Research in Gastrointestinal Disease

Inflammatory bowel disease and GI cancers account for more than half the gastrointestinal disease in the U.S. Faculty in the UCSF Division of Gastroenterology contribute importantly to the knowledge base for these disorders and are influential in the translation of scientific discoveries to the clinic. Several basic and clinical experts in the division are integrated within the Inflammatory Bowel Disease Center.

Additional specialists in the division are recognized for their work on GI cancers and cancer genetics and their research to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of GI care.

Basic Science Research in Gastrointestinal Disease

• Gastrointestinal microbiome. GI faculty investigate how interactions between microbes and intestinal cells contribute to inflammatory bowel disease, and how events in early life impact GI bacteria and the risk of subsequent intestinal disease. (Susan Lynch)
   
• Mucosal immunology. GI faculty are experts in mucosal immunology who study cell signaling processes that contribute to inflammatory bowel diseases. (Averil Ma, Michael Kattah)
   
• Gastrointestinal cancer. GI faculty are using systems biology approaches to study the cell biology of GI tumors (esophagus, pancreas) and design rational therapies.

Patient-oriented Research in Gastrointestinal Disease

• Colorectal cancer prevention. GI faculty study colon cancer risk and prevention in individuals with hereditary predisposition to the disease(Aparajita Singh, Douglas Corley, Jeffrey Lee, Ma Somsouk, Mustafa Arain, Jonathan Terdiman). In the general population, GI faculty are investigating the economy and effectiveness of fecal immunohistochemical testing for colon cancer. (Aparajita Singh, Jonathan Terdiman)
   
• Ergonomics of endoscopy. GI faculty study how performing endoscopy affects the musculoskeletal health of practitioners and how work-related injury can be prevented by changes in technique and instrument design. (Amandeep Shergill)
   
• Inflammatory bowel disease. GI faculty are engaged in numerous studies pertaining to inflammatory bowel disease, with special emphasis on women’s health and medically underserved populations. Research focuses on assessment of new treatments and reducing the risk of complications such as colon cancer. (Fernando Velayos, James Ryan, Justin Sewell, Kendall Beck, Kenneth McQuaid, Najwa El-Nachef, Sara Lewin, Uma Mahadevan)
   
• Pregnancy and inflammatory bowel disease. See the PIANO page. (Uma Mahadevan)

• Crohn's Disease and Pregnancy

  https://health.usnews.com/conditions/crohns-disease/articles/crohns-disease-and-pregnancy?src=usn_sourceshare

• Gastrointestinal Motility & Secretion. (Priya Kathpalia)

• Health services research in gastroenterology. GI faculty are involved in research to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of GI care, including improvements to electronic referral systems, patient registries and endoscopy units. (Justin Sewell, Lukejohn Day)
   
• Advanced & Therapeutic Endoscopy (Andrew Nett, Chris Hamerski, James Ostroff, John Cello, Mustafa Arain, Sun-Chuan Dai, Tonya Kaltenbach)