Erica Brenner

Erica Brenner, MD, MSCR, serves as Assistant Professor in the Department of Pediatrics, Division of Gastroenterology at the UNC School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. As a pediatric gastroenterologist and clinical investigator, her work centers on improving care for children and adolescents with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) through preventive strategies and patient-centered outcomes research.

Her research portfolio includes validation of PROMIS® Pediatric measures in pediatric IBD using the IBD Partners Kids & Teens cohort, co-founding an international database tracking COVID-19 outcomes in IBD patients during the pandemic, and current investigations into reproductive health challenges among young women with IBD—a critical gap where gastroenterology lacks evidence-based guidance. Her focus on anticipatory prevention reflects her belief that proactive care fundamentally shapes IBD management trajectories.

Scientific Recognition

• Pilot and Feasibility Award 2022 (Center for Gastrointestinal Biology and Disease)

As a former T32 trainee and current T32 junior mentor, Dr. Brenner actively cultivates clinical research talent while collaborating with multidisciplinary teams including Barnes, Gulati, Kappelman, Long, Moon, and Sandler. Her CGIBD Clinical Research Core-supported work bridges clinical practice and translational science to address urgent gaps in pediatric IBD care.

Dr. Brenner's leadership extends to international research infrastructure through the pandemic-era IBD-COVID database initiative, demonstrating her capacity to mobilize global collaborations for real-time clinical insights during health crises.