Alain J Benitez, MD, MSTR

Research Assistant Professor of Pediatrics (Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition)
Clinical Research Director, Suzi and Scott Lustgarten Center for GI Motility, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
Faculty Member, Institute for Translational Medicine and Therapeutics, University of Pennsylvania
Department: Pediatrics
Contact information
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
Roberts Center for Pediatric Research
2716 South Street Suite 14323
Philadelphia, PA 19146
Roberts Center for Pediatric Research
2716 South Street Suite 14323
Philadelphia, PA 19146
Office: 267-425-1937
Email:
beniteza@email.chop.edu
beniteza@email.chop.edu
Education:
BA (Biology)
Florida International University , 2001.
MD
Universidad Iberoamericana (UNIBE), 2007.
MSTR (Translational Research)
University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, 2021.
Permanent linkBA (Biology)
Florida International University , 2001.
MD
Universidad Iberoamericana (UNIBE), 2007.
MSTR (Translational Research)
University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, 2021.
Selected Publications
Benitez AJ, Quarshie WO, Roshkovan L, Heuckeroth RO, Mousa H, Webster J, Albenberg L: Early life antibiotics and acid suppressing medications are more commonly prescribed in people with irritable bowel syndrome than in controls. Poster of Distinction. Biennial Meeting of the European Society of Neurogastroenterology and Motility, Neurogastro 2025, London, UK September 2025.Benitez AJ, Quarshie WO, Roshkovan L, Heuckeroth RO, Mousa H, Webster J, Albenberg L: Early life antibiotics and acid suppressing medications are more common in people with IBS than in controls. Poster. American Neurogastroenterology and Motility Society (ANMS), Minneapolis, MN August 2025.
Kennedy K, Burger C, Umeweni C, Alston M, Pan Z, Benitez A, Furuta G, Mahon M Ruffner M, Quinn L, Muir A, Menard-Katcher C: Histologic response is associated with improved esophageal distensibility and symptom burden in pediatric eosinophilic esophagitis. Gastroenterology July 2025.
Sadaka C, Xu B, Benitez AJ, Orians C, Pearlstein H, Mousa H: The Healthcare Burden Imposed by Children with Gastroparesis and the Shift Imposed by COVID-19. Frontiers in Pediatrics 13, July 2025.
Benitez AJ, Margolis KG: A Microbiome-Directed Therapy for Malnutrition That Performs Better Than Standard Nutritional Interventions. Gastro Digest 168(8): 1194, June 2025.
Sadaka C, Xu B, Benitez AJ, Orians CM, Bowerman C, Dourlain J, Skaggs B, Konka K, Roshkovan L, Hymphrey G, Calder S, Schamberg G, O'Grady G, Gharibans A, Mousa H: Neuropathic Gastroduodenal Disorders Can Be Diagnosed by Non-Invasive Body Surface Gastric Mapping: A Comparison With Antroduodenal Manometry. Neurogastroenterology and Motility June 2025.
Verheyden A, Dinning P, Benitez A, Mousa H, O'Grady G, Tack J, Erickson J: Can Body Surface Colonic Mapping Detect the Colonic Bisacodyl Response in Constipated Patients?, Poster. Digestive Diseases Week, San Diego, CA May 2025.
Humphrey G, Keane C, Schamberg G, Benitez A, Calder S, Xu B, Sadaka C, Andrews CN, O'Grady G, Gharibans A, Mousa H: Body Surface Gastric Mapping Delineates Specific Patient Phenotypes in Adolescents With Functional Dyspepsia and Gastroparesis. Neurogastroenterology and Motility March 2025.
Benitez AJ, Tanes C, Friedman ES, Zackular JP, Ford E, Gerber JS, DeRusso PA, Kelly A, Li H, Elovitz M, Wu GD, Zemel B, Bittinger K: Antibiotic exposure is associated with minimal gut microbiome perturbations in healthy term infants. Microbiome January 2025.
Rana A, Dourlain J, Miccio R, Silliman-Cohen T, Evans J, Rosoff-Verbit Z, Erlichman J, Wang X, Mascarenhas M, Benitez AJ: Abdominal-Wall Targeted Myofascial Release Therapy in Pediatric Patients with Irritable Bowel Syndrome: a Feasibility and Acceptability Study. International Journal of Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork December 2024.