In addition to his clinical work, Dr. Baldassano oversees a large team of researchers at CHOP. The team has more than 30 ongoing studies. Doctors and scientists are working together to translate discoveries in the laboratory into direct patient care for children.
One promising area of current research is investigating the intestinal microbiomes of children with inflammatory bowel diseases.
“Intestinal diseases are driven by the organisms that live inside us, and our diet — what we eat — greatly influences that,” Dr. Baldassano said. “We’re studying how diet changes can alter an individual’s microbiome so that it promotes health, instead of disease.”