After completing his medical degree at Universidad Iberoamericana (UNIBE) in the Dominican Republic, Alain started his research career at the University of Miami focusing on autoimmune disorders. There, he not only applied his clinical experience in the design and implementation of translational research studies, but also was able to enhance his molecular biology techniques. After moving to Philadelphia, Alain took a position at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) in the Center for Injury Research and Prevention (CIRP), studying the psychosocial effect of traumatic injury in children.
In 2011, the Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition became Alain’s new home where he developed clinical and animal studies focusing on inflammation, fibrosis, and microbiota of allergic disorders of the GI tract. One of his main accomplishments was joining forces with his past colleagues at CIRP in developing the first coping kit for children with eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE), EoE Cellie Coping Kit. Alain recently joined the Center for GI Motility where he hopes to build a comprehensive translational research program in which he would be able to study the role of brain-gut-microbiome interactions in the etiology of functional GI and motility disorders.
MD - Universidad Iberoamericana (UNIBE), Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
Master of Science in Translational Research - University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
Clinical Research Director, Suzi and Scott Lustgarten Center for GI Motility
Research Assistant Professor of Pediatrics
Research Assistant Professor of Pediatrics (Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition), Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania
Gayl Humphrey, Celia Keane, Armen Gharibans, Christopher N Andrews, Alain Benitez, Hayat Mousa, Gregory O'Grady: Designing, Developing, and Validating a set of Standardized Pictograms to Support Pediatric-reported Gastroduodenal Symptoms. The Journal of Pediatrics. Elsevier, January 2024 Notes: DOI: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2024.113922.
Kanak V Kennedy, Chizoba N Umeweni, Maiya Alston, Lauren Dolinsky, Susan M McCormack, Lynne Allen Taylor, Ava Bendavid, Alain Benitez, Elana Mitchel, Tatiana Karakasheva, Vi Goh, Asim Maqbool, Lindsey Albenberg, Terri Brown-Whitehorn, Antonella Cianferoni, Amanda B Muir: Esophageal remodeling correlates with eating behaviors in pediatric eosinophilic esophagitis. American Journal of Gastroenterology January 2024 Notes: DOI: 10.14309/ajg.0000000000002661.
Gregory O'Grady, Chris Varghese, Gabriel Schamberg, Stefan Calder, Peng Du, William Xu, Jan Tack, Charlotte Daker, Hayat Mousa, Thomas L. Abell, Henry P. Parkman, Vincent Ho, L. Alan Bradshaw, Anthony Hobson, Christopher N. Andrews, Armen A. Gharibans, the BSGM Working Group: Principles and clinical methods of body surface gastric mapping: Technical review. Neurogastroenterology and Motility March 2023.
Kristle L. Lynch MD, Alain J Benitez MD, Bridget Godwin, MD, Jeremy Klein BS, Deepika Savant MD, Benjamin Wilkins MD PhD, Calies Menard-Katcher MD, Craig Gluckman MD, Gary W. Falk, MD, MS Amanda Muir, MD: The Slender Esophagus: Unrecognized Esophageal Narrowing in Eosinophilic Esophagitis. Clinical and Translational Gastroenterology April 2023.
Amanda Muir, Steven J. Ackerman, Zhaoxing Pan, Alain Benitez, Cassandra Burger, Jonathan M. Spergel, Glenn T. Furuta, Joshua Rothman, Benjamin J. Wilkins, Michael Arnold, Lauren Dolinsky, Milica Grozdanovic, Calies Menard-Katcher: Esophageal remodeling in Eosinophilic Esophagitis: Relationships to luminal captured markers of inflammation and periostin. Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology April 2022.
Benitez AJ, Budhu S, Burger C, Turco R, Ballester L, Shah A, Lynch K, Fiorino K, Menard-Katcher C, Muir AB, Mamula P: Use of the functional luminal imaging probe (FLIP) in pediatrics: a comparison study of patients with achalasia before and after endoscopic dilation and non-achalasia controls. Neurogastroenterology and Motility April 2021 Notes: Online ahead of print DOI: 10.1111/nmo.14133.
Benitez AJ, McGar A, Kohser K, Gibbons T, Muir A, Mascarenhas M, Rossi C, Dogias F, Golden A, Kassam-Adams N, Marsac M: The Cellie Coping Kit for children with Eosinophilic Esophagitis: Feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary outcomes. Journal of Child Health Care September 2021.
Beveridge CA, Triggs JR, Thanawala SU, Ahuja NK, Falk GW, Benitez AJ, Lynch KL: Can FLIP guide therapy in idiopathic esophagogastric junction outflow obstruction? Diseases of the Esophagus. December 2021.
Mousa HM, Barsamian JM, Benitez AJ, Webster JB, Fiorino KN: Pediatric Constipation: an Epidemiologic and Physiologic Approach to Guide a Stepwise Approach to its Management. Curr Treat Options Peds. Springer Nature June 2020.
Benitez AJ, Tanes C, Mattei L, Hofstaedter CE, Kim DK, Gross J, Ruffner MA, Albenberg L, Spergel J, Bittinger K, Muir AB : Effect of topical swallowed steroids on the bacterial and fungal esophageal microbiota in eosinophilic esophagitis. Allergy September 2020.
Whelan KA, Godwin BC, Wilkins B, Elci OU, Benitez A, DeMarshall M, Sharma M, Gross J, Klein-Szanto AJ, Liacouras CA, Dellon ES, Spergel JM, Falk GW, Muir AB, Nakagawa H: Persistent Basal Cell Hyperplasia Is Associated With Clinical and Endoscopic Findings in Patients With Histologically Inactive Eosinophilic Esophagitis. Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol. September 2019.
Kasagi Y, Dods K, Wang JX, Chandramouleeswaran PM, Benitez AJ, Gambanga F, Kluger J, Ashorobi T, Gross J, Tobias JW, Klein-Szanto AJ, Spergel JM, Cianferoni A, Falk GW, Whelan KA, Nakagawa H, Muir AB.: Fibrostenotic eosinophilic esophagitis might reflect epithelial lysyl oxidase induction by fibroblast-derived TNF-α. J Allergy Clin Immunol December 2018.
Kasagi, Y., Chandramouleeswaran, P. M., Whelan, K. A., Tanaka, K., Giroux, V., Sharma, M., Wang, J., Benitez, A. J., DeMarshall, M., Tobias, J. W., Hamilton, K. E., Falk, G. W., Spergel, J. M., Klein-Szanto, A. J., Rustgi, A. K., Muir, A. B., Nakagawa, H.: The Esophageal Organoid System Reveals Functional Interplay Between Notch and Cytokines in Reactive Epithelial Changes. Cell Mol Gastroenterol Hepatol 5(3): 333-352, March 2018.
Fahey, L. M., Chandramouleeswaran, P. M., Guan, S., Benitez, A. J., Furuta, G. T., Aceves, S. S., Wang, M. L., Liacouras, C. A., Muir, A. B., Sleiman, P. M., Hakonarson, H., Spergel, J. M., Cianferoni, A.: Food allergen triggers are increased in children with the TSLP risk allele and eosinophilic esophagitis. Clin Transl Gastroenterol 9(3): 139, March 2018.
Menard-Katcher C, Benitez AJ, Pan Z, Ahmed FN1, Wilkins BJ, Capocelli K, Liacouras CA, Verma R, Spergel JM, Furuta GT, Muir AB: Influence of Age and Eosinophilic Esophagitis on Esophageal Distensibility in a Pediatric Cohort. American Journal of Gastroenterology May 2017.
Whelan, K. A., Merves, J. F., Giroux, V., Tanaka, K., Guo, A., Chandramouleeswaran, P. M., Benitez, A. J., Dods, K., Que, J., Masterson, J. C., Fernando, S. D., Godwin, B. C., Klein-Szanto, A. J., Chikwava, K., Ruchelli, E. D., Hamilton, K. E., Muir, A. B., Wang, M. L., Furuta, G. T., Falk, G. W., Spergel, J. M., Nakagawa, H.: Autophagy mediates epithelial cytoprotection in eosinophilic oesophagitis. Gut 66(7): 1197-1207, July 2017.
Chandramouleeswaran Prasanna M, Shen Dawen, Lee Anna J, Benitez Alain, Dods Kara, Gambanga Fiona, Wilkins Benjamin J, Merves Jamie, Noah Yuliana, Toltzis Sarit, Yearley Jennifer H, Spergel Jonathan M, Nakagawa Hiroshi, Malefyt Rene deWaal, Muir Amanda B, Wang Mei-Lun: Preferential Secretion of Thymic Stromal Lymphopoietin (TSLP) by Terminally Differentiated Esophageal Epithelial Cells: Relevance to Eosinophilic Esophagitis (EoE). PloS one 11(3): e0150968, 2016
Muir AB, Dods K, Henry SJ, Benitez AJ, Lee D, Whelan KA, DeMarshall M, Hammer DA, Falk G, Wells RG, Spergel J, Hakagawa H, Wang ML: Eosinophilic Esophagitis-Associated Chemical and Mechanical Microenvironment Shapes Esophageal Fibroblast Behavior. Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition 63(2), August 2016 Notes: DOI: 10.1097/MPG.0000000000001100.
Muir Amanda B, Dods Kara, Henry Steven J, Benitez Alain J, Lee Dale, Whelan Kelly A, DeMarshall Maureen, Hammer Daniel A, Falk Gary, Wells Rebecca G, Spergel Jonathan, Nakagawa Hiroshi, Wang Mei-Lun: Eosinophilic Esophagitis Associated Chemical and Mechanical Microenvironment Shapes Esophageal Fibroblast Behavior. Journal of pediatric gastroenterology and nutrition Dec 2015.
Benitez Alain J, Hoffmann Christian, Muir Amanda B, Dods Kara K, Spergel Jonathan M, Bushman Frederic D, Wang Mei-Lun: Inflammation-associated microbiota in pediatric eosinophilic esophagitis. Microbiome 3: 23, 2015.
Merves J, Chandramouleeswaran PM, Benitez AJ, Muir AB, Lee AJ, Lim D, Dods K, Mehta I, Ruchelli E, Nakagawa H, Spergel J, Wang ML: Altered esophageal histamine receptor expression in eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE): Implications on disease pathogenesis. PLOSone 10(2):e0114831, Feb 2015.
Muir Amanda B, Dods Kara, Noah Yuli, Toltzis Sarit, Chandramouleeswaran Prasanna Modayur, Lee Anna, Benitez Alain, Bedenbaugh Adam, Falk Gary W, Wells Rebecca G, Nakagawa Hiroshi, Wang Mei-Lun: Esophageal epithelial cells acquire functional characteristics of activated myofibroblasts after undergoing an epithelial to mesenchymal transition. Experimental cell research 330(1): 102-10, Jan 2015.
Adam M Zahm, Calies Menard-Katcher, Alain J. Benitez, Daphne M Tsoucas, Claire L Le Guen, Nicholas J Hand, Joshua R Friedman: Pediatric eosinophilic esophagitis is associated with changes in esophageal microRNAs. AJP Gastrointestinal and Liver Physiology 08/2014; 307(8). DOI:10.1152/ajpgi.00121.2014
Muir AB, Lim DM, Benitez AJ, Chandramouleeswaran PM, Lee AJ, Ruchelli ED, Spergel JM, and Wang ML: Esophageal epithelial-mesenchymal cross-talk lead to features of epithelial to mesenchymal transition in vitro. Experimental Cell Research 319(6): 850-9, 2013.
Noti Mario, Wojno Elia D Tait, Kim Brian S, Siracusa Mark C, Giacomin Paul R, Nair Meera G, Benitez Alain J, Ruymann Kathryn R, Muir Amanda B, Hill David A, Chikwava Kudakwashe R, Moghaddam Amin E, Sattentau Quentin J, Alex Aneesh, Zhou Chao, Yearley Jennifer H, Menard-Katcher Paul, Kubo Masato, Obata-Ninomiya Kazushige, Karasuyama Hajime, Comeau Michael R, Brown-Whitehorn Terri, de Waal Malefyt Rene, Sleiman Patrick M, Hakonarson Hakon, Cianferoni Antonella, Falk Gary W, Wang Mei-Lun, Spergel Jonathan M, Artis David: Thymic stromal lymphopoietin-elicited basophil responses promote eosinophilic esophagitis. Nature medicine 19(8): 1005-13, Aug 2013.
Gayl Humphrey, Gabriel Schamberg, Celia Keane, Stefan Calder, Christopher Andrews, Jacqueline Barsamian, Corey Bowerman, Stacey Kleinman, Alain Benitez, Greg O'Grady, Armen Gharibans, Hayat Mousa: Translation of Body Surface Gastric Mapping to Pediatric Populations: Feasibility and Initial Results, Oral Presentation by Colleague. Digestive Disease Week May 2023.
Humphrey Gayl, Schamberg Gabriel, Keane Celia, Calder Stefan, Andrews Christopher, Barsamian Jacqueline, Bowerman Corey, Kleinman Stacey, Benitez Alain, O'Grady Greg, Mousa Hayat, Gharibans Armen : Towards Age Specific Normative Values for Body Surface Gastric Mapping in Pediatrics, Poster Presentation. Digestive Disease Week May 2023.
Marsac, M.L., Barakat, L.P., Benitez, A., Ostrowski-Delahanty, S., Van Allen, J., Kassam-Adams, N.: Cellie Coping Intervention: Extending our Reach of Evidence-Based Strategies to Address Medical Challenges in Youth. Annual Convention of the American Psychological Association, Washington, D.C. August 2023 Notes: Oral Presentation.
Alain Benitez, Jordan Dourlain, Anish Ranal, Tiffany Silliman Cohen, Jennifer Evans, Xingmei Wang, Zoe Rosoff-verbit, Robin Miccio, Maria Mascarenhas: Abdominal Myofascial Release as a Potential New Therapy for Children with Irritable Bowel Syndrome: Feasibility and Preliminary Results. NASPGHAN Annual Meeting, San Diego, CA October 2023.
Alain Benitez, Shyam Sunder Billapura Venkatakrishnas, Kayla Guervara, Alex Menys, Hayat Mousa, Robert Heuckeroth, Sudha Anupindi, Suraj Serai: Assessment of Small Bowel Motility Using Magnetic Resonance Enterography in Children with Irritable Bowel Syndrome Compared to Controls. NASPGHAN Annual Meeting, San Diego, CA October 2023.
Alice Huang, Maheen Hassan, Ann Ming Yeh, Anava Wren, Nasim Khavari, John Kerner, Prasanna Kapavarapu, Adam Paul, Thomas Caruso, Samuel Rodriguez, Alain Benitez, Hayat Mousa: The Utility of a Novel Virtual-Reality Based Diaphragmatic Breathing Intervention for Pediatric Functional Constipation with Pelvic Floor Dyssynergia: A Randomized Controlled Trial. NASPGHAN Annual Meeting, San Diego, CA October 2023.
Alice Huang, Maheen Hassan, Ann Ming Yeh, Anava Wren, Nasim Khavari, John Kerner, Prasanna Kapavarapu, Adam Paul, Thomas Caruso, Samuel Rodriguez, Alain Benitez, Hayat Mousa: A Pilot Study Confirming Feasibility of Using Remote Virtual Reality-Based Technology in Children with Functional Constipation: Experience at Two Institutions NASPGHAN Annual Meeting, San Diego, CA October 2023.
Binghong Xu, Carolyn Orians, Alain Benitez, Kimberly Konka, Corey Bowerman, Nayef Kiame, Beth Skaggs, Jordan Dourlain, Jermie Gandhi, Archana Kota, Hayat Mousa : Prucalopride Use in the Management of Gastrointestinal Symptoms: A Single Center Experience Based on Patient Self-Reported Outcomes. NASPGHAN Annual Meeting, San Diego, CA October 2023.
Gayl Humphrey, Alain Benitez, Corey Bowerman, Archana Kota, Celia Keane, Stefan Calder, Christopher Andrews, Gabriel Schamberg, Gregory O'Grady,Armen Gharibans, Hayat Mousa: Clinical Application of Body Surface Gastric Mapping to Subgroup Patient Phenotypes in Pediatric Gastroduodenal Disorders. NASPGHAN Annual Meeting, San Diego, CA October 2023.
Gayl Humphrey, Gabriel Schamberg, Celia Keanel, Stefan Calder, Christopher Andrews, Corey Bowerman, Stacey Klienman, Alain Benitez, Gregory O'Grady, Hayat Mousa, Armen Gharibans: Towards Age Specific Normative Values for Body Surface Gastric Mapping in Pediatrics. NASPGHAN Annual Meeting, San Diego, CA October 2023.
Jermie Gandhi, Nayef Kiame, Preet Patel, Jordan Dourlain, Joshua Eisenberg, Hayat Mousa, Alain Benitez : Comparing the Utility of Functional Luminal Imaging Probe to High Resolution Esophageal Manometry to Diagnose Achalasia. NASPGHAN Annual Meeting, San Diego, CA October 2023.
Kanak Kennedy, Chizoba Umeweni, Maiya Alston, Susan McCormack, Lynne Taylor, Alain Benitez, Vi Goh, Asim Maqbool, Lindsey Albenberg, Terri Brown-Whitehorn, Antonella Cianferoni, Amanda Muir1 : Structured Feeding Evaluations Correlate with Esophageal Remodeling in Pediatric Eosinophilic Esophagitis. NASPGHAN Annual Meeting, San Diego, CA October 2023.
Mark Mahon, Preet Patel, Jordan Dourlain, Prasanna Kapavarapu, Alain Benitez, Amanda Muir: Propofol and Sevoflurane Use During Sedated Endoscopy Does Not Interfere With Lower Esophageal Sphincter Distensibility in Children With Achalasia. NASPGHAN Annual Meeting, San Diego, CA October 2023.
Sharon Wolfson, Myra Butrviengpunt, Archana Kota, Alain Benitez, Hayat Mousa, Robert Heuckeroth: Genetic and Manometric Findings in Pediatric Intestinal Pseudo-Obstruction: A Single Center Experience. NASPGHAN Annual Meeting, San Diego, CA October 2023.
Benitez Alain, Tanes Ceylan, Hu Weiming, Friedman Elliot S., Gerber Jeffrey, Kelly Andrea, DeRusso Patricia, Li Hongzhe, Ford Eileen, Wu Gary, Bittinger Kyle, Zemel Babette : Impact of Early Life Antibiotics on the Gut Microbiome, Bile Acids and Related Gastrointestinal Manifestations, Poster Presentation. Digestive Disease Week May 2022.
Joshua Eisenberg, Prasanna Kapavarapu, Amit Shah, Jordan Dourlain, Tryce Scully, Hayat Mousa, Petar Mamula, Alain J. Benitez: A Comparison Study of the Use of Pneumatic Dilation versus Esoflip in Pediatric Patients with Achalasia, Oral Presentation by Colleague. North American Society of Pediatric Gastroenterology Hepatology and Nutrition (NASPGHAN) October 2022 Notes: NASPGHAN Neurogastroenterology and Motility Prize.
Benitez AJ, Friedman ES, Tanes C, Albenberg L, Wu GD, Zemel BS, Bittinger B, Muir AB: Antibiotic Use in Infancy and the Development of Functional Bowel Disorders: investigating the role of gut microbes and bile acids, Poster Presentation. Integration Across the Lifespan Spring Meeting (Virtual) April 2021.
Grimes L, Boateng A, Dozil S, Holbein C, Fussner L, Benitez A, Breton J, Albenberg L: The Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Pediatric Patients Living with Chronic Gastrointestinal Illness, Poster Presentation. Pediatric Academic Societies Meeting (Virtual) April 2021.
Barsamian J, Benitez AJ, Budhu S, Muir A, Gharibans A, Fiorino K, Mamula P, Mousa H: Esophagogastric Junction Compliance in Pediatric Eosinophilic Esophagitis and Achalasia, Oral Presentation American Neurogastroenterology and Motility Society Annual Meeting (Virtual) August 2021.
Benitez AJ, Budhu S, Mousa H, Fiorino KN, Mamula P: The use of Esoflip in a Pediatric Achalasia Cohort, Poster Presentation. American Neurogastroenterology and Motility Society Annual Meeting (Virtual) August 2021.
Benitez, A. "Small Bowel Motility Assessment Using Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Children with Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Controls." American Neurogastroenterology and Motility Society, Austin, Texas. Aug 2023.
Benitez, A. "Impact of Early Life Antibiotics on the Gut Microbiome, Bile Acids and Related Gastrointestinal Manifestations." Little Brain Big Brain Meeting, Heiligkreuztal, Germany. Sept 2022.
Benitez, A. "Antibiotic Use in Infancy and the Development of Functional Bowel Disorders: investigating the role of gut microbes and bile acids", Integration Across the Lifespan Spring Meeting, Online. Apr 2021.
2023, Young Investigator Forum, American Neurogastroenterology and Motility Society
2020-2024, Loan Repayment Program (LRP) Award - Pediatric Research, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), National Institutes of Health (NIH)
2016, CHOP Cares Community Grant
2006, cum laude, Universidad Iberoamericana (UNIBE), Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
2023-present, Ad-hoc reviewer, Immunity, Inflammation and Disease
2022-present, Ad-hoc reviewer, Translational Gastroenterology and Hepatology
2022-present, Ad-hoc reviewer for the Division of Physiological and Pathological Sciences - Kidney, Urology and Digestive Systems Review Branch - National Institute of Health
2021-present, Ad-hoc reviewer, Digestive Diseases
2020-present, Multicultural Professionals Network
2020-present, Lead, Diversity Committee, Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition
2018-present, Lead, GI Endoscopy Suite Research Safety Committee
2018-present, Wellness Committee, Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition
2018-present, Quality Improvement and Safety Committee, Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition
2019-present, American Neurogastroenterology and Motility Society