J. Marc Rhoads, MD

Biography

J. Marc Rhoads, MD, is a professor of pediatrics and division chief of Pediatric Gastroenterology at McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston, where he has served since 2006. A nationally and internationally recognized physician scientist, Dr. Rhoads has devoted his career to advancing the understanding and treatment of pediatric intestinal disorders such as infant diarrhea, colic, and autism spectrum disorder.

Dr. Rhoads completed his undergraduate degree at Johns Hopkins University and received his medical degree from the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. He trained in pediatrics at UCLA and completed a fellowship in pediatric gastroenterology at The Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto. Prior to joining UTHealth Houston, he held faculty leadership positions at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Ochsner Clinic, serving as division co-chief and division director, respectively.

A prolific researcher, Dr. Rhoads has authored hundreds of peer-reviewed publications, book chapters, reviews, and abstracts. His work has advanced foundational knowledge on nutrient-stimulated intestinal transport; mechanisms of intestinal injury and repair; the role of probiotics in intestinal and autoimmune diseases; and the immunologic underpinnings of gastrointestinal disorders. His laboratory has been continuously supported by national and international agencies including the NIH, USDA, Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, the World Health Organization (WHO), BioGaia, and several biomedical foundations.

Dr. Rhoads currently serves as co-principal investigator on several active research projects, including studies on probiotics, neonatal immune development, and gut bacteria and metabolites during inflammation. He also serves as assistant director and Internal Advisory Committee member for the NIH-funded Texas Medical Center Digestive Diseases Center.

Widely respected for his clinical excellence and mentorship, Dr. Rhoads has trained more than 40 pediatric gastroenterology fellows — many now academic leaders across the country — and has received numerous teaching and research honors. These include the McGovern Medical School Department of Pediatrics Award for Excellence in Research and Dedication to Teaching (2024), BioGaia Research Award (2025), and repeated recognition among America’s Top Doctors, Best Doctors, and Houstonia Magazine’s Top Doctors.

Dr. Rhoads is an active contributor to the scientific community, serving as associate editor for Nutrients and World Journal of Gastroenterology, and having participated on national grant review panels, including the WHO, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), the Thrasher Foundation, and the March of Dimes. He has been an invited speaker at major national and international conferences and has delivered lectures across North America, Europe, and Asia.

Dr. Rhoads enjoys inpatient and outpatient pediatric gastroenterology service, medical student and resident teaching, playing the piano, and continued contributions to the ACGME-accredited Pediatric Gastroenterology Fellowship Program he established at UTHealth Houston in 2008.