As a pediatric gastroenterologist, I am dedicated to improving the lives of children and adolescents with complex disorders of the gastrointestinal system. I have a special interest and clinical expertise in immune-mediated inflammatory diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. These diseases, which involve the multifaceted relationship between the immune system and GI tract, greatly affect children's and families' quality of life and impact children's growth and development. They are also often difficult to identify and treat.

As director of Columbia's Eosinophilic Gastrointestinal Diseases (EGIDs) Program, my team and I offer the highest quality care to children with EGIDs, which include eosinophilic esophagitis, eosinophilic gastritis, eosinophilic enteritis, eosinophilic colitis, and oral immunotherapy associated EGIDs. I also treat children with food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome and food protein-induced allergic proctocolitis of infancy.

Through the multi-disciplinary EGIDs program, gastroenterologists, allergists, nutritionists, psychologists, pathologists, and social workers, as well as language pathologists, child life specialists, endocrinologists, and ENT specialists, work together to provide personalized care for each child. We incorporate the latest evidence-based advances, state-of-the-art procedures for diagnosis and management, and offer the potential to participate in clinical trials for treatment of these disorders. Our team believes in creating a medical home for each child within our center of excellence for patients, families, and providers.

In addition to directing the EGIDs Program, I am a clinician-scientist and principal investigator studying esophageal development and eosinophilic esophagitis at Columbia University Irving Medical Center. It is my vision to further our understanding of eosinophilic esophagitis and to develop novel therapeutics using novel 3D organoid model systems and innovative murine models of pediatric eosinophilic esophagitis.

I also have had the privilege of mentoring future physicians and junior scientists on their journey toward academic success. Several of my mentees have pursued degrees in medicine and philosophy, and have been recipients of prestigious awards.