Dr. Loomes' research is focused on clinical and translational studies in pediatric liver disease. Early in her career, Dr. Loomes used genetic mouse models to investigate the role of the Notch ligand Jag1 in development of multiple organ systems affected in the autosomal dominant disorder Alagille syndrome (ALGS). Building on that work, she collaborated with other investigators at CHOP to identify genetic modifiers of liver disease severity in ALGS. She has also worked to identify candidate susceptibility genes for biliary atresia (BA).

Dr. Loomes is the site principal investigator at CHOP for the NIH-funded Childhood Liver Disease Research Network (ChiLDReN) and the Pediatric Acute Liver Failure Immune Response Network (PALF-IRN). In collaboration with the ChiLDReN consortium, Dr. Loomes has participated in multiple observational and interventional studies in rare pediatric liver diseases. The ChiLDReN studies have characterized the natural history of these rare disorders in longitudinal cohorts of children and completed clinical trials in BA and ALGS. Numerous ancillary studies have been conducted using biospecimens collected through ChiLDReN studies, including investigations into novel genetic etiologies of disease.

She has also collaborated to characterize immune cell populations in the liver of patients with indeterminate pediatric acute liver failure. The newly-created PALF-IRN will conduct a clinical trial in this critically ill patient population.

BA, Rice University (Biology), 1988

MD, University of Texas Southwestern Medical School, 1992

Fellowship, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (Gastroenterology), 1999

Associate Director, Fred and Suzanne Biesecker Pediatric Liver Center

Director of Research Training, Gastroenterology and Hepatology Fellowship Training Program

Attending Physician

Professor of Pediatrics

North American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition, 1996-

American Gastroenterological Association, 1996-

American Association for the Study of Liver Disease, 1996-

Fellows' Teacher of the Year Award, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, 1996

Researcher of the Year, Delaware Valley Chapter of the American Liver Foundation, 2003