The Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology currently holds three National Institutes of Health (NIH) awards, including a National Cancer Institute (NIH/NCI) award received this year.  The Division also receives funding from private sources.  To help secure more NIH funding, the Division recently hired Dr. Joseph Romagnuolo as Clinical Research Director.

Research activity includes projects investigating stellate cell function in hepatic fibrosis; the impact of obesity on chronic liver disease; the effect of inflammation on esophageal motility; and esophageal impedance in Barrett’s syndrome.

The Division also is participating in pharmaceutical trials in hepatitis C virus (HCV) therapy and inflammatory bowel disease.  Other research initiatives include the study of biomarkers in gastric cancer; mechanisms of achlorhydria in Heliobacter pylori (HP) infection and endoscopic development; as well as projects related to nutrition such as total parenteral nutrition associated liver disease.