About
Silvana Pannain, MD, is an associate professor of medicine at the University of Chicago, specializing in endocrinology. She provides advanced care for patients with weight problems, endocrine disorders, and obesity, serving as the director of Chicago Weight, a multidisciplinary weight loss program that integrates counseling and medical treatments to promote sustainable lifestyle changes. Her clinical and research interests include obesity, metabolic syndrome, and related health conditions such as obstructive sleep apnea and diabetes. Dr. Pannain investigates the metabolic and endocrine aspects of chronic partial sleep loss, which is considered a risk factor for obesity and insulin resistance. She works closely with a team of specialists across various disciplines to develop comprehensive weight management plans and advance understanding of metabolic health.
Research topics
- Medicine
- Endocrinology
- Internal medicine
- Ophthalmology
- Animal science
- Biology
- Intensive care medicine
Selected publications
Exploring metabolomic clues in diabetic retinopathy: a pilot study
Acta Diabetologica · 2026-03-17
articleOpen accesswith diabetes [1].Prevalence is expected to increase; by 2045, an estimated 160.50 million adults worldwide will be afflicted by DR, and 44.82 million will experience visionthreatening DR [1].Early detection is necessary for reducing DR progression.Despite major risk factors such as hyperglycemia, hypertension, and dyslipidemia, considerable variability in DR onset and progression remains unexplained.This suggests a need to explore pathophysiological mechanisms and biomarker identification.Emerging evidence from metabolomics-the study of small-molecule metabolites in biological systems-has shown promise in uncovering molecular alterations associated with diabetic complications, including DR [2].Previous studies identified metabolites like 12-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (12-HETE) and 3,4-dihydroxybutyrate (3,4-DHBA) as DR-related [2], pointing to inflammation and altered lipid metabolism.However, few studies include healthy controls (HC) in addition to DR and no-DR groups [2].Recognizing the need for more comprehensive designs, this study uses untargeted metabolomics to examine DR, no-DR, and HC groups to identify biomarkers and gain insight into DR pathogenesis. Materials and methodsWe analyzed baseline fasting serum samples from 77 participants aged 40-65 years, drawn from a cohort who had previously enrolled in sleep and circadian rhythm studies conducted at a tertiary academic hospital.Post-illumination pupillary light reflex (PIPR), a measure of intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (ipRGCs) located in the inner retina, and nocturnal urinary 6-sulfatoxymelatonin (aMT6s); both previously shown to be reduced in DR, were collected using standardized protocols, previously
A call to action from the Global Think-tank on Steatotic Liver Disease
Nature Health · 2026-02-10 · 2 citations
articleThe Lancet. Gastroenterology & hepatology · 2025-12-13 · 6 citations
articleLiver International · 2025-10-30
articleOpen accessThe People-First Liver Charter
Nature Medicine · 2025-06-05 · 11 citations
articleOpen accessHepatology Communications · 2025-05-01 · 4 citations
articleOpen accessLiver International · 2025-11-05 · 2 citations
articleOpen accessBACKGROUND AND AIMS: Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) and its progressive form, metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH), are highly prevalent among people living with type 2 diabetes, with estimated rates of 65.4% and 31.6%, respectively, globally. This study aimed to estimate the direct healthcare costs of two MASLD and MASH screening strategies among all people living with diabetes in Brazil, Germany, Japan, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), Spain and the United States (US), from 2026 to 2030. METHODS: Strategy 1 consisted of a one-time universal screening of all adults living with diabetes. Strategy 2 involved biennial retesting of individuals who initially tested negative. The Fibrosis-4 (FIB-4) index was used as the first line test, followed by the Enhanced Liver Fibrosis (ELF) test or vibration-controlled transient elastography (VCTE) for confirmatory assessment. Implementation costs were estimated based on the country-specific prevalence of diabetes and included positive price variations that were aligned to monetary policy targets. RESULTS: Over 5 years, the estimated costs of Strategy 1 ranged from R$0.7-1.3 billion for Brazil, €346-617 million for Germany, ¥80-172 billion for Japan, SAR 3.7-6.0 billion for the KSA, €591-949 million for Spain and $2.7-15.2 billion for the US. Strategy 2 resulted in higher costs, ranging from R$1.2-2.0 billion for Brazil, €528-940 million for Germany, ¥121-262 billion for Japan, SAR 5.7-9.2 billion for the KSA, €0.9-1.4 billion for Spain and $4.1-23 billion for the US. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides valuable guidance for policymakers and healthcare managers to integrate liver fibrosis screening strategies for people living with diabetes into national health budgets.
Journal of Addiction Medicine · 2025-08-12 · 2 citations
articleSenior authorPURPOSE: Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) approved for type 2 diabetes and overweight or obesity may affect alcohol drinking behavior. The present prospective observational study investigated hazardous alcohol drinking in patients at the University of Chicago Weight Loss Clinic. They received GLP-1 RA therapy and underwent body weight and hazardous drinking assessments before and during treatment. METHODS: Fourteen patients were prescribed a GLP-1 RA for overweight or obesity (liraglutide [n=1], semaglutide [n=8], and tirzepatide [n=5]), along with standard care dietary counseling and physical activity recommendations. All but one patient met the body mass index (BMI) cutoff for obesity in the United States (n=13, BMI ≥30 kg/m 2 ; n=1, BMI=29.50 kg/m 2 ). Patients screened positive for hazardous drinking on the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT; score ≥8) and were categorized into subgroups of high (score 8-14) and very high AUDIT (score ≥15). The AUDIT was readministered on average 9.6 (±4.8) months after medication initiation. RESULTS: There were significant reductions in BMI and AUDIT scores over time, with patients in the very high AUDIT group reporting more pronounced reductions in AUDIT scores compared with those in the high AUDIT group. Effect sizes were large, indicating a high magnitude of the effect of GLP-1 RA medications on reducing hazardous drinking scores. CONCLUSIONS: These findings support the association between GLP-1 RA treatment and reduced alcohol consumption, particularly for individuals with very hazardous alcohol drinking levels. A better understanding of the acute mechanisms underlying GLP-1 RA therapies and randomized clinical trials may aid in the development of pharmacotherapies for hazardous drinking beyond patients with diabetes and/or obesity.
Multidimensional sleep health in type 2 diabetes: The role of sleep variability in glycemic control
Sleep Medicine · 2025-10-15 · 1 citations
articleThe Role of GLP-1 Agonists in Mitigating Lorlatinib-Induced Metabolic Syndrome: Two Case Studies
Clinical Lung Cancer · 2025-03-04 · 2 citations
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Frequent coauthors
- 12 shared
Eve Van Cauter
University of Chicago
- 12 shared
Samuel Refetoff
University of Chicago
- 10 shared
Sirimon Reutrakul
RELX Group (United States)
- 10 shared
Erin C. Hanlon
University of Chicago
- 7 shared
Kirstie K. Danielson
University of Illinois Chicago
- 6 shared
John C. Beck
University of California, Los Angeles
- 6 shared
Bharati Prasad
University of Illinois Chicago
- 6 shared
J. Jason McAnany
University of Illinois Chicago
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