Meet the Candidates for SPR President-Elect

The Society for Pediatric Research® (SPR) is pleased to introduce the candidates for 2026-2027 President-Elect, Ioannis Koutroulis, MD, PhD, MBA, Children’s National Hospital, and David McCulley, MD, University of California San Diego and Rady Children’s Hospital.

SPR Active Members are encouraged to participate in shaping the future of the Society by casting a vote for the incoming SPR President-Elect. All Active Members will receive a unique email from Survey Monkey to cast their vote. Voting will take place May 29 – June 18.

If you did not receive an email, please check your junk or spam folder for a message from: info@societyforpediatricresearch.org via SurveyMonkey <member@surveymonkeyuser.com>. Thank you for your participation in this year’s election!

Ioannis Koutroulis Headshot
Ioannis Koutroulis, MD, PhD, MBA

Children’s National Hospital

Person wearing a dark suit, white shirt, and navy polka-dot tie against a blue background.
David McCulley, MD

University of California San Diego and Rady Children’s Hospital

Ioannis Koutroulis, MD, is an emergency medicine physician at Children’s National Hospital and associate dean of MD admissions at George Washington University. He is originally from Greece, where he attended medical school and received a PhD in infectious diseases. He completed residency training in New York and a fellowship in Philadelphia at St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children and Drexel University College of Medicine. At that time, he also completed an MBA in healthcare management and finance.

David McCulley, MD, is a neonatologist with the Division of Neonatology at Rady Children’s Hospital-San Diego and an associate professor of pediatrics at UC San Diego School of Medicine. After earning his medical degree at Jefferson Medical College, Dr. McCulley completed his internship/residency in pediatrics at the University of Vermont. He went on to attend the University of California, San Francisco for his fellowship in neonatology.

Ioannis Koutroulis, MD, is an emergency medicine physician at Children’s National Hospital and associate dean of MD admissions at George Washington University. He is originally from Greece, where he attended medical school and received a PhD in infectious diseases. He completed residency training in New York and a fellowship in Philadelphia at St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children and Drexel University College of Medicine. At that time, he also completed an MBA in healthcare management and finance.

Dr. Koutroulis focuses his research on sepsis metabolism and how decreased energy production affects innate immunity. His primary goal is to identify treatment targets that will improve the metabolic profile of septic patients and subsequently alleviate the hyperimmune response that leads to multi-organ dysfunction.

I am seeking the opportunity to serve as President-Elect of the Society for Pediatric Research because SPR is not simply a professional society to me; it is the community that shaped my identity as a pediatric physician-scientist. SPR embodies the belief that rigorous science, compassion for children and families, and mentorship can coexist. Like many SPR members, my career has been sustained by mentors and collaborators who invested in me, and by trainees who renew my commitment to our mission. I have devoted my work to translational and clinical investigation, building multidisciplinary teams, and creating environments where early-career investigators feel supported, challenged, and valued. I have also seen how quickly the physician-scientist pipeline can fray when funding is uncertain and young investigators feel alone. Pediatric research is again at a crossroads. Rapid technological change offers extraordinary opportunity, yet it also risks widening gaps in access and training. SPR must remain a trusted home that advocates for pediatric investigators, elevates the visibility and credibility of our science, and builds practical pathways for trainees and junior faculty to thrive across institutions, disciplines, and backgrounds. If elected, I will lead with empathy, transparency, and urgency. I will work closely with Council and PAS partners to strengthen mentorship and career development, expand meaningful multidisciplinary collaboration, and ensure SPR stays focused on better outcomes for children. It would be an honor to give back to SPR and to help steward its mission for the next generation.

David McCulley, MD, is a neonatologist with the Division of Neonatology at Rady Children’s Hospital-San Diego and an associate professor of pediatrics at UC San Diego School of Medicine. After earning his medical degree at Jefferson Medical College, Dr. McCulley completed his internship/residency in pediatrics at the University of Vermont. He went on to attend the University of California, San Francisco for his fellowship in neonatology.

Dr. McCulley focuses his research on investigating the genetic and developmental mechanisms responsible for lung hypoplasia and pulmonary hypertension in people with congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH). His lab collaborates with human geneticists, developmental biologists, and pulmonary vascular physiologists to determine the underlying mechanisms responsible for this disease and to identify novel approaches that promote lung and pulmonary vascular development and improve survival for patients.

I would be honored to serve as President of the Society for Pediatric Research. My career has been shaped by engagement with SPR. As an early-stage investigator I benefited from SPR mentoring opportunities, as a regional SPR leader I helped develop the SPR Research Cohort Program, as SPR Ambassador to the North American Regional Societies I formed collaborative relationships with each regional society, and as a member of the SPR Executive Council I participated in efforts to advance children’s health and pediatric research through advocacy. These experiences have prepared me to advance the mission of SPR through collaboration, mentorship, and scientific excellence. As a physician-scientist and director of an NIH-supported laboratory studying the genetic mechanisms underlying congenital diaphragmatic hernia, I am committed to translating discovery into better outcomes for children. SPR mentorship and membership were instrumental in helping me establish my research program and build national and international collaborations. These experiences inspired my commitment to supporting emerging investigators. Mentorship and career development have been central to my work. As President of the Midwest Society for Pediatric Research, I partnered with SPR leaders to develop the Research Cohort Program, in which early-stage investigators build rapport, expand networks, and receive near-peer mentorship. In its fourth cycle, this program has become an effective model for promoting career advancement in pediatric research. For the past three years, I served as SPR Ambassador to the North American Regional Societies, organizing joint meetings focused on shared missions and strategies to support our members. As President, I will continue strengthening these collaborations while prioritizing opportunities for pediatric researchers and promoting discoveries that improve children’s health.

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