Gurjit (Neeru) Khurana Hershey

Gurjit "Neeru" Khurana Hershey, MD, PhD


  • Director, Division of Asthma Research
  • Co-Director, Office of Pediatric Clinical Fellowships
  • Professor, UC Department of Pediatrics

About

Biography

I was drawn to discovery and science early in my academic career. At the University of Iowa, under the guidance of my mentor Peter Rubinstein, PhD, I submitted an abstract on my undergraduate research and was selected to present a poster at the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB) meeting in California.

There, at my first scientific meeting, I listened to keynote speakers and Nobel Prize winners Michael S. Brown, MD, and Joseph L. Goldstein, MD. I was mesmerized by the impact of their work and energized at the possibility of a career in clinically relevant medical research. I approached the podium after their presentation, seeking career-path advice. At their suggestion, I immediately began researching universities with dual-degree programs and was accepted to the National Institutes of Health (NIH)-funded Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP) at Washington University School of Medicine.

As a young scientist, research, for me, was less about the specific question I was trying to answer and more about the excitement and passion for discovery. Over time — and after seeing the impact of asthma on my own family — my research interests became focused on allergic disorders.

Here at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, my lab combines epidemiologic, basic, translational and clinical research approaches to answer fundamental questions related to childhood asthma, atopic dermatitis, food allergy and allergic rhinitis. I’m joined by a diverse group of talented individuals with distinct backgrounds and skillsets, all working around our shared mission to improve the lives of children with allergic disorders.

Over the past two decades, we have published over 180 articles and established several large longitudinal population cohorts focused on asthma and allergic disorders, including the first U.S. cohort of children with atopic dermatitis. For the last 14 years, I’ve served as the principal investigator of an NIH-funded Asthma and Allergic Diseases Cooperative Research Center (AADCRC) — one of only 11 in the country — and I currently serve as the chair of the AADCRC steering committee.

Current work in my lab is focused on:

  • Understanding the role of the epithelial barrier in the pathogenesis of atopic dermatitis, food allergy, asthma and allergic diseases
  • Delineation of the mechanistic basis of the atopic march
  • Molecular phenotyping and endotyping of allergic diseases to better define and subclassify atopic dermatitis and asthma disease phenotypes to improve prediction and management of these common disorders
  • Identifying and testing new treatments for allergic diseases, especially asthma

I was honored in 2019 to be recognized for my work with a Daniel Drake Medal from the University of Cincinnati (UC) College of Medicine, the college’s highest honor. That same year, my alma mater, Washington University Medical School, presented me with their Alumni Achievement Award. In 2018, Cincinnati Children’s recognized me with their Senior Faculty Award for Research Achievement, and in 2015, I was awarded the World Allergy Organization Scientific Achievement Award.

I’m humbled by this recognition, but perhaps the most rewarding aspect of my career has been training young scientists and my involvement with our MSTP here at Cincinnati Children’s and the UC College of Medicine.

Research is the engine that drives innovation. We need people to understand both sides of the equation — research and clinical medicine — to advance medicine and discover new therapeutics and technologies. Graduates of MD/PhD programs are leaders who can impact change and improve health.

I was extremely proud in 2012 to be named director of our MSTP and look forward to continuing to nurture and develop these leaders.

I have also been fortunate to extend my leadership to a number of roles within my scientific community. I previously directed the Ohio Children’s Hospitals Research Collaborative Asthma Initiative, which encompasses the six major children’s hospitals across the state. In addition, I was a member of the National Advisory Allergy and Infectious Disease Council, served on the Board of Directors for the American Board of Allergy and Immunology, and held a role on the Editorial Board of the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.

For over 20 years, my team and I have worked tirelessly to improve the health of children. After all, the roots of most diseases, including allergic disorders, are in childhood. This only amplifies the potential of our work. Although we have made great strides, there is a lot of work to be done in terms of our understanding of allergic disorders. By focusing on the health of children, I believe we are guaranteeing a healthier, better future.

BS: University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, 1985.

PhD: Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 1990.

MD: Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 1992.

Residency: St. Louis Children's Hospital, St. Louis, MO, 1992-1995.

Fellowship: St. Louis Children's Hospital, St. Louis, MO, 1995-1997.

Board Certification: American Board of Pediatrics, 2009 - Present.

Board Certification: American Board of Allergy and Immunology, 2008 - Present.

Services and Specialties

Allergy and Immunology

Research Areas

Asthma

Additional Languages

Punjabi

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Publications

Selected

Disease-associated KIF3A variants alter gene methylation and expression impacting skin barrier and atopic dermatitis risk. Stevens, ML; Zhang, Z; Johansson, E; Ray, S; Jagpal, A; Ruff, BP; Kothari, A; He, H; Martin, LJ; Ji, H; Wikenheiser-Brokamp, K; Weirauch, MT; Supp, DM; Myers, JM B; Hershey, GK K. Nature Communications. 2020; 11:4092.

Selected

Identification of two early life eczema and non-eczema phenotypes with high risk for asthma development. Johansson, E; Myers, JM B; Martin, LJ; He, H; Ryan, P; LeMasters, GK; Bernstein, DI; Lockey, J; Hershey, GK K. Clinical and Experimental Allergy. 2019; 49:829-837.

Selected

A Pediatric Asthma Risk Score to better predict asthma development in young children. Biagini Myers, JM; Schauberger, E; He, H; Martin, LJ; Kroner, J; Hill, GM; Ryan, PH; LeMasters, GK; Bernstein, DI; Lockey, JE; Arshad, SH; Kurukulaaratchy, R; Hershey, GK K. Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. 2019; 143:1803-1810.e2.

Selected

Environmental exposures and mechanisms in allergy and asthma development. Murrison, LB; Brandt, EB; Myers, JB; Hershey, GK K. The Journal of Clinical Investigation. 2019; 129:1504-1515.

Selected

Vitamin D supplementation attenuates asthma development following traffic-related particulate matter exposure. Bolcas, PE; Brandt, EB; Zhang, Z; Myers, JM B; Ruff, BP; Hershey, GK K. Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. 2019; 143:386-394.e3.

Selected

GENEASE: real time bioinformatics tool for multi-omics and disease ontology exploration, analysis and visualization. Ghandikota, S; Hershey, GK K; Mersha, TB. Bioinformatics. 2018; 34:3160-3168.

Selected

Ohio Pediatric Asthma Repository: Opportunities to Revise Care Practices to Decrease Time to Physiologic Readiness for Discharge. Simmons, JM; Biagini Myers, JM; Martin, LJ; Kercsmar, CM; Schuler, CL; Pilipenko, VV; Kroner, JW; He, H; Austin, SR; Nguyen, HT; Alter, SJ; Gunkelman, SM; Vauthy, PA; Khurana Hershey, GK. Hospital Pediatrics. 2018; 8:305-313.

Selected

High number of early respiratory infections in association with allergic sensitization to mold promotes childhood asthma. Ramirez, LP; Wendroth, H; Martin, LJ; Pilipenko, VV; He, H; Kroner, J; Ryan, PH; LeMasters, GK; Lockey, JE; Bernstein, DI; Hershey, GK K; Myers, JM B. Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. 2018; 141:1921-1924.e4.

Selected

Contribution of an impaired epithelial barrier to the atopic march. Johansson, E; Hershey, GK K. Annals of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology. 2018; 120:118-119.

Selected

Staphylococcal Biofilms in Atopic Dermatitis. Gonzalez, T; Myers, JM B; Herr, AB; Hershey, GK K. Current Allergy and Asthma Reports. 2017; 17:81.

From the Blog

Study Pierces a Mystery of Healthy Skin Barrier Formation
Asthma and Allergy

Study Pierces a Mystery of Healthy Skin Barrier Formation

Gurjit "Neeru" Khurana Hershey, MD, PhD8/7/2024

Overactive Natural Killer Cells Linked to Asthma Progression
Asthma and Allergy

Overactive Natural Killer Cells Linked to Asthma Progression

Gurjit "Neeru" Khurana Hershey, MD, PhD, Stephen N. Waggoner, PhD2/9/2024

Asthma Risk Score Tool Performs Well Across Diverse Populations
Asthma and Allergy

Asthma Risk Score Tool Performs Well Across Diverse Populations

Gurjit "Neeru" Khurana Hershey, MD, PhD, Jocelyn M. Biagini, PhD8/11/2023

WLWT Highlights Hershey’s Leadership in Asthma Research
Asthma and Allergy

WLWT Highlights Hershey’s Leadership in Asthma Research

Gurjit "Neeru" Khurana Hershey, MD, PhD3/29/2023

Gene Variants Help Explain Connection Between Skin Disorder and Food Allergy Risk
Asthma and Allergy

Gene Variants Help Explain Connection Between Skin Disorder and Food Allergy Risk

Gurjit "Neeru" Khurana Hershey, MD, PhD8/14/2020

Pain-Free Tape Strips Produce Powerful Genetic Data for Asthma and Allergy Research
Asthma and Allergy

Pain-Free Tape Strips Produce Powerful Genetic Data for Asthma and Allergy Research

Gurjit "Neeru" Khurana Hershey, MD, PhD4/20/2020

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