Children's Research Institute Seminar Series
2026-02-10 12:00 (America/New_York) | 3116 Mary Ellen Jones and Virtual, Chapel Hill, 27514, United States
Preventing vertical transmission of HIV: insights from simulation modeling
Horatio Duarte, MD, MS
Assistant Professor, Division of Epidemiology & Community Health
University of Minnesota School of Public Health
3116 Mary Ellen Jones (Lunch Provided)
or
Join Zoom Meeting (Please mute your microphone)
https://zoom.us/j/97822568429?pwd=[REDACTED]
Meeting ID: 978 2256 8429
Passcode: [REDACTED]
Dr. Duarte is a physician-scientist with clinical training in pediatric infectious diseases and research training in epidemiology, decision analysis, and health economics. His research focuses on developing computer-based simulation models to evaluate the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of HIV treatment and prevention policies for adults and children in resource-limited settings.

Join the Children’s Research Institute monthly for dynamic sessions where CRI members, trainees, and the broader scientific community connect to explore cutting-edge research in child health. These seminars foster collaboration, spark new ideas, and highlight ongoing work in pediatric science.
What to Expect:

Talks by top researchers from UNC and beyond, with opportunities for collaboration.
Works-in-progress and career development reviews by early-career faculty and trainees.
Special events focused on CRI, NC Children’s, and Department of Pediatrics initiatives.

Open to All:
You don’t need to be a CRI member to present or participate. Have an idea to share? We’d love to hear from you—contact childrensresearch@med.unc.edu
CME Credit
For CME go to: https://www.med.unc.edu/cpd use activity code: 116400
For questions email Douglas Hudson at douglas_hudson@med.unc.edu

Pediatric Grand Rounds
2026-02-12 08:00 | Old Clinic Auditorium 4008 (and Virtual), 213 S Columbia St, Chapel Hill, NC, 27516, United States
Gene Therapy – Bench to Bedside
Presented by:
Liz Jalazo, MD
Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Genetics & Metabolism
and
Nate Wooten, MD
Assistant Professor of Neurology, Child Neurology
and
Zheng “Jane” Fan, MD

Professor of Neurology, Child Neurology
Old Clinic Auditorium (Rm. 4008)
or JOIN THE ZOOM

Pediatric Grand Rounds
2026-02-19 08:00 - 09:00 | Old Clinic Auditorium 4008 (and Virtual), 213 S Columbia St, Chapel Hill, NC, 27516, United States
Beyond Medication: Updates in Childhood Epilepsy Treatment
JoJo Yang, MD
Associate Professor of Neurology
Division Chief, Child Neurology
Director, Inpatient Pediatric Neurology Services
Medical Director, Pediatric Epilepsy Monitoring Unit
Old Clinic Auditorium (Rm. 4008)
or JOIN THE ZOOM

Children's Service Line Faculty & Staff Meeting
2026-02-24 12:00 - 13:00 | 2020 Bondurant & ZOOM
Join your Children’s Hospital colleagues for updates on ongoing projects, novel clinical programs, featured research, and more.
2020 Bondurant
or
Join Zoom Meeting
https://zoom.us/j/93073216237?pwd=[REDACTED]
Meeting ID: 930 7321 6237
Passcode: [REDACTED]

Pediatric Grand Rounds
2026-02-26 08:00 - 09:00 | Old Clinic Auditorium 4008 (and Virtual), 213 S Columbia St, Chapel Hill, NC, 27516, United States
Hamrick Lectureship
The Lasting Impact of a Culture Agent
Don Coulter, MD
Professor, University of Nebraska Medical Center
Edna Ittner Chair of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology
Director, Pediatric Cancer Research Group
Old Clinic Auditorium (Rm. 4008)
or JOIN THE ZOOM

Pediatric Grand Rounds
2026-03-05 08:00 - 09:00 | Old Clinic Auditorium 4008 (and Virtual), 213 S Columbia St, Chapel Hill, NC, 27516, United States
State Public Health Updates
Kelly Kimple, MD, MPH
Director, Division of Public Health
North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services
Old Clinic Auditorium (Rm. 4008)
or JOIN THE ZOOM

Pediatric Grand Rounds
2026-03-12 08:00 - 09:00 | Old Clinic Auditorium 4008 (and Virtual), 213 S Columbia St, Chapel Hill, NC, 27516, United States
Translating Research Into Survival: Addressing Neonatal Mortality in Low and Middle Income Countries
Melissa Bauserman, MD, MPH
Professor of Pediatrics, Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine
Co-Lead, UNC-Kinshasa School of Public Health
Old Clinic Auditorium (Rm. 4008)
or JOIN THE ZOOM

Pediatric Grand Rounds
2026-03-19 08:00 - 09:00 | Old Clinic Auditorium 4008 (and Virtual), 213 S Columbia St, Chapel Hill, NC, 27516, United States
2026 Updates in Pediatric Hospital Medicine
Eric Zwemer, MD
Professor of Pediatrics
and
John R. Stephens, MD
Professor of Medicine & Pediatrics
UNC Pediatric Hospital Medicine
Old Clinic Auditorium (Rm. 4008)
or JOIN THE ZOOM

Children's Service Line Faculty & Staff Meeting
2026-03-24 12:00 - 13:00 | 2020 Bondurant & ZOOM
Join your Children’s Hospital colleagues for updates on ongoing projects, novel clinical programs, featured research, and more.
2020 Bondurant
or
Join Zoom Meeting
https://zoom.us/j/95117231478?pwd=[REDACTED]
Meeting ID: 951 1723 1478
Passcode: [REDACTED]

Pediatric Grand Rounds
2026-03-26 08:00 - 09:00 | Old Clinic Auditorium 4008 (and Virtual), 213 S Columbia St, Chapel Hill, NC, 27516, United States
Evolving Diagnostics and Therapeutics of Mitochondrial Disorders
Michaela Reinhart, MD
Assistant Professor of Pediatrics
UNC Genetics & Metabolism
UNC Pediatric Hospital Medicine
Old Clinic Auditorium (Rm. 4008)
or JOIN THE ZOOM

Pediatric Grand Rounds
2026-04-02 08:00 - 09:00 | Virtual – Zoom
Fellow Presentations
—
Dena Lowing, MD
Pediatric Hospital Medicine
and
Chinonso Onuoha, MD
Pediatric Hematology/Oncology
—
Old Clinic Auditorium (Rm. 4008)
or JOIN THE ZOOM

Pediatric Grand Rounds
2026-04-09 08:00 - 09:00 | Old Clinic Auditorium 4008 (and Virtual), 213 S Columbia St, Chapel Hill, NC, 27516, United States
April 9
Grand Rounds Hiatus

Children's Research Institute Seminar Series
2026-04-14 12:00 | 3116 Mary Ellen Jones and Virtual, Chapel Hill, 27514, United States
Strategies for Actively Engaging Patients and Partners in Research and Program Design:
Lessons from the Collaborative for Maternal and Infant Health
—
Wayne Price, MD
Professor of Pediatrics
Associate Chief – Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine
Co-Director of the UNC Collaborative for Maternal & Infant Health
and
Sarah Verbiest, DrPH, MSW, MPH
Director, Jordan Institute for Families
Executive Director, Collaborative for Maternal and Infant Health
Professor of Social Work
and
Erin McClain, MA, MPH
Assistant Director & Research Associate
Collaborative for Maternal & Infant Health
—
3116 Mary Ellen Jones
Lunch Provided
or
Zoom Details to Follow
Join the Children’s Research Institute monthly for dynamic sessions where CRI members, trainees, and the broader scientific community connect to explore cutting-edge research in child health. These seminars foster collaboration, spark new ideas, and highlight ongoing work in pediatric science.
What to Expect:

Talks by top researchers from UNC and beyond, with opportunities for collaboration.
Works-in-progress and career development reviews by early-career faculty and trainees.
Special events focused on CRI, NC Children’s, and Department of Pediatrics initiatives.

Open to All:
You don’t need to be a CRI member to present or participate. Have an idea to share? We’d love to hear from you—contact childrensresearch@med.unc.edu

Pediatric Grand Rounds
2026-04-16 08:00 - 09:00 | Old Clinic Auditorium 4008 (and Virtual), 213 S Columbia St, Chapel Hill, NC, 27516, United States
Jane Burns, MD
Professor of Pediatrics
Director, Kawasaki Disease Research Center
University California San Diego School of Medicine
Old Clinic Auditorium (Rm. 4008)
or JOIN THE ZOOM

Pediatric Grand Rounds
2026-04-23 08:00 - 09:00 | Old Clinic Auditorium 4008 (and Virtual), 213 S Columbia St, Chapel Hill, NC, 27516, United States
First Annual Margaret Leigh Lectureship
Changing Paradigms in Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia:
From Genotype-Phenotype to Personalized Care
Adam J. Shapiro, MD
Associate Professor of Pediatrics
McGill University
Montreal Children’s Hospital
Old Clinic Auditorium (Rm. 4008)
or JOIN THE ZOOM

Children's Service Line Faculty & Staff Meeting
2026-04-28 12:00 - 13:00 | 2020 Bondurant & ZOOM
Join your Children’s Hospital colleagues for updates on ongoing projects, novel clinical programs, featured research, and more.
2020 Bondurant
or
Join the ZOOM

Pediatric Grand Rounds
2026-04-30 08:00 - 09:00 | Old Clinic Auditorium 4008 (and Virtual), 213 S Columbia St, Chapel Hill, NC, 27516, United States
EVALI – E-Cigarette or Vaping Product Use-Associated Lung Injury
Sean J. Callahan, MD
Associate Professor of Medicine
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Division of Pulmonary Diseases and Critical Care Medicine
Old Clinic Auditorium (Rm. 4008)
or JOIN THE ZOOM

Pediatric Grand Rounds
2026-05-07 08:00 - 09:00 | Old Clinic Auditorium 4008 (and Virtual), 213 S Columbia St, Chapel Hill, NC, 27516, United States
Elizabeth Duong, MD
Assistant Professor of Pediatrics
University California San Diego School of Medicine
Rady Children’s Health
Old Clinic Auditorium (Rm. 4008)
or JOIN THE ZOOM

2026 Thomas F. Boat Evening of Scholarship
2026-05-11 16:00 - 18:30 | Roper Hall, 150 Medical Dr, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, United States
Annual Evening of Scholarship
Monday, May 11 @ 4:00p to 6:30p
Roper Hall

Event Schedule
4:00–5:00 PM: Poster Session
5:00–6:00 PM: Platform Presentations
6:00–6:30 PM: Keynote Address by Bob Vinci, MD (Boston University School of Medicine)
Reach out to Kelly Lear or Kate Matthews with any questions!

Children's Research Institute Seminar Series
2026-05-12 12:00 | 3116 Mary Ellen Jones and Virtual, Chapel Hill, 27514, United States
Highly Elastic Biomaterial Development for Urethral Application: Multi-Faceted Design for Dynamic Organ Regeneration and Function
Renea Sturm, MD
Associate Professor of Urology
3116 Mary Ellen Jones
Lunch Provided
or
Please Contact childrensresearch@med.unc.edu for Zoom Details.
Dr. Renea Sturm is a board-certified pediatric urologist and Associate Professor of Urology. She cares for infants, children, and adolescents with complex conditions of the kidneys, bladder, urethra, and genital development. Her surgical expertise includes hypospadias repair, lower urinary tract reconstruction, and minimally invasive surgery using the latest endoscopic and robotic techniques.
Dr. Sturm has completed fellowships in both pediatric urology and medtech entrepreneurship and has co-founded two startup companies while a faculty member at UCLA. She has recently relocated to UNC, where she is establishing a translational research program focused on bladder and urethral reconstruction. Her laboratory develops highly elastic biomaterials, bioengineered scaffolds, and surgical technologies for dynamic lower urinary tract tissues. By integrating biomechanics, computational modeling, and tissue engineering, her work aims to improve reconstructive outcomes and reduce variability in surgical care. In addition to generous donor and departmental support, her research has been supported by the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation, the Department of Defense, the Technology Development Group at UCLA, and the American Urological Association.

Join the Children’s Research Institute monthly for dynamic sessions where CRI members, trainees, and the broader scientific community connect to explore cutting-edge research in child health. These seminars foster collaboration, spark new ideas, and highlight ongoing work in pediatric science.
What to Expect:

Talks by top researchers from UNC and beyond, with opportunities for collaboration.
Works-in-progress and career development reviews by early-career faculty and trainees.
Special events focused on CRI, NC Children’s, and Department of Pediatrics initiatives.

Open to All:
You don’t need to be a CRI member to present or participate. Have an idea to share? We’d love to hear from you—contact childrensresearch@med.unc.edu

Pediatric Grand Rounds
2026-05-14 08:00 - 09:00 | Old Clinic Auditorium 4008 (and Virtual), 213 S Columbia St, Chapel Hill, NC, 27516, United States
Fellow Presentations
Clindamycin Population Pharmacokinetics in Plasma and Dried Blood Spots and Exploratory Exposure–Response and Exposure–Safety Relationships in Infants
Christian Hochhalter, MD
UNC Pediatric Gastroenterology Fellow
and
Rapid Molecular Characterization of Pediatric Solid Tumors and Disease Surveillance
McCauley Massie, MD
UNC Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Fellow
Old Clinic Auditorium (Rm. 4008)
or JOIN THE ZOOM

Pediatric Grand Rounds
2026-05-21 08:00 - 09:00 | Old Clinic Auditorium 4008 (and Virtual), 213 S Columbia St, Chapel Hill, NC, 27516, United States
Education Grand Rounds
Amy Levenson, MD
Vice Chair, Pediatric Education
Meg Kihlstrom, MD
Director, Pediatric Residency Program
William Mills, MD
Director, Medical Student Education in Pediatrics
Mike Contarino, MD
Director, Internal Medicine and Pediatrics Residency Program
Chief Residents
Claire Bethel, MD
Molly DeCristo, MD, PhD
Maggie Fennell, MD
K’Shylah Whitehurst, MD
Old Clinic Auditorium (Rm. 4008)
or JOIN THE ZOOM

Children's Service Line Faculty & Staff Meeting
2026-05-26 12:00 - 13:00, 2026-06-23 12:00 - 13:00, 2026-07-21 12:00 - 13:00 | 2020 Bondurant & ZOOM
2020 Bondurant or
JOIN THE ZOOM
Join your Children’s Hospital colleagues for updates on ongoing projects, novel clinical programs, featured research, and more.

Pediatric Grand Rounds
2026-05-28 08:00 - 09:00 | Old Clinic Auditorium 4008 (and Virtual), 213 S Columbia St, Chapel Hill, NC, 27516, United States
We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together:
Breaking the Cycle of Sickle Cell Disease Through Disease Modification and Cure
Michael Winstead, MD
Associate Professor
UNC Pediatric Hematology/Oncology
and
Maria O. Boucher, MD
Associate Professor
UNC Pediatric Hematology/Oncology
Old Clinic Auditorium (Rm. 4008)
or JOIN THE ZOOM

Pediatric Grand Rounds
2026-06-04 08:00 - 09:00 | Old Clinic Auditorium 4008 (and Virtual), 213 S Columbia St, Chapel Hill, NC, 27516, United States
UNC + Duke Resident Community Engagement Showcase

Old Clinic Auditorium (Rm. 4008)
or JOIN THE ZOOM

Children's Research Institute Seminar Series
2026-06-09 12:00 | 3116 Mary Ellen Jones and Virtual, Chapel Hill, 27514, United States
3116 Mary Ellen Jones
Lunch Provided
or
Zoom Details to Follow
Join the Children’s Research Institute monthly for dynamic sessions where CRI members, trainees, and the broader scientific community connect to explore cutting-edge research in child health. These seminars foster collaboration, spark new ideas, and highlight ongoing work in pediatric science.
What to Expect:

Talks by top researchers from UNC and beyond, with opportunities for collaboration.
Works-in-progress and career development reviews by early-career faculty and trainees.
Special events focused on CRI, NC Children’s, and Department of Pediatrics initiatives.

Open to All:
You don’t need to be a CRI member to present or participate. Have an idea to share? We’d love to hear from you—contact childrensresearch@med.unc.edu

Pediatric Grand Rounds
2026-06-11 08:00 - 09:00 | Old Clinic Auditorium 4008 (and Virtual), 213 S Columbia St, Chapel Hill, NC, 27516, United States
End of Academic Year Celebration

Old Clinic Auditorium (Rm. 4008)
or JOIN THE ZOOM
