Associate Junior Faculty Scholars

Trissa A. Babrowski, MD, is a vascular surgeon who specializes in limb preservation. Since her appointment, Dr. Babrowski has been instrumental in spearheading the innovative UChAmPP (University of Chicago Amputation Prevention Program) to afford patients an opportunity to save their limbs in the face of aggressive peripheral vascular disease. This multi-disciplinary team focuses on all aspects of patients’ health essential for limb preservation. Her work has earned her national coverage. Dr. Babrowski is also an active researcher, exploring the role the microbiome plays in the development and expansion of abdominal aortic aneurysms.

Brandon Jackson Baird, MD, is a laryngeal surgeon specializing in a wide range of laryngeal diseases with an emphasis on medical and surgical management of voice and swallowing disorders.  He completed residency in Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery at Stanford University and fellowship at Harvard University – Massachusetts General Hospital.  He has spear-headed the office-based laryngology practice at the University of Chicago. His research interests include adjuvant therapy for early glottic cancer and laryngeal dysplasia.

Andrew Benjamin, MD, a board-certified surgeon, specializes in trauma and acute care surgery, and is an expert in quickly diagnosing and treating patients with traumatic and critical injuries.

Along with his commitment to his clinical practice, Dr. Benjamin is also devoted to improving outcomes for trauma patients through clinical and translational research, with a special interest in machine learning and bioinformatics related to resuscitation for hemorrhagic shock.

Grace Berry LaShore, MD, is an Internal Medicine physician in the Comprehensive Care Program in the Section of Hospital Medicine, specializing in the care of complex adult patients in both the inpatient and outpatient settings. After earning her undergraduate degree in Biology at Yale University, she received her medical degree at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, and completed her residency at NY Presbyterian Hospital- Columbia University. Upon completing her residency, she moved to Chicago to join the Comprehensive Care Program at the University of Chicago, where she now serves as the Director of Clinical Operations. During her time at UChicago, she has also been a faculty scholar with the LUCENT program, a program that provides skills to become leaders in transforming primary care in underserved, urban settings. Her interests include clinical operations, healthcare delivery innovation, healthcare disparities, improving transitions of care between the inpatient and outpatient settings, and quality improvement. Dr. LaShore is also the course director for the Comprehensive Care Program 4th year medical student elective and a preceptor for 1st year medical students for the Patient Centered Longitudinal Experience.

Julia Bregand-White, MD is an Assistant Professor in the Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. She was trained at the University of Illinois at Chicago in Obstetrics and Gynecology and completed her Maternal Fetal Medicine Fellowship at the University of Pittsburgh, Magee Womens Hospital. Clinically, she focuses on the care of pregnancies complicated by fetal anomalies and has taken the administrative and clinical lead in developing the Fetal and Neonatal Care Center (FNCC). The FNCC is a brand new program which has coordinated the care of over 200 patients in just over a year offering accurate evaluation and diagnosis of complex fetal conditions and facilitating prenatal collaboration with pediatric subspecialists to improve the outcome of these complicated pregnancies. Dr. Bregand-White has an interest in medical education, serves as the Associate Fellowship Program Director and oversees the fourth year sub-internship. She has developed a series of educational initiatives within the Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine to improve evidence based clinical consensus as well as the education of sonographers and trainees.

In 2020, Dr. Bergand-White joined the faculty at the University of California, Irvine Health (UCI) in Orange, CA.

Julia Bregand-White, MD is an Assistant Professor in the Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. She was trained at the University of Illinois at Chicago in Obstetrics and Gynecology and completed her Maternal Fetal Medicine Fellowship at the University of Pittsburgh, Magee Womens Hospital. Clinically, she focuses on the care of pregnancies complicated by fetal anomalies and has taken the administrative and clinical lead in developing the Fetal and Neonatal Care Center (FNCC). The FNCC is a brand new program which has coordinated the care of over 200 patients in just over a year offering accurate evaluation and diagnosis of complex fetal conditions and facilitating prenatal collaboration with pediatric subspecialists to improve the outcome of these complicated pregnancies. Dr. Bregand-White has an interest in medical education, serves as the Associate Fellowship Program Director and oversees the fourth year sub-internship. She has developed a series of educational initiatives within the Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine to improve evidence based clinical consensus as well as the education of sonographers and trainees.

In 2020, Dr. Bergand-White joined the faculty at the University of California, Irvine Health (UCI) in Orange, CA.

Dr. Brennan obtained her medical degree from the University College Dublin, Ireland. She completed her pediatric residency at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York, NY, followed by a fellowship in neonatology at New York Presbyterian Weill Cornell, New York, NY. Prior to coming to the University of Chicago, Dr Brennan was a Visiting Assistant Professor of Clinical Pediatrics in the Division of Neonatology at the University of Illinois Chicago. Dr Brennan has been an Assistant Professor in Pediatrics at University of Chicago since 2016. Her areas of interest at medical simulation and medical education. She is the Director of Neonatal Simulation and the associate program director for the neonatology fellowship program.

Dr. Caldarelli is a neonatologist specializing in the treatment of premature and critically ill infants in the neonatal intensive care unit. She completed her residency and fellowship at The University of Chicago and now serves on the faculty. In addition to her clinical work, Dr. Caldarelli works on improving the quality of medical care, researching medical outcomes and improvements in clinical care.

Her publications include articles on the long-term outcomes of neonatal intensive care and the effectiveness of new teaching methods. She is a dedicated educator and is interested in developing curricula. She also works with education in simulation centers.

As of 2015, Dr. Caldarelli joined the faculty at Northwestern University in Chicago, IL.

An adult nephrologist, Dr. W. James Chon is a member of the University of Chicago Medicine’s highly regarded renal transplant team. He specializes in the evaluation of donors and recipients for kidney and kidney-pancreas transplantation. Dr. Chon has extensive experience in post-transplant treatment, particularly in the management of immunosuppressive therapy for these patients.

Dr. Chon has been actively involved in numerous clinical research projects that deal with complex medical issues in renal transplant candidates and recipients. He is also interested in protecting deceased donor kidneys from tissue injury that can occur during the procurement surgery and transport process.

Dr. Chon is now a member of the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine Faculty.