Dr van Tilburg
@drvantilburg.bsky.social
Associate Dean of Research Methodist U
Professor UNC, UW, CUSOM
Director of Research at CFVH
Gut Expert | Child health | #Parenting
Professor UNC, UW, CUSOM
Director of Research at CFVH
Gut Expert | Child health | #Parenting
Pinned
Dr van Tilburg
@drvantilburg.bsky.social
· Sep 24
Honored to continue to be listed among world’s top 2% of scientists.
In science there is no “I”, only “we”. Grateful to all my collaborators, mentors, and mentees whose collaboration makes this work possible.
In science there is no “I”, only “we”. Grateful to all my collaborators, mentors, and mentees whose collaboration makes this work possible.
New study asked 10 LLMs to manage pain for 1,000 ER patients. The result? Bias at scale.
Black, unhoused, and low-income patients were flagged as high-risk for addiction but prescribed the most opioids.
Low-income patients got less treatment despite similar needs.
www.nature.com/articles/s44...
Black, unhoused, and low-income patients were flagged as high-risk for addiction but prescribed the most opioids.
Low-income patients got less treatment despite similar needs.
www.nature.com/articles/s44...
Socio-demographic gaps in pain management guided by large language models - Nature Health
In scenarios involving 1,000 acute-pain clinical vignettes, varied across 34 socio-demographic features, a panel of ten large language models is found to provide inconsistent recommendations, which al...
www.nature.com
February 8, 2026 at 12:29 PM
New study asked 10 LLMs to manage pain for 1,000 ER patients. The result? Bias at scale.
Black, unhoused, and low-income patients were flagged as high-risk for addiction but prescribed the most opioids.
Low-income patients got less treatment despite similar needs.
www.nature.com/articles/s44...
Black, unhoused, and low-income patients were flagged as high-risk for addiction but prescribed the most opioids.
Low-income patients got less treatment despite similar needs.
www.nature.com/articles/s44...
Happy New Year!
Starting the year off with more science. Chronic anxiety may be caused by dysfunction of the microglia (the brains primary immune cells), new study in mice suggests.
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40897864/ts
Starting the year off with more science. Chronic anxiety may be caused by dysfunction of the microglia (the brains primary immune cells), new study in mice suggests.
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40897864/ts
Defective Hoxb8 microglia are causative for both chronic anxiety and pathological overgrooming in mice - PubMed
Disruption of the Hoxb8 gene results in chronic anxiety and pathological overgrooming in mice. Using bilateral intracerebral cell transplantation, we demonstrate that mutant Hoxb8 microglia are causative for both behaviors. Mice contain two microglia lineages, Hoxb8 and non-Hoxb8 microglia. We propo …
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
January 1, 2026 at 3:50 PM
Happy New Year!
Starting the year off with more science. Chronic anxiety may be caused by dysfunction of the microglia (the brains primary immune cells), new study in mice suggests.
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40897864/ts
Starting the year off with more science. Chronic anxiety may be caused by dysfunction of the microglia (the brains primary immune cells), new study in mice suggests.
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40897864/ts
Our interdependence with the gut #microbiota is remarkable.
New research suggests gut microbes 🦠 may help train the maternal immune system to tolerate the fetus—reducing the risk of pregnancy loss🤰.
news.weill.cornell.edu/news/2025/12...
New research suggests gut microbes 🦠 may help train the maternal immune system to tolerate the fetus—reducing the risk of pregnancy loss🤰.
news.weill.cornell.edu/news/2025/12...
Microbiome May Aid in Successful Pregnancies
Gut microbes may play a key role in training a mother’s immune system to adapt to the developing fetus during pregnancy, according to a preclinical study by Weill Cornell Medicine investigators.
news.weill.cornell.edu
December 31, 2025 at 1:07 PM
Our interdependence with the gut #microbiota is remarkable.
New research suggests gut microbes 🦠 may help train the maternal immune system to tolerate the fetus—reducing the risk of pregnancy loss🤰.
news.weill.cornell.edu/news/2025/12...
New research suggests gut microbes 🦠 may help train the maternal immune system to tolerate the fetus—reducing the risk of pregnancy loss🤰.
news.weill.cornell.edu/news/2025/12...
Getting the #RSV #vaccine during pregnancy helped protect babies under 6 months:
• Cut doctor visits for RSV by about two-thirds
• Reduced RSV hospitalizations by about 70%
jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...
• Cut doctor visits for RSV by about two-thirds
• Reduced RSV hospitalizations by about 70%
jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...
Effectiveness and Impact of Maternal RSV Immunization and Nirsevimab in US Children
This study estimates maternal respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine and nirsevimab effectiveness against acute respiratory illness and estimates the impact of these products on RSV-associated hosp...
jamanetwork.com
December 28, 2025 at 10:57 AM
Getting the #RSV #vaccine during pregnancy helped protect babies under 6 months:
• Cut doctor visits for RSV by about two-thirds
• Reduced RSV hospitalizations by about 70%
jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...
• Cut doctor visits for RSV by about two-thirds
• Reduced RSV hospitalizations by about 70%
jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...
Attending an Ivy-Plus #college (vs. an average flagship public) increases the chance of:
💰Top 1% of earners
🎓Attending elite graduate school
🏢Working at a prestigious firm
💵Average salaries, however, are not meaningfully different
academic.oup.com/qje/advance-...
💰Top 1% of earners
🎓Attending elite graduate school
🏢Working at a prestigious firm
💵Average salaries, however, are not meaningfully different
academic.oup.com/qje/advance-...
Diversifying Society’s Leaders? The Determinants and Causal Effects of Admission to Highly Selective Private Colleges*
Abstract. We use anonymized admissions data from several colleges linked to income tax records and SAT and ACT test scores to study the determinants and ca
academic.oup.com
December 22, 2025 at 2:36 PM
Attending an Ivy-Plus #college (vs. an average flagship public) increases the chance of:
💰Top 1% of earners
🎓Attending elite graduate school
🏢Working at a prestigious firm
💵Average salaries, however, are not meaningfully different
academic.oup.com/qje/advance-...
💰Top 1% of earners
🎓Attending elite graduate school
🏢Working at a prestigious firm
💵Average salaries, however, are not meaningfully different
academic.oup.com/qje/advance-...
Infants of mothers with childhood abuse, showed more difficult temperament.
DNA methylation of HPA-axis-related genes moderated this association, suggesting that epigenetic changes may amplify the effects of maternal childhood abuse
on infant stress responses.
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40974784/
DNA methylation of HPA-axis-related genes moderated this association, suggesting that epigenetic changes may amplify the effects of maternal childhood abuse
on infant stress responses.
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40974784/
Maternal history of maltreatment interacts with DNA methylation patterns to predict infant temperament - PubMed
These findings highlight the complexity of the relations among maternal CM, epigenetic modifications to the stress response, and infant temperament. Infants of mothers who experienced more CM, particularly abuse, exhibited more difficult temperament, a relation that was moderated by heightened methy …
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
December 20, 2025 at 11:45 AM
Infants of mothers with childhood abuse, showed more difficult temperament.
DNA methylation of HPA-axis-related genes moderated this association, suggesting that epigenetic changes may amplify the effects of maternal childhood abuse
on infant stress responses.
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40974784/
DNA methylation of HPA-axis-related genes moderated this association, suggesting that epigenetic changes may amplify the effects of maternal childhood abuse
on infant stress responses.
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40974784/
This is a very sobering graph for the US. Hospitals that treat kids (level 1-2-3 in figure) are disappearing.
This is problematic for all.
publications.aap.org/pediatrics/a...
This is problematic for all.
publications.aap.org/pediatrics/a...
December 16, 2025 at 3:29 PM
This is a very sobering graph for the US. Hospitals that treat kids (level 1-2-3 in figure) are disappearing.
This is problematic for all.
publications.aap.org/pediatrics/a...
This is problematic for all.
publications.aap.org/pediatrics/a...
Reposted by Dr van Tilburg
Absolutely staggering figures; USA an outlier among its developed countries peers wrt intimate partner violence, and India the outlier for sexual violence against children.
December 13, 2025 at 3:24 PM
Absolutely staggering figures; USA an outlier among its developed countries peers wrt intimate partner violence, and India the outlier for sexual violence against children.
More kids dying of the flu now that vaccine rates are dropping. Misinformation have consequences. Please protect yourself and others.
#VaccinesSaveLives
#VaccinesSaveLives
December 13, 2025 at 6:31 PM
More kids dying of the flu now that vaccine rates are dropping. Misinformation have consequences. Please protect yourself and others.
#VaccinesSaveLives
#VaccinesSaveLives
Violence against woman and kids major contributor to ill health.
Not just in ‘developing countries’ here too,
When will we stop the patriarchy, allow ‘boys will be boys’, and build social structures that help women and girls?
www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...
Not just in ‘developing countries’ here too,
When will we stop the patriarchy, allow ‘boys will be boys’, and build social structures that help women and girls?
www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...
Disease burden attributable to intimate partner violence against females and sexual violence against children in 204 countries and territories, 1990–2023: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden o...
IPV and SVAC are substantial contributors to global health burden, and their health
consequences span a variety of individual health outcomes. Importantly, mental health
disorders account for the grea...
www.thelancet.com
December 13, 2025 at 3:10 PM
Violence against woman and kids major contributor to ill health.
Not just in ‘developing countries’ here too,
When will we stop the patriarchy, allow ‘boys will be boys’, and build social structures that help women and girls?
www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...
Not just in ‘developing countries’ here too,
When will we stop the patriarchy, allow ‘boys will be boys’, and build social structures that help women and girls?
www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...
Study among Chinese college students shows negative affect of app usage:
😴Less sleep
⏰More often late for class
✏️Lower grades
👔Lower salary in first job
Even more scary: Roommate use had huge impact as app use is infectious.
www.nber.org/system/files...
😴Less sleep
⏰More often late for class
✏️Lower grades
👔Lower salary in first job
Even more scary: Roommate use had huge impact as app use is infectious.
www.nber.org/system/files...
www.nber.org
December 7, 2025 at 6:33 PM
Study among Chinese college students shows negative affect of app usage:
😴Less sleep
⏰More often late for class
✏️Lower grades
👔Lower salary in first job
Even more scary: Roommate use had huge impact as app use is infectious.
www.nber.org/system/files...
😴Less sleep
⏰More often late for class
✏️Lower grades
👔Lower salary in first job
Even more scary: Roommate use had huge impact as app use is infectious.
www.nber.org/system/files...
Pursuing a PhD isn’t just academically demanding — it can strain mental health. Study shows PhD students increase use of psychiatric meds each year compared to master’s students.
Exception: medical & health sciences, where use stayed steady.
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Exception: medical & health sciences, where use stayed steady.
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
The impact of PhD studies on mental health—a longitudinal population study
Recent self-reported and cross-sectional survey evidence documents high levels of mental health problems among PhD students. We study the relationship…
www.sciencedirect.com
December 2, 2025 at 12:25 PM
Pursuing a PhD isn’t just academically demanding — it can strain mental health. Study shows PhD students increase use of psychiatric meds each year compared to master’s students.
Exception: medical & health sciences, where use stayed steady.
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Exception: medical & health sciences, where use stayed steady.
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
🚸 Overparenting hurts mental health.
A meta-analysis of 44 studies (21k+ people) found small but significant links between overparenting and anxiety, depression, and lower life satisfaction.
Effects varied by culture, parent gender, and age.
#Parenting #MentalHealth pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41009265/
A meta-analysis of 44 studies (21k+ people) found small but significant links between overparenting and anxiety, depression, and lower life satisfaction.
Effects varied by culture, parent gender, and age.
#Parenting #MentalHealth pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41009265/
Associations Between Overparenting and Offspring's Mental Health: A Meta-Analysis of Multiple Moderators - PubMed
Despite overparenting being considered a critical factor associated with offspring's mental health, the existing research on this topic has yielded inconsistent results. The current study aimed to examine the relationship between overparenting and various mental health outcomes, such as anxiety, dep …
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
November 27, 2025 at 12:30 PM
🚸 Overparenting hurts mental health.
A meta-analysis of 44 studies (21k+ people) found small but significant links between overparenting and anxiety, depression, and lower life satisfaction.
Effects varied by culture, parent gender, and age.
#Parenting #MentalHealth pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41009265/
A meta-analysis of 44 studies (21k+ people) found small but significant links between overparenting and anxiety, depression, and lower life satisfaction.
Effects varied by culture, parent gender, and age.
#Parenting #MentalHealth pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41009265/
AI powered toys are already on the market and more are coming. Martell made a deal this summer with OpenAI.
Don’t make your child an experiment. www.npr.org/2025/11/18/n...
Don’t make your child an experiment. www.npr.org/2025/11/18/n...
Report finds some AI-enabled toys shared inappropriate content or collected data
NPR's A Martinez speaks with Teresa Murray, the co-author of a new report on the potential dangers of artificial intelligence-enabled children's toys.
www.npr.org
November 22, 2025 at 2:33 AM
AI powered toys are already on the market and more are coming. Martell made a deal this summer with OpenAI.
Don’t make your child an experiment. www.npr.org/2025/11/18/n...
Don’t make your child an experiment. www.npr.org/2025/11/18/n...
New findings suggest that #microbiome imbalance comes before infant #colic. This is already changing how we care for infants—and reminds us how essential maternal gut health is, since so much of a baby’s microbiome comes from mom.
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40485532/
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40485532/
Aberrant microbiota signatures precede symptom development in infantile colic - PubMed
ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02536560.
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
November 18, 2025 at 2:03 PM
New findings suggest that #microbiome imbalance comes before infant #colic. This is already changing how we care for infants—and reminds us how essential maternal gut health is, since so much of a baby’s microbiome comes from mom.
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40485532/
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40485532/
Short social media videos 📱linked to shorter attention spans and more stress 😖, meta analysis of 71 studies with 98,299 participants finds.
It is not social media - it’s what you do on it that matters.
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41231585/?ut...
It is not social media - it’s what you do on it that matters.
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41231585/?ut...
Feeds, feelings, and focus: A systematic review and meta-analysis examining the cognitive and mental health correlates of short-form video use - PubMed
The resurgence of short-form videos (SFVs), popularized by TikTok and Douyin, has transformed social media platforms, with features like Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts fostering their widespread adoption. Although initially geared toward entertainment, SFVs are increasingly used in education, po …
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
November 16, 2025 at 1:07 PM
Short social media videos 📱linked to shorter attention spans and more stress 😖, meta analysis of 71 studies with 98,299 participants finds.
It is not social media - it’s what you do on it that matters.
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41231585/?ut...
It is not social media - it’s what you do on it that matters.
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41231585/?ut...
Looking for faculty to join our new Medical school in NC. Are you an expert in pathology, anatomy, or biochemistry?
www.methodist.edu/offices-serv...
www.methodist.edu/offices-serv...
Positions Available | Human Resources | Methodist University
Dear visitors, Welcome to Methodist University’s employment website! I’m delighted to greet potential applicants to our user-friendly online application
www.methodist.edu
November 15, 2025 at 1:35 PM
Looking for faculty to join our new Medical school in NC. Are you an expert in pathology, anatomy, or biochemistry?
www.methodist.edu/offices-serv...
www.methodist.edu/offices-serv...
The national rate of pediatric firearm deaths increased by 54% from 2004 to 2023, with most US youth now living in states where firearm injury is the leading cause of death. ja.ma/4opoxgN
Firearm Mortality in the US Pediatric Population
This case series discusses the rise of pediatric firearm mortality in the US.
ja.ma
November 14, 2025 at 4:06 PM
The national rate of pediatric firearm deaths increased by 54% from 2004 to 2023, with most US youth now living in states where firearm injury is the leading cause of death. ja.ma/4opoxgN
Houston we have a problem
40% of US women aged 15 to 44 say they would move abroad permanently if they had the opportunity
That is a quadrupling in the past decade. For all we talk about a ‘crisis among young men’, women, as usual, are asked to suffer in silence.
news.gallup.com/poll/697382/...
40% of US women aged 15 to 44 say they would move abroad permanently if they had the opportunity
That is a quadrupling in the past decade. For all we talk about a ‘crisis among young men’, women, as usual, are asked to suffer in silence.
news.gallup.com/poll/697382/...
Record Numbers of Younger Women Want to Leave the U.S.
The percentage of younger women in the U.S. who express a desire to migrate permanently has surged in the past decade.
news.gallup.com
November 14, 2025 at 2:01 AM
Houston we have a problem
40% of US women aged 15 to 44 say they would move abroad permanently if they had the opportunity
That is a quadrupling in the past decade. For all we talk about a ‘crisis among young men’, women, as usual, are asked to suffer in silence.
news.gallup.com/poll/697382/...
40% of US women aged 15 to 44 say they would move abroad permanently if they had the opportunity
That is a quadrupling in the past decade. For all we talk about a ‘crisis among young men’, women, as usual, are asked to suffer in silence.
news.gallup.com/poll/697382/...
Dr Carlo DiLorenzo giving the first #NASPGHAN TED talk during the 2025 annual meeting.
“This is the best time to be a pediatric gastroenterologist”.
“This is the best time to be a pediatric gastroenterologist”.
November 7, 2025 at 3:52 PM
Dr Carlo DiLorenzo giving the first #NASPGHAN TED talk during the 2025 annual meeting.
“This is the best time to be a pediatric gastroenterologist”.
“This is the best time to be a pediatric gastroenterologist”.
WHO warns children remain under-represented in clinical trials.
Clinical trials in children encounter many barriers such as ethical concerns and smaller numbers, but the biggest reason is underfunding. Let’s invest in child’s health!
www.who.int/news/item/06...
Clinical trials in children encounter many barriers such as ethical concerns and smaller numbers, but the biggest reason is underfunding. Let’s invest in child’s health!
www.who.int/news/item/06...
WHO publishes new global research agenda to strengthen paediatric clinical trials
The World Health Organization (WHO) has released a new technical report, The future of paediatric clinical trials – setting research priorities for child health, presenting a global research agenda de...
www.who.int
November 7, 2025 at 3:35 PM
WHO warns children remain under-represented in clinical trials.
Clinical trials in children encounter many barriers such as ethical concerns and smaller numbers, but the biggest reason is underfunding. Let’s invest in child’s health!
www.who.int/news/item/06...
Clinical trials in children encounter many barriers such as ethical concerns and smaller numbers, but the biggest reason is underfunding. Let’s invest in child’s health!
www.who.int/news/item/06...
High levels of certain gut bacteria 🦠 at age 2 👶 predict:
🧠 how brain processes emotions at age 6
😩Anxiety/depression at age 7
These findings emphasize the need for healthy diets and reduced stress in small children.
www.powershealth.org/about-us/new...
🧠 how brain processes emotions at age 6
😩Anxiety/depression at age 7
These findings emphasize the need for healthy diets and reduced stress in small children.
www.powershealth.org/about-us/new...
A Kids Gut Health Might Influence Their Future Mental Health
www.powershealth.org
November 3, 2025 at 3:26 PM
High levels of certain gut bacteria 🦠 at age 2 👶 predict:
🧠 how brain processes emotions at age 6
😩Anxiety/depression at age 7
These findings emphasize the need for healthy diets and reduced stress in small children.
www.powershealth.org/about-us/new...
🧠 how brain processes emotions at age 6
😩Anxiety/depression at age 7
These findings emphasize the need for healthy diets and reduced stress in small children.
www.powershealth.org/about-us/new...
What an honor to present Grand Rounds at CHOC. Fantastic turnout and excellent questions.
Even better was meeting the amazing team In awe of what Ashish Chogle MD has built! I left with renewed passion for our field! www.linkedin.com/posts/ashish...
Even better was meeting the amazing team In awe of what Ashish Chogle MD has built! I left with renewed passion for our field! www.linkedin.com/posts/ashish...
This week’s Grand Rounds at Rady Children’s Health in Orange County featured Dr. Miranda van Tilburg, and she was outstanding as always.
She’s the Taylor Swift of pediatric psychotherapy — original,…...
This week’s Grand Rounds at Rady Children’s Health in Orange County featured Dr. Miranda van Tilburg, and she was outstanding as always.
She’s the Taylor Swift of pediatric psychotherapy — original, ...
www.linkedin.com
November 1, 2025 at 6:04 AM
What an honor to present Grand Rounds at CHOC. Fantastic turnout and excellent questions.
Even better was meeting the amazing team In awe of what Ashish Chogle MD has built! I left with renewed passion for our field! www.linkedin.com/posts/ashish...
Even better was meeting the amazing team In awe of what Ashish Chogle MD has built! I left with renewed passion for our field! www.linkedin.com/posts/ashish...
We are meant to play.
New study finds link between creativity and brain health. Adults who 💃🏻🎹🎮🎨show younger than expected brain patterns.
Let your kids play and develop creative pursuits. It’s as important in life as academics.
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
New study finds link between creativity and brain health. Adults who 💃🏻🎹🎮🎨show younger than expected brain patterns.
Let your kids play and develop creative pursuits. It’s as important in life as academics.
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
October 31, 2025 at 1:09 PM
We are meant to play.
New study finds link between creativity and brain health. Adults who 💃🏻🎹🎮🎨show younger than expected brain patterns.
Let your kids play and develop creative pursuits. It’s as important in life as academics.
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
New study finds link between creativity and brain health. Adults who 💃🏻🎹🎮🎨show younger than expected brain patterns.
Let your kids play and develop creative pursuits. It’s as important in life as academics.
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
ADMISSIONS ARE NOW OPEN for the Methodist University Cape Fear Valley Health School of Medicine!! In just our first 4 hours, we've received almost 50 applications!!
www.methodist.edu/academics/me...
www.methodist.edu/academics/me...
Medicine | Academics | Methodist University
Welcome Generational Impact Setting a new course for medical care in Southeastern North Carolina, Methodist University and Cape Fear Valley Health
www.methodist.edu
October 28, 2025 at 10:52 AM
ADMISSIONS ARE NOW OPEN for the Methodist University Cape Fear Valley Health School of Medicine!! In just our first 4 hours, we've received almost 50 applications!!
www.methodist.edu/academics/me...
www.methodist.edu/academics/me...