Senior Faculty Scholars

Daniel Johnson, MD, has focused his career on improving access to quality healthcare. In 2010 he created ECHO-Chicago, a telehealth program for community level capacity building using case-based interactive sessions to education primary care providers in the diagnose and management of common chronic complex health conditions. The program has educated thousands of adult and pediatric primary care providers across Chicago and Illinois and contributed to the creation of ECHO programs elsewhere in the US and other countries.

Dr. Johnson is a physician, scholar and educator. He completed his training in 1986 and is certified by the American Board of Pediatrics in Pediatrics and Pediatric Infectious Disease. At University of Chicago Medicine since 2007, he is Professor of Pediatrics in the Department of Pediatrics where he serves as Vice Chair for Clinical Services and Section Chief of Pediatric Infectious Diseases. He has authored more than 100 peer-reviewed articles and abstracts.

Dr. Michelle Josephson is Professor of Medicine and Surgery, serves as Medical Director of Kidney and Pancreas Transplantation, and is Program Director of the Transplant Nephrology Fellowship.

After receiving her MD from University of Pennsylvania she completed a medical internship, residency and nephrology fellowship at University of Chicago. In 1992 she joined the faculty as the first transplant nephrologist at University of Chicago.

Dr. Josephson’s mission is to improve the care and outcomes of medically complex transplant patients through direct care, education, and clinical research. Her research projects examine the live kidney donor, post-transplant bone disease, BK virus, and post-transplant pregnancy.

Dr. Josephson is deeply committed to education and established University of Chicago’s transplant nephrology fellowship. Dr. Josephson is a member of several national and international working groups, societies, and advisory groups that have developed transplant care guidelines and policies. She served as Councilor for the Board of the American Society of Transplantation (AST) and Chair of American Society of Nephrology’s (ASN’s) Transplant Advisory Group.

Dr. Kelly is an Associate Professor in the Department of Neurology. He completed his medical school training and internship at Rush Medical College. Tom completed his Neurology residency training at the University of Chicago after which he joined the faculty as one its first dedicated general neurologists. Over the years, Dr. Kelly has held the positions of residency training director, outpatient clinic medical director, interim department chair, and co-chair for clinical operations.

As a general neurologist Dr. Kelly has built the outpatient urgent care component of the department as a service to patients who need to be seen quickly. In addition to his clinical dedication he is committed to student and trainee education. Tom supervises outpatient residents in both continuity and urgent care and Neurology residents have voted Dr. Kelly teacher of the year on 4 occasions. Also, each year, he delivers lectures to Pritzker students on the treatment of Parkinson’s disease and migraine, and he co-organizes the annual medical school clinical skills “Neuro Day.” This program is for Pritzker MS 2’s and provides the entire class exposure to neurology patients, neuroradiology, and instructive clinical video materials.

Dr. Kimberly Kenton is a Tenured Professor and Vice Chair of Research in the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology at the University of Chicago, where she also serves as the Chief of Urogynecology and Reconstructive Pelvic Surgery. With a 20-year career dedicated to advancing pelvic floor care for women, Dr. Kenton is recognized internationally for her pioneering work in minimally invasive treatments for complex pelvic floor disorders, utilizing laparoscopic and robotic surgical techniques.

A prolific scientist with over 250 peer-reviewed publications, Dr. Kenton has continuously received federal funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for nearly two decades. She is the primary investigator on multiple NIH grants, including those within the Pelvic Floor Disorders Network. Her research has significantly advanced patient-oriented outcomes and surgical treatments for conditions such as urinary incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse.

Dr. Kenton has held numerous leadership roles in national and international specialty societies, including the American Board of Obstetrics & Gynecology, the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME), and the American Urogynecologic Society. She has also been a director of both residency and fellowship programs, earning numerous national awards for her excellence in teaching and mentorship.

Dr. Kenton holds a Master of Science in Clinical Research Design and Statistical Analysis from the University of Michigan and is deeply committed to improving the quality of life for women with pelvic floor disorders through her clinical expertise and research innovations.

Karen Kim is the Sara and Harold Lincoln Thompson Professor of Medicine, Associate Director of the University of Chicago Medicine Comprehensive Cancer Center, and Director of the Center for Asian Health Equity.

As Vice Provost for Research, Kim works with faculty and deans to support and enhance research funding and manage large-scale research infrastructure such as University Research Administration (URA) and the University of Chicago Consortium for Advanced Science and Engineering (CASE), the Office of Research Safety, Research Computing Center, and Research Development Support.

Dr. Kim previously served as Dean for Faculty Affairs for the Division of the Biological Sciences and is the Associate Director of the University of Chicago Comprehensive Cancer Center. She is the founder and director of the University of Chicago Center for Asian Health Equity, the only research center dedicated to the study of Asian health disparities in the Midwest, and a national leader on policies for inclusion of Asian-Americans in research.

With extensive expertise in community-based participatory research (CBPR), dissemination and implementation science, intervention and minority health research, Kim has focused on the rigorous development and evaluation of multi-level strategies to advance health equity supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Cancer Institute Beau Biden Cancer Moonshot Initiative, and the Department of Health and Human Service’s Office of Minority Health and the National Institutes of Health. Kim’s research has a specific focus on the content domain of colorectal cancer prevention and on the methodological domain of implementation science. Recently, Kim’s research has focused on developing innovative technology-based solutions to address gaps in health care services among federally qualified community health centers.

In addition to her research, Kim is deeply committed to civic engagement and has dedicated significant time to advancing health through service to numerous nonprofit organizations and national boards. Kim has been nationally recognized for her advocacy and policy work and received the International Women’s Leadership Award, the Chicago Foundation for Women Impact Award and the Cancer Prevention Laurel for Increasing Health Equity.

She is a member of the American College of Physicians, American Gastroenterological Association, and the American Medical Association, American Association for Cancer Research and the American Public Health Association. As of 2023, Dr. Kim is the Dean of Penn State College of Medicine.

Dr. Kirschner is a Professor of Pediatrics and Director of the Pediatric Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) Program at The University of Chicago Comer Children’s Hospital.

She has a longstanding interest in contributing to understanding the pathogenesis of IBD and improving care for children and adolescents with IBD. In this regard, she helped establish the PediIBD Research Consortium and has continued to collaborate with centers and consortia nationally to enhance knowledge relating to the genetics, microbiome and natural history of pediatric IBD. In addition, she is the site principal investigator for several clinical drug trials designed to determine the efficacy, safety and dosing of new therapeutic modalities for this patient population. She, along with colleagues within the Pediatric GI Section, have established one of the largest practices of children and adolescents with IBD and is considered to be an expert in the care of this population.

Dr. Kirschner has published over 130 peer-reviewed articles and book chapters in her field and has lectured nationally and internationally in topics related to pediatric IBD.

In addition to the clinical and research activities described above, Dr. Kirschner greatly enjoys teaching medical students, house staff, fellows and faculty and has been selected to receive an annual Teaching Award from the Pediatric Residents.

Dr. Klafta is a Professor of Anesthesia & Critical Care and the Vice Chair for Education & Academic Affairs. Dr. Klafta graduated Magna Cum Laude with a degree in Physics from Loyola University in Chicago and received his MD degree from the Pritzker School of Medicine in 1989. He completed his anesthesiology residency at Harvard’s Brigham & Women’s Hospital before joining the University of Chicago faculty in 1993.

Dr. Klafta served as the Director of the Anesthesiology Residency Program from 1997-2006, and was the Clerkship Director for Perioperative Medicine and Pain Therapy from 1997–2002. In recognition of his outstanding teaching skills, he received the Department of Anesthesia and Critical Care Teacher of the Year Award in 1994, ’98, ’03, and ’04, and was elected into the Alpha Omega Alpha Medical Honor Society in 2000. Two years later he received the International Anesthesia Research Society’s Annual Teaching Recognition Award.

2013 Pilot Grant Project: Improving Professionalism for Physicians in Training: A Curriculum based Approach.

P. Allan Klock Jr., MD is an anesthesiologist and professor and vice chair for clinical affairs in the Department of Anesthesia and Critical Care. He earned his MD from the University of Connecticut and he completed his residency in anesthesiology at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. He later completed the Program in Clinical Effectiveness at the Harvard School of Public Health. Dr. Klock has been section chief for urologic anesthesia and medical director of the post-anesthesia care unit and currently serves as Medical Director of his department’s ambulatory clinics. Dr. Klock serves on his department’s quality assurance, education, resident recruitment and executive committees. Dr. Klock’s academic and clinical interests include airway management and he is past president of the Society for Airway Management and is co-director of the Airway Study and Training Center at UofC. Dr. Klock is also interested in educating non-anesthesiologist health professionals about making sedation more effective and safer. Dr. Klock has developed a curriculum entitled, “Safer Sedation and Analgesia” that has been delivered to over 600 medical professionals.

Ervin Kocjancic is a skilled reconstructive urologist who specializes in pelvic health, urinary incontinence, and reconstructive surgery for female, male, and transgender patients. He has expertise in gender affirmation surgery and complex reconstructive genitourinary conditions. He is devoted to investigating new and/or better treatments for urologic conditions, as well as mentoring students and improving care for patients. He has received numerous awards and citations for presentations, research, teaching, and clinical service.

He is active in several medical and service organizations, promoting the practice and importance of urology around the world. He serves on the editorial board of the International Urogynecology Journal, and as a member of the International Neuro-Urology Society’s board of directors.  He also served as chair of the International Continence Society’s Education Committee.

Kocjancic holds an MD from the School of Medicine and Surgery at the University of Trieste, Italy. He completed a urology residency at the University of Milan, as well as a fellowship in female and reconstructive urology at the Sava Perovic Foundation—Center for Genito-Urinary Reconstructive Surgery in Belgrade, Serbia. Most recently, he was the Lawrence S. Ross Endowed Professor of Urology at the University of Illinois Chicago.

Matthew Koshy, MD, specializes in the treatment of brain tumors and lung cancer with radiation. His main clinical interest is on the application of stereotactic radiosurgery in the treatment of cancer.

His research involves examining the comparative effectiveness of different radiation strategies and interventions in patients with lung cancer and those with glioblastoma. Several of his studies have specifically looked at the impact of radiation dose escalation on survival. He is also examining how disparities within these populations affect subsequent therapies and oncologic outcomes. Furthermore, he is an investigator on prospective studies which are using total body and total marrow radiation in patients undergoing stem cell transplantation for advanced hematologic diseases.