Brian Kocak, MD, joined the Division of Hospital Medicine in the Department of Internal Medicine as an Instructor in July of 2025. He was born and grew up outside of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and he attended the University of Pittsburgh for undergraduate and medical studies. He graduated summa cum laude with dual degrees in philosophy and microbiology in 2017. He earned his medical degree from 2018-2022. In 2022, Kocak completed his internship and residency at Barnes-Jewish Hospital / WashU School of Medicine in St. Louis prior to joining the division. He enjoys all forms of medicine including inpatient care, critical care, teaching, and working with medical students. His specific medical interests include cardiovascular risk assessment and cardiac imaging. He was able to continue scholarly pursuits and is engaged in a project evaluating coronary artery calcium scoring in prediction of preeclampsia in nulliparous women.
Education
- BS, Philosophy & Microbiology: University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA (2017)
- Doctor of Medicine: University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA (2022)
- Residency, Internal Medicine: Barnes-Jewish Hospital, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO (2025)
Clinical Interests
Critical care, inpatient care, cardiovascular risk assessment, cardiac imaging, coronary artery calcium scoring
Publications
Carreno-Florez G, Kocak B, Hendricks M, Melvin J, Mar K, Kosanovich J, Cumberland R, Delgoffe G, Shiva S, Empey K, Schoggins J, Bomberger J. Interferon Signaling Drives Epithelial Metabolic Reprogramming to Promote Secondary Bacterial Infection. PLOS Pathogens. 2023
Kassir Z, Sarpatwari A, Kocak B, Kuza C, Gellad W. Sponsorship and Funding for Gene Therapy Trials in the United States. JAMA. 2020;323(9):890-891. doi:10.1001/jama.2019.22214
Kiedrowski MR, Gaston JR, Kocak BR, Coburn S, Lee S, Pilewski J, Myerburg M, Bomberger J. Staphylococcus aureus Biofilm Growth on Cystic Fibrosis Airway Epithelial Cells Is Enhanced During Respiratory Syncytial Virus Co-Infection. mSphere. 2018;3(4). doi:10.1128/mSphere.00341-18
Zemke AC, Kocak BR, Bomberger JM. Sodium Nitrite Inhibits Killing of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Biofilms by Ciprofloxacin. Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy. 2017;61(1). doi:10.1128/AAC.00448-16
Presentations
Kocak BR, Lin L. Industry and NIH’s role in the clinical development of pharmacologic agents from 2000-2020 (2021). Abstract at American Medical Association Research Challenge 2021, online due to COVID19.
Carreno-Florez G, Kocak B, Bomberger J. Antiviral immunity triggers oxidative stress and metabolic reprogramming in the respiratory epithelium that promotes Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm growth (2021). Poster at North American Cystic Fibrosis Conference, online meeting due to COVID19. Pediatric Pulmonology 2016:(51)323-324 doi:10.1002/ppul.23576
BR Kocak, Kassir Z, Luo. The role of industry and NIH/academia in the clinical development of GLP-1 agonist and SGLT2 inhibitors (2021). Poster presentation at Society for General Internal Medicine Annual Meeting 2021, online due to COVID-19.
B Kocak, M Hendricks, J Melvin, P Zamora, E Hurlburt, *J Bomberger. Nutritional immunity disruption in viral-bacterial co-infections (2019). Oral presentation at Microbial Pathogenesis & Host Response, Cold Spring Harbor NY
H Matthew, C Armbruster, M Kiedrowski, B Kocak, Melvin J, Zemke A, J Pilewski, J Williams, Marshall C, Cooper V, Lee S, *J Bomberger. Viral-bacterial co-infections in the respiratory tract (2019). Oral Presentation at Pseudomonas 2019, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
*BR Kocak, MR Hendricks, JA Melvin, K Eichinger, J Kosanovich, K Mar, JM Pilewski, J Schoggins, K Empey, JM Bomberger. Interferon signaling induces metabolic shifts in the cystic fibrosis airway epithelium to promote P. aeruginosa biofilm growth (2018). Oral presentation at North American Cystic Fibrosis Conference, Denver CO Pediatric Pulmonology 2018:(53)271-271, doi:10.1002/ppul.24152
Zemke A, Kocak B, Ogunsola A, Chen K, Kolls J, Bomberger J. Pseudomonas aeruginosa cytochrome oxidase regulation required for adaptation to nitrosative stress and virulence (2016). Poster at North American Cystic Fibrosis Conference, Orlando FL Pediatric Pulmonology 2016:(51)323-324 doi:10.1002/ppul.23576