Meet the Study Team

Mark B. Lockwood, Ph.D., MSN, RN
Principal Investigator, Biome-KT Study
Associate Professor

Dr. Lockwood is an associate professor in the Department of Biobehavioral Nursing Science at the University of Illinois. His primary interest is in developing patient-centered interventions to reduce symptom burden at all stages of chronic kidney disease (CKD). Currently, he serves as a principal investigator on a National Institute of Diabetes Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) R01 study (R01DK135574 The Gut Microbiome and Serum Metabolites as a Biological Mechanism Underlying Pain in Kidney Transplantation (Biome-KT). Currently, his research program focuses microbiome mediated effects of kidney transplantation on self-reported symptom burden (specifically pain, fatigue, sleep dysfunction, and depression/ anxiety-like symptoms) before and after kidney transplantation. His preliminary data indicated a relationship exists between the gut microbiome and pain interference after kidney transplantation.  Knowledge gained from the proposed study will contribute to our understanding of the relationship between the microbiome and symptom burden, via the brain-gut-microbiome axis, and inform future personalized interventions designed to reduce symptom burden and improve quality of life.

Complete List of Published Work in MyBibliography:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/myncbi/mark.lockwood.1/bibliography/public/

Dr. Mario Spaggiari, MD, FACS
Co-Investigator, Biome-KT study
Surgical Director of Living Donor Liver Transplant Program

Dr. Spaggiari is an attending surgeon at UI Health and serves as a co-investigator on the Biome-KT study. To learn more about Dr. Spaggiari’s background and clinical interests, click here.

Ardith Z. Doorenbos, PhD, RN, FAAN
Nursing Collegiate Professor
Co-Investigator

Ardith is a Professor in the Department of Biobehavioral Nursing Science, College of Nursing at the University of Illinois, Chicago. Dr. Doorenbos’ research is centered on pain and symptom management. Her grant portfolio is funded by the National Institute of Health and other professional sources. She has sustained record of over 150 peer-reviewed, data-based publications in nursing and multidisciplinary journals. In 2010, she was named a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing and in 2018, was inducted into the Sigma Theta Tau International Nurse Researcher Hall of Fame.

Beatriz Peñalver Bernabé, PhD
Assistant Professor
Co-Investigator

Dr. Peñalver Bernabé is a chemical and biological engineer applying systems biology approaches into regenerative medicine for more than 10 years. Broadly, Dr. Peñalver Bernabé has a great interest in dynamic biological processes (developmental processes, disease progression and treatment), especially those with applications in women’s healthcare. After 8 years working in the polymeric industry, leading several high-profile research and development projects that render multiple patents, Dr. Peñalver Bernabé returned to academia to work in applications for translational and regenerative medicine.

Chang Park, PhD
Research Assistant Professor
Statistician

Dr. Chang is a Research Assistant Professor in the College of Nursing at UIC and serves as the Biome-KT Study Statistician.

Lisa Tussing-Humphreys, PhD, MS, RD
Associate Professor, Kinesiology and Nutrition
Co-Investigator

The Tussing-Humphreys lab uses epidemiological, clinical, social, behavioral, and molecular tools and assessments to understand the complex relationship between environmental exposures, including diet, and colorectal cancer risk disparities. This unique transdisciplinary approach to cancer health equity research places her in a strong position to co-lead the UICC Cancer Prevention and Control Program. She been leading multidisciplinary research studies and dietary/lifestyle intervention trials for over 10 years with a major focus on reducing health disparities in racial/ethnic minorities residing in both rural and urban settings. From a mechanistic perspective, she has made significant contributions to the understanding of iron metabolism in the context of obesity with specific emphasis on: 1) the role of the iron regulatory hormone hepcidin in obesity-related iron metabolism dysfunction, 2) the positive effect of weight reduction on systemic iron metabolism, and 3) the potential of subcutaneous adipose tissue to release hepcidin using an in vivo vein drainage model from obese and lean individuals. Her current work, will contribute to the understanding of diet and colorectal health and colorectal health disparities by: 1) elucidating the relationship between dietary heme and non-heme iron, the gut microbial community and colorectal health; 2) detailing racial differences in diet and endpoint bacterial metabolism of taurine and bile acids and colonic inflammation, and 3) examining the influence of community context, and individual behavior and health on the gut microbiome and colorectal health.

Suzanne Alvernaz 

Suzanne is a 3rd year Bioinformatics PhD candidate, concurrently completing her 5th year in the UIC dual MD/PhD Medical Scientist Training Program. Her research focuses on unraveling the intricate interplay between the gut microbiome and human health using novel multisystems approaches.

Sarah Olender, MS, RDN, LDN
Interim Project Coordinator

Sarah is a Senior Research Specialist in the office of research facilitation at the College of Nursing.

Kimberly Silva, MPH
Project Coordinator

Kim is a Research Coordinator who has conducted research at the University of Illinois in Chicago for over seven years. She received her Masters of Public Health in Community Health Sciences from UIC. Her current focus in research is understanding and improving pain in adults with renal illness. Kimberly hopes that her work in clinical research will help inform how pain is addressed and validated in an evidence based, equitable way.

Guillermo Zamora
Research Associate

Guillermo is a Research Associate with almost five years of success in the field, while building and maintaining successful relationships with participants. Guillermo specializes in recruitment and retention, and regularly enjoys learning about the current state of the healthcare system and how we can improve it for underserved communities. Guillermo is a strong believer in transparency, accountability, open communication, and building mutually beneficial relationships in order to best serve marginalized communities.

Katie Petrarca, MPH
Research Associate 

Katie is a Research Associate in the department of Biobehavioral Nursing Science at the University of Illinois at Chicago. She earned her Bachelor’s of Science in Community Health from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and completed her Masters in Public Health at the University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine. Katie has an extensive background in project management, leadership, and health sciences research.