Salvatore Alesci, MD, PhD, Beyond Celiac Chief Scientist and Strategy Officer (CSSO) and executive chair of the Scientific Advisory Council

As Executive Chair of the Beyond Celiac Scientific Advisory Council, Dr. Alesci will lead the organization’s science team and oversee the design and implementation of the scientific strategy and plan, with a particular focus on deepening partnerships with scientists, key opinion leaders, policy makers and influencers across pharmaceutical companies and academic and government institutions.

Ken Kilgore, PhD, MBA, Beyond Celiac Chief Scientific Investment Officer (CSIO)

Kilgore will identify and develop innovative funding models and administer the Beyond Celiac scientific grants program.

Bob Beall, PhD, Beyond Celiac board member and former president and CEO of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation

Under Beall’s 21 years of leadership, the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation applied innovative approaches to bring new therapies to patients. The life expectancy of those with cystic fibrosis rose dramatically and nearly 30 drugs were in development to treat all aspects of the disease, including its underlying cause.

Gail Hecht, MD, professor of medicine and microbiology/immunology and chief of gastroenterology and nutrition at Loyola University, Chicago

Hecht focuses her research on host–pathogen interactions, supported through funding from the U.S, National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Department of Veterans Affairs. She also has an interest in the gut microbiome and its impact on intestinal function and health, serving as editor-in-chief of the journalGut Microbes. Hecht is a former president of the American Gastroenterological Association.

Edwin Liu, MD, director of the Colorado Center for Celiac Disease at Children’s Hospital Colorado and professor of pediatrics, gastroenterology, hepatology and nutrition, University of Colorado School of medicine

Liu is a practicing pediatric gastroenterologist at Children’s Hospital Colorado and a lead researcher of celiac disease in children. He recently published a study that showed an increase in prevalence in celiac disease in children and helped further understanding of celiac disease screening. Liu also studies the link between celiac disease and other autoimmune diseases, such as Type 1 diabetes.

Daniel Leffler, MD, director of research, Celiac Center at Beth Israel Deaconess, associate professor of medicine, Harvard Medical School, and medical director, Takeda Pharmaceuticals

Leffler is a practicing gastroenterologist and celiac disease expert. He has published numerous articles about celiac disease and participates in clinical and translational research. He has been the recipient of a career development grant from the NIH, as well as multiple foundation and industry sponsored grants. He lectures nationally and internationally and co-authored the bookReal Life with Celiac Disease. Troubleshooting and Thriving Gluten Free.

Stephen Miller, PhD, director of the interdepartmental immunobiology center at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and research professor of microbiology-immunology

Miller is internationally recognized for his research on pathogenesis and regulation of autoimmune diseases. His work has enhanced understanding of the immune inflammatory processes underlying chronic autoimmune disease such as multiple sclerosis, type 1 diabetes, and celiac disease and could lead to potential treatments for these and other autoimmune diseases.

Joseph Murray, MD, professor of medicine at the Mayo Clinic and a gastroenterologist in the division of gastroenterology and hepatology, department of internal medicine

Murray is a practicing gastroenterologist and leading authority in celiac disease, having published more than 100 research articles. He focuses on clinical epidemiology of celiac disease, the role of genetics in predicting disease, the development of animal models for the disease and dermatitis herpetiformis. Murray also studies the complications of celiac disease, including small bowel cancer. His research has been funded by the NIH.

Kari Nadeau, MD, professor of pediatric food allergy, immunology and asthma and director of the Sean N. Parker Center for Allergy and Asthma Research, Stanford University

Nadeau is an expert in adult and pediatric allergy and asthma. Her research focuses on understanding the increased prevalence of allergies and asthma, improving diagnostics and the immunological mechanisms underlying these diseases. She was the first to successfully desensitize individuals to more than one allergy at a time using multi-allergen oral immunotherapy. She does clinical research to provide safe and effective therapeutic options for those with allergies and asthma.