Ashish DebRoy, MD (2006-2009) ashish-debroy@uiowa.edu

College: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois

Medical School: Rush Medical College, Chicago, Illinois

Residency: Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois

Current Research: I am studying the effects of a high fat diet on liver injury in a murine model of steatohepatitis. Our model will test the hypothesis that C3H/HeJ mice (which are lipopolysaccharide-insensitive secondary to a mutation in TLR4) will sustain less severe liver injury after being fed a high fat diet, when compared to C57BL/6 and BALB/c mice. The differing degree of liver injury sustained in these different strains may be related to a difference in expression of the PPARa (peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha) gene. In 2009, I will start training in Pediatric Hepatology at Texas Children’s Hospital/ Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, TX.

Comments: I was excited to start my fellowship at the University of Iowa Children's Hospital, since it is the premier center for pediatric care in the state. My fellowship is proving to be everything I wanted it to be - challenging, intellectually stimulating, and educational. The faculty and program staff have been extremely supportive during my fellowship, and I have been able to draw on their years of experience to enhance my training. Our program really does encourage an atmosphere of professional camaraderie and cooperation.

Moving from Chicago to the Iowa City area was a big change for my wife and I, but we continue to be pleasantly surprised at how sincere and helpful people in Iowa can be. The Iowa City area is proving to be quite diverse with abundant options to choose from for dining, outdoor activities, cultural events, and more. It will take us quite some time to explore all that Iowa City has to offer! Please don't hesitate to contact me if you would like to know more about the program, the University of Iowa Children's Hospital, or moving to the area.

Bharani Pandrangi, MD (2007-2010) bharani-pandrangi@uiowa.edu

College: Youngstown State University, Youngstown, Ohio

Medical School: Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine, Rootstown, Ohio

Residency: University of Miami/Jackson Memorial Hospital, Miami, Florida

Current Research: I am interested in infectious diarrhea, a significant cause of global childhood deaths and traveler’s diarrhea, and am engaged in a research project on enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC). The focus of my research is to determine the role of Longus, a Type IV pili or fimbriae, in the pathogenesis of ETEC. I am particularly interested in elucidating the role of two regulatory factors encoded in the Longus DNA cluster which share homology with other well known global regulators of bacterial virulence. My long term goal is to identify new virulence factors that when activated by Longus regulators may be used as vaccines candidates to protect against ETEC diarrhea. So far I have gained knowledge in the fields of molecular microbiology, research data management, and research writing and am looking forward to further advancements in the project.

Comments: The pediatric gastroenterology fellowship at the University of Iowa has provided me with a strong academic environment for both clinical and research work. We see a wide variety of patients and disease processes, since we are the tertiary referral center for the state of Iowa. Our education is enhanced by practicing evidence based medicine, didactic lectures, journal clubs, attending national meetings, and numerous procedures/patient volume. Some other unique aspects of our program are our close affiliations with all of the other pediatric fellowships, including a core curriculum program and retreats, and with the pediatric surgeons. All of the faculty and staff have been very kind, helpful, and have a sincere interest in the advancement of our careers. The faculty have a wide range of expertise and backgrounds both clinically and with basic/clinical research, and therefore provide the mentoring we need during our fellowships.

Dina Al-Zubeidi, MD (2008-2011) dina-al-zubeidi@uiowa.edu

College: University of Jordan, Amman, Jordan

Medical School: University of Jordan, Amman, Jordan

Residency: University of Iowa Children’s Hospital, Iowa City, Iowa

Having completed my residency here at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics has given me an additional insight and a unique perspective on our GI fellowship program. For me, this was one of the most enjoyable rotations as a resident and one of the main reasons I was attracted into this field. The division's atmosphere of camaraderie was inviting and the enthusiasm about patient care was quite contagious!

I look forward to three years of challenging and interesting learning opportunities on the clinical rotations and also to many mind – opening adventures during the research months of my fellowship!