Dr. Nicholson has a broad background in clinical and epidemiologic pediatric research, including advanced training in biostatistics and protocol development as well as experience conducting prospective studies requiring patient enrollment. She has conducted both retrospective and prospective studies evaluating pediatric Clostridioides difficile infections, which were completed through a T32 training grant, the Thrasher Early Career Award, a NIAID K23, and most recently, a NIAID U19 to evaluate C. difficile immune responses.

As an Associate Professor of Pediatrics in Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Dr. Nicholson has established the Pediatric C. difficile Clinic which cares for children with refractory and recurrent C. difficile disease. She has also established the Pediatric Fecal Microbiota Transplantation (FMT) program at Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt and established herself as an expert in the treatment of C. difficile infections at Vanderbilt and nationally as the co-PI on a multi-center consortium evaluating FMT in pediatric patients with recurrent C. difficile. She received the North American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition (NASGPHAN) Young Faculty Clinical Investigator award for this work and has been made the NASGPHAN FMT Special Interest Group co-chair.

Much of her recent work has focused on the evaluation of C. difficile colonization related to issues surrounding diagnostics as well as related to the determination of mechanisms that protect against C. difficile infection.