About the Center

Martin F. Kagnoff, M.D.

Professor of Medicine and Pediatrics, UC San Diego
Director, Wm. K. Warren Medical Research Center for Celiac Disease


  • Received his medical degree from Harvard Medical School.
  • Recognized expert worldwide for studies in the areas of Celiac Disease, intestinal immunology and inflammatory diseases of the intestine.
  • Director of the Laboratory of Mucosal Immunology at UCSD.
  • Member of the National Institutes of Health Consensus Committee on Celiac Disease, which has published recommendations for the diagnosis and treatment of Celiac Disease.
  • Coauthor of the technical report and position statement of the American Gastroenterological Society on Celiac Disease.
  • Author of numerous groundbreaking papers on intestinal immunity and inflammation.
  • Served as Editor for two of the most prestigious biomedical research journals and Chairman of the Immunology, Microbiology, and Inflammatory Bowel Disease section of the American Gastroenterological Association.
  • Directs and oversees the day-to-day research operations and research projects conducted by leading investigators affiliated with the Wm. K. Warren Medical Research Center for Celiac Disease.
  • Consults and works closely with the medical personnel who care for adults and children with celiac disease at UCSD.
  • Consults and advises with gastroenterologists and other physicians from around the country on the management and care of patients with Celiac Disease.

Sheila Crowe, M.D.

Professor of Medicine. Director of Research in the UCSD Divisision of Gastroenterology. UC San Diego.


  • Manages the Adult Celiac Clinic at UCSD Perlman Ambulatory Outpatient Center.
  • Received her medical degree from McMaster University in Hamilton, Canada.
  • Completed Gastroenterology Fellowship training at McMaster Univeristy and University of Toronto.

Kimberly P. Newton, M.D.

Assistant Adjunct Professor, Department of Pediatrics, UC San Diego


  • Manages the Pediatric Celiac Clinic at Rady Children’s Hospital.
  • Received her medical degree from The University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.
  • Completed her pediatric gastroenterology fellowship training at Hasbro Children’s Hospital/Brown University.
  • Dr. Newton’s research interests include the evaluation of potential biomarkers for monitoring celiac disease activity and dietary compliance, the investigation of gut microflora composition and its relationship to celiac disease development, as well as the characterization of neurologic manifestations of celiac disease in the pediatric population.

K.C. Moua

Research Study Coordinator


  • Coordinates adult and pediatric clinical studies.

Yvette Durazo

Administrative Manager


  • Directs the administrative operations for the Warren Center.

 

ADVISORY BOARDS

Scientific Advisory Board Members

  • Lloyd F. Mayer, M.D., Professor of Immune Medicine, Medicine, & Microbiology Mt. Sinai Medical Center, New York, NY
  • Ludvig M. Sollid, M.D., Ph.D. Professor of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine University of Oslo, Norway
  • Chaitan Khosla, Ph.D., Professor of Chemical Engineering, Chemistry and (by courtesy) Biochemistry Wells H. Rauser & Harold M. Petiprin Professor in the School of Engineering Stanford University, Stanford, CA
  • Bana Jabri, M.D., Ph.D., Associate Professor of Pathology University of Chicago, IL
  • D. Brent Polk, M.D., Chair of the Department of Pediatrics at the Keck School of Medicine of USC and Chair of pediatrics and Vice President of Academic Affairs at Childrens Hospital Los Angeles

Community Advisory Board Members

  • Roxie Johnson, Founder of Gluten Free in San Diego
  • Becky MacGregor, San Diego R.O.C.K. (Raising Our Celiac Kids) group
  • Elaine Monarch, Founder of the Celiac Disease Foundation
  • Germaine Schwider, The Binding Site
  • Erica Welker, San Diego R.O.C.K. (Raising Our Celiac Kids) group

About the William K. Warren Medical Research Center for Celiac Disease

Thanks to a $2.5 million research grant from the Oklahoma-based William K. Warren Foundation, researchers at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) School of Medicine have joined in the fight against Celiac Disease, a disease estimated to affect one in 100 Americans. Celiac Disease is a digestive condition triggered by consumption of a common protein called gluten, which is found in bread, pasta, cookies, pizza crust and other wheat, rye and barley containing foods.

The mission of the Center is to advance the knowledge of Celiac Disease pathogenesis and to develop novel diagnostic and therapeutic advances. Community activities include increasing the medical and local community's knowledge about Celiac Disease. The Center clinics at UCSD aim to provide state-of-the-art clinical care and education to adults and children with celiac disease.

About the William K. Warren Foundation

The William K. Warren Foundation was established on December 21, 1945, in Tulsa, Oklahoma by Mr. and Mrs. William K. Warren, Sr. Over the years, the Warrens have established a comprehensive health care system in Tulsa and given substantially to many charities. Mrs. Natalie O. Warren became the first president of the Foundation. Today their son, William K. Warren, Jr., serves as Chairman Emeritus and Vice President of Research. Their grandson, John-Kelly C. Warren, serves as Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer.

William K. Warren, Sr., a pioneer Oklahoma oilman, founded Warren Petroleum Company in 1922. Mr. Warren built his company into an international corporation for which he served as both Chairman and Chief Executive Officer until his retirement in 1961. At that time, Mr. Warren served as Director and Member of the Executive Committee of Gulf Oil Corporation and later became Director Emeritus of that corporation until his passing on June 11, 1990.

From the inception of the Foundation, members of the Warren family have been its sole source of funds and the Foundation has been the sole source of funds for Saint Francis Health System's five hospitals, Warren Clinic, and Montereau Retirement Community, all based in Oklahoma. They have contributed their time and efforts to many of the Foundation's activities and affairs, many of which involve Saint Francis Health System.

Since the the William K. Warren Foundation opened Saint Francis Hospital in 1960, it has grown into an 871 bed tertiary hospital, the largest and most modern in the State of Oklahoma . Saint Francis Hospital has a medical staff of 656 members comprising every specialty in the field of medicine and employing over 7,000 people in the Tulsa Metropolitan area making it one of the largest employers in the state. The goal of the Foundation has been to provide the finest possible medical care available to all patients utilizing Saint Francis Health System and to this end, it annually supports various medical programs. Most noteworthy and unique is the fact that the Hospital was built in its entirety by funds from the Foundation without any cost to citizens or tax dollars at the Federal or local levels.

In addition to the hospitals and clinics, the Foundation created The William K. Warren Medical Research Center, which provides funds to medical investigators who participate in advanced medical research and in 2006 established the Wm K Warren Medical Research Center for Celiac Disease at UCSD.