Patrick Seed

President & Chief Research Officer, Stanley Manne Children’s Research institute
Patrick Seed

Patrick Seed, MD, PhD, is Head of the Division of Infectious Diseases at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital. He also holds the Children’s Research Fund Chair in Basic Science at the Stanley Manne Children’s Research Institute at Lurie Children’s, and is a Research Professor of Pediatrics, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.

His diverse research examines molecular mechanisms by which a child's immune system interacts with germs, including the body's own microorganisms, the microbiome. Dr. Seed leads Lurie Children’s Host-Microbial Interactions, Inflammation and Immunity Program, which aims to identify patient-specific immunologic therapies to improve health outcomes. His research is supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and multiple foundations.

Dr. Seed came to Lurie Children's from Duke University, where he served as an attending physician in Pediatric Infectious Diseases and was Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, and Surgery.

Children’s Research Fund Chair in Basic Science Patrick Seed, MD, PhD, has conducted research showing babies who are colonized with Haemophilus, the bacteria that causes ear infections, have a greater chance of developing asthma in later life. This discovery could lead to early interventions and possibly a decrease in the incidence of asthma.

Yongchao C. Ma

Children’s Research Fund Professorship in Neurobiology
Yongchao C. Ma

This endowed position was created by the CRF in 1991 to support a leader of the Neurobiology Program at the Stanley Manne Children’s Research Institute. Yongchao Ma, PhD has been appointed to the Children’s Research Fund Professorship in Neurobiology. Dr. Ma’s laboratory has catapulted scientific discovery—he has become a leader among his peer researchers who share his dedication to finding better therapies for patients with neurodegenerative diseases. I look forward to celebrating Dr. Ma and recognizing the Children’s Research Fund as we plan a formal investiture ceremony.

Xiao-Nan Li

Rachelle and Mark Gordon Endowed Professorship in Cancer Biology
Xiao-Nan Li

My broad research interest lies in understanding the molecular basis of human genetic diseases and developing therapeutics for their treatment. Specifically, my research primarily focuses on neuromuscular diseases, which are those that affect muscle, the nerves that innervate muscle or the neuromuscular junction, which is the connection between the two.

Lisa N. Akhtar

L. Nelso Sanchez-Pinto

I am a Pediatric Infectious Diseases physician and scientist. Research in my laboratory is focused on understanding how viruses infect and cause pathogenesis in the pediatric brain. The approach that we take is to identify clinical viral isolates associated with pediatric infection and poor neurologic outcomes, and bring these isolates back to the lab to assess the mechanism by which this occurs. We use viral whole genome sequencing, human and murine neuronal in vitro models, and murine in vivo models, as well as reverse genetics to understand clinical viral virulence factors. The current focus of the lab is to determine virulence factors contributing to neonatal herpes simplex virus (HSV) encephalitis.

Matthew Davis

Executive Vice President & Chief Community Health Transformation Officer, Patrick M. Magoon Institute for Healthy Communities at Lurie Children’s
Matthew Davis

Matthew M. Davis, MD, MAPP, is Head of the Division of Academic General Pediatrics and Primary Care; Director, Smith Child Heath Research Program; Associate Chief Research Officer for Health Services and Policy Research at the Stanley Manne Children's Research Institute; and Senior Vice President and Chief of Community Health Transformation. He is the A Todd Davis, MD Professor in General Academic Pediatrics and the Mary Ann and J. Milburn Smith Research Professor for the Director of Child Health Research, and a Professor of Pediatrics-Academic General Pediatrics and Primary Care at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine

Dr. Davis is an internationally recognized investigator who applies novel research methods to advance science regarding health and health policy for children, families and communities. His overarching goal is to strengthen Lurie Children’s positive impact on communities by connecting excellent primary and subspecialty clinical care with population health and health policy, informed by top-notch research and complemented by evidence-based advocacy. His first major collaboration, Lurie Children’s Healthy Communities, addresses priority issues in Chicago such as social determinants of health, mental health, violence prevention, child maltreatment and children with special health care needs.

He joined Lurie Children’s in 2016 from the University of Michigan, where he was Professor in both Pediatrics and Internal Medicine in the medical school, as well as in Health Management and Policy in the School of Public Health, and in Public Policy at the Gerald Ford School of Public Policy.

Dr. Davis is spearheading the new Survey of Children’s Health in Chicago. Conducted in partnership with the Chicago Department of Public Health, the survey will measure health needs and public attitudes regarding mental health, child maltreatment and violence involving and affecting youth.

Mehreen Arshad

Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Infectious Diseases
Mehreen Arshad