Lee A. Denson, MD
- Director, Schubert-Martin Inflammatory Bowel Disease Center
- Professor, UC Department of Pediatrics
- lee.denson@cchmc.org
- Board Certified
About
Biography
I am a gastroenterologist who specializes in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) clinical care and research. In addition to serving as director of the Schubert-Martin Inflammatory Bowel Disease Center at Cincinnati Children’s, I hold the M. Susan Moyer Chair in pediatric inflammatory bowel diseases.
My research interests include the pathogenesis and treatment of IBD, with a focus on microbial targeted therapies. Our lab aims to improve healing and length of remission for patients with IBD — and ultimately provide a cure.
For example, using both murine and patient-based approaches, we’re working to define mechanisms that link neutralizing GM-CSF autoantibodies to neutrophil dysfunction and more severe small bowel Crohn’s disease. Our goal is to develop diagnostic biomarkers that may lead to novel targeted treatments.
We’ve also sought to determine the molecular basis for alterations in growth hormone signaling in IBD. Normal growth and development are dependent upon the ability of growth hormone to regulate IGF-1 expression. Evidence from studies in children with IBD, and mouse models of colitis, indicates that inflammatory cytokines, which are up regulated in this setting, may cause an acquired resistance to growth hormone. Consequences may include growth failure, altered body composition and impaired mucosal healing.
We’ve used complementary experimental and patient-based approaches to investigate regulation of growth hormone signaling in mouse models of colitis and in children with Crohn's disease. This includes down-regulation of the growth hormone receptor and up-regulation of a family of post-receptor inhibitory proteins, the Suppressors of Cytokine Signaling (SOCS). These studies should lead to the development of more effective therapies for children with IBD and other chronic inflammatory conditions.
I’ve received numerous awards and appointments throughout my career. These include the Sherman Prize and a Cincinnati Children’s Faculty Mentor Award.
MD: Medical College of Virginia, Richmond, VA, 1993.
Residency: Yale-New Haven Hospital, New Haven, CT, 1993-96.
Certification: Pediatrics, 1996 and 2002.
Fellowship: Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 1996-99.
Interests
Inflammatory bowel disease; growth failure; celiac disease
Services and Specialties
Gastroenterology GI, Colorectal Disorders, Inflammatory Bowel Disease IBD, Autoimmune Liver Disease
Research Areas
Gastroenterology Hepatology and Nutrition
Insurance Information
Cincinnati Children's strives to accept a wide variety of health plans. Please contact your health insurance carrier to verify coverage for your specific benefit plan.
Publications
Intestinal permeability in patients undergoing stem cell transplantation correlates with systemic acute phase responses and dysbiosis. Blood Advances. 2023; 7:5137-5151.
Gut Microbiome Composition Is Associated With Future Onset of Crohn's Disease in Healthy First-Degree Relatives. Gastroenterology. 2023; 165:670-681.
Racial Disparities in Pediatric Inflammatory Bowel Disease Care: Differences in Outcomes and Health Service Utilization Between Black and White Children. The Journal of Pediatrics. 2023; 260:113522.
Mucosal transcriptomics highlight lncRNAs implicated in ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease, and celiac disease. JCI insight. 2023; 8:e170181.
The microbiome in adolescents with irritable bowel syndrome and changes with percutaneous electrical nerve field stimulation. Neurogastroenterology and Motility. 2023; 35:e14573.
Transcriptome analysis in acute gastrointestinal graft-versus host disease reveals a unique signature in children and shared biology with pediatric inflammatory bowel disease. Haematologica: the hematology journal. 2023; 108:1803-1816.
GATA6-AS1 Regulates Intestinal Epithelial Mitochondrial Functions, and its Reduced Expression is Linked to Intestinal Inflammation and Less Favourable Disease Course in Ulcerative Colitis. Journal of Crohn's and Colitis. 2023; 17:960-971.
Su1884 ACUTE PANCREATITIS IS ASSOCIATED WITH GUT DYSBIOSIS IN CHILDREN. Gastroenterology. 2023; 164:s-703.
Su1013 EVALUATION OF INSURANCE TYPE ON PRIOR AUTHORIZATION (PA) DELAYS IN PEDIATRIC INFLAMMATORY BOWEL DISEASE (IBD) PATIENTS PRESCRIBED BIOLOGIC THERAPIES. Gastroenterology. 2023; 164:s-504-s-505.
783 DEVELOPMENT OF AN OPTIMAL MACHINE LEARNING MODEL USING TREATMENT NAÏVE DIAGNOSTIC PATHOLOGY IMAGES TO PREDICT STEROID-FREE CLINICAL REMISSION AT ONE YEAR IN PEDIATRIC ULCERATIVE COLITIS. Gastroenterology. 2023; 164:s-170.
From the Blog
Our 2019 Research Annual Report
Lee A. Denson, MD, John Hogenesch, PhD ...2/4/2020
3333 Burnet Avenue, Cincinnati, Ohio 45229-3026
© 1999-2023 Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center. All rights reserved.
Patient Ratings and Comments
All patient satisfaction ratings and comments are submitted by actual patients and verified by a leading independent patient satisfaction company, NRC Health. Patient identities are withheld to ensure confidentiality and privacy. Only those providers whose satisfaction surveys are administered through Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center are displayed. Click here to learn more about our survey