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Associate Junior Faculty Scholars

Each year, the nomination process for Junior Faculty Scholars consistently generates many exceptional candidate recommendations from all clinical departments. In an effort to retain involvement from these superb faculty, the position of Associate Junior Faculty Scholar was created in 2012. Associate Junior Faculty Scholars are eligible to participate in all Bucksbaum Institute programs and each spring they may apply for funding through the Bucksbaum Institute Pilot Grant Program.

Andrew Aronsohn, MD

Andrew Aronsohn, MD

2011–2012 ASSOCIATE JUNIOR FACULTY SCHOLAR

Department of Medicine
Bio

Gastroenterologist and hepatologist Andrew Aronsohn, MD, is a specialist in the diagnosis and management of liver diseases. Dr. Aronsohn has particular expertise in treating hepatitis C and in evaluating patients for liver transplantation. He is a member of the University of Chicago Center for Liver Diseases, a multidisciplinary center nationally known for its broad experience, research discoveries, and treatment innovations related to liver diseases and transplantation.

Dr. Aronsohn researches and evaluates new treatments for liver disease. He is currently studying different types of therapies for elderly patients with hepatitis C. Also a medical ethicist, Dr. Aronsohn is investigating the principles involved in the allocation of organs for transplantation.

Trissa Babrowski, MD

Trissa Babrowski, MD

2015–2016 ASSOCIATE JUNIOR FACULTY SCHOLAR

Department of Surgery
Bio

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 Baird, MD

Brandon Baird, MD

2022-2023 ASSOCIATE JUNIOR FACULTY SCHOLAR

Department of Surgery
Bio

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.

Maureen Beederman, MD

Maureen Beederman, MD

2024-2025 ASSOCIATE JUNIOR FACULTY

Department of Surgery
Bio

Maureen Beederman, MD, is a highly skilled, board-certified plastic and reconstructive surgeon with fellowship training in reconstructive microsurgery. She performs complex reconstructive surgery for a wide range of conditions from head to toe, with a special interest in breast reconstruction and lower extremity reconstruction.

Dr. Beederman takes a collaborative and compassionate approach to patient care, working together with patients and their families to achieve their reconstructive goals. She believes that surgical solutions and treatment options should be tailored to meet each patient’s specific needs, and strives to optimize both form and function following reconstruction.

In addition to her clinical work, Dr. Beederman has written articles on a range of topics, including surgical treatments for lymphedema, burn and wound care, craniofacial surgery and neuropathic breast pain. Her work has been published in multiple peer-reviewed medical journals, including Annals of SurgeryPlastic and Reconstructive Surgery, and Annals of Plastic Surgery. Dr. Beederman also has an interest in medical ethics and completed a fellowship with the MacLean Center for Clinical Medical Ethics at the University of Chicago.

She is heavily involved in medical education, holding a leadership role in the plastic and reconstructive surgery residency program, as well as serving as an advisor for medical students at the Pritzker School of Medicine.

Andrew Benjamin, MD

Andrew Benjamin, MD

2022-2023 ASSOCIATE JUNIOR FACULTY SCHOLAR

Department of Surgery
Bio

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

Grace Berry LaShore, MD

2020–2021 ASSOCIATE JUNIOR FACULTY SCHOLAR

Department of Medicine
Bio

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

Julia Bregand-White, MD

2020 ALUMNI SCHOLAR
2019–2020 ASSOCIATE JUNIOR FACULTY SCHOLAR

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology
Bio

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

Julia Bregand-White, MD

2019–2020 ASSOCIATE JUNIOR FACULTY SCHOLAR – ALUMNI

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology
Bio

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.

Gillian Brennan, MD

Gillian Brennan, MD

2020–2021 ASSOCIATE JUNIOR FACULTY SCHOLAR

Department of Pediatrics
Bio

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.

Leslie Caldarelli, MD

Leslie Caldarelli, MD

2011–2012 ASSOCIATE JUNIOR FACULTY SCHOLAR – ALUMNI

Department of Pediatrics
Bio

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.