Meet our Adult Celiac Disease Team

Our world-renowned experts are at the forefront of celiac disease research and clinical care for adults. Our vast network of specialists work together to further our mission and are a reliable resource for navigating a diagnosis as well as disease management and education. We’re supported by a dynamic team of doctors, nurses, and registered dietitians who are true experts in the field.

Our Physicians Our Clinic Our History Our Pediatric Celiac Team

Our Clinic

Clinic Staff

Our clinic staff are with you throughout your journey at our center. They perform a variety of vital tasks and bring decades of experience and knowledge to the table.

Celiac Center Leadership Team

The Celiac Disease Center is led by Medical Director Ritu Verma, MD, Executive Director Rachel Lieberman alongside Research Director Bana Jabri, MD, PhD. The Celiac Disease Center builds on the University of Chicago’s long history of celiac disease care and research.

Celiac Education

The Celiac Disease Center education team is led by Lindsey Yeakle and offers many learning opportunities for patients of all ages and healthcare professionals.

Dietitians

Our Celiac Disease Center dietitians, including Lori Rowell Welstead, MS, RD, LDN and Courtney Schuchmann, MS, RD, LDN, see adult patients with a variety of gastrointestinal conditions. They help each individual develop realistic, gradual changes to their unique lifestyle. This is vital for putting them on a path toward success.

Giving Team

Fundraising plays a vital role at our Celiac Disease Center as our work is funded by private donations. Our outstanding Giving team, including Brad Joutras, Josh Levine and Veronica McCoy provide essential support for the advancement of celiac disease research, education, and patient care.

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Research Team

Led by Dr. Bana Jabri, Research Director and one of the leading researchers of celiac disease in the world. Dr. Jabri’s multidisciplinary team includes Valerie Abadi, PhD, Research Associate Professor. Our expert team is at the forefront of celiac disease research and through coordinated efforts and dedicated work, our researchers have contributed novel data and groundbreaking findings – continuously exploring the mechanisms of celiac disease and finding new ways to understand, treat, and cure this disease.

Learn more about our research

Our History

The University of Chicago Celiac Disease Center was founded in 2001 by Dr. Stefano Guandalini, a world-renowned pediatric gastroenterologist and celiac disease expert.

Largely meant to combat the misconception that celiac disease is a rare disease and to properly educate both the general public and the medical profession, The Celiac Disease Center got its start as The University of Chicago Celiac Disease Program with the help of Robin Steans and Leonard Gail, parents of one of Dr. Guandalini’s celiac patients at The University of Chicago.

Determined to raise awareness, education, and diagnosis rates, and to get research underway, Dr. Guandalini joined forces with the Steans-Gail family and established a passionate advisory board. In 2007, as a result of its success, the organization was renamed The University of Chicago Celiac Disease Center and updated its mission to focus on research toward a cure.

Since its founding, The University of Chicago Celiac Disease Center has directly assisted more than 100,000 people throughout the United States. The University of Chicago Celiac Disease Center continues to advance, maintaining its status as a leading authority on celiac disease.