterological Association 2019. PMID: 30716479


  43. Cullaro G, Park M, Lai JC. "Normal" Creatinine Levels Predict Persistent Kidney Injury and Waitlist Mortality in Outpatients With Cirrhosis. Hepatology (Baltimore, Md.) 2018. PMID: 29698588


  44. Cullaro G, Pisa JF, Brown RS, Wagener G, Verna EC. Early Postoperative Neutrophil Gelatinase-Associated Lipocalin Predicts the Development of Chronic Kidney Disease After Liver Transplantation. Volume 102 of Issue 5. Transplantation 2018. PMID: 29300232


  45. Cullaro G, Sarkar M, Lai JC. Sex-based disparities in delisting for being "too sick" for liver transplantation. American journal of transplantation : official journal of the American Society of Transplantation and the American Society of Transplant Surgeons 2017. PMID: 29194969


  46. Cullaro G, Kim G, Pereira MR, Brown RS, Verna EC. Ascites Neutrophil Gelatinase-Associated Lipocalin Identifies Spontaneous Bacterial Peritonitis and Predicts Mortality in Hospitalized Patients with Cirrhosis. Volume 62 of Issue 12. Digestive diseases and sciences 2017. PMID: 29098551


  47. Lai CL, Wong D, Ip P, Kopaniszen M, Seto WK, Fung J, Huang FY, Lee B, Cullaro G, Chong CK, Wu R, Cheng C, Yuen J, Ngai V, Yuen MF. Reduction of covalently closed circular DNA with long-term nucleos(t)ide analogue treatment in chronic hepatitis B. Volume 66 of Issue 2. Journal of hepatology 2016. PMID: 27639844


  48. Halilovic A, Patil KA, Bellner L, Marrazzo G, Castellano K, Cullaro G, Dunn MW, Schwartzman ML. Knockdown of heme oxygenase-2 impairs corneal epithelial cell wound healing. Volume 226 of Issue 7. Journal of cellular physiology 2011. PMID: 21506105


  49. Patil K, Bellner L, Cullaro G, Gotlinger KH, Dunn MW, Schwartzman ML. Heme oxygenase-1 induction attenuates corneal inflammation and accelerates wound healing after epithelial injury. Volume 49 of Issue 8. Investigative ophthalmology & visual science 2008. PMID: 18441305