Curriculum Vitae

Atu Agawu, MD, MPH, MSCE

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Last updated: January 2026


Current Positions

Assistant Professor of Clinical Pediatrics Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition Children’s Hospital Los Angeles | USC Keck School of Medicine 2024 - Present

Saachi Physician-Scientist Scholar Saban Research Institute 2024 - Present

KL2 Mentored Career Development Scholar Southern California Clinical Translational Science Institute (SC CTSI) 2025 - Present


Education

Year Degree Institution
2008 BS, Biomedical Engineering Yale University, New Haven, CT
2015 MD Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania
2015 MPH Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania
2022 MSCE Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania

Postgraduate Training

Years Training Institution
2015-2016 Internship, Pediatrics Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
2016-2018 Residency, Pediatrics Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
2019-2022 Fellowship, Pediatric Gastroenterology Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
2020-2023 T32 Trainee (Mentors: Chris Feudtner, Meena Bewtra) Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania
2023-2024 Advanced Pediatric Nutrition Fellowship Children’s Hospital Los Angeles

Board Certifications

  • American Board of Pediatrics - Pediatrics (2018, Active)
  • American Board of Pediatrics - Pediatric Gastroenterology (2023, Active)

Licensure

  • California Medical License (2022, Active)
  • DEA Registration (2018, Active)

Research Support

Current Funding

KL2TR001854 (PIs: Siegel SJ, Burner ERE) NIH NCATS via SC CTSI Role: KL2 Mentored Career Development Scholar Period: July 2024 - Present Effort: 75%

Institutional Career Development Core providing training to become a clinical translational investigator.

Completed Funding

T32DK007740-24S1 (PI: Lewis JD) NIH NIDDK Role: T32 Trainee Period: July 2020 - June 2023

Clinical Epidemiology Training in Gastroenterology - Supplemental training slot on post-doctoral training program for clinical investigators in gastrointestinal clinical research.

3P42ES023720-01S1 (PI: Blair IK) NIH NIEHS Role: Co-Investigator Period: 2015 - 2016

Minority supplement grant to facilitate training in social epidemiology; primary research objective was to conduct a historical cohort study investigating mechanisms of non-occupational exposure to asbestos and subsequent risk of mesothelioma.


Honors & Awards

Year Award Organization
2025 Journeys Program American Pediatric Society / Society for Pediatric Research
2024 Fellow of the Year, GI Division Children’s Hospital Los Angeles
2022 Minority Trainee Development Scholarship American Thoracic Society
2018 Senior Resident Clinician Award Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
2018 Senior Resident Humanitarian Award Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
2017-2019 New Century Scholars Mentee Academic Pediatric Association
2016 Seymour Warshaw Distinguished First Year Resident Award Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
2015 Pediatric Research Prize Perelman School of Medicine
2013 Medical Student Research Preceptorship Award Center of Excellence for Diversity in Health Education and Research

Teaching & Mentorship

Trainee Mentorship

Years Trainee Level Project
2025-present Wilson Mourad, MD Fellow
2025-present Kimberly Dawes, MD Fellow
2020-2022 Christina Kanagawa Medical Student Validation of diagnostic codes for cholelithiasis
2020-2022 Janeline Wong Pre-medical Student Validation of diagnostic codes for cholelithiasis

Invited Lectures

Year Title Venue
2025 Fundamentals of MASLD: A Guide for Non-Gastroenterologists Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine Grand Rounds, CHLA
2025 Micronutrient Deficiencies CHLA Resident Noon Conference
2023 Patterns of Change in Race Category in the EMR Boston Medical Center Research Seminar
2021 Epidemiology of Pediatric Cholelithiasis CHLA GI Grand Rounds

Service

Hospital & Institutional Service

Years Role Committee/Organization
2025-present Member PI Advisory Committee, Saban Research Institute
2025-present Member Fellows Admissions Committee, GI Division, CHLA
2023-present Member Nutrition Committee, CHLA
2021-2023 Member Quality Improvement Committee, Division of GI, CHOP
2016-2017 Executive Board Member Alliance of Minority Physicians
2016-2017 Executive Board Member Minority Physician Alliance
2015-2016 Member Minority Physician Alliance

Professional Service

Years Role Organization
2024-present Member Nutrition Committee, NASPGHAN

Peer Review

  • Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition (2024-present)
  • Nutrition in Clinical Practice (2024-present)

Professional Memberships

  • American Gastroenterological Association (AGA), 2019-present
  • North American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition (NASPGHAN), 2019-present
  • Society for Pediatric Research, 2021-present

Selected Publications

See Publications page for complete list (18 peer-reviewed publications, 7 patents, 2 book chapters)


Patents

7 issued patents in medical device design (wound closure devices, arthroscopic instruments, tissue engineering scaffolds). See Publications for complete list.