Maria Oliva-Hemker, MD
Pediatric Gastroenterology
Highlights
Age Groups Seen
- Infant 0-2
- Child 3-12
- Adolescent 13-17
Languages
- Spanish
- English
In-Network Plans
View All Accepted Plans (12)Gender
FemaleJohns Hopkins Affiliations:
- Johns Hopkins School of Medicine Faculty
About Maria Oliva-Hemker
Professional Titles
- Vice Dean for Faculty
- Stermer Family Professor of Pediatric Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Primary Academic Title
Professor of Pediatrics
Johns Hopkins Physician
Background
Dr. Maria Oliva-Hemker is the inaugural Stermer Family Professor of Pediatric Inflammatory Bowel Disease and Professor of Pediatrics at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. She specializes in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and a wide range of pediatric gastrointestinal conditions. From 2008-2025, Dr. Oliva led the Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition at the Johns Hopkins Children’s Center. Under her leadership, the division tripled in faculty size, significantly expanded its clinical services and strengthened its research and education programs. In 2021 Dr. Oliva was named Vice Dean for Faculty where she leads an office that supports approximately 5000 full- and part-time faculty in the School of Medicine.
Dr. Oliva earned her medical degree from Johns Hopkins, where she also completed her pediatrics residency and a fellowship in pediatric gastroenterology before joining the faculty. She is the founder of the Hopkins Pediatric Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) Center which has provided comprehensive evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment for thousands of children and teens with Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis from across the United States and around the world.
An active clinical researcher, Dr. Oliva-Hemker has contributed hundreds of publications and presentations, including invited talks to national and international audiences. She has held leadership roles in organizations including the North American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the Sub-board of Pediatric Gastroenterology of the American Board of Pediatrics, the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation Board of Trustees and the Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition. She is also editor-in-chief of the book Your Child with Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Family Guide for Caregiving (Johns Hopkins University Press).
Respected by colleagues for her clinical expertise, Dr. Oliva provides second opinions for patients across the U.S. and abroad. She sees patients in clinic, performs endoscopic procedures and cares for hospitalized patients on the pediatric gastroenterology inpatient and consult services, while teaching medical students, residents and fellows. She has been recognized as a “Top Doctor” by multiple regional and national organizations, including a cover feature in Baltimore Magazine’s 2013 Top Doctors issue. Her many honors include the Murray Davidson Award from the American Academy of Pediatrics which recognizes an outstanding clinician, educator and scientist who has made a significant contribution to the field of pediatric gastroenterology and nutrition.
Centers and Institutes
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Recent News Articles and Media Coverage
“You’ll never believe what doctors are using to fight gut infections: Fecal transplants,” The Washington Post, January 6, 2014
Research Interests
Autoimmune enteropathy, Crohn's disease, Eosinophilic gastroenteritis, Inflammatory bowel diseases, ulcerative colitis
Research Summary
Dr. Oliva-Hemker is an active clinical researcher who focuses on the treatment of inflammatory bowel diseases in children.
PubMed - Publications
Selected Publications
Oliva-Hemker M, Hutfless S, Al Kazzi ES, Lerer T, Mack D, LeLeiko N, Griffths A, Cabrera J, Otley A, Rick J, Bousvaros A, Rosh J, Grossman A, Saeed S, Kay M, Carvalho R, Keljo D, Pfefferkorn M, Faugion Jr, W, Kappelman M, Sudel B, Schaefer ME, Markowitz J, Hyams JS. Clinical presentation and five-year therapeutic management of very early-onset inflammatory bowel disease in a large North American cohort. J Pediatr May 15, 2015 doi:10.1016/j.peds.2015.04/045 Epub ahead of print
Hourigan S, Chen LA, Grigoryan Z, Laroche G, Weidner M, Sears C, Oliva-Hemker M. Microbiome changes associated with sustained eradication of Clostridium difficile after fecal microbiota transplantation in children with and without inflammatory bowel disease. Aliment Pharmcol Ther 42:741-52, 2015 Epub 2015 July 21.
Hourigan S, Sears CL and Oliva-Hemker M. Clostridium difficile infection in pediatric inflammatory bowel disease. Inflamm Bowel Dis 22:1020-5, 2016 Epub 2015 Dec 18.
Hourigan SK, Ahn M, Gibson KM, Perez-Losada M, Felix G, Weidner M, Leibowitz, Niederhuber JE, Sears CL, Crandall KA, Oliva-Hemker,M. Fecal translant in children with Clostridiodes difficile gives sustained reduction in antimicrobial resistance and potential pathogen burden. Open Forum Infect Dis 2019, Aug 26. Doi:10.1093/ofid/ofz379.eCollection
Hyams JS, Thomas SD, Gotman N, Haberman Y, Karns R, Schirmer M, Mo A, Mack DR, Boyle B, Griffin AM, Leleiko NS, Sauer Cg, Keljo DJ, Markowtiz J, Baker SS, Rosh J, Baldassano RN, Patel A, Pfefferkorn M, Otley A, Heyman M, Noe J, Oliva-Hemker M, Rufo PA, Strople J, Ziring D, Guthery SL, Sudel B, Benkov K, Wali P, Moulton D, Evans J, Kappelman MD, Marquis A, Sylverster FA, Collins MG< Venkatesaran S, Dubinksy M, Tanpricha V, Spada KL, Saul B, Wang J, Serrano J, Hommel K, Mariogorta UM, Gibson G, Xavier RJ, Kugathasan S, Walters T, Denson LA. Clinical and biological predictors of response to standardised paediatric colitis therapy: A multicenter inception cohort study. Lancet 2019 Mar 19. doi 10.1016/S0140-6736(18)32592-3 Epub ahead of print
Honors
- Top Doctor, U.S News & World Report
- America's Top Doctors, Castle Connolly Medical Ltd.
- Who's Who in Medicine and Healthcare, Marquis
- Excellence in Healthcare, Maryland/Southern Delaware Chapter of the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation, 11/16/18
- Top Doc, Baltimore Magazine--cover photo, 11/1/13
- Top Doc, Baltimore Magazine, 11/1/11
Professional Activities
- AGA Council: Pediatric Gastroenterology and Developmental Biology Section, Chair
- American Academy of Pediatrics Section of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Executive Committee member
- American Board of Pediatrics, Sub-board of Pediatric Gastroenterology
- Crohn's and Colitis Foundation, Board of Trustees
- Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition, Editorial board
Locations
- Rubenstein Child Health Building
- 200 North Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD 21287
- Get Directions
- phone: 443-997-5437
- fax: 410-367-2762
- Greater Baltimore Medical Center
- 6565 North Charles Street, Pavilion East STE 313, Baltimore, MD 21204
- Get Directions
- phone: 443-997-5437
- fax: 410-367-2762
Expertise
Education
- Fellowship: Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Pediatric Gastroenterology, 1993
- Residency: Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Pediatrics, 1989
- Medical Education: Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, MD, 1986
Board Certifications
- Pediatric Gastroenterology: American Board of Pediatrics, 1992
Insurance
- Aetna
- CareFirst
- Cigna
- First Health
- Geisinger Health Plan
- HealthSmart/Accel
- Johns Hopkins Health Plans
- MultiPlan
- Pennsylvania's Preferred Health Networks (PPHN)
- Point Comfort Underwriters
- Private Healthcare Systems (PHCS)
- Veteran Affairs Community Care Network (Optum-VACCN)