Update Your ProfileAcademic Title:
Associate 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 Health. 2022 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 Watkins, J Adler, M C Dubinsky, A Kastl, A Bousvaros, J A Strople, R 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 Watkins, J Adler, M C Dubinsky, A Kastl, A Bousvaros, J A Strople, R 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
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