Renuka R. Kelapure, MBBS, MHA.

Ms. Kelapure received honors in Surgery and Medicine (MBBS) in 2004 from Maharashtra University of Health Sciences at Nashik, Maharashtra India and also received her MHA, focusing on Health Policy and Administration from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2011.  Renuka currently is responsible for site start-up, initiation, and site closure visits for various Phase II-IV studies as well as writing IRB protocols, applications, and consent forms.

Megan Squires, BA

Ms. Squires has a BA in psychology and is currently pursuing a dual master’s degree at UNC in social work and public health. Megan works with Dr. van Tilburg studying psychololgical and physical effects caused by chronic gastrointestinal pain in child and adolescent populations. She currently coordinates UNC’s site for the Managing Child Abdominal Pain (MCAP) study that examines whether parents can learn specific treatment techniques to help improve their own children’s functional abdominal pain.  Outside of research and schoolwork, Megan enjoys practicing yoga, running, traveling and spending time with friends.

Katharine Thurlow, MS

Ms. Thurlow is a research coordinator for Dr. Yehuda Ringel.  Current research examines Irritable Bowel Syndrome and functional motility disorders.  Ms. Thurlow worked previously as a clinical psychologist in community mental health in both outpatient and crisis services.  Her efforts presently focus on identification and assessment of psychological variables associated with IBS research and symptomology.

Sung Min Kim, BS

Ms. Kim is a research assistant for Drs. Whitehead, Heymen, and Palsson.  She currently is working on a grant to look at the reasons why patients do not consult with their physicians about issues surrounding fecal incontinence.  She graduated from Wake Forest University.

Meley Woldeghebriel, BA

Ms. Woldeghebriel is a research assistant for Dr. Spencer Dorn. Currently, she is responsible for recruitment and conducting patient visits for various studies on Irritable Bowel Syndrome, chronic constipation, and anal fissures. In addition, she is overseeing a pilot study focused on internet based self-care for IBS patients. She graduated from Duke University in 2011 and enjoys traveling and playing soccer in her free time.