Elie D. Al-Chaer, MS, PhD, JD
   Director

   Associate Professor of Pediatrics,
   Internal Medicine / Gastroenterology
   Neurobiology and Developmental Sciences
  
   College of Medicine
   University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences

   Al-Chaer's Curriculum Vitae in PDF

   Al-Chaer's NIH Biosketch

Elie D. Al-Chaer is an Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Internal Medicine / Gastroenterology, Neurobiology and Developmental Sciences at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS). He holds a B.S. (Mathematics; 1988) and an M.S. (Physiology; 1991) from the American University of Beirut (AUB), a Ph.D. (Neuroscience; 1996) from the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) and a J.D. (Doctor of Jurisprudence; 2002) from South Texas College of Law.
   His work explores the neural mechanisms associated with pain symptoms refractory to conventional treatments. In particular, it focuses on defining the neurogenic components of irritable bowel syndrome, and exploring the interactive dynamics of sensorimotor pathways and their roles in pain processing. Over the past three years, his laboratory has developed an animal model of chronic visceral hypersensitivity and functional abdominal disorders. The model is used to study the development and plasticity of somatic and visceral pain circuitry, particularly the permanent structural, functional and behavioral alterations in the adult organism residual to neonatal pain or inflammation. Dr. Al-Chaer is the recipient of numerous recognitions and awards for his work on pain, one such award being the year 2000 John C. Liebeskind Early Career Scholar Award by the American Pain Society.
   As a trilingual scientist and a licensed attorney, Dr. Al-Chaer brings the requisite scientific background and the necessary legal formation to build a compelling policy argument, to articulate the issues most important to pain research, and to present them to the public at large and to interested audiences. In an era of crunched budgets and shifting priorities, the need for  multitalented and uniquely qualified individuals, like him, to make the case for pain research and management cannot be overstated.

Kirsten Garner, Administrative Assistant

Chunping Gu, MD, Research Associate

Jing Wang, MD, PhD, Visiting Scientist

Parul Soni, MS, Research Assistant