I am a pediatric critical care physician with a focus on changes to the microbiome in congenital heart disease. Recognizing the changes to the microbiome in critical illness having casual relation to outcomes, I began to ask if similar changes in patients with altered gut perfusion or low oxygen states had changes to the bacterial microcosm in the gut which could influence outcomes. As Cardiopulmonary bypass causes significant inflammation follow cardiac surgery, these changes to the microbiome, could influence patient outcomes. I hope to carve out my niche in the area of congenital heart disease within the growing field of the microbiome. My goal is to develop synbiotics which can be given to patient populations to improve the health of the bacteria in the gut and improve patient outcomes before and after surgical repair of cardiac defects.
A secondary interest is how the microbiome influences intestinal barrier dysfunction and intestinal metabolites to influence disease processes. The impact on a variety of disease states continues to grow, but yet little has been invested into pediatric disease processes. Understanding the role of gut health in a variety of diseases can help a multitude of patients, and evaluation of intestinal metabolites could offer patient specific therapies.
Board Certification
Pediatric Critical Care Medicine
Pediatrics
Education
2013 M.D., Saba University School of Medicine, Saba, Netherland Antilles
2016 Residency in Pediatric, Driscoll Children’s Hospital, Texas A&M Health Sciences, Corpus Christi, TX
2016 M.B.A., Davenport University, Grand Rapids, MI
2019 Fellowship in Pediatric Critical Care Medicine, Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO
Academic Appointments
Assistant Professor, Department of Pediatrics, University of Nebraska College of Medicine
Assistant Professor, Department of Physiology, University of Nebraska College of Medicine
Primary Interests
1. To map the microbiome in patients with congenital heart disease before and after cardiopulmonary bypass
2. To link dysbiosis and inflammatory metabolites to intestinal barrier dysfunction and increased permeability and subsequent increased systemic inflammation
3. To generate novel disease-specific synbiotics to target dysbiosis and the inflammatory cascade in patients with congenital heart disease
Secondary Interests
1. Pediatric Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome
2. NEAR4Kids QI aimed at improving intubation related adverse events
3. Anti-coagulation protocols and airway bleeding ECMO protocol
4. Pediatric Fundamentals of Critical Care Support – training and simulation on pediatric critically ill patients
Active Grants
1. CHRI Pilot Grant
09/01/2020 – 08/31/2021
Project Title: Intestinal Dysbiosis in Congenital Heart Disease Exacerbates Systemic Inflammation Following Cardiopulmonary Bypass
2. Scholars Award Grant
01/01/2021 – 12/31/2023
Project Title: Intestinal Dysbiosis Exacerbates Inflammation Post Cardiopulmonary Bypass in Congenital Heart Disease
3. American Heart Association Career Development Grant
Links and Multimedia
Lab/Academic Office
University of Nebraska Medical Center
601 South Saddle Creek Rd, DRC I, Rm 5024
Omaha, NE 68106
Email: [email protected]
This Provider Practices at:
Children’s Nebraska
8200 Dodge St.
Omaha, NE 68114
402-955-4200
Fax: 402-955-3262