CIMCR Research Faculty
Physician Scientists
Ali Keshavarzian, MD, FRCP, FACP, MACG, AGAF
- Director, Center for Integrated Microbiome and Chronobiology Research
Director, Rush Crohn’s & Colitis Center, Institute for Advanced Study of the Gut, Chronobiology and Inflammation
- Investigates GI intestinal barrier and gut microbiota and how these are impacted by the Western lifestyle including: alcohol, stress, Circadian rhythms and sleep.
- Investigates how “leaky gut” and dysbiosis promote inflammation-mediated diseases such as IBD, IBS, allergic disorders, colon cancer, HIV, hepatic (nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, alcoholic steatohepatitis) disease, as well as disorders associated with neuroinflammation (Parkinson’s disease).
- Preventive treatments of GI disorders with prebiotics and probiotics
- Publications
Garth Swanson, MD, MS
- Associate Director, Center for Integrated Microbiome and Chronobiology Research
Director, Rush Crohn’s & Colitis Center
- Medical Director, the Center for Clinical Chronobiology
- Alcohol, circadian rhythms, intestinal permeability, GI inflammation, IBD and IBS
- Publications
Faraz Bishehsari, MD, PhD, AGAF
- Professor of Medicine, Anatomy and Cell Biology & the Graduate College, Professor of Precision Medicine
- Associate Director for Molecular & Translational Research for the Rush Center for Integrated Microbiome & Chronobiology Research
- GI cancers (colon cancer and pancreatic adenocarcinomas) and how these are impacted by the modern lifestyle including: abnormal food timing, circadian rhythms, diet and alcohol.
- Publications
Rana Abraham, MD, MS
- Circadian rhythms, gastroesophageal reflux disease, constipation and esophageal motility disorders
- Publications
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Scientists
Christopher Forsyth, PhD
- Department of Internal Medicine, Director, Training and Mentoring for the Rush Center for Integrated Microbiome and Chronobiology Research
- Alcohol, cancer, circadian rhythms, gut-brain axis and IBD
- Publications
Robin Voigt-Zuwala, PhD
- Director, Circadian Rhythm Research Laboratory, Rush Center for Circadian Rhythms and Alcohol-Induced Tissue Damage, Director of Operations for the Rush Center for Integrated Microbiome & Chronobiology Research
- Alcohol, circadian rhythms and gut-brain axis
- Publications
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Adjunct Faculty
Majid Afshar, MD, MSCR
- Assistant Professor, Director, Learning Health System, UW Health Physician Informatics
- Department of Medicine
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care
- Department of Biostatistics and Medical Informatics
Kathrin Banach, PhD
- Associate Professor, Department of Internal Medicine/Cardiology
- Division of Translational and Precision Medicine, Rush University Medical Center
Barbara Swanson, PhD, RN, FAAN
- Associate Dean for Research
- Professor, Adult Health & Gerontological Nursing, Rush University College of Nursing
Thaisa M Cantu-Jungles, PhD
- Postdoctoral Researcher
- Department of Food Science, Purdue University
Neeraj Chhabra, MD, MSCR
- Assistant Professor
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Rush Medical College, Cook County Health
Stefan Green, PhD
- Associate Professor, Rush Medical College
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases,
- Director, Core Laboratory Services (Office of Research Affairs),
- Director, Genomics and Microbiome Core Facility (Office of Research Affairs), Rush University Medical Center
Bruce Hamaker, PhD
- Distinguished Professor of Food Science, Roy L. Whistler Chair
- Director, Whistler Center for Carbohydrate Research
Niranjan S. Karnik, MD, PhD
- Adjunct Professor of Psychiatry
- Director, Great Lakes Node, National Drug Abuse Treatment Clinical Trials Network
Frank C. Ko, PhD
- Assistant Professor, Department of Anatomy & Cell Biology, Rush University Medical Center
Alan L. Landay, PhD
- Professor
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine
- Vice Chair of Research
- Division Chief of Translational and Precision Medicine
- Department of Internal Medicine, Rush University Medical Center
Babak Mokhlesi, MD, MSc
- The J. Bailey Carter, MD Professor of Medicine, Chief, Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, & Sleep Medicine
- Co-Director, Rush Lung Center, Rush University Medical Center
D. Meghan Moran, PhD
- Assistant Professor Department of Anatomy & Cell Biology, Rush University Medical Center
Ankur Naqib, PhD
- Assistant Professor
- Department of Anatomy & Cell Biology, Rush University Medical Center
Jenna Nikolaides, MD, MA
- Medical Director, Substance Use Intervention Team
- Assistant Professor in Emergency Medicine, Medical Toxicology and Addiction Medicine
- Departments of Emergency Medicine and Psychiatry, Rush University Medical Center
Anna H.K. Plaas, PhD
- Professor, Department of Biochemistry and Orthopedics
- Department of Internal Medicine, Rush University Medical Center
Heather Rasmussen PhD, RDN, LMNT
- Associate Professor
- Director, Professional Studies in Dietetics Graduate Program, University of Nebraska–Lincoln, Nutrition & Health Sciences
Juan C. Rojas, MD, MS
- Assistant Professor
- Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Pulmonary and Critical Care, Physician Informaticist, Rush University Medical Center
Dino Samartzis, DSc
- Director, International Spine Research and Innovation Initiative (ISRII)
Associate Professor, Department of Orthopedic Surgery,
Rush Medical College
D. Rick Sumner, PhD
- The Mary Lou Bell McGrew Presidential Professor for Medical Research
- Chairperson, Department of Anatomy & Cell Biology, Rush University Medical Center
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