A photo of Ekemini Ogbu.

Ekemini A. Ogbu, MD, MSc


  • Director, Neuroinflammatory Disease Services in Rheumatology
  • Co-director, Cincinnati Children's Lupus Center
  • Assistant Professor, UC Department of Pediatrics
  • Adjunct Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University
“I strive to provide compassionate care. My philosophy is to 'treat the child with a disease', and not focus on treating the disease alone. Having a rare disease is often isolating and challenging. I believe children and families should be supported through their journey.”
Ekemini A. Ogbu, MD, MSc

About

Biography

I’m a board-certified pediatric rheumatologist and physician-scientist specializing in rheumatologic autoimmune and autoinflammatory conditions in children. I am an assistant professor of pediatrics at Cincinnati Children’s within the University of Cincinnati Department of Pediatrics. In this role, I serve as the rheumatology lead for the Cincinnati Children’s Multiple Sclerosis and Neuroimmunology Center. Before joining the faculty at Cincinnati Children’s in 2021, I led the pediatric rheumatology clinics and service at Johns Hopkins University and directed the multidisciplinary pediatric lupus clinic.

I strive to provide compassionate care. My philosophy is to “treat the child with a disease” and not focus on treating the disease alone. Having a rare disease is often isolating and challenging. I believe children and families should be supported through their journey. By providing a comprehensive and evidence-based approach to managing my patients, I aim to achieve the best possible outcomes. I believe in partnering with my patients and families and the primary care provider.

My research includes clinical and translational studies to improve outcomes for childhood-onset systemic lupus erythematosus (cSLE). In particular, I am studying how we can identify cSLE early and predict risks of severe outcomes. I also study how lupus affects the brain and nervous system, and its association with blood disorders such as antiphospholipid syndrome.

Throughout my career, I have been honored to receive several academic awards and recognitions. I was recognized as a Top Doctor by Baltimore Magazine in 2020.

I currently serve on the Pediatric Rheumatology Special Committee of the American College of Rheumatology (ACR). I am the co-chair of the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) Pediatric Residents Program. I serve on the advisory council of the Pediatric Rheumatology Collaborative Study Group (PRCSG).

I am a member of the Clinical Immunology Society, Childhood Arthritis and Rheumatology Research Alliance, Pediatric Rheumatology European Association, American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Medical Women Association.

MD: University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria, 2005.

Residency: Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA.

Chief Resident: Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA.

Fellowship: Emory University, Atlanta, GA.

Master of Science in Clinical Research: Emory University, Atlanta, GA.

Certification: General Pediatrics; Pediatric Rheumatology.

Interests

Systemic lupus erythematosus; vasculitis; Kikuchi-Fujimoto’s disease; juvenile dermatomyositis; autoinflammatory disorders; systemic-onset juvenile idiopathic arthritis; macrophage activation syndrome; complex primary immune deficiencies and immune-dysregulation syndromes that overlap with rheumatologic diseases

Services and Specialties

Rheumatology, Lupus Center

Interests

Pediatric systemic lupus erythematosus - neuropsychiatric lupus; autoimmune cytopenias; antiphospholipid syndrome

Research Areas

Rheumatology

Insurance Information

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Publications

Implementation study of the CARRA Uveitis Consensus Treatment Plans: feasibility for clinical practice and applicability for research. Chang, MH; Barbar-Smiley, F; Akoghlanian, S; Drew, J; Angeles-Han, ST; Quinlan-Waters, M; Bohnsack, JF; Cooper, AM; Edelheit, B; Twachtman-Bassett, J; Stern, S; Sterba Rakovchik, Y; Stephens, A; Steigerwald, K. Pediatric Rheumatology Online Journal. 2024; 22:88.

Biomarker Changes in Response to Tofacitinib Treatment in Patients with Polyarticular Course Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis. Ogbu, EA; Brunner, HI; Eloseily, E; Butbul Aviel, Y; Nanda, K; Schmeling, H; Tory, H; Uziel, Y; Viola, DO; Wahezi, DM; Huang, B; Grom, A; Thornton, S; investigators of the PRINTO and PRCSG networks, . Arthritis Care and Research. 2024; 76:1723-1732.

Interleukin (IL)-1/IL-6-Inhibitor-Associated Drug Reaction With Eosinophilia and Systemic Symptoms (DReSS) in Systemic Inflammatory Illnesses. Saper, VE; Tian, L; Verstegen, RH J; Conrad, CK; Cidon, M; Hopper, RK; Kuo, CS; Osoegawa, K; Baszis, K; Bingham, CA; Ambler, W; Amoruso, M; Angeles-Han, S; Ardoin, S. The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology: in Practice. 2024; 12:2996-3013.e7.

Blood-based biomarkers of neuronal and glial injury in active major neuropsychiatric systemic lupus erythematosus. Kammeyer, R; Chapman, K; Furniss, A; Hsieh, E; Fuhlbrigge, R; Ogbu, EA; Boackle, S; Zell, JA; Nair, KV; Borko, TL; Cooper, JC; Bennett, JL; Piquet, AL. Lupus. 2024; 33:1116-1129.

Comparative Effectiveness of a Second Tumor Necrosis Factor Inhibitor Versus a Non-Tumor Necrosis Factor Biologic in the Treatment of Patients With Polyarticular-Course Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis. Mannion, ML; Amin, S; Balevic, S; Chang, ML; Correll, CK; Kearsley-Fleet, L; Hyrich, KL; Beukelman, T; Aamir, R; Abulaban, K; DeSantis, E; Devine, R; Dhalla, M; Dhanrajani, A. Arthritis Care and Research. 2024; 76:1090-1098.

[Formula: see text] Cognitive dysfunction in pediatric systemic lupus erythematosus: current knowledge and future directions. Kammeyer, R; Ogbu, EA; Cooper, JC; Stolz, E; Piquet, AL; Fuhlbrigge, RC; Bennett, JL; Hutaff-Lee, C. Child Neuropsychology. 2024; 30:818-846.

Blood-based Biomarkers of Neuronal and Glial Damage in Active Major Neuropsychiatric Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (P8-14.012). Kammeyer, R; Chapman, K; Furniss, A; Ogbu, E; Nair, K; Borko, T; Fuhlbrigge, R; Bennett, J; Boackle, S; Hsieh, E; Zell, J; Cooper, J; Piquet, A. Neurology. 2024; 102.

An unusual presentation of chronic recurrent multifocal osteomyelitis involving bones of the skull. Stojkic, I; Rubin, E; Lee, J; Lee, AS E; Ogbu, EA. International Journal of Rheumatic Diseases. 2023; 26:1579-1581.

Usefulness of the lupus low disease activity state as a treatment target in childhood-onset SLE. Cody, EM; Wilson, BE; Ogbu, EA; Huggins, JL; Chen, C; Qiu, T; Ting, TV; Flores, F; Huang, B; Brunner, HI. Lupus Science and Medicine. 2023; 10:e000884.

Clinical Determinants of Childhood Onset Systemic Lupus Erythematosus among Early and Peri-Adolescent Age Groups. Nelson, MC; Chandrakasan, S; Ponder, L; Sanz, I; Goldberg, B; Ogbu, EA; Rouster-Stevens, K; Prahalad, S. Children. 2022; 9:1865.

From the Blog

Ogbu Receives Diversity in Lupus Research Award
Autoimmune Disorders

Ogbu Receives Diversity in Lupus Research Award

Ekemini A. Ogbu, MD, MSc7/12/2023

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