Experience in Pediatric Liver Transplantation:
7 years as attending transplant hepatologist at Lurie Children’s Hospital in Chicago. 3 years as medical director of hepatology and liver transplant and 3 years as program director for the transplant hepatology fellowship.

Experience in Clinical Research:
My clinical research area of expertise is the interplay of the immune system and liver health which includes the study of immune mediated liver failure and also liver transplant immunosuppression management and rejection/tolerance. My primary research focus is the study of the pathophysiology of indeterminate pediatric acute liver failure (PALF). Through collaboration with investigators at CHOP our team has published several original articles describing the immunohistochemical, flow cytometry, and cytokine profiles of what we have termed Activated T-cell Hepatitis. This work was the basis for the development of the TRIUMPH multi-center clinical treatment trial (U01DK127995) that is currently enrolling patients with PALF of unknown cause. Lurie Children’s is the primary clinical site for TRIUMPH with Estella Alonso as PI and myself as site PI as well as co-chair for the study mechanistic and biomarker committees. In this role I have gained leadership experience within a multicenter trial, designed 2 TRIUMPH ancillary studies that were approved and ongoing, and am working with the PALF Immune Response Network to develop the next phase of PALF clinical research. Additionally, I will be site PI for the iSYNAPSE study (R34 AI174988) that just received notice of award (prospective multi-center study of IS reduction) and have been involved in IS minimization and withdrawal research and clinical practice at our center. I have experience working with industry partners and currently lead an investigator-initiated study with Eurofins Transplant Genomics examining the association between donor-derived cell-free DNA levels and biopsy-proven rejection in pediatric liver transplant recipients. I am also very interested in the pathophysiology of the presumably immune-mediated acute hepatitis that occurs following dosing with AAV vector gene therapy and am part of multi-center working groups to plan further study of this complication and serve on an expert consult panel for Sarepta (one of the gene therapy companies).

Reason why I want to serve in this role:
I am interested in serving in this role of Physician at Large to have a greater direct and positive impact on the research, advocacy, and educational goals of SPLIT. Now more than ever it is imperative that we increase our advocacy efforts for pediatric liver transplant recipients as the OPTN restructuring and modernization efforts move forward. In this role I hope to represent the liver transplant community in promoting the interests of pediatric liver transplant recipients and working to reduce waitlist mortality and improve transplant outcomes. I hope to work with SPLIT leadership to expand our membership both individually and center-wide and increase community engagement in SPLIT activities. I also believe strongly in the importance of educating the next generation of pediatric transplant hepatologists and in this role would work to promote educational activities and attract trainees to our field. As someone who is passionate about translational research, I look forward to the opportunity to develop and implement innovative projects within SPLIT. I aim to listen to the concerns of the SPLIT community and bring those interests to light, while advancing both clinical and translational research goals. As an active member of SPLIT and NASPGHAN committees, with an annual presence at national meetings including AASLD, and as a PI on multi-center NIH funded trials, I am well poised to take on this role representing the interests of the physician SPLIT community. I appreciate the opportunity to be considered for this role, and if selected I look forward to becoming more engaged with SPLIT leadership and working closely on these important issues.

Experience in Pediatric Liver Transplantation:
Have served as a transplant hepatologist since 1994 in various institutions including The Hospital for Sick Children, AI duPont Hospital for Children, Mayo Clinic and The University of Wisconsin -Madison School of Medicine and Public Health .

Experience in Clinical Research:
I have been involved on and off with SPLIT as a registry site since 2004. I was involved as a PI in the enzyme replacement trial for lysosomal acid lipase deficiency. I was involved in the first transjugular liver biopsies in children to ever be reported in 1991. I am involved in the Fontan associated liver disease (FALD) network as a site PI. Was also involved in the PSC Outcomes studies with Pediatric PSC Consortium. Also involved in clinical research on MASLD/MASH. I was also the PI on a study examining the metabolism of PABA in liver disease.

Reason why I want to serve in this role:
I am committed to the service provided by SPLIT to the pediatric liver transplantation community. I want to be involved and to be part of helping to see that the individual committees of SPLIT and thus SPLIT as whole thrive in addition to PFEP as part of SPLIT. Having participated in a number of SPLIT committees in addition to putting the CRF data into the SPLIT registry myself, I feel that I have something to contribute to the SPLIT Council.

Experience in Pediatric Liver Transplantation:
Medical Director of pediatric liver transplant program at Mayo Clinic.

Reason why I want to serve in this role:
My goals while serving in this role are to: identify controversial areas in the care of pediatric liver transplant candidates and recipients with the aim to develop a consensus informed by evidence based and modern medicine, advance the care and improve the outcome of pediatric liver transplant candidates and recipients