Meet ASPEN’s 49th President—Kathleen Gura

Learn more about Dr. Gura.

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Dr. Kathleen Gura to Lead ASPEN Board of Directors

 

Kathleen Gura, PharmD, BCNSP, FASHP, FPPA, FASPEN, FMSHP

Today, Kathleen Gura, PharmD, BCNSP, FASHP, FPPA, FASPEN, FMSHP, assumes the duties as the 49th president of the American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (ASPEN) for the 2025–2026 term.

 

Dr. Gura is the manager for Pharmacy Research Programs and a member of the Clinical Nutrition Service in the Division of

GI/Nutrition at Boston Children’s Hospital. She is also a member of BCH’s Center for Advanced Intestinal Rehabilitation and the Home PN Program. She serves on the faculty at Harvard Medical School as an assistant professor of pediatrics and is a member of the school’s Division of Nutrition. In addition, Dr. Gura is an adjunct faculty member at the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences and Northeastern University.

A native New Englander, Dr. Gura received her BS and PharmD degrees with honors from the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences. From 1982 to 1984, she honed her interest in nutrition as a clinical pharmacist at Children's National Hospital in Washington, DC. In 1984, she returned to Boston and joined the pharmacy staff at BCH. Shortly thereafter, she became a part of the Clinical Nutrition Service and completed a mini nutrition fellowship at the University of Florida. Dr. Gura was one of the first board-certified nutrition support pharmacists in Boston.

 

“I am motivated by the challenges of optimizing a child's medication regimen and the results that may require creating something from scratch,” said Dr. Gura. “I have been fortunate to be in an environment that allows me to simultaneously work on numerous clinical, academic, and research problems and share this knowledge through teaching and publications. ASPEN further extends my ability to have a direct impact on patient care.”

 

ASPEN’s Chief Executive Officer, Wanda Johnson, CMP, CAE, FACEHP, stated, “Dr. Gura is a globally recognized leader in nutrition support and a respected educator. Her extensive international experience, coupled with her collaborations with the pharmaceutical industry in developing innovative therapies, will help ASPEN navigate today’s complex healthcare and research environments.”

 

Dr. Gura, along with her research collaborator of over two decades, Mark Puder, MD, PhD, solved one of the most recalcitrant problems associated with the use of parenteral nutrition when they discovered that intravenous lipid emulsions could be used to treat intestinal failure-associated liver disease (IFALD) in children under four. Because of her life-saving research, fish oil is now globally used to treat IFALD.

 

She has written more than 170 peer-reviewed papers on intestinal failure-associated liver disease, intravenous lipid emulsions, and the use of parenteral nutrition in the neonate.

 

“Dr. Gura continues the proud lineage of ASPEN’s founders in undertaking research that directly improves patient outcomes,” shared Ajay Jain, MD, DNB, and ASPEN’s 48th president. “Her investigations have led to the development of alternative lipid emulsions and other innovative therapies impacting the lives of patients with intestinal failure.”

 

From 2010 to 2018, Dr. Gura worked with the Boston University School of Medicine, the Bach Mai Hospital, Hanoi Medical University, and the National Institute of Nutrition in Vietnam to address hospital malnutrition and improve nutrition knowledge, attitudes, and practices.

 

“Dr. Gura is a phenomenal mentor, educator, researcher, and patient advocate. Her work over the last two decades, particularly in omega-3 fatty acids, has changed many lives,” said ASPEN’s 44th President, Lingtak-Neander Chan, PharmD, BCNSP, FASPEN, a former mentee of Dr. Gura.

 

“She motivates, inspires, and challenges others with candor, kindness, and trust. Most importantly, she is a role model who leads by example. Her broad understanding of the science of nutrition, extensive experience in advancing the delivery and safety of nutrition support, and deep respect within the nutrition community will elevate ASPEN to the next level.”

 

A member of ASPEN since 1990, Dr. Gura has been on the Board of Directors for the past 4 years and has served as both a member of the editorial board and as associate editor of the Journal of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (JPEN).

 

Dr. Gura has received numerous awards for her research and service to ASPEN, including the Stanley Serlick Award for significant contributions to improving safe practices for parenteral nutrition, the Distinguished Nutrition Support Pharmacist Award, and the 2018 Clinical Nutrition Team of Distinction Award. In 2020, she was honored with the ASPEN Champion Award for her impactful contributions to the association and the field of nutrition support. She was named an ASPEN fellow in 2015.

 

As ASPEN approaches its 50th anniversary on June 5, we are honored to welcome Dr. Gura’s leadership as we continue to advance our mission to improve patient care and uphold the highest standards in clinical practice, research, and education.

Apply for a Rhoads Research Foundation Grant!

 

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