Professor
Department of Epidemiology
Co-Director, Epidemiology Data Center
Secondary Appointment: Psychiatry
Secondary Appointment: Clinical Sciences
Associate Dean for Research
Graduate School of Public Health

127 Parran Hall
University of Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, PA 15261
Voice: 412-624-5218
Fax: 412-624-3775
E-mail: wisniew@edc.pitt.edu





Research Interests

My primary research interests include the design and analysis of clinical trials. Specifically, multi-center randomized clinical trials. Recently these interests have been applied to the coordination of psychiatric clinical trials (bipolar disorder, treatment resistant depression, chronic depression). In addition to these interests, I have a long standing interest in traumatic brain injury, including pre-clinical and observational studies, as well as randomized clinical trials in adults and children.

Education & Training

• The Pennsylvania State University - B.S. Mathematics, 1987
• The Ohio State University - M.A.S. Statistics, 1988
• University of Pittsburgh- PhD Epidemiology, 1994

Current Projects Include:

• GRADS Genomic Information Center
• CTSI Design, Biostatistics and Epidemiology Core
• Data Coordinating Center for the Cool Kids Trial
• Data Coordinating Center for the TRIAD Study
• Data Coordinating Center for the Study of Nutrition and Acute Pancreatitis (SNAP)
• Data Coordinating Center for the North American Acute Panceratitis Study 2 (NAPS2)

Selected Publications

Rush AJ, Trivedi MH, Stewart JW, Nierenberg AA, Fava M, Kurian BT, Warden D, Morris DW, Luther JF, Husain MM, Cook IA, Shelton RC, Lesser IM, Kornstein SG, Wisniewski SR. Combining medications to enhance depression outcomes (CO-MED): acute and long-term outcomes of a single-blind randomized study. The American journal of psychiatry. 2011 Jul; 168 (7):689-701. PMID: 21536692.

Lespérance F, Frasure-Smith N, St-André E, Turecki G, Lespérance P, Wisniewski SR. The efficacy of omega-3 supplementation for major depression: a randomized controlled trial. The Journal of clinical psychiatry. 2011 Aug; 72 (8):1054-62. PMID: 20584525.

Stark JH, Sharma R, Ostroff S, Cummings DA, Ermentrout B, Stebbins S, Burke DS, Wisniewski SR. Local spatial and temporal processes of influenza in Pennsylvania, USA: 2003-2009. PloS one. 2012; 7 (3):e34245. PMCID: PMC3314628. PMID: 22470544.

Barkin JL, Wisner KL, Bromberger JT, Beach SR, Wisniewski SR. Assessment of functioning in new mothers. Journal of women's health (2002). 2010 Aug; 19 (8):1493-9. PubMed PMID: 20629572.

Barkin JL, Wisner JL, Bromberger JT, Beach SC, Terry MA, Wisniewski SR. Development of the Barkin Index of Maternal Functioning. Journal of Women's Health 2010, 19;12:2239-2246.

Kocsis JH, Gelenberg AJ, Rothbaum BO, Klein DN, Trivedi MH, Manber R, Keller MB, Leon AC, Wisniewski SR, Arnow BA, Markowitz JC, Thase ME; REVAMP Investigators. Cognitive behavioral analysis system of psychotherapy and brief supportive psychotherapy for augmentation of antidepressant nonresponse in chronic depression: the REVAMP Trial. Archives of General Psychiatry, 2009;66(11):1178-88. PMID 19884606

Wisniewski SR, Chen CC, Kim E, Kan HJ, Guo Z, Carlson BX, Tran QV, Pikalov A.Global benefit-risk analysis of adjunctive aripiprazole in the treatment of patients with major depressive disorder. Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety, 2009;18(10):965-72. PMID 19662630

Rush AJ, Wisniewski SR, Warden D, Luther JF, Davis LL, Fava M, Nierenberg AA, Trivedi MH. Selecting Among Second-Step Antidepressant Medications Monotherapies. Archives of General Psychiatry, 2008;65:870-881.

Bryan CJ, Songer TJ, Brooks MM, Thase ME, Gaynes BN, Klinkman M, Rush AJ, Trivedi MH, Fava M, Wisniewski SR. A comparison of baseline sociodemographic and clinical characteristics between major depressive disorder patients with and without diabetes: A STAR*D report. Journal of Affective Disorders, 2008;108:113-120.

Cook IA, Balasubramani GK, Eng H, Friedman E, Young EA, Martin J, Nay WT, Ritz L, Rush AJ, Stegman D, Warden D, Trivedi MH, Wisniewski SR. Electronic source materials in clinical research: Acceptability and validity of symptom self-rating in major depressive disorder. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 2007;41:737-743.

Lesser IM, Castro DB, Gaynes BN, Gonzalez J, Rush AJ, Alpert JE, Trivedi M, Luther JF, Wisniewski SR. Ethnicity/race and outcome in the treatment of depression: Results from STAR*D. Medical Care, 2007;45:1043-1051.

Warden D, Trivedi MH, Wisniewski SR, Davis L, Nierenberg AA, Gaynes BN, Zisook S, Hollon SD, Balasubramani GK, Howland R, Fava M, Stewart JW, Rush AJ. Predictors of attrition during initial (Citalopram) treatment for depression: A STAR*D report. American Journal of Psychiatry, 2007;164:1189-1197.

Trivedi MH Rush AJ, Wisniewski SR, Nierenberg NN, Warden D, Ritz L, Norquist G, Howland RH, Lebowitz B, McGrath PJ, Shores-Wilson K, Biggs MM, Balasubramani GH, and Fava M for the STAR*D Study Team: Evaluation of Outcomes With Citalopram for Depression Using Measurement-Based Care in STAR*D: Implications for Clinical Practice. American Journal of Psychiatry, 2006;163:28-40.

Bauer MS, Wisniewski SR, Marangell LB, Chessick CA, Allen MH, Dennehy EB, Miklowitz DJ, Thase ME, Sachs GS, for the STEP-BD Investigators. Are Antidepressants Associated with New-Onset Suicidality in Bipolar Disorder? A Prospective Study of Participants in the Systematic Treatment Enhancement Program for Bipolar Disorder (STEP-BD). Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 2006;67:48-55.

Nierenberg AA, Ostacher MJ, Calabrese JR, Ketter TA, Marangell LB, Miklowitz DJ, Miyahara S, Bauer MS, Thase ME, Wisniewski SR, Sachs GS. Treatment-Resistant Bipolar Depression: A STEP-BD Equipoise Randomization Effectiveness Trial of Antidepressant Augmentation with Lamotrigine, Inositol, or Risperidone. American Journal of Psychiatry, 2006;163:210-216.

Trivedi MH, Fava M, Wisniewski SR, Thase ME, Quitkin F, Warden D, Ritz L, Nierenberg A, Lebowitz BD, Biggs MM, Luther JF, Shores-Wilson K, Rush AJ for the STAR*D Study Team. A Comparison of Citalopram Augmentation with Bupropion-SR and Buspirone Following SSRI Failure for Depressed Outpatients: A STAR*D Report. New England Journal of Medicine, 2006;354:1243-1252 .

Rush AJ, Trivedi MH, Wisniewski SR, Stewart JW, Nierenberg A, Thase ME, Ritz L, Biggs MM, Warden D, Luther JF, Shores-Wilson K, Niederehe G, Fava M for the STAR*D Team. A Comparison of Bupropion-SR, Sertraline, and Venlafaxine-XR Following SSRI Failure for Depressed Outpatients: A STAR*D Report. New England Journal of Medicine, 2006;354:1231-1242.

Weissman MM, Pilowsky DJ, Wickramaratne PJ, Talati A, Wisniewski SR, Fava M, Hughes CW, Garber J, Malloy E, King CA, Cerda G, Sood AB, Alpert JE, Trivedi MH, Rush AJ for the STAR*D-Child Team. Remission in Maternal Depression and Child Psychopathology: A STAR*D-Child Report. Journal of the American Medical Association, 2006;295:1389-1398.

Wisniewski SR, Rush AJ, Balasubramani GK, Trivedi MH, Nierenberg AA for the STAR*D Investigators. Self-Rated Global Measure of the Frequency, Intensity, and Burden of Side Effects. Journal of Psychiatric Practice, 2006;12:71-79.

Balasubramani GK, Wisniewski SR, Zhang H, Eng HE. Development of an efficient SASâ macro to perform permutation tests for two independent samples. Computer Methods and Programs in Biomedicine,
2005;79:179-187.

Kochanek PM, Hendrich KS, Jackson EK, Wisniewski SR, Melick JA, Shore PM, Janesko KL, Zacharia L Ho C. Characterization of the effects of adenosine receptor agonists on cerebral blood flow in uninjured and traumatically injured rat brain using continuous arterial spin-labeled magnetic resonance imaging. Journal of Cerebral Blood Flow and Metabolism, 2005;25:1596-1612.

Rush AJ, Fava M, Wisniewski SR, Lavori PW, Trivedi M, Sackeim HA, Thase ME, Nierenberg AA, Quitkin FM, Kashner TM, Kupfer DJ, Rosenbaum JF, Alpert J, Stewart J, McGrath PJ, Biggs, MM, Shores-Wilson K, O'Neal BL, Lebowitz BD, Ritz AL, Niederehe G for the STAR*D Investigators Group. Sequenced Treatment Alternatives to Relieve Depression (STAR*D): Rationale and Design. Controlled Clinical Trials, 2004;25:116-142.

Wisniewski SR, Stegman D, Trivedi M, Husain MM, Eng H, Shores-Wilson K, Luther J, Biggs MM, Burroghs D, Ritz LA, Fava M, Quitkin F, Rush AJ for te STAR*D Investigators. Methods of testing feasibility for sequenced alternatives to relieve depression (STAR*D). Journal of Psychiatric Research. 2004;38:241-248.

Wisniewski SR, Eng H, Meloro L, Gatt R, Ritz L, Stegman D, Trivedi M, Biggs MM, Friedman E, Shores-Wilson K, Warden D, Bartolowits D, Martin JP and Rush AJ. Web-based communications and management of a multi-center clinical trial: the Sequenced Treatment Alternatives to Relieve Depression (STAR*D) project. Clinical Trials. 2004;1:387-398.

Wisniewski SR, Belle SH, Coon DW, Marcus SM, Ory MG, Burgio L, Burns R, Schulz R. The Resources for Enhancing Alzheimer's Caregiver Health (REACH): Project Design and Baseline Characteristics. Psychology and Aging. 2003;18:375-384.

Lavori PW, Rush AJ, Wisniewski SR, Alpert J, Fava M, Kupfer DJ, Nierenberg A, Quitkin FM, Sacheim HA, Thase ME, Trivedi M for the STAR*D Group. Strengthening Clinical Effectiveness Trials: Equipoise-Stratified Randomization. Biological Psychiatry, 2001;50:792-801.

Wisniewski SR, Capone A, Kelsey SF, Groer-Fitzgerald S, Lambert HM, and Doft BH for the Endophthalmitis Vitrectomy Study. The Presenting Characteristics of Postoperative Endophthalmitis in the Endophthalmitis Vitrectomy Study. Ophthalmology, 2000;107:1274-1282.

Marion DW, Penrod LE, Kelsey SF, Obrist WD, Kochanek PM, Palmer AM, Wisniewski SR and DeKosky ST. Improved Outcome After Traumatic Brain Injury with the Use of Moderate Hypothermia, The New England Journal of Medicine, 336;540-546:1997.

Wisniewski SR, Hammer ME, Grizzard WS, Kelsey SF, Everett D, Packo KH, Yarian DL, Doft BH for the EVS Study Group. An Investigation of the Hospital Charges Related to the Treatment of Endophthalmitis in the Endophthalmitis Vitrectomy Study. Ophthalmology, 1997;104:739-745.

The Endophthalmitis Vitrectomy Study Group. Results of the Endophthalmitis Vitrectomy Study: A Randomized Trial of Immediate Vitrectomy and of Intravenous Antibiotics for the Treatment of Post-Operative Bacterial Endophthalmitis. Archives of Ophthalmology. 1995;113:1479-1496.