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College of
Health Sciences

Donna Wolk
System Director, Clinical and Molecular Microbiology
Director, Center for Infectious Disease Diagnostics and Research (CIDDR) 
Adjunct Professor, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wilkes University

LOCATION(S)
Geisinger Medical Center
100 North Academy Avenue
Danville, PA 17822 
Phone: 570-271-7467
Fax: 570-214-9792 
dmwolk@geisinger.edu

Weis Center for Research
100 North Academy Avenue
Danville, PA 17822 
Phone: 570-271-7467
Fax: 570-271-9792 
dmwolk@geisinger.edu

Research Interests

Dr. Donna M. Wolk is System Director of Clinical and Molecular Microbiology for Geisinger. She is an Adjunct Professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences at Wilkes University and a Principle Investigator at the Weis Center for Research, which houses her clinical and translational research efforts in the Center for Infectious Disease Diagnostics and Research (CIDDR). She also directs the new Center for Laboratory Innovation and Outcomes. Her primary focus at Geisinger is what she calls “diagnostic intervention,” the development, implementation, integration, and evidence-based evaluation of infectious disease diagnostics that are aimed to improve patient outcomes, reduce healthcare costs, and improve patient satisfaction. Her technology implementation practices serve as a national model to promote rapid, cost effective and practical use of new technology in clinical microbiology. With experience in over 20 clinical trials, Dr. Wolk specializes in the rapid detection of all infections, with particular focus on bacteremia, sepsis, and drug-resistant microbes like methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).  She is a Diplomate of the American Board of Medical Microbiology, (ABMM) and combines her science background with a Master’s degree in Health Administration.

clinical trials
Participation in clinical trials.

Additional Links

Recent Publications 

  • Martinez, R. M. and D. M. Wolk (2016, Aug). "Bloodstream Infections." Microbiol Spectr 4(4).
  • Hernandez D R, Newton DW, Ledeboer NA, Buchan B, Young C, Clark AE, Connoly J, Wolk DM. (2016, Feb). "Multicenter Evaluation of MRSASelect II Chromogenic Agar for Identification of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus from Wound and Nasal Specimens." J Clin Microbiol 54(2): 305-311.
  • Buehler SE, Madison B, Snyder SR, Derzon JH, Cornish N, Saubolle M, Weissfeld A, Weinstein, M, Liebow EB, and Wolk DM. (2016, Jan). Effectiveness of Practices to Increase Timeliness of Providing Targeted Therapy for Inpatients with Bloodstream Infections: A Laboratory Medicine Best Practices Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. 
  • Pfaller MA, Wolk DM, Lowery, TJ (2015, Sep). T2MR and T2Candida: novel technology for the rapid diagnosis of candidemia and invasive candidiasis. Future Microbiol 11(1): 103-117.
  • Schieffer K, Tan K, Stamper P, Somogyi A, Andrea S, Wakefield T, Romagnoli M, Chapin K, Wolk D, Carroll K. (2014, April). Multicenter Evaluation of the Sepsityper Extraction Kit and MALDI-TOF MS for Direct Identification of Positive Blood Culture Isolates Using the BD BACTEC FX and VersaTREK Diagnostic Blood Culture Systems. J Appl Microbiol , 116(4) 934-941.    
  • Stoneking LR, Patanwala AE, Winkler JP, Fiorello AB, Lee ES, Olson DP, Wolk DM. (2013, Jan). Would earlier microbe identification alter antibiotic therapy in bacteremic emergency department patients?. J. Emerg. Med , 44(1) 1-8.    
  • Suryadevara, M., Clark AE, Wolk DM, Caram A, Rosenbaum PF, Shaw J.  (2013, Mar). "Molecular Characterization of Invasive Staphylococcus aureus Infection in Central New York Children: Importance of Two Clonal Groups and Inconsistent Presence of Selected Virulence Determinants." J Pediatric Infect Dis Soc 2(1): 30-39.
  • Kaleta EJ, Clark AE, Johnson DR, Gamage DC, Wysocki VH, Cherkaoui A, Schrenzel J, Wolk DM. (2011, Jan). Use of PCR coupled with electrospray ionization mass spectrometry for rapid identification of bacterial and yeast bloodstream pathogens from blood culture bottles. J Clin Microbiol. , 49(1):345-353.    
  • Kaleta EJ, Clark AC, Cherkaoui A, Wysocki VH, Ingram EL, Schrenzel J, Wolk DM. (2011, Jul). Comparative Analysis of Polymerase Chain Reaction Electrospray Ionization Mass Spectrometry to Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Time of Flight Mass Spectrometry for the Identification of Bacteria and Yeast from Positive Blood Culture Bottles. Clin. Chem , 57(7) 1057-1067.    
     

Education

MHA, Wilkes University, 1993-1995
PhD, University of Arizona, 1995-1999
D(ABMM), Mayo Medical School, 1999-2001
Graduate Clinical Research Certificate, University of Arizona, 2005-2008

 

 

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