The Sherman Prize: Michael Kappelman, MD
Dr Michael Kappelman, one of the Sherman Prize winners for 2025, speaks from the Open Air Studio at the Advances in IBD meeting about his clinical and research work with pediatric patients with ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease.
Michael Kappelman, MD, is a professor of pediatric gastroenterology and adjunct professor of epidemiology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
TRANSCRIPT:
Hi there. My name is Michael Kappelman. I am a pediatric gastroenterologist and professor of pediatrics at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and am so incredibly honored to be a recipient of this year's Sherman Award.
The Sherman Award was founded a decade ago by Bruce and Cynthia Sherman to quote “create a ripple effect” and spread the creativity, imagination, excitement, and innovation for IBD work. And over a decade later, it is just so incredibly humbling to join the ranks of so many others in the field who share the same passion and energy for making a difference for children and their families who are living with inflammatory bowel disease. IBD in 2025 is so much more complicated than it ever was when I trained as a pediatric GI fellow over 20 years ago. Why is it so much more complicated? Because we understand so much more about the condition, we understand so much more about the biology of the disease, and that has really led to an explosion of new treatment options.
We now have the exciting opportunity, but also are challenged to learn how and when to use all of these new tools in our toolbox. While so many of these tools were rigorously evaluated in adult patients, as a pediatric gastroenterologist it's my job to care for children and we're just beginning to accumulate the data and evidence to learn how to apply new and emerging treatment modalities to kids with this condition. And I've dedicated my career to collaborating with others across the country to conduct research studies that answer the important questions that kids and families need to make treatment decisions as they go from newly diagnosed to patients who have undergone surgery and other life hurdles. We've also begun to understand the psychosocial impact that the disease has on kids and young adults, the impact on growth and puberty and nutrition. And increasingly, we are building multidisciplinary approaches to care.
And one of my other roles is to understand how we can create new models of care delivery and spread them so that every child throughout the country can get the best care and the care that they deserve. So in conclusion, I am incredibly honored to be receiving this year's award, not only for the recognition of my career, but for the recognition that we have so much unfinished business, so many questions that still need to be answered. And in many ways, the Sherman Prize is a call to action to every one of us to roll up our sleeves, to do the important work that it requires so that we can make a difference not only today, but in the future. Thank you.
