The research mission of the Division of Gastroenterology is to advance the understanding, diagnosis, treatment and prevention of diseases of the digestive tract, liver and pancreas. Discoveries into the underlying mechanisms of gastrointestinal diseases and new treatment approaches are facilitated by a large research base within the MGH and the NIH-funded Center for the Study of Inflammatory Bowel Disease.
Dr. Ashwin Ananthakrishnan
My research focuses on understanding the epidemiology of inflammatory bowel diseases, identifying predictors of natural history of disease, and defining high-risk subgroups. The overarching goal of my research is to work towards improving our understanding of the pathogenesis of these diseases, and developing a personalized medicine approach to the management of IBD.
Dr. William Brugge
Dr. Brugge is an active clinical consultant in gastroenterology and gastrointestinal endoscopy, focusing on patients with complex pancreatic diseases. His research has focused on the early diagnosis of pancreatic cancer, developing a variety of endoscopic techniques to aspirate malignant and pre-malignant lesions of the pancreas, including cystadenomas, intra-ductal tumors, and masses, as well as the study of EUS guided techniques to ablate cystic pancreatic malignancies. He performs therapeutic endoscopic procedures such as ERCP, stent placement, FNA and EMR.
Dr. Andrew T. Chan
Our research is focused on traditional, molecular, and genetic epidemiology of digestive diseases, including colorectal cancer, inflammatory bowel disease, and gastrointestinal bleeding.
Dr. Michael Choi
We study transcriptional regulation of gastrointestinal and hepatobiliary development and its application to regenerative medicine and cancer.
Dr. Daniel C. Chung
Elucidating the genetic events in gastrointestinal tumorigenesis
Dr. Raymond T. Chung
Research on hepatitis C persistence and pathogenesis, HCV pathogenesis and HCV and HIV co-infection.
Dr. Jules Dienstag
Viral hepatitis (trials of antiviral therapies for chronic hepatitis B and C); antiviral therapy for patients refractory to treatment for chronic hepatitis C; the Hepatitis C Antiviral Long-term Treatment against Cirrhosis (HALT-C) Trial.
Dr. Cosmas Giallourakis
We study genetics factors of intestinal diseases.
Dr. Richard Hodin
Molecular mechanisms of intestinal epithelial growth and differentiation; cell cycle regulation and colon carcinogenesis; thyroid hormone regulation of gut development
Dr. Chin Hur
Our research focuses on applying outcomes methodologies to the clinical field of gastroenterology. Specific examples include the use of decision-analytic modeling to perform comparative effectiveness research regarding the screening and management of various gastrointestinal cancers and diseases.
Dr. Lee Kaplan
Our research efforts include trials of new drugs to combat obesity, and studies examining the genetic and physical factors affecting appetite and fat metabolism.
A prospective comparison of duodenoscope assisted cholangiopancreatoscopy (DACP) and endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) to ERCP alone.
Dr. Braden Kuo
The laboratory is focused upon clinical and translational research in GI motility and visceral pain syndromes such as GERD, gastroparesis, constipation and irritable bowel syndrome.
Dr. Georg Lauer
Understanding the human immune response against viruses, with a focus on T cell responses targeting human hepatotropic viruses (hepatitis C virus (HCV), hepatitis B Virus (HBV), HCV/HIV co-infection). Establishing the groundwork for rational design of antiviral vaccines and immunotherapies.
Dr. Emiko Mizoguchi
Our laboratory interests include intestinal epithelial cell homeostasis under normal and inflammatory conditions and role of epithelial cells in innate immune response.
Dr. J. Rodrigo Mora
Understanding the impact of leukocyte trafficking in gastrointestinal and systemic immunity in health and disease
Dr. Alan Mullen
Understanding how TGF-beta signaling regulates the activity of coding and non-coding genes in development and disease
Dr. Aylwin Ng
We are interested in pursuing a systems-level understanding of microbial sensing mechanisms and regulatory control in immune signaling circuits through transcriptional, metabolic and epigenetic programming.
Dr. Deanna Nguyen
We are interested in studying the role of innate immune cells in the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease.
Clinical trial to optimize aminolevulinic acid-based photodynamic therapy of Barrett's esophagus.
Dr. Lee F. Peng
High-throughput screening of novel cell culture models of HCV-host interactions
Database and registry for primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC), primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC), and cholangiocarcinoma
Dr. Hans-Christian Reinecker
We are interested in the genetic basis and molecular mechanisms of microbial recognition and immune regulation in the digestive tract.
Gastroenterology quality management; colon cancer and polyps; gastrointestinal bleeding; inflammatory bowel disease; gastroesophageal reflux disease
Dr. Ramnik Xavier
Genetic analysis of signal transduction pathways that determine host cell responses to microbes and cancer
Dr. Vijay Yajnik
We are aiming to understand the molecular basis of cancer progression.
Clinical Trials in the Division of Gastroenterology
The Division is currently directing more than 30 clinical trials that seek to improve the treatment and diagnosis of a wide range of gastrointestinal conditions.
Center for the Study of Inflammatory Bowel Disease
This NIH-funded center brings together investigators with expertise in key areas integral to study of Inflammatory Bowel Disease.
Cooperative Centers for Translational Research in Human Immunology
This NIH-funded center brings together investigators who are pursuing basic and translational research on human immunological responses to NIAID Category A, B or C priority pathogens, their toxins, or other emerging or re-emerging infectious diseases.
Epigenetic Control of Innate Immunity
Epigenetics is a general term encompassing any and all mechanisms that govern gene expression patterns without modifying the underlying DNA sequence. We are interested in how “epigenetic” mechanisms such as histone modifying enzymes and non-coding RNA regulate inflammation and antiviral immunity.
