The Cincinnati Children’s Research Foundation was founded more than 90 years ago. At that time, in the early 1930s, women were not often employed as scientists.
It’s much more common today to hear of women scientists. We are fortunate to have many of them as part of the Cincinnati Children’s Research Foundation, working to transform scientific discoveries into therapies and treatments that will benefit children for years to come.
In honor of International Day of Women and Girls in Science, celebrated each year on February 11, we are proud to recognize these female researchers, a few of the many who are devoted to improving healthcare for children everywhere.
We are so glad to have them here. We hope their work might ignite a spark for others to explore the sciences.
Sandra Andorf, PhD
Computational biologist, Divisions of Biomedical Informatics, Allergy and Immunology, and Biostatistics and Epidemiology
Research in Dr. Andorf’s lab is focused on the immune system. She and her team use computer-based methods, data and knowledge to improve human health. They are working to learn more about diagnosing and treating immune-related illnesses. Dr. Andorf’s research focuses on computational immunology, biomedical informatics and allergic diseases. She also is interested in reusing data from clinical trials and electronic health records.
“The immune system’s complexity is both a challenge and an opportunity—every cell plays its own role in shaping our health. Our work aims to decode this intricate network and uncover insights that lead to better diagnostics, treatments, and understanding of disease.”
Alexandra Cheetham, MD
Emergency medicine physician and researcher, Division of Emergency Medicine
Dr. Cheetham works in the emergency department, caring for children with common illnesses and injuries and for those who are critically ill. She also performs research that focuses on pre-hospital care, which is emergency medical care given outside of a hospital before presenting to the emergency department. She completed a year-long Emergency Medical Services (EMS) fellowship to better understand the pre-hospital environment and the community of pre-hospital providers. Her goal is to improve pre-hospital care and communication to make patient care the best it can be.
“From my early days as a lifeguard and swim instructor, I have always loved working with and teaching children. This experience made my choice to specialize in pediatrics easy.”
Sonya Tang Girdwood, MD, PhD
Pediatrician and researcher, Division of Hospital Medicine, Division of Translational and Clinical Pharmacology
Dr. Tang Girdwood is involved in both patient care and research. As a hospitalist, she oversees the care of patients while they are in the hospital, working with a patient’s primary care physician and other specialists. Her research focuses on when, and how much, antibiotics and other medications are given to critically ill patients and patients with complex diseases. She also enjoys mentoring and teaching trainees with a particular interest in mentoring trainees of diverse backgrounds.
“The legacy that I want to leave is to ensure that everyone has equitable opportunities to learn, and I believe I’m making a difference here.”
Kelly Kamimura-Nishimura, MD, MS
Developmental pediatrician and researcher, Division of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics
As a developmental pediatrician, Dr. Kamimura-Nishimura sees children and adolescents with developmental disabilities, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD). She strives to help children with developmental disabilities — particularly those from underserved communities — reach their full potential as active community members. Her research explores barriers to navigating the healthcare system for children with developmental disabilities who are from minoritized and socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds.
“I have a special interest in the social and environmental barriers minoritized families face when dealing with their health problems in the U.S.”
Kathi Makoroff, MD, MEd
Child abuse pediatrician and researcher, Mayerson Center for Safe and Health Children
Dr. Makoroff’s research areas include child physical abuse and child sexual abuse. She also studies ways to prevent abusive head trauma, commonly called shaken baby syndrome. Dr. Makoroff works in the Mayerson Center for Safe and Healthy Children at Cincinnati Children’s, a center that evaluates suspected cases of physical and sexual abuse. She also is the director of a three-year fellowship program that trains physicians for a career in academic and clinical care in child abuse pediatrics.
“My goals every day are to help children and families, prevent child abuse and to educate the next generation of medical providers.”
Elizabeth Schlaudecker, MD, MPH
Pediatric infectious disease physician and researcher, Division of Infectious Diseases
Dr. Schlaudecker conducts research and cares for patients who have infectious diseases. Her research interests lie in understanding and treating viral respiratory infections in children. She believes that scientific research in preventing respiratory viruses is essential for improving long-term health among children. One of the ways she does this is by studying how vaccinating during pregnancy can help prevent infants from contracting infectious diseases. Her hope is to help infants and children avoid respiratory infections early in life when they are most susceptible to these infections.
“I enjoy learning how infections have shaped our world and society, and how interventions like antibiotics and vaccines can prevent infections.”
