Keynote Speakers

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Presentation Topic:   “C. difficile Infection: Foundation for the Conference."

Conference Co-Chair Moderator 

Dr. Paul Feuerstadt is a Native of Long Island, New York. Dr. Feuerstadt attended the University of Pennsylvania where he earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Biology, with distinction in research and graduated Summa Cum Laude. Following the completion of his undergraduate training, 

Dr. Feuerstadt attended the Weill Medical College of Cornell University in Manhattan, New York where he earned his Medical Doctor degree and stayed at New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell medical center for his internship and residency in Internal Medicine. Following the completion of his residency, 

Dr. Feuerstadt then moved on to the Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx, NY for his clinical fellowship training. His areas of interest include ischemic diseases of the gut and chronic diarrheal syndromes with a specific focus on C.diff. infections. Dr.Feuerstadt is affiliated with the     St. Raphael campus of Yale-New Haven Hospital, Yale-New Haven Hospital, and Milford Hospital seeing outpatients in his offices in Hamden and Milford, CT.

Presentation Topic: " Incorporating New Data on fidaxomicin and bezlotoxumab into C. difficile Treatment Guidelines."

Conference Co-Chair Moderator 

Dr. Stuart Johnson, Professor, Department of Medicine, Stritch School of Medicine, Loyola University, Chicago, IL.  Dr. Stuart Johnson is a Professor of Medicine at Loyola University Stritch School of Medicine at Loyola University Medical Center and a Researcher at the Hines VA Hospital, Chicago, Illinois. His main research interest and focus has involved the epidemiology pathogenesis and treatment of Clostridium difficile infection. He is actively studying variant strains of 

C. difficile and the role of the various toxins in the pathogenesis of C. difficile disease. His clinical experience in the treatment of patients with recurrent CDI has translated into studies helping to define optimal management of these infections, including the utility and pitfalls of alternative treatment agents. He is currently the Principal Investigator of a multi-center study with the VA Healthcare system designed to define optimal management of early
recurrences of CDI. 

Presentation Topic: "Updates From the CDC."

Dr. L. Clifford McDonald graduated from Northwestern University Medical School, completed his Internal Medicine Residency at Michigan State University and an Infectious Diseases Fellowship at the University of South Alabama, following which he completed a fellowship in Medical Microbiology at Duke University.  Past positions have included Associate Investigator at the National Health Research Institutes in Taiwan and Assistant Professor in the Division of Infectious Diseases at the University of Louisville. Dr. McDonald is a former Epidemic Intelligence Service officer and former Chief of the Prevention and Response Branch in the Division of Healthcare Quality Promotion at the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), where he currently serves as the Senior Advisor for Science and Integrity.  He is the author or co-author of over 100 peer-reviewed publications with his main interests in the epidemiology and prevention of healthcare-associated infections, especially Clostridium difficile infections, and the prevention of antimicrobial resistance. 

Presentation Topic:  “Optimizing Prevention of Hospital-Onset Clostridioides difficile infection.” 

Dr. Erik Dubberke is an Associate Professor of Medicine at Washington University School of Medicine in 

St. Louis, where he has been a faculty member in the Division of Infectious Diseases since 2005. He is an Associate Hospital Epidemiologist at Barnes-Jewish Hospital, Medical Director of Infection Control at Missouri Baptist Medical Center, and is the Director of the Section of Transplant Infectious Diseases at Washington University. He attended medical school at the University of Illinois at Chicago and did his medicine and infectious diseases training at Barnes-Jewish Hospital/Washington University.  He received a Master’s of Science in Public Health from St. Louis University.   His main research interests are in the epidemiology, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of Clostridium difficile infection (CDI). Dr. Dubberke has over 115 publications and made the Thomson Reuters list of Highly Cited Researchers in 2015 and 2016. He was the lead author for the CDI component of the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA) Compendium to Prevent Healthcare-Associated Infections and is on the panel updating the SHEA/IDSA CDI clinical guidelines. He has also represented SHEA as a Key Informant for the AHRQ Evidence-based Practice Center C. difficile review and at the Department of Health and Human Services Road Map to Eliminate HAI 2013 Action Plan Conference. 

Presentation Topic:  "Introduction To the Junior Infection Fighters."

Dr.  Teena Chopra is a Professor of Medicine in the Division of Infectious Diseases, at Wayne State University, and Corporate Medical Director of Hospital Epidemiology, Infection Prevention, and Antibiotic Stewardship at Detroit Medical Center, Wayne State University. Her research interests include Epidemiology of Healthcare-associated Infections, Infection Prevention Antibiotic Stewardship, and Immunization.
Dr. Chopra has published over 70 papers in various journals and book chapters. Additionally, she has independently reviewed over 50 journal articles. Dr. Chopra has a special interest in studying the epidemiology of infections, including Clostridium difficile and Multi-Drug Resistant Organisms.  Dr. Chopra is also Co-Director of Infection Prevention Education. of the Junior Infection Fighters Program.

Presentation Topic:   "Non-toxigenic C. difficile Is back."

Dr. Dale Gerding, Professor of Medicine at Loyola University Chicago Stritch, School of Medicine in Maywood, Illinois, and Research Physician at the Edward Hines Jr. VA Hospital. Before his present position, Dr. Gerding was Chief of Medicine at VA Chicago, Lakeside Division, and Professor of Medicine at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. He is an infectious disease specialist and hospital epidemiologist, past president of the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA), and past chair the antibiotic resistance committee of SHEA. He is a fellow of the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) and past Chair of the National and Global Public Health Committee and the Antibiotic Resistance Subcommittee of IDS 

Presentation Topic:   "DNA Fingerprinting to Understand

C. difficile Transmission In Hospitals."

Professor Mark Wilcox is the Consultant Microbiologist, Head of Microbiology and Academic Lead of Pathology at the Leeds Teaching Hospitals (LTHT), Professor of Medical Microbiology at the University of Leeds at their Institute of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, and is the lead on Clostridium difficile for Public Health, in England in the UK. He was Director of Infection Prevention, and Control, Doctor and Clinical Director of Pathology at LTHT. Dr. Wilcox is deputy Chair of the UK Department of Health’s Antimicrobial Resistance and Healthcare-Associated Infection Committee and is a member of the HPA’s Program Board on Healthcare-Associated Infection & Antimicrobial Resistance. He has a track record of translational research, including providing the basis of clinical advice to the NHS. He has been the Principal/UK Investigator for several clinical trials of new anti-infective drugs and has provided clinical advice as part of the FDA/EMA submissions for the approval of several novel antimicrobial agents. 

Presentation Topic:  "Microbiome Restoration: Getting One Step Closer Every Day! "

Dr. Sahil Khanna is an Assistant Professor of Medicine in the Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology at Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN.  His completed Medical School at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi; followed by Post Doctoral Research at the University of California, San Diego, CA; residency in Internal Medicine and Fellowship in Gastroenterology and Hepatology at Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN before joining the Faculty.  Dr. Khanna has completed a Masters in Clinical and Translational Sciences during his fellowship. His research and clinical interests include Epidemiology, Outcomes, and Emerging Therapeutics for Clostridium difficile infection, an arena in which he has had numerous publications and presentations.  He is directing the 

C. difficile Clinic, Fecal Microbiota Transplantation program, and 

C. difficile related Clinical Trials at the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN. 

Presentation Topic:   "It’s a Small World with C. diff. -a One Health Perspective. "

Dr. Glenn Tillotson has 30+ years of pharmaceutical experience in early pre-clinical and clinical research, commercialization, medical affairs, scientific communications including publication planning strategic drug development, life cycle management, and global launch programs. Dr. Tillotson has been instrumental in the development and launch of ciprofloxacin, moxifloxacin, gemifloxacin and other antibacterials. Glenn has held several key committee positions at the American College of Chest Physicians; he is on the Scientific Steering Committee for the GTCBio. Annual Summit on Anti-infective Partnering. Currently, Dr. Tillotson has published >140 peer-reviewed manuscripts, presented >270 scientific posters and is on several journals Editorial Advisory Boards including the Lancet Infectious Disease, eBioMedicine and F1000. 

C. diff. Survivor

C. diff. Survivor

Presentation Topic:  "Introducing Global TeleSupport Network."

Dr. Caterina Oneto is a Clinical Instructor within the NYU Division of Gastroenterology, Board Certified in Gastroenterology and Internal Medicine.  Dr. Oneto is fluent in Spanish.  She graduated with a degree in Medicine and Surgery from the Universidad de Valparaiso in Chile and completed her residency in Internal Medicine at Cabrini Medical Center, where she served also as  Chief Resident, and later completed her Fellowship in Gastroenterology at Montefiore Medical Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine.    With expertise in endoscopy, colonoscopy, capsule endoscopy, liver, and pancreatic diseases,  Dr. Oneto’s special interests include IBD  (Crohn’s disease and Ulcerative Colitis), IBS (irritable bowel syndrome), microbiota modification, treatment of  Clostridioides difficile, and FMT (Fecal Microbiota Transplantation). 

Dr. Oneto is also the Co-Director of the  C. diff. Global Tele Support Program,

Presentation Topic:  "ECOSPOR III: A Phase 3 Double-blind, Randomized, Placebo-controlled Trial of the Efficacy and Safety of SER-109, an Investigational Microbiome Therapeutic for the Treatment of Patients with Recurrent 

Clostridioides difficile Infection (rCDI) ."

Dr. Barbara McGovern is VP, Medical Affairs of Seres. Dr. McGovern has over 25 years of experience in infectious diseases. Before joining Seres, she served as Medical Director in the Medical Affairs Division at AbbVie and helped to launch Viekera Pak for treatment of Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. At AbbVie, 

Dr. McGovern was a recipient of the 2015 President’s Award in recognition of the successful execution of 7 major publications in the New England Journal of Medicine, Lancet, and JAMA. As an academic clinician at Tufts Medical Center, she also authored more than 50 journal articles, editorials, and textbook chapters on HIV and HCV and was an Associate Editor of Clinical Infectious Diseases and a Deputy Editor at Up-To-Date. 

Dr. McGovern has also served as a member of the Antiviral Advisory Committee for FDA and as a panel guideline member for the Department of Health and Human Services on HIV, Hepatitis C, and Hepatitis B virus infections. She earned her undergraduate degree from Queens College, CUNY, her M.D. at Albert Einstein College of Medicine and completed her internship, residency, and infectious disease fellowship at Tufts Medical Center, where she remained on faculty for many years. 

Presentation Topic:  "Engaging Middle School Children In the Junior Infection Fighters Program."

Maureen Spencer, RN, M.Ed. has been an Infection  Preventionist for over 40 years and is board certified in infection control (CIC). As one of the early pioneers in infection control, she was awarded the APIC National Carole DeMille Award in 1990 and was selected as one of the APIC Heroes of Infection Prevention in 2007 for her work in establishing a MRSA and Staph aureus Elimination Program at  New England Baptist Hospital, an Orthopedic Center of Excellence in  Boston. The groundbreaking work was published in the Journal of Bone and  Joint Surgery, Aug 2010.   In 2012 she was selected as one of the  "Who's Who of Infection Prevention" and in 2017 she was recognized as a  Fellow of the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and  Epidemiology (FAPIC) for her advanced practice in infection prevention and leader within the field.   Maureen is also Co-Director of Infection Prevention Education. of the Junior Infection Fighters Program. 

Nancy C. Caralla, Founding President, Executive Director of the

C Diff Foundation. Nancy is a

three-time C. difficile infection survivor, a Nurse, and Consulting Engineer with International Construction companies specializing in Cranes and Renewable Energy. Nancy, with the C Diff Foundation Members, focuses on emphasizing the importance of C. diff. awareness through education, and advocating for C. difficile infection prevention, treatments, clinical trials, diagnostics, environmental safety worldwide. 

The C Diff Foundation is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization, comprised of 100% volunteer members, and takes great pride in its Volunteer Health Advocates, Chairpersons, and Committee Members.  Their mission reaches across the globe and raises    C. diff. awareness, with boots on the ground, and has touched lives in 56 countries.  The C Diff Foundation shares a mutual goal in witnessing a reduction of newly diagnosed 

C. difficile infections with an additional campaign focused on antibiotic awareness and antibiotic stewardship worldwide.

"None of us can do this alone ~ All of us can do this together."

Presentation Topic: " Developing Next-Generation Microbiome-Based Therapeutics ."

Courtney Jones, Associate Director, Marketing and Communications 

Rebiotix Inc, A Ferring Company.

Development and execution of global marketing and communications strategies, reputation building, and relationship management with Key Opinion Leaders in support of leadership within the microbiome space. Strong focus and responsible for strategic advances for the company's novel microbiome-based technology platform into new therapeutic areas, supported by strong project management and expertise in the microbiome industry. 

Presentation Topic: 

"Clostridioides difficile Infection (CDI):  an Inflammatory Intestinal Disease ."

Dr. David Lyerly is the co-founder and Chief Science Officer of  TECHLAB, Inc.  He received his B.S. from UNC-Chapel Hill and his Ph.D.  in Microbiology/Immunology from Wake Forest Bowman Gray School of  Medicine.  He and Dr. Tracy Wilkins founded TECHLAB in 1989.  TECHLAB  focuses on innovative diagnostic solutions for C. difficile, other enteric diseases, and intestinal inflammation.                

Presentation Topic:   
"Ri-CoDIFy: Ridinilazole’s Phase 3 Trial for the Treatment of C. difficile and Reduction of Recurrence."

Dr.Camilla S. Graham is 

Vice President and Chief Clinical Information Officer at Summit Therapeutics as well as a staff physician at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, MA, and on faculty at Harvard Medical School. For twenty years she has focused on identifying barriers to care and medical, policy, or reimbursement solutions for infectious diseases. At Summit she is identifying ways to improve the support of patients and investigators in Ri-CoDIFy, the global phase 3 studies of ridinilazole for C. difficile treatment, and reduction of recurrence.