Research

TMC Digestive Disease Center News

Master
Heading

Member News

Content

Current DDC membership includes 103 members, with 62 full members and 41 associate members. DDC members have approximately $38 million in digestive diseases-related research funding as of 2022. The overall theme of the DDC is “Molecular mechanisms and outcomes of injury, infection, or metabolic dysfunction of the digestive system.” DDC Members may submit achievements and news using our online submission form.

Terms
Man

Item Term
Dr. Sean Hartig received an R01 Award

Item Definition

Dr. Sean Hartig, Associate Professor, Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism, received an R01 Award from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. The title of his project is, “Molecular regulation of leptin bioavailability.” (Funding Period: 4 years, Funding Amount: $2,585,312).

Fasiha

Item Term
Dr. Fasiha Kanwal has been awarded a VA HSR&D Merit Review (Investigator Initiated Research, IIR) Grant

Item Definition

Dr. Fasiha Kanwal has been awarded a VA HSR&D Merit Review (Investigator Initiated Research, IIR) grant titled, "Integrating Veteran-Centered Care for Advanced Liver Disease (I-VCALD)." (Funding amount: $1.5M. Funding period: 4 years).
 
The objective is to conduct a randomized controlled clinical trial of a new advanced liver disease clinical care model which employs a whole person approach. The intervention includes identification of patients with advanced liver disease using a population-based health management system and integration of curative and early supportive care using a virtual outreach nurse care counselor. 
 
Dr. Steven M. Asch, Professor at the Stanford School of Medicine will serve as an MPI. Co-Investigators include Ruben Hernaez, MD, PhD, Jennifer Kramer, PhD, and Amber Amspoker, PhD (IQuESt and BCM), Ramsey Cheung, MD, Thomas Taylor, PhD, Caroline Gray, PhD, Clara Dismuke-Greer, PhD (Stanford and VA Palo Alto HSR&D COIN),  Arpan Patel, MD, PhD, Anne Walling, MD, PhD (UCLA and the Greater Los Angeles VA Healthcare System), Ragesh Thandassery, MD (University of Arkansas and Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System, Little Rock), and Tamar Taddei, MD (Yale University School of Medicine and VA Connecticut Healthcare System).
 
Please join us in congratulating Dr. Kanwal, the MPI, the co-Investigators, and project team on this accomplishment
 

Dr.

Item Term
Dr. Jason Hou to serve as the Director of Clinical Trials

Item Definition

I am pleased to announce that Jason K. Hou, M.D., M.S., A.G.A.F., F.A.C.G. will assume the role of Director of Clinical Trials in the Department of Medicine (DoM) on October 1, 2023. In this role, he will increase the participation and success of DoM Faculty in industry-sponsored clinical trials (ISCT). The model of the DoM Clinical Trials Unit is to prepare, train, and support faculty in the DoM to develop their own ISCT research teams. Please join me in congratulating and supporting Dr. Hou in his new role, and to obtain guidance on clinical trials.

Photo

Item Term
Drs. Fasiha Kanwal and Hashem El-Serag received a NIH U01 grant

Item Definition

Drs. Fasiha Kanwal and Hashem El-Serag received a NIH U01 grant titled, "Risk Stratification for and Early Detection of Liver Cancer," funded with total budget of $4.5 million (direct cost $2.75 million) over five years. Other multiple PIs include Drs. Jagpreet Chhatwal (Mass General Hospital, Harvard Medical School) and Eugene Koay (MD Anderson Cancer Center).  
The overarching goal of the grant is to reduce the mortality of hepatocellular cancer (HCC) by developing personalized indices that combine novel and exciting biomarkers with clinical, behavioral and genetic data to improve risk stratification and increase early detection of HCC.

Photo

Item Term
Dr. Ayse Mindikoglu has received the Norton Rose Filbright Award for Teaching and Evaluation

Item Definition

Dr. Ayse Mindikoglu has received the Norton Rose Filbright Award for Teaching and Evaluation. This award recognizes faculty for their exemplary educational contributions.

Her accomplishment will be recognized at the Baylor College of Medicine Awards Day celebration. Details for the ceremony will be shared with available.

Douglas

Item Term
Dr. Douglas Burrin was awarded the Senior Distinguished Research Scientist Award

Item Definition

Dr. Douglas Burrin was awarded the Senior Distinguished Research Scientist Award by the USDA-ARS, this is a national award given to the top research scientists with the USDA-ARS.

View post from the USDA-ARS.

Dr.

Item Term
Jason K. Hou, M.D. will assume the role of Director of Baylor College of Medicine (BCM) Crohn's and Colitis Program

Item Definition

Jason K. Hou, M.D. will assume the role of Director of Baylor College of Medicine (BCM) Crohn's and Colitis Program. In this role, he will ensure BCM CCP serves as the home for innovative research, compassionate patient care, and community and professional education in Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD).

Dr. Hou has served as Medical Director of IBD at the Michael DeBakey VA Medical Center, former Program Director of the BCM GI and Hepatology Fellowship Program and is supported by federal funding for IBD research including current support from PCORI, VA HSRD, and NIDDK.

Photo

Item Term
Dr. Natalia Khalaf has received funding from the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation

Item Definition

It is my pleasure to announce that Dr. Natalia Khalaf has received funding from the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation Diagnostic Excellence Grant for her project entitled, “Clinical Quality Measures to Improve the Diagnosis for Gastrointestinal Cancers.” (Funding amount: $500,000 Funding period: 2 years).

The diagnosis of GI cancer requires recognition of certain signs or symptoms (“red-flags”). Once these red-flags are recognized, patients should be referred for further diagnostic work-up. Research suggests that provider recognition of, or action on, these red-flags is not a fail-safe. To address these process breakdowns that lead to avoidable delays in cancer diagnosis, she and her team are developing two digital quality measures (dQMs) centered around potentially avoidable emergency cancer presentations of colorectal and pancreatic cancers within the national VA healthcare system and CommonSpirit Health.

Please join me in congratulating Dr. Khalaf on this outstanding accomplishment.

Photo

Item Term
Mary K. Estes, Ph.D., was presented the Arthur L. Beaudet Award for Outstanding Mentorship

Item Definition

Mary K. Estes, Ph.D., was presented the Arthur L. Beaudet Award for Outstanding Mentorship on July 20, 2023, in recognition of her unwavering commitment to foster the intellectual, creative, scholarly, and professional growth of her mentees.  She is a distinguished service professor in the department of the molecular virology and microbiology at Baylor College of Medicine and has had an impressive research career. Dr. Estes is also a founding director of the DDC and currently serves as Co-Director of our Gastrointestinal Experimental Model Systems (GEMS) core. 

Fasiha

Item Term
Dr. Fasiha selected for Executive Leadership in Academic Medicine (ELAM) fellowship

Item Definition

Dr. Fasiha Kanwal has been selected to participate in the Executive Leadership in Academic Medicine (ELAM) fellowship for women in academic medicine.  This program is a year-long part-time fellowship designed for women faculty in senior leadership roles at schools of medicine, dentistry, public health and pharmacy nationwide. The program is dedicated to developing the professional and personal skills required to lead and managed in today’s complex healthcare environment, with special attention to the unique challenges facing women in leadership positions. Selection into ELAM includes nomination of up to two women leaders from each institution. Dr. Kanwal was nominated by Baylor College of Medicine for this fellowship this year. 

Jason

Item Term
Dr. Mills awarded funding for study

Item Definition

Dr. Jason Mills, professor, gastroenterology and hepatology, has received funding from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases of the National Institute of Health. The title of his study is, “Regulation of atrophy-induced progenitor cells in the gastric corpus.” The grant award proposes to study how the stem cells of the stomach lining regenerate after injury. (Funding Amount: $2,664,266; Funding Period: 5 years.)

Doug

Item Term
Congratulations to Dr. Douglas G. Burrin on winning the 2023 Bruce R. Bistrian Nutrition Mentorship Award

Item Definition

Congratulations to Dr. Douglas G. Burrin on winning the 2023 Bruce R. Bistrian Nutrition Mentorship Award from the American Society for Parenteral & Enteral Nutrition (ASPEN). Dr. Burrin will receive the award at the Nutrition Science and Practice Conference for his outstanding accomplishments in research and leadership focused on pediatric nutrition and gastroenterology and the development of swine as innovative models of human infant metabolism and development.

Congratulations Dr. Burrin on this well-deserved honor!

hashem-el-serag/

Item Term
Dr. El-Serag appointed Vice President for the Learning Health System (LHS) Initiative

Item Definition

Hashem El-Serag, M.D., M.P.H., Professor and Chair of the Margaret M. and Albert B. Alkek Department of Medicine, has been appointed Vice President for the Learning Health System (LHS) Initiative at Baylor, effective immediately. In this additional leadership role, he will lead development of the strategic vision to build Baylor’s LHS. The initial focus will be on working with mission area leaders and forming a multidisciplinary Learning Health System team that will develop goals and tactics to achieve the goals. Dr. El-Serag, who holds the Margaret M. Alkek Distinguished Chair in Medicine, has a tremendous understanding of how to bring together the traditional components of a Learning Health System that includes science and discovery, translational medicine, precision medicine and population health and to establish Baylor as a national leader in this area.

Heading

2022

Terms
Peter

Item Term
Dr. Peter Hotez recognized with Michael E. DeBakey M.D. Award for Excellence in Research.

Item Definition

Aug. 18: Dr. Hotez is an internationally recognized physician-scientist in neglected tropical diseases and vaccine development.  As co-director of the Texas Children’s Center for Vaccine Development, he leads a team and product development partnership for developing new vaccines for hookworm infection, schistosomiasis, leishmaniasis, Chagas disease and SARS/MERS/SARS-2 coronavirus, diseases affecting hundreds of millions of children and adults worldwide, while championing access to vaccines globally and in the U.S.  

Joseph

Item Term
Dr. Joseph Hyser recognized with Michael E. DeBakey M.D. Award for Excellence in Research

Item Definition

Aug. 18: Dr. Joseph Hyser’s research work is dedicated to improving our understanding of host-pathogen interactions. He has focused on characterizing host signaling pathways that enteric viruses, such as rotavirus, destabilize to cause gastrointestinal disease. His work stands out because it is shifting prevailing paradigms within the field.

Geoffrey

Item Term
Dr. Geoffrey Preidis Receives R01 and R03 Awards From NIDDK

Item Definition

July 2022: DDC member and 2016 & 2017 Pilot Feasibility awardee, Geoffrey Preidis, M.D., Ph.D., assistant professor of pediatrics – gastroenterology, hepatology and nutrition at Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children’s Hospital, has received two awards from National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases for his work in malnutrition. His project titled “The metabolic basis for impaired bile acid synthesis in malnutrition” received $1,326,062 in direct funding and his project, “Impaired bile acid synthesis due to CYP7A1 and CYP7B1 suppression in malnutrition,” received $150,000 in direct funding. Dr. Preidis is an active member of the DDC, and also leads the DDC Seminar Committee and serves on the DDC Internal Advisory Committee. 

Allison

Item Term
Dr. Allison Speer receives K08 award from NIDDK

Item Definition

July 2022: DDC member and 2017 Pilot Feasibility awardee, Allison Speer, M.D., assistant professor of pediatric surgery at The University of Texas Health Science Center, has received a total of $717,780 in research support. This five-year grant, awarded by the NIDDK, will support her project entitled, "Enteric nervous System Development and Function in Human Intestinal Organoids.” Intestinal failure is a devastating disease with an incidence of 24.5 cases per 100,000 live births that if left untreated results in dehydration, malnutrition, and ultimately, death.  

Dr.

Item Term
Dr. Hashem El-Serag receives $7.5 million in NCI Funding for HCC and MAFLD Research.

Item Definition

July 2022: DDC Co-Director, Hashem B. El-Serag, M.D., M.P.H. has received over $7.5 million in funding from the National Cancer Institute for his project entitled, “Prevention of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Related to Metabolic Syndrome.” This five-year program project intends to reduce the burden of HCC-related mortality through better understanding of contemporary risk and protective factors of HCC related to Metabolic (dysfunction) associated fatty liver disease or MAFLD. 
 
Co-investigators include: 

  • Dr. Fasiha Kanwal - Gastroenterology and Hepatology 
  • Dr. Aaron Thrift - Epidemiology and Population Sciences
  • Dr. Chris Amos - Epidemiology and Population Sciences
  • Dr. Salma Kaochar - Hematology and Oncology
  • Dr. Jennifer Kramer - Health Services Research 
  • Dr. Donna White - Gastroenterology and Hepatology
  • Dr. Christie Ballantyne - Cardiology 
  • Dr. Mandeep Bajaj - Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism
  • Dr. Cristian Coarfa -  Hematology and Oncology 

Kudos to Dr. El-Serag and co-investigators, including DDC members, Drs. Fasiha Kanwal, Aaron Thrift, Donna White and Jennifer Kramer, as well as other key faculty on this outstanding accomplishment.

Dr.

Item Term
Drs. Graham, El-Serag, and Kanwal named Top Scientists by Research.com

Item Definition

June 2022: The first edition of top scientists ranking for medicine was published by Research.com, one of the major websites for medicine research offering credible data on scientific contributions since 2014. The ranking contains h-index, publications and citations values collected on Dec. 6, 2021. For the discipline of medicine, over 65,743 profiles were examined. The inclusion criteria for scholars to be considered into the ranking of top scientists are based on the discipline h-index, proportion of the contributions made within the given discipline in addition to the awards and achievements of the scientists. The discipline h-index threshold for listing top scientists is set as an increment of 10 depending on the total number of researchers estimated for each discipline whilst ensuring that the top 1% of leading scientists are considered into the ranking. Three members of DDC leadership, Hashem El-Serag, M.D., M.P.H., Fasiha Kanwal, M.D., M.S.H.S., and David Graham, M.D., were identified as the top scientists in Medicine.

Dr.

Item Term
Dr. Mindikoglu featured in The Peninsula Qatar regarding intermittent fasting

Item Definition

June 2022: Dr. Ayse Mindikoglu, associate professor of gastroenterology and hepatology, was featured in The Peninsula Qatar on June 6 for an article titled, "Why intermittent fasting boosts recycling process inside our body cells." 

Natalia

Item Term
Dr. Khalaf receives $500,000 grant from the Gordan and Betty More Foundation

Item Definition

June 2022: Natalia Khalaf, M.D., has received grant funding from the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation’s Diagnostic Excellence Initiative for her project entitled, “Measuring Missed Opportunities in the Diagnosis of Gastrointestinal Cancers.” (Funding amount: $500,000. Funding period: 18 months). The goal of this collaborative project with the University of North Carolina is to develop two, interrelated diagnostic clinical quality measures for the following 4 high-priority GI cancers: colorectal, gastric, pancreas, and liver. The measures focus on (1) potentially avoidable delays in diagnosis (delays measure) and (2) potentially avoidable emergency cancer presentations (emergency measure). Dr. Khalaf is also a 2021 DDC Pilot Feasibility Awardee. Congratulations to Dr. Khalaf and her mentor, Dr. Hardeep Singh, on this outstanding accomplishment.

Mimi

Item Term
Dr. Tan receives K23 award from NIDDK

Item Definition

May 2022: Dr. Mimi Tan, assistant professor of gastroenterology and hepatology, was awarded an NIH K23 award from the NIDDK for her project titled, "Development and Validation of an Automated Algorithm for Real-time Detection of Neoplasia in Barrett's Esophagus using a Low-cost, Portable Microendoscope". ($993,595 for five years).

Jason

Item Term
Dr. Mills receives Outstanding Mentor Award from AGA

Item Definition

May 2022: Dr. Jason Mills, Herman Brown Endowed Professor of gastroenterology at Baylor College of Medicine and co-director of the TMC Digestive Diseases Center was selected as a recipient of the Outstanding Mentor Award from the American Gastroenterology Association at the Digestive Disease Week annual meeting. 

Dr.

Item Term
Dr. Balakrishnan featured in Gastroenterology & Endoscopy News on novel weight loss for NAFLD patients

Item Definition

April 2022: Dr. Maya Balakrishnan, assistant professor, Gastroenterology and Hepatology, was featured in Gastroenterology & Endoscopy News on April 23 for an article titled, "Novel Weight Loss Strategy Delivers Benefits to Patients With NAFLD."

Robert

Item Term
Dr. Atmar featured in El Nuevo Herald regarding gastroenteritis

Item Definition

April 2022: Dr. Robert Atmar, professor of infectious diseases, was featured in El Neuvo Herald on April 11 for an article titled, "Gastroenteritis vuelve a aumentar en EEUU. Cinco cosas que hay que saber sobre los norovirus."

Fasiha

Item Term
Dr. Fasiha Kanwal receives VA HSR&D Merit Review

Item Definition

April 2022: Dr. Fasiha Kanwal has been awarded a VA HSR&D Merit Review (Investigator Initiated Research, IIR) grant titled, "Integrating Veteran-Centered Care for Advanced Liver Disease (I-VCALD)." (Funding amount: $1,513,109. Funding period: four years). The objective is to conduct a randomized controlled clinical trial of a new advanced liver disease clinical care model which employs a whole person approach that identifies patients with advanced liver disease using a population-based health management system and integrates curative and early supportive care using a virtual outreach nurse care counselor.  

Theresa

Item Term
DDC Members mentor rising star. Dr. Theresa Nguyen awarded Faculty Development Award

Item Definition

April 2022: Dr. Theresa Nguyen was awarded the inaugural Department of Medicine Physician-Scientist/Investigator Faculty Development Award for the study entitled, “An Electronic Trigger Tool to Detect Missed Opportunities for Barrett's Esophagus Screening." (Funding amount: $207,906. Funding period: two year). The study is aimed at improving adherence to Barrett's esophagus screening in order to identify patients who may benefit from esophageal adenocarcinoma prevention programs by leveraging health informatics and electronic health record data analytics. Dr. Nguyen’s primary mentor is Dr. Hashem El-Serag (DDC Co-Director). Her secondary mentors and co-investigators include Dr. Hardeep Singh, Dr. Aaron P. Thrift (DDC Full Member), Dr. Andrew Zimolzak, and Dr. Joel Rubenstein (University of Michigan). Congratulations to Dr. Nguyen and her mentoring team on this outstanding accomplishment.

hashem-el-serag/

Item Term
Dr. El-Serag receives CPRIT Award

Item Definition

March 2022: Dr. Hashem El-Serag has received funding from the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT) award for his project entitled, “Novel Metabolics and Radiomics for Predicting HCC Risk.” (Funding amount: $1,995,127. Funding period: Four years). Kudos to Dr. El-Serag on this outstanding accomplishment.

Jason

Item Term
Jason Mills, M.D., Ph.D., Appointed New DDC Co-Director

Item Definition

August 2021: Dr. Jason Mills, professor and chief of research at Baylor College of Medicine will serve as co-director of the Texas Medical Center Digestive Diseases Center. Dr. Mills is a well-funded human pathologist and cell and developmental biologist. His research has focused on how stem cells give rise to mature, functional cells in homeostasis and how these processes are reversed during regeneration and tumorigenesis, especially as induced by pathogens. In his new role, Dr. Mills will work with center director Hashem B. El-Serag, M.D., M.P.H., to provide governance, financial and operational management and strategic planning functions for the DDC.

James Versalovic, M.D., Ph.D., pathologist-in-chief and head of pathology and immunology and director of the Texas Children’s Microbiome Center at Texas Children’s Hospital, previously served the role of DDC co-director. Dr. Versalovic will continue to serve as Director of the Functional Genomics and Microbiome Core of the DDC and will remain a member of the Internal Advisory Committee. We look forward to continued success under these leadership changes.
 

Dr

Item Term
Dr. Tor Savidge to join the NIH Digestive System Host Defense, Microbial Interactions and Immune and Inflammation Study Section, Center for Scientific Review

Item Definition

Beginning July 1, 2021 and ending June 30, 2024, Dr. Tor Savidge will serve as a member of the Digestive System Host Defense, Microbial Interactions and Immune and Inflammation Study Section, Center for Scientific Review at the National Institute of Health. Members are selected based on their demonstrated competence and achievement in their scientific discipline as evidenced by the quality of research accomplishments, publications in scientific journals, and other significant scientific activities, achievements and honors. Service on a study section also requires mature judgment and objectivity as well as the ability to work effectively in a group, qualities Dr. Savidge will surely bring to this important task. 

Jason

Item Term
Jason Mills, M.D., Ph.D. Appointed New DDC Associate Director

Item Definition

As of May 1, 2021, Dr. Jason Mills, faculty member in the Department of Medicine, Gastroenterology Section, at Baylor College of Medicine will serve as associate director of the Texas Medical Center Digestive Diseases Center. Dr. Mills was trained as a human pathologist and cell and developmental biologist. His research focuses on how stem cells give rise to mature, functional cells in homeostasis and how these processes are reversed during regeneration and tumorigenesis, especially as induced by pathogens. Dr. Mills received his M.D., Ph.D. in Cell Biology from the University of Pennsylvania. He has led several translational efforts, including clinical trials, to use his ongoing research of the study of paligenosis to better prevent or treat tumors. 

Terms
James

Item Term
James Versalovic, M.D., Ph.D., Appointed New DDC Co-Director

Item Definition

As of May 1, 2019, Dr. James Versalovic, professor and vice chair of Pathology & Immunology at Baylor College of Medicine and pathologist-in-chief and director of the Texas Children’s Microbiome Center at Texas Children’s Hospital, will serve as co-director of the Texas Medical Center Digestive Diseases Center. Dr. Versalovic is a well-funded physician scientist in digestive diseases and an international leader in gut microbiome research. He has been a long standing and instrumental part of the DDC leadership team as co-director of our Functional Genomics and Microbiome Core (Core C) for several years. In his new role, Dr. Versalovic will work with Center Director Hashem B. El-Serag, M.D., M.P.H., to provide governance, financial and operational management, and strategic planning functions for the DDC. He will continue his role as director of Core C.

The role of DDC co-director was previously served by Doug Burrin, Ph.D., a USDA-ARS research physiologist at Baylor. Dr. Burrin will continue to lead the Pilot Feasibility Program of the DDC and will remain a part of the center as a member of the Internal Advisory Committee. We look forward to continued success under these leadership changes.

Jian

Item Term
Dr. Jian Chen Receives AASLD Foundation Pinnacle Research Award in Liver Disease

Item Definition

Dr. Jian Chen, assistant professor in the department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, & Nutrition at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, will receive a Pinnacle Research Award from the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD) Foundation. This honor includes a three-year award of $300,000, which will support Dr. Chen's project, "Deregulated PRAJA1-TGF-ß Signaling in Liver Cancer Stem Cells." Dr. Chen is a 2017 DDC Pilot Feasibility Awardee.

Rotavirus

Item Term
Launch of Gastrointestinal Experimental Model Systems Core (GEMS)

Item Definition

With the start of its 16th year, the TMC Digestive Diseases Center has some exciting announcements. In an effort to meet the increasing demands of members and provide access to state-of-the art research through our cores, the DDC has launched the Gastrointestinal Experimental Model Systems Core (GEMS). Formerly the Integrative Biology Core, the GEMS Core is organized to encompass an enteroid/organoid subcore and a gnotobiotic subcore. This core offers turnkey access to organoids/enteroid technologies to researchers, including samples (enteroids, organoids), reagents (specialized growth media, etc.), training, and consultative expertise. The core also provides access to Baylor Gnotobiotic Rodent Facility and animals, training and consultative expertise. With the launch of the GEMS Core, researchers have access to enteroid and organoid services as well as an advanced germ-free rodent facility

The new GEMS Core will be led by Director Noah Shroyer, Ph.D., associate professor gastroenterology and hepatology at Baylor. Dr. Shroyer has been a longtime DDC member, and a 2005 pilot feasibility awardee. Mary Estes, Ph.D., emeritus director of the DDC and professor of molecular virology and microbiology at Baylor will serve as co-director of the GEMS Core. Alton G. Swennes, D.V.M, associate director of the Center for Comparative Medicine, will also serve as co-director. Dr. Swennes has extensive experience with gnotobiotic facility design and will offer consultation on study design and feasibility.

Learn more about the newly established GEMS core.

Shumei

Item Term
Dr. Shumei Song Receives Multiple DOD Grants

Item Definition

Shumei Song, M.D., Ph.D., associate professor in the department of GI Medical Oncology at the MD Anderson Cancer Center has been awarded multiple department of defense grants. Dr. Song received a $640,000 grant in support of her project "Immune-Suppression and Tumor-Stromal Interaction Mediated by Galectin-3 in Gastric Cancer — Implications of Novel Therapeutic Strategies" and an additional $640,000 grant to support her project, "Discover Novel Biomarkers/Targets for Advanced Gastric Adenocarcinoma Patients by Exploring Tumor-Associated Exosomes From Malignant Ascites." She is also co-PI on a project entitled, "Exploiting RhoA mutations in diffuse gastric adenocarcinoma and targeting intertwined RhoA and Yap1 pathways for therapeutic advantage," which also received DOD funding. Dr. Song is a previous Pilot Feasibility awardee and one of the awarded DOD grants is an extension of the work funded by her DDC pilot grant.

Fasiha

Item Term
Dr. Fasiha Kanwal Appointed Gastroenterology and Hepatology Chief

Item Definition

Dr. Fasiha Kanwal, Digestive Disease Core director, has been selected and agreed to serve as the new chief for the Section of Gastroenterology and Hepatology in the Department of Medicine. She has served in the interim chief role since January 2017. Dr. Fasiha Kanwal received her training in gastroenterology and hepatology from University of California Los Angeles, and received research training with a Masters in Science, Health Services. Her research focuses on assessing and improving quality and outcomes of care in individuals with chronic liver diseases, including those with chronic hepatitis C, hepatitis B virus, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular cancer. She was the recipient of highly competitive faculty awards, including the Research Excellence in GI and Liver Award (2007) and Emerging Leaders in Gastroenterology Award (2008).

Dr.

Item Term
Dr. Mary Estes Receives Record-Breaking Two AGA Recognitions in 2018

Item Definition

Dr. Mary K. Estes, professor of virology and microbiology and medicine gastroenterology and emeritus founder of the TMC Digestives Diseases Center, has been awarded two prestigious American Gastroenterological Association recognitions. The AGA honored Dr. Estes with the William Beaumont Prize in Gastroenterology, which recognizes an individual who has made a unique, outstanding contribution of major importance to the field of gastroenterology. Dr. Estes’ fundamental discoveries and contributions to the field of gastrointestinal infections has had a world-wide impact on the care of children due to her work on rotavirus and individuals of all ages due to her work on norovirus. The AGA also awarded the Distinguished Mentor Award to Dr. Estes, marking the first time an AGA member has been awarded two recognition prizes in the same year. The AGA Distinguished Mentor Award recognizes an individual who has made a lifelong effort dedicated to the mentoring of trainees in the field of gastroenterology and for achievements as outstanding mentors throughout their careers. View press release.

David

Item Term
Dr. David Durgan receives $1.2 million award from NIH

Item Definition

Dr. David Durgan, assistant professor of anesthesiology, was recently awarded an R01 from the NIH National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute for his project “Examining the role of gut dysbiosis in obstructive sleep apnea induced hypertension”. This award will provide funding in the amount of $1,250,000 over the next five years. Dr. Durgan was a two-time recipient of the TMC DDC Pilot Feasibility Award in 2015 and 2016.

Back to topback-to-top