Current Scholars
Learn more about our current scholars below.
Timothy Janetos, MD, MBA, is an Assistant Professor within the Department of Ophthalmology and health services researcher. His work focuses on improving treatment adherence among patients with chronic eye diseases, particularly exudative age-related macular degeneration (exAMD). His K12 research uses mixed methods—including large-scale database analysis and qualitative interviews—to identify drivers of nonadherence and inform the development of patient-centered interventions. He completed his MD/MBA at Northwestern University, followed by residency and fellowship training in ophthalmology and ocular inflammation at Northwestern. He currently serves as Director of Clinical Research in the Department of Ophthalmology and is completing a Master’s in Health Services and Outcomes Research. Janetos’s long-term goal is to lead clinical trials that improve care delivery and outcomes for patients with vision-threatening diseases.
Keith C. Summa, MD, PhD
Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine (Gastroenterology and Hepatology)
Faculty ProfileKeith Summa, MD, PhD is an Assistant Professor in the Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology (Department of Medicine) at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine. He received undergraduate education in Biology at Georgetown University and then completed the Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP) at Northwestern University, with a PhD in Neurobiology in addition to his medical degree. He subsequently enrolled in the Physician Scientist Training Program (PSTP) at Northwestern, consisting of clinical training with residency in Internal Medicine followed by fellowship in Gastroenterology and Hepatology. His research and clinical interests center on the intersection of circadian rhythms and sleep with the regulation intestinal physiology and inflammation. His clinical practice focuses on the care of individuals with Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (IBD), such as Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, and disorders of gut-brain interaction (DGBI), such as Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). His current research utilizes translational models to evaluate how disrupted circadian rhythms and poor sleep impact the development and progression of inflammation within the gut. His long-term goals involve improving understanding of the pathogenesis of intestinal inflammation as well as developing novel sleep and circadian-based therapeutic strategies to improve the quality of life for individuals with digestive health conditions.
Kevin McNerney, MD, MSc is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Pediatrics at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. He earned his medical degree from the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth and Master of Science in Translational Research from the University of Pennsylvania. He completed a categorical pediatric residency at Yale New Haven Hospital, followed by a fellowship in pediatric hematology-oncology and an advanced fellowship in pediatric cancer immunotherapy and bone marrow transplant from the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Dr. McNerney’s clinical and research interests include the application of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cells to improve outcomes in pediatric cancers that carry poor prognoses by identifying strategies to limit their toxicities and improve their efficacy. His current project involves the preventative use of a cytokine-blocking medicine to limit severe inflammatory toxicities following CAR T-cell therapy in children with B-acute lymphoblastic leukemia. His long-term goals are to implement approaches that will improve the therapeutic index of, and access to, this transformative therapy.
Callie Walsh-Bailey, PhD, MPH is an assistant professor of Medical Social Sciences at Northwestern Feinberg School of Medicine and core faculty in the Center for Dissemination & Implementation Science. She received her undergraduate education in biology and Spanish from Willamette University and Master of Public Health in international health from Oregon State University. She worked as a research specialist at the Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute for several years prior to pursuing her PhD in Public Health Sciences with a specialization in dissemination and implementation science from Washington University in St. Louis. As a methodologist, her research bridges implementation science with chronic disease prevention and control. She specializes in developing and applying implementation research tools and methods to enhance the delivery of chronic disease interventions and strategies that address health-related social needs, ultimately aiming to improve health outcomes for all.
Burcu Aydemir, PhD
Research Assistant Professor in the Department of Medicine (Rheumatology)
Faculty ProfileBurcu Aydemir, PhD is a Research Assistant Professor in the Division of Rheumatology at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine. She earned her PhD in Kinesiology and Nutrition at the University of Illinois at Chicago in 2021. Following her doctoral studies, Dr. Aydemir joined the Division of Rheumatology at Northwestern as a postdoctoral fellow, where she was awarded a position on the T32 Training Grant in Rheumatology. Her research focuses on understanding how pain regulation and psychological distress contribute to the development of physical functional limitations in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. In the long-term, Dr. Aydemir aims to develop a patient-centered, multi-modal intervention that improves physical function, and ultimately quality of life for individuals with rheumatic diseases.
Vidhi Dalal, MD, is an assistant professor of Pediatrics (Nephrology) at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and an attending physician in the Division of Nephrology at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago (LCH). She received a BS in Biology from Carnegie Mellon University followed by an MD from Albert Einstein College of Medicine. Dr. Dalal began her pursuit of basic science research in the field of pediatric nephrology as a 4th year medical student. She went on to complete her pediatrics residency at Weill Cornell Medical College followed by a fellowship in pediatric nephrology at LCH. During residency and fellowship, Dr. Dalal continued to cultivate her passion for basic science research, and as junior faculty, she joined the Quaggin laboratory to investigate the pathophysiology of steroid resistant nephrotic syndrome, which is one of the leading causes of pediatric end stage kidney disease. Dr. Dalal's current work focuses on the cellular mechanisms by which massive proteinuria damages the renal parenchyma. Through this work and future work that will build on these foundational studies, Dr. Dalal strives to enable the development of more effective therapeutics for children with nephrotic syndrome.
