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Runa D. Watkins, MD

Academic Title:

Assistant Professor

Primary Appointment:

Pediatrics

Administrative Title:

Division Head, Division of Gastroenterology & Nutrition Division

Location:

UMMC, N5W68

Phone (Primary):

410-328-0812

Fax:

410-328-1072

Education and Training

Dr. Watkins received her undergraduate degree in Biomedical Engineering in 2000 from the University of Florida, which was followed by her medical degree from the American University of the Caribbean, located in St. Maarten. From medical school, she completed her internship and residency at Memorial University Medical Center, associated with Mercer University, in Savannah, Georgia. Her last year as a resident, she also took on the responsibility of being the chief resident. Upon completion of residency, she started her 3 year fellowship in Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition at Jackson Memorial Hospital, University of Miami and graduated from fellowship in 2012.

Biosketch

After completing Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition fellowship in 2012, I accepted a faculty position in the Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology at the University of Maryland.  Since joining, my practice and responsibilities have grown and included the inpatient and consult services, outpatient clinics and performing endoscopic procedures. I have been able build my clinical practice throughout my time here, increasing my productivity to support the growth and expansion of the Division of GI.  In 2019, I was named Director of our distinguished Celiac Disease and Gluten Related Diseases Center, which was first founded by Dr. Alessio Fasano. Under my leadership, the center remains the only Celiac Center in the state of Maryland for both adults and children, providing clinical care coupled with dietary education and support for patients with Celiac Disease. I have been able to expand these services to the entire mid-Atlantic region, with patients seeking care for Celiac Disease from Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Delaware, and Virginia. 

Research/Clinical Keywords

Celiac Disease, nutrition

Highlighted Publications

Blanchard S, Puppa EL, Watkins RD. Don’t jump into the Marsh: Awareness of Celiac Disease overdiagnosis in adult community practices: A Case Series of Misdiagnosed Celiac Disease in adult patients. Ann Case Report 06: 579. 2021 March. DOI:10.29011/2574-7754.100579.

Aktay S, Watkins RD, Blanchard SS. Periodic Fever Syndrome – Unusual Presentation of Celiac Disease. Amer Journal of Gastro. 116(1):S1214. 2021 October. DOI:10.14309/01.ajg.0000785260.57548.91

Hill M, Watkins RD, Leonard-Puppa E, Waddell J, Blanchard S, Kader H. The Usefulness of Deamidated Gliadin Peptide Antibodies in Diagnosing Celiac Disease in Children Younger than 3 years old. J Paediatr Child Health2022 May;58(5):815-819.doi: 10.1111/jpc.15845. Epub 2021 Dec 6.

Additional Publication Citations

Kappelman MD, Weaver KN, Boccieri M, Firestine A, Zhang X, Long MD; PREVENT-COVID Study Group (R WatkinsJ AdlerM C DubinskyA KastlA BousvarosJ A StropleR K Cross, et al). Humoral Immune Response to Messenger RNA COVID-19 Vaccines Among Patients With Inflammatory Bowel Disease. Gastroenterology. 2021 Oct;161(4):1340-1343.e2. doi: 10.1053/j.gastro.2021.06.016. Epub 2021 Jun 15. PMID: 34144046; PMCID: PMC8321883. (recruited subjects, determined analytic methods, ran analyses, provided statistical interpretation)

Weaver KN, Zhang X, Dai X, Watkins R, Adler J, Dubinsky MC, Kastl A, Bousvaros A, Strople JA, Cross RK, Higgins PDR, Ungaro RC, Bewtra M, Bellaguarda E, Farraye FA, Boccieri ME, Firestine A, Kappelman MD, Long MD. Impact of SARS-CoV-2 Vaccination on Inflammatory Bowel Disease Activity and Development of Vaccine-Related Adverse Events: Results From PREVENT-COVID. Inflamm Bowel Dis. 2022 Oct 3;28(10):1497-1505. doi: 10.1093/ibd/izab302. PMID: 34871388; PMCID: PMC8822409. (recruited subjects, determined analytic methods, ran analyses, provided statistical interpretation)

Long MD, Weaver KN, Zhang X, Chun K, Kappelman MD; PREVENT-COVID Study Group (R WatkinsJ AdlerM C DubinskyA KastlA BousvarosJ A StropleR K Cross, et al). Strong Response to SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine Additional Doses Among Patients With Inflammatory Bowel Diseases. Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2022 Aug;20(8):1881-1883.e1. doi: 10.1016/j.cgh.2022.01.056. Epub 2022 Feb 9. PMID: 35150924; PMCID: PMC8826602. (recruited subjects, determined analytic methods, ran analyses, provided statistical interpretation)

Kappelman MD, Weaver KN, Zhang X, Dai X, Watkins R, Adler J, Dubinsky MC, Kastl A, Bousvaros A et al. Factors Affecting Initial Humoral Immune Response to SARS-Cov-2 Vaccines among Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease. Am J Gastroenterol. 1;117(3):462-469. 2022 March. doi: 10.14309/ajg.0000000000001619. (recruited subjects, determined analytic methods, ran analyses, provided statistical interpretation)

Cesa K, Puppa EL, Eslami K, Blanchard SM, Watkins RD. Myelolipoma After Infliximab Treatment for Crohn’s Disease. ACG Case Rep J. 2022 Jul 1;9(7):e00791. doi: 10.14309/crj.0000000000000791. PMID: 35784510; PMCID: PMC9246070.

Weaver KN, Zhang X, Dai X, Chen W, Watkins R, Adler J, Dubinsky MC, Kastl A, Bousvaros A, Strople JA, Cross RK, Higgins PDR, Ungaro RC, Bewtra M, Bellaguarda E, Farraye FA, Craig R, Hernandez C, Boccieri ME, Firestine A, Chun KY, Long MD, Kappelman MD. Low Rates of Breakthrough COVID-19 Infection After SARS-CoV-2 Vaccination in Patients With Inflammatory Bowel Disease. Inflamm Bowel Dis. 2023 Mar 1;29(3):483-486. doi: 10.1093/ibd/izac138. PMID: 35830416; PMCID: PMC9384490. (recruited subjects, determined analytic methods, ran analyses, provided statistical interpretation)

Kastl AJ, Weaver KN, Zhang X, Strople JA, Adler J, Dubinsky MC, Bousvaros A, Watkins R, Dai X, Chen W, Cross RK, Higgins PDR, Ungaro RC, Bewtra M, Bellaguarda EA, Farraye FA, Chun KY, Zikry M, Fernando M, Bastidas M, Hernandez CG, Craig RG, Boccieri ME, Firestine A, Long MD, Kappelman MD. Humoral Immune Response and Safety of SARS-CoV-2 Vaccination in Pediatric Inflammatory Bowel Disease. Am J Gastroenterol. 2023 Jan 1;118(1):129-137. doi: 10.14309/ajg.0000000000002016. Epub 2022 Sep 16. PMID: 36114773. (recruited subjects, determined analytic methods, ran analyses, provided statistical interpretation)

 Hofstaedter CE, Watkins R, Kotwal N. Asymptomatic Esophageal Eosinophilia in an 11-Year-Old with Severe Persistent Asthma. Case Rep Pediatr. 2023 Oct 12;2023:6678918. doi: 10.1155/2023/6678918. PMID: 37868770; PMCID: PMC10586919. (recruited subjects, determined analytic methods, ran analyses, provided statistical interpretation)

Brenner EJ, Weaver KN, Zhang X, Kastl AJ, Strople JA, Adler J, Dubinsky MC, Bousvaros A, Watkins R, Dai X, Chen W, Cross RK, Higgins PDR, Ungaro RC, Bewtra M, Bellaguarda EA, Farraye FA, Chun KY, Zikry M, Bastidas M, Firestine A, Craig RG, Boccieri ME, Long MD, Kappelman MD. Long-Term Effectiveness and Durability of COVID-19 Vaccination among Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease. Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2024 Feb 16:S1542-3565(24)00203-9. doi: 10.1016/j.cgh.2024.02.001. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38369224. (recruited subjects, determined analytic methods, ran analyses, provided statistical interpretation)

Kastl AJ, Weaver KN, Zhang X, Strople JA, Adler J, Kelsen JR, Dubinsky MC, Bousvaros A, Watkins R, Dai C, Cross RK, Higgins PDR, Ungaro R, Bewtra M, Bellaguarda EA, Farraye FA, Chun K, Zikry M, Bastidas M, Boccieri ME, Firestine A, Long MD, Kappelman MD. Humoral immune response and safety of SARS-CoV-2 vaccination in very early onset inflammatory bowel disease. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr. 2024 Feb 14. doi: 10.1002/jpn3.12142. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38356293. (recruited subjects, determined analytic methods, ran analyses, provided statistical interpretation)

Research Interests

Celiac disease, nutrition, Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Clinical Specialty Details

I specialize in Celiac Disease and nutrition, but I also see common GI ailments, such as reflux, milk soy protein allergy, poor weight gain/failure to thrive and inflammatory bowel diseases.

Awards and Affiliations

2016                  Certificate of Recognition by resident, UMSOM

2017-2020         Excellence in Clinical Care by Department of Pediatrics

2018-2023         Baltimore Magazine Top Doctor

2019                  Certificate of Recognition by fellow, UMSOM

2019, 2020        Above & Beyond Award by Department of Pediatrics, awarded for exceptional performance in patient care

In the News

2015     “Going the Distance: UM Children’s Hospital pediatric specialists bring care to

               kids in their own communities”, Maryland’s Health Matters, Spring Edition,

               Page 10-11

 

2016       Celiac Disease Awareness Month in May; 289 views

   https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=10153825194288229

 

2017       CNN:“When a gluten-free diet is essential?”

               https://www.cnn.com/217/03/01/health/gluten-free-diet-history-explainer/index.html

 

2017       Reuters: “Celiac disease symptoms more likely to resolve in children”

               https://www.reuter.com/article/us-jealth-celiac-children/celiac-disease-

               symptoms-more-likely-to-resolve-in-children-idUSKBN18L2AL

 

2017       Mental Floss: “What is Gluten?”

               http://www.mentalfloss.com/article/503254/what-gluten#:~:text=Gluten%20is

               %20a%20marriage%20of,into%20a%20gluey%2C%20stretchy%20mass          

    

2018       Facebook Live: University of Maryland Celiac Disease Program; 96,000 views

               https://fb.watch/iPyBygKrua/

Professional Activity

2009-2012                   General Member, Florida Medical Association

2006-present               General Member, American Academy of Pediatrics

2009-present               General Member, American Medical Association

2009-present               General Member, North American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition

2015- present              General Member, Association of Pediatric Program Directors

2018-present               General Member, American College of Gastroenterology