Marlys H. Witte, MD

Professor, Surgery
Professor, Neurosurgery
Professor, Pediatrics
Director, Medical Student Research Program, High School Student and K-12 Science Teacher Research Program, Curriculum on Medical Ignorance
Director, Lymphology Laboratories
 
Education: 
  • New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, 1960 (M.D.)
  • North Carolina Memorial Hospital, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 1960-1961 (Internship)
  • Bellevue Hospital, New York City, New York, 1961-1965 (Residency, Internal Medicine)
Honors and Awards: 
  • Alpha Omega AlphaPast Program Director
  • UA NIH Clinical Research Center in SurgeryEstablished Investigatorship American Heart Association USPHS (NHLBI) Career Research Development Award
  • Past President, International Society of Lymphology
  • Secretary-General, International Society of Lymphology
  • Executive Editor, Journal of LYMPHOLOGY
  • Visiting Litchfield Lecturer, University of Oxford, England 1988
  • University of Arizona Mortar Board Hall of Fame Award for recognizing leadership, concern for individual students, and promotion of high academic standards 1989
  • Commencement Speaker, St. Louis University School of Medicine (first woman speaker since the university was founded in 1818) 1989
  • UA College of Medicine Gold Headed Cane Award; Senior Class Distinguished Science Award; Founders Day Award 1993
  • National Academy of Medicine of Brazil 1996
  • Excellence in Innovation in Teaching 2004
Major Areas of Research Interest: 
Principal research has been in the field of lymphology -- care of patients with disorders involving the lymph circulation, liver and spleen, particularly edematous states; experimental and clinical research into the pathophysiology and treatment of these diseases, and undergraduate, post-graduate, and continuing education in lymphology and hepatosplenology.
  • Characterization of normal lymphatic and neoplastic endothelium
  • Role of lymph circulation in edematous states
  • Pathophysiology of lymphatic filariasis
  • Lymphatic imaging
  • Kaposi sarcoma models
  • Medical and other ignorance
Student Opportunities Through Research: 
  • Wide variety of basic and clinical projects - from cell biology to field research in the Third World
  • Learning to pose and pursue questions - from the idea to publication
  • Cutting edge of biotechnology
  • National and international collaborations and where earned, travel to international meetings
  • Excitement of discovery
  • Close contact and interactions with mentors
Sponsored Research Through MSRP: 
John Myers II, (MSRP 1981): "Estimated net transcapillary fluid and protein flux in experimental extrahepatic portal hypertension and techniques to measure capillary blood flow."
 
Kent Wellish, (MSRP 1983, 1984): "Circulatory control of splenic function and post-splenectomy sepsis."
 
Albert Martinez, (MSRP 1986): "Lymphatic endothelium and AIDS-related syndromes." and "Influence of peritoneovenous shunting on atrial natriuretic factor in human and experimental cirrhotic ascites."
 
Steven Shapiro, (MSRP 1987): "An in vitro study of lymphogenous vs. hematogenous dissemination of sarcoma, melanoma, and carcinoma cells."
 
Michael Stuntz, (AHA FELLOWSHIP 1987-1988): "The effects of interleukin 2 on vascular permeability and lymph dynamics in the rat." and "The lymphatic system in AIDS-Kaposi's sarcoma."
 
Jane Hartline, (MSRP 1991): "In vitro and in vivo studies of lymphatic filariasis."
 
Gina Escobar, (AHA FELLOWSHIP, 1992-1993): "In vivo and in vitro microscopy of adult Brugia malayi lymphatic filariasis: The effect of macrofilaricidal agents." and "AIDS-Kaposi sarcoma."
 
Troy Manchester, (MSRP 1992): "Growth factor and cytokine modulation in endothelial cell isolates in vitro."
 
Richard Mularski, (MSRP 1992): "Sinusoidal capillarization of hepatic tissue in a rat model under chronic alcohol ingestion."
 
Anthony Stazzone, (MSRP 1994): "Establishing an in vitro assay of lymphocyte/endothelial cell interactions." and "Improved rehabilitation in lymphedemas."
 
Frank Reiser, (MSRP 1995, 1996): "Effects of 2-methoxyestradiol on inhibition of angiogenesis and endothelial tumor growth."and "Searching for the lymphangiogenesis gene(s)."
 
Teressa Myloyde, (MSRP 1997): "Quantitative lymphangioscintigraphy in an experimental lymphedema model."
 
Jeanne Cheshier-Alvarado, (MSRP 1998,1999): "A genotypic and phenotypic correlation in Turner and familiar lymphedema syndromes."
 
Clifford Martin, (MSRP 1998, 1999, 2000): "Vascular endothelial growth factors, vascular permeability and lymphangiogenesis."
 
Catherynne Morgan Goldman, (MSRP 2002): "The effects of estrogen and tamoxifen on lymph formation in the intestine."
 
Parker Fillmore, (MSRP 2003): "Massage therapy in experimental and human lymphedema."
 
Megan Meislin, (MSRP 2004): "Caveolin in Neiman Pick Type C mice."
 
Gideon Richards, (MSRP 2004, 2007): "Non-invasive lymphatic imaging in mouse models" and "Non-invasive lymphatic imaging in mouse models of post-natal lymphangiogenesis."
 
Chad Cherrington, (MSRP 2005, 2007): "Imaging of post-natal lymphangiogenesis."
 
Aaron Scott, (MSRP 2007): "Isolation of neural stem cells from the adult human and mouse hippocampus."
 
Drew Kurtzman, (MSRP 2008): "Assessing the role of lymphatics in metastatic neoplasms."
 
Michael Montague, (MSRP 2009): "Lymphatic dysfunction, melanoma growth and rattlesnake envenomation in pre-clinical animal models."
 
Matthew Douglas (MSRP 2010): "Role of Lymphatics in Melanoma Metastasis and Envenomation in Murine Models"
 
Eric Parmon, (MSRP 2011): "Evaluation of the Role of Amifostine and its Metabolite WR-1065 in Preventing Radiation Induced Lymphatic Injury"
 
Sarah Daley, (MSRP 2011, 2016): "Progression of Inflammatory Bowel Disease to Cancer: Is the Patient 'Better Off' Without Lymphatic Vessels or Nodes (or Angiopoietin 2)?"
 
Emily Wilkinson, (MSRP 2011): "Molecular Biology of Vertically Transmitted T. Cruzi Infection in Argentina"
 
Nathan Tanoue, (MSRP 2014), "Intestinal Microbiome Alternations"; 2015; "Evaluation of Pathology and Histology of Inflamed and Cancerous Mouse Colon"; 2016, "Vascular Growth Factors and Cytokines in Progression of Experimental Colitis"
 
Jeremey Gneck, (MSRP 2016); "Effect of Genetics in Lymph-Vascular Deficiency on Gut Microbiota"
 
Sylvestor "Sammy" Moses, (MSRP 2016); "Fontan Physiology and Fontan Complications in Children with Univentricular Heart Disease"
 
Taylor Cox, (MSRP 2020, 2022): "Lymphatic Dysplasia and Lymphatic Imaging in Noonan Syndrome"
 
Tanner Barnes (MSRP 2023), "FOXC2 Lymphatic Dysfunction and the Growth and Metastasis of Malignant Melanoma in a Mouse Model" [co-mentor with Dr. Mitchell Bartlett]
 
Advanced Research Distinction Track (RDT): 
Teressa Myloyde, (RDT Class of 2001): "Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the lymphatic system: Experimental studies and clinical background.
 
Kimberly Northup, (RDT Class of 2002): "Syndromic classifications of hereditary lymphedema."
 
Megan Meislin, (RDT Class of 2009): "Vascular genomics of post-natal lymphangiogenesis."
 
Chad Cherrington, (RDT Class of 2010): "The conditions of lymphatic disruption that best prevent tumor metastasis to lymph nodes."
 
Anne Floyd, (RDT Class of 2012): "Study of Functional and Structural Changes Between Wild Type and Mucin Knockout Mice"
 
Sarah Daley, (RDT Class of 2016): "Progression of Inflammatory Bowel Disease to Cancer:  Is the Patient “Better Off” Without Lymphatic Vessels or Nodes (or Angiopoietin 2)?"
 
Sean Behan, (RDT Class of 2018): "A Socioeconomic Analysis of Adults Living with a Congenital Heart Defect: Tetralogy of Fallot in a Diverse Patient Population"
 
Nathan Tanoue, (RDT Class of 2018): "An Animal Model for Fecal Transplant in IBD"
 
Taylor Cox, (RDT Class of 2023): "Lymphatic Imaging-Guided Management of Noonan Syndrome: Three Case Reports, a Review of the Literature, and Surgical Outcomes Analysis"
 
NIH Undergraduate Diversity Program: 
Jalicia C.S. Washington, 2011, "Angiopoietin 2 Lymphatic Insufficiency in Murine Inflammatory Colitis"; 2012, "Colon Cancer/IBD in Mouse Models"; 2013, "Inflammatory Bowel Disease in Mouse Models: Role of Lymphatics"; 2014, "Inflammatory Colitis, Lymphatic Insufficiency and Progression to Colorectal Cancer in an Experimental Mouse Model"
 
Alvin Rodriguez, 2012, "Progression of Inflammatory Bowel Disease to Cancer"; 2013, "Lymphatic Insufficiency and Inflammatory Colitis"
 
Jorge P. Gonzalez, 2015; "The issues surrounding the choroid plexus haemorrhage"
 
Jazmine Jones, 2019, "Studying Lymphedema"; 2020, "Lymphedema Research"
 
Luis Luy, 2019, "Studying Lymphedema"
 
Reginald Myles II, 2019, "Studying Lymphedema"
 
Jaqueline Yepiz, 2020, "Lymphedema and the Mouse Model"

Viktoras Sangster-Biye, 2022, "Alzheimer's Disease"
 
Sophia Buchanan, 2024, " Manual Lymphatic Drainage in an Alzheimer’s Disease Mouse Model" [co-mentor with Dr. Mitchell Bartlett]
 
NIH High School Student Research Program: 
Esteban E. Loustaunau, Pueblo High School, 1987
Raymond Coronado, Pueblo High School, 1987
Shella Lynette Chamberlain, Sahuaro High School, 1988
Lillian Gallegos, Desert View High School, 1989
Lisa M. Gonzales, Flowing Wells High School, 1990
Val T. Hill, Tucson High School, 1990
Julieta Pettibone Tinajero, Sahuaro High School, 1991, 1992
Barbara Leung, Salpointe Catholic High School, 1993
Lorenzo Scott, Baboquivari High School (Sells, AZ), 1993
Mario Lamas, Pueblo High School, 1994
Michelle Jensen, Tuba City High School (Tuba City, AZ), 1994
Steven Hernandez, Dysart High School (El Mirage, AZ), 1995
Paloma Beope, Salpointe Catholic High School, 1996
Koranda Wallace, University High School, 1996
Nanibaa' Garrison, Kirtland Central High School (Kirtland, NM), 1997
Lorenzo Ortiz, Salpointe Catholic High School, 1997, 1998
Ferrin Travis, Tucson High Magnet School, 1999
Serina D. Preciado, Flowing Wells High School, 2000
Mohammed Abdelwahab, Tucson High Magnet School, 2001
Elyce T. Antone, Baboquivari High School (Sells, AZ), 2001
Sarah D. Rawdin, Amphitheater High School, 2001
Montgomery Johnson, Baboquivari High School (Sells, AZ), 2002
Resha Watts, Santa Rita High School, 2002
Alia M. Carter, Buena High School (Sierra Vista, AZ), 2003
Phillip Fung, Rincon High School, 2003
Manuel McKenna, Salpointe Catholic High School, 2003
Kristine C. Holden, Alchesay High School (White River, AZ), 2004
Morgan Stimmel, Santa Rita High School, 2005
Thurman Thomas, Window Rock High School (Window Rock, AZ), 2006
Karen Peralta, Yuma Union High School (Yuma, AZ), 2007
Kathleen manuel, Baboquivari High School, 2008
Sophie Park, Tucson Magnet High School, 2008
Samantha R. Sawyer, Douglas High School (Douglas, AZ), 2009
Noah Flake, Snowflake High School, 2010
Dionne Lopez, Baboquivari High School, 2010
Araceli Vidal, Cholla High School, 2010
Martina Sepulveda, San Luis High School, 2011
Kali Cornn, Catalina Foothills High School, 2012
Naila Littell, Trevor G Browne High School, 2013, 2014
Myka Taho, Greyhills Academy High School (Tuba City, AZ), 2018
Komla Wowui, Basis Tucson North, 2024 [co-mentor with Dr. Mitchell Bartlett]
Ryan Mayer, Florida Atlantic University High School (Boca Raton, FL), 2024  [co-mentor with Dr. Mitchell Bartlett]
 
 
NIH K-12 Science Teacher Program: 
Frank Moraga, Nogales High School, 1991
Virginia Johnson, Nogales High School, 1992
Brenda Witt, Sabino High School, 1993
Randolfo Palacio, Roskruge Bilingual Middle School, 1994
Kari Lane Green Neumann, Kofa High School (Yuma, AZ), 1995
Sophie Compton, Maxine O. Bush Elementary School, 1996
Daniel Montoya, University of Arizona, 1997
Stacey Rich, Flowing Wells High School, 1999
James W. Phillips, Sahuarita High School, 2000
Michele B. Fournier, Mission Manor Elementary School, 2002
Leslee Kientzler, Santa Rita High School, 2004
 
Monday, July 30, 2018
Committee Member: 
Committee Ex-officio