The UNC Department of Pediatrics is pleased to announce that Erica Brenner, MD, MSCR, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics in the Division of Gastroenterology, has received a Mentored Patient-Oriented Research Career Development Award (K23) from the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
The K23 award supports early-career physician-scientists as they develop independent research careers through structured mentorship and advanced research training. Dr. Brenner’s award will support her work to improve pain management for individuals with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), with a particular focus on women with Crohn’s disease who experience painful menstrual cramps.
Advancing Evidence-Based Pain Management in IBD
Pain is a common and impactful symptom for people with IBD, yet treatment options are often limited. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are frequently avoided in Crohn’s disease due to concerns about triggering disease flares—concerns that are largely based on weak evidence. Dr. Brenner’s K23-funded research seeks to re-evaluate the safety and effectiveness of NSAIDs in this population.
- Develop patient-reported outcome measures tailored to women with Crohn’s disease and menstrual cramps, capturing symptom severity while accounting for overlap with Crohn’s disease symptoms.
- Lead a single-center pilot randomized controlled trial—the Acetaminophen Versus Ibuprofen for Discomfort in Crohn’s Disease (AVID-CD) trial—to inform the design of a future multi-center study comparing ibuprofen and acetaminophen for menstrual pain in women with Crohn’s disease.
This research aims to fill a critical gap identified by the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation and lay the groundwork for more effective, evidence-based pain management strategies in IBD.
Career Development and Mentorship
In addition to supporting her research, the K23 award will provide Dr. Brenner with advanced training in the development and validation of patient-reported outcome measures and in the design and conduct of randomized controlled trials.
Dr. Brenner is supported by a multidisciplinary mentorship team that includes Dr. Michael Kappelman, a world-renowned health services researcher at UNC, and Dr. Bryce Reeve, an internationally-recognized patient-reported outcome measures expert and Director of the Center for Health Measurement at the Duke Population Health Sciences Center. She will also be working with Dr. John Baron, an epidemiologist and clinical trialist at UNC with over 30 years experience, Dr. Millie Long, the Chief of the Division of Gastroenterology at UNC and an expert in women’s health in inflammatory bowel disease, and Dr. Amy Bryant, a gynecologist at UNC and Director of the Division of Complex Family Planning with expertise in gynecologic care for those with chronic disease.
About Dr. Brenner
Dr. Brenner is an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics in the Division of Gastroenterology at UNC School of Medicine. She has formal training in epidemiology and qualitative research methods, and her long-term goal is to become an independently funded physician-scientist conducting clinical trials and developing patient-centered measures to improve quality of life for people living with inflammatory bowel disease.
Learn more about Dr. Brenner and her work at the Brenner Lab website.