NIMA Partners, Inc, maker of the portable NIMA Gluten Sensor, announces the formation of its Clinical Advisory Board—a group of leading clinicians and dietitians tasked with exploring how emerging food-testing technologies may fit into the future of celiac disease management.
Celiac disease affects an estimated 3.4 million Americans and currently has no treatment beyond strict gluten avoidance. But adherence remains difficult due to hidden gluten, inconsistent labeling, and cross-contamination risks in everyday settings like restaurants, travel, and social gatherings. These challenges can lead to both physical symptoms and ongoing anxiety for patients and families.
“People living with celiac disease often have to navigate food safety on their own. Unlike other chronic conditions, such as diabetes, where tools like glucose monitors help guide daily decisions, celiac disease management still depends heavily on education, vigilance, and avoidance. We want to better understand how at-home testing tools that provide immediate feedback on food safety can complement clinical guidance and help patients manage their condition with more confidence,” says Mike Glick, CEO of NIMA.
NIMA’s Clinical Advisory Board will help define where portable gluten detection technology can provide meaningful, clinically relevant support, with a particular focus on newly diagnosed patients navigating the early stages of disease management. The board will also emphasize the importance of foundational patient education, ensuring that NIMA is positioned as a tool that complements—rather than replace—the knowledge and habits needed to manage celiac disease safely.
Initial members of NIMA’s Clinical Advisory Board include the following:
Kate Bourke, RD
Bourke is a registered dietitian with extensive clinical experience translating complex nutritional science into practical, patient-centered strategies. She specializes in celiac disease, autoimmune conditions, and complex dietary management, bringing a rare combination of deep clinical knowledge and an approachable, patient-first communication style. Currently on NIMA’s Clinical Advisory Board, Bourke is focused on shaping patient-facing programs and messaging. Her clinical insight and personal experience with celiac disease will help ensure that what NIMA communicates, and how we communicate it, reflects the real questions, fears, and needs of people at every stage of their celiac journey.
Salvatore (Salvo) Alesci, MD, PhD, Physician-Scientist, and Research Strategist
Alesci brings over two decades of experience spanning pharmaceutical R&D, health policy, and patient advocacy. He holds an MD and a PhD in experimental endocrine and metabolic sciences, and has held senior leadership roles at Wyeth, Pfizer, Merck, and Takeda, guiding drug development programs across immunology, rheumatology, women’s health and musculoskeletal biology. He also served as chief scientist and strategy officer at Beyond Celiac, the leading research-driven patient advocacy organization for celiac disease, an effort shaped in part by his personal connection to celiac disease, as both of his children live with the condition. His focus with NIMA is helping shape the company’s clinical and evidence-generation strategy, with particular emphasis on building the kind of data that clinicians, researchers, and patients can trust and act on. As NIMA advances its clinical data plan and longer-term goals around reimbursement, credibility, and broader access, Alesci’s expertise in translational medicine and research strategy is instrumental.
Jignesh Shah, MD, Gastroenterologist
Shah is a board-certified gastroenterologist with over 20 years of clinical experience, practicing at hospitals across Southeast Houston. His clinical expertise spans celiac disease and malabsorption, inflammatory bowel disease, and a broad spectrum of gastrointestinal disorders. He completed extensive training at the University of Louisville, including residency and fellowships in pediatrics, internal medicine, gastroenterology, hepatology, and clinical nutrition. Throughout his career, he has been recognized for his commitment to patient care and clinical excellence. As a practicing gastrointestinal physician, Shah brings a critical, real-world perspective to NIMA’s next phase of growth—specifically, how new tools are recommended, adopted, and integrated into everyday clinical practice. On the advisory board, he focuses on guiding physician adoption pathways across screening, surveillance, and longitudinal monitoring, helping position NIMA as a standard component of care for managing celiac disease between visits.
— Source: NIMA Partners