Dr. Seema Aceves

Seema Aceves, MD, PhD





Seema Aceves,  MD, PhD, is  Professor of Pediatrics and Medicine at UC San Diego and director of the multidisciplinary Eosinophilic Gastrointestinal Disorders Clinic at Rady Children's Hospital, San Diego. She completed her medical and graduate degrees, Pediatrics residency training and Allergy, Immunology fellowship training at UC San Diego and at the Salk Institute. Her lab studies the mechanisms of tissue remodeling in EoE and is the Principal Investigator on EGID related clinical trials.

In 2020, Dr. Aceves became the inaugural holder of the MRD Endowed Chair in Pediatrics.

To schedule an appointment with the multidisciplinary team in the RCHSD EGID clinic, please contact the Allergy, Immunology office: 858-966-5961 or our Nurse Coordinator at 858-966-1700 x4214

To participate in an EGID clinical trial at RCHSD/UCSD, please contact the EGID clinical research coordinator at: 858-966-6884

Dr. Aceves' bio


About the Lab













Above: November 2020 Issue of Gastroenterology featuring our model for increased production of LIGHT by T Cells - Gastroenterology

Identifying Mechanisms, 
Mediators and Clinical Impact of Esophageal Remodeling in Eosinophlic Esophagitis
The Aceves lab conducts clinical and translational investigations of the impact and mechanisms of tissue remodeling on eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE). A disease of increasing worldwide prevalence, EoE is quickly becoming a significant healthcare burden. The Aceves Lab uses primary human esophageal cells and tissue as in vitro model systems to understand the mechanisms driving epithelial, fibroblast and smooth muscle changes in EoE.

Research Highlights

New Research Findings  

UCSD Patented Drug co-invented by Dr. Aceves on expedited pathway for FDA Approval

Children with genotype TT at the TGFb1 promoter have cells that are more pro-fibrotic and that do not localize adhesion molecules properly. Duong et al, Mucosal Immunology 2019

The long-term course of children with EoE reveals 3 distinct response patterns over time that can be distinguished by female sex and the first response to therapy. Collins, Palmquiest et al, Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology 2019

The Aceves and Kurten labs report a novel model functional ex vivo human mucosal platform to study EoE. Kurten et al. Scientific Reports 2019

New Grants

(NIH/NIAID) Probing the Mechanisms of Fibroblast-Extracellular Matrix Interactions to Asses Disease Severity in Allergic Eosinophilic Esophagitis

(NIH/NIAID/NIA) Study the potential relationship between EOE fibroblasts and pathogenic cells in Alzheimer's Disease

Active Grants

The Aceves lab is funded by the National Institutes of Health for research that unravels disease mechanisms and trains future researchers in Eosinophilic Gastrointestinal Disorders with an ultimate goal of improving patient lives.

NIH/NIAID. Contribution of Rigid Matrix to Allergic Eosinophilic Esophagitis Pathogenesis

NIH/NIAID. Pilot/Demonstration Cimical Research Projects Program

NIH/NIAID. Mentoring Patient Oriented Research in Allergic Eosinophilic Gastrointestinal Disorders

NIH/NIDDK. Light/TNFSF14 in Allergic Esophagitis Remodeling

NIH/NIAID/NIDDK/NCATS Consortium for Eosinophilic Gastrointestinal Researchers

UCSD Academic Senate Grant. Somatization, Anxiety, and Disordered Sleep in Children with Eosinophilic Esophagitis