Catherine Anne Dinauer

Catherine Anne Dinauer, MD, is an Associate Professor of Pediatrics (Endocrinology) at the Yale School of Medicine. She is a pediatric endocrinologist specializing in thyroid disorders, with a clinical and research focus on pediatric thyroid cancer, Graves disease, and thyroid nodules. She is affiliated with the Pediatric Endocrinology & Diabetes department and has been a key member of the Yale Pediatric Thyroid Center since 2005.

• Associate Professor of Pediatrics (Endocrinology), Yale School of Medicine
• Specialist in Pediatric Thyroid Disorders
• Member, Child and Adolescent Thyroid Consortium
• Collaborator with Yale School of Public Health on environmental health research

Education:

• AB, Psychology (modified with Education), Dartmouth College (1987)
• MD, University of Vermont College of Medicine (1991)
• Residency, Pediatrics, Walter Reed Army Medical Center (1994)
• Fellowship, Pediatric Endocrinology, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (1998)

Dr. Dinauer’s research interests center on pediatric thyroidology, particularly the clinical management and outcomes of thyroid cancer in children. She has a strong interest in Graves disease, thyroid nodules, and the use of molecular genetics to guide diagnosis and surgical planning. Her work emphasizes multidisciplinary collaboration, integrating insights from surgery, pathology, and epidemiology. She has investigated the role of unstimulated thyroglobulin levels post-surgery in predicting outcomes and guiding radioactive iodine therapy. She also explores environmental risk factors, such as air pollution and artificial light at night, in the etiology of pediatric thyroid cancer.

Her recent publications reflect a trend toward translational and collaborative research, combining clinical databases with molecular and environmental data. She has contributed to national guidelines and is a founding member of the Child and Adolescent Thyroid Consortium, which pools data across institutions to advance understanding of rare pediatric cancers.

Scientific Awards and Honors:

• Yale Pediatrics Award for Clinical Excellence (2024)
• General Graves B. Erskine Award for Outstanding Fellow (1998)
• Fellow Clinical Research Award, American Pediatric Society/Society for Pediatric Research (1998)
• Army Achievement Medal (1998, 1994)
• Army Commendation Medal (1998, 1997, 1996, 1995)

Dr. Dinauer has mentored medical students, graduate students, and postdoctoral fellows, guiding research in pediatric endocrinology and thyroid cancer. She has been involved in grant-funded research, particularly through collaborations with environmental health scientists. She has served on committees for the American Thyroid Association and contributed to major clinical guidelines.

She is a member of several professional organizations, including the Pediatric Endocrine Society, The Endocrine Society, and the American Thyroid Association. She is also actively involved with the Thyroid Cancer Survivors' Association, contributing to patient education and outreach.