Pediatric Inflammatory Bowel Disease Program
Specialties & Conditions Inflammatory Bowel Disease Program
The Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) Program provides comprehensive diagnostic evaluation and treatment for infants through teenagers suffering from all types of IBD, including ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, IBD-unclassified, Very Early Onset (VEO) IBD and inflammatory bowel disease secondary to immune-defective/deficient disorders. We collaborate closely with a variety of departments at Lurie Children's, including pediatric surgery, radiology, and pathology, as well as with the adult IBD program at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. We are an active participant in the international Improve Care Now quality improvement and research consortium.
The Lurie Children's Difference
The IBD program is led by Jeffrey Brown, MD, and Jennifer Strople, MD. Dr. Brown and Dr. Strople each have over 15 years of experience caring for children with IBD. Dr. Brown is the medical director of the IBD center and has had both Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation (CCF) and NIH funding supporting his research efforts in IBD. He is currently a member of the North American Society of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition (NASPGHAN) IBD Committee. In addition to being a program specialist in IBD, Dr. Strople serves as Director of Fellowship Training at Lurie Children's, director of the local CCF pediatric professional education symposium, and serves as chair of the NASPGHAN Professional Education Committee.
We utilize a multidisciplinary approach incorporating physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, nurse specialists, dietitians and social work. Our goal is to tailor each child’s assessment, testing, and treatment individually to achieve both physical and mental wellness.
The IBD center is active in numerous clinical studies and trials, including optimizing established treatment plans and testing new strategies.
Our primary center is located at the main hospital, but we also provide comprehensive evaluation and treatment at our Outpatient Center in Northbrook and our Outpatient Center in Skokie.
Conditions We Treat
Our team treats all types of IBD, including:
- Ulcerative colitis
- Crohn’s disease
- IBD-unclassified
- Very Early Onset (VEO) IBD
- Inflammatory bowel disease secondary to immune-defective/deficient disorders
Meet Our Team
Physicians
Jeffrey B. Brown, MD
Medical Director, IBD Center
Associate Professor, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine
Dr. Brown has over 20 years of experience caring for children with complicated IBD. He has had both NIH and Crohns and Colitis Foundation (CCF) funding for his research efforts and has served on the North American Society of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition (NASPGHAN) training and IBD committees.
Jennifer A. Strople, MD
Associate Professor, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine
Dr. Strople has 20 years of experience caring for children with complicated IBD. In addition to her role in the IBD Center, she serves as Director of GI Fellowship Training and oversees all specialty training at Lurie Children’s. She has been a leader and advocate for patient education in both the CCF and NASPGHAN (member and chair of the professional education committee). She is the site lead physician for ImproveCareNow
Joseph M. Runde, DO
Assistant Professor, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine
Dr. Runde joined the IBD Center in 2020. In addition to his clinical expertise, he is the leader of numerous research projects investigating new drug therapies, advanced imaging techniques utilizing non-invasive ultrasound, and state-of the art molecular tissue analysis to tailor therapies in the future.
Advanced Practice Providers
Beata Borawski, MSN, APRN-NP, CPNP
Pediatric Nurse Practitioner
Beata is a nurse practitioner IBD specialist who joined the program in 2014. She provides primary clinical care, manages IBD patients admitted to the hospital and co-directs treatment of patients within our infusion center.
Caroline Lois, MPAS, PA-C
Physician Assistant
Caroline is a Physician Assistant IBD specialist who joined the program in 2017. She provides primary clinical care, manages IBD patients admitted to the hospital and co-directs treatment of patients within our infusion center.
Psychologist
Lauren Potthoff, PhD
Pediatric psychologist, The Pritzker Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health
Assistant Professor, Northwestern Feinberg School of Medicine
Dr. Potthoff joined the program in 2018. She is a member of both NASPGHAN and ICN.
Nursing Team
Molly Hallberg, RN
Registered Nurse
Hannah Peterson, RN
Registered Nurse
Vannasay Thirakourne, RN
Registered Nurse
Clinical Dieticians
Caroline Salozzo, MBA, RD, CNSC, LDN
Clinical Pediatric Dietitian
Research Coordinator
Micquel Hart
Clinical Research Coordinator
Medical Assistants
Janett Medina, MA
Medical Assistant
Gabriela Vargas, MA
Medical Assistant
Office Team
Elpidia Castillo
Program Coordinator, Sr. Administrative Assistant
Patrice Palmer
Administrative Assistant
Appointments
If you'd like to schedule an appointment with one of our specialists, visit our Appointments page for more information.
Additional Resources
For more information, please visit the following websites:
Related News
IBD vs IBS
Read more
Philanthropy
Your support is vital in helping us continue to make a difference in the lives of patients and families. Lurie Children's relies on philanthropic funding to enhance its programs, services and research for children. To learn more, please e-mail the Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago Foundation at foundation@luriechildrens.org or call 312.227.7500.