User login
FDA approves adalimumab biosimilar Hyrimoz
The Food and Drug Administration has approved the adalimumab biosimilar Hyrimoz (adalimumab-adaz) for a variety of conditions, according to Sandoz, the drug’s manufacturer and a division of Novartis.
FDA approval for Hyrimoz is based on a randomized, double-blind, three-arm, parallel biosimilarity study that demonstrated equivalence for all primary pharmacokinetic parameters, according to the press release. A second study confirmed these results in patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis, with Hyrimoz having a safety profile similar to that of adalimumab. Hyrimoz was approved in Europe in July 2018.
Hyrimoz has been approved to treat rheumatoid arthritis, juvenile idiopathic arthritis in patients aged 4 years and older, psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, adult Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, and plaque psoriasis. The most common adverse events associated with the drug, according to the label, are infections, injection site reactions, headache, and rash.
Hyrimoz is the third adalimumab biosimilar approved by the FDA.
“Biosimilars can help people suffering from chronic, debilitating conditions gain expanded access to important medicines that may change the outcome of their disease. With the FDA approval of Hyrimoz, Sandoz is one step closer to offering U.S. patients with autoimmune diseases the same critical access already available in Europe,” Stefan Hendriks, global head of biopharmaceuticals at Sandoz, said in the press release.
Find the full press release on the Novartis website.
AGA is taking the lead in educating health care providers and patients about biosimilars and how they can be used for IBD patient care. Learn more at www.gastro.org/biosimilars.
The Food and Drug Administration has approved the adalimumab biosimilar Hyrimoz (adalimumab-adaz) for a variety of conditions, according to Sandoz, the drug’s manufacturer and a division of Novartis.
FDA approval for Hyrimoz is based on a randomized, double-blind, three-arm, parallel biosimilarity study that demonstrated equivalence for all primary pharmacokinetic parameters, according to the press release. A second study confirmed these results in patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis, with Hyrimoz having a safety profile similar to that of adalimumab. Hyrimoz was approved in Europe in July 2018.
Hyrimoz has been approved to treat rheumatoid arthritis, juvenile idiopathic arthritis in patients aged 4 years and older, psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, adult Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, and plaque psoriasis. The most common adverse events associated with the drug, according to the label, are infections, injection site reactions, headache, and rash.
Hyrimoz is the third adalimumab biosimilar approved by the FDA.
“Biosimilars can help people suffering from chronic, debilitating conditions gain expanded access to important medicines that may change the outcome of their disease. With the FDA approval of Hyrimoz, Sandoz is one step closer to offering U.S. patients with autoimmune diseases the same critical access already available in Europe,” Stefan Hendriks, global head of biopharmaceuticals at Sandoz, said in the press release.
Find the full press release on the Novartis website.
AGA is taking the lead in educating health care providers and patients about biosimilars and how they can be used for IBD patient care. Learn more at www.gastro.org/biosimilars.
The Food and Drug Administration has approved the adalimumab biosimilar Hyrimoz (adalimumab-adaz) for a variety of conditions, according to Sandoz, the drug’s manufacturer and a division of Novartis.
FDA approval for Hyrimoz is based on a randomized, double-blind, three-arm, parallel biosimilarity study that demonstrated equivalence for all primary pharmacokinetic parameters, according to the press release. A second study confirmed these results in patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis, with Hyrimoz having a safety profile similar to that of adalimumab. Hyrimoz was approved in Europe in July 2018.
Hyrimoz has been approved to treat rheumatoid arthritis, juvenile idiopathic arthritis in patients aged 4 years and older, psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, adult Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, and plaque psoriasis. The most common adverse events associated with the drug, according to the label, are infections, injection site reactions, headache, and rash.
Hyrimoz is the third adalimumab biosimilar approved by the FDA.
“Biosimilars can help people suffering from chronic, debilitating conditions gain expanded access to important medicines that may change the outcome of their disease. With the FDA approval of Hyrimoz, Sandoz is one step closer to offering U.S. patients with autoimmune diseases the same critical access already available in Europe,” Stefan Hendriks, global head of biopharmaceuticals at Sandoz, said in the press release.
Find the full press release on the Novartis website.
AGA is taking the lead in educating health care providers and patients about biosimilars and how they can be used for IBD patient care. Learn more at www.gastro.org/biosimilars.
A guide to talking with patients about probiotics
Two recent studies published in Cell, “Personalized Gut Mucosal Colonization Resistance to Empiric Probiotics Is Associated with Unique Host and Microbiome Features” and “Post-Antibiotic Gut Mucosal Microbiome Reconstitution Is Impaired by Probiotics and Improved by Autologous FMT,” have received significant media coverage and are causing questions and concern among physicians and patients who use probiotic supplements.
The AGA Center for Gut Microbiome Research and Education provides three reminders for talking to your patient about probiotics:
1. Probiotics are generally thought to be safe for healthy individuals, but we don’t know the long-term consequences. For individuals who have a chronic disease, are immunocompromised, or otherwise vulnerable (such as the elderly), patients should seek guidance from physicians on whether probiotics may be appropriate. In general, probiotics should not be used indiscriminately; potential risk and benefit should be considered as for all human interventions.
2. This research does not conclude that probiotics are unsafe or useless for everyone. However, the results suggest that individuals may respond very differently to the same probiotic product depending on their diet, genetics, microbiome, and other aspects of their health. Experts are trying to better understand which bacteria are best for whom, under which conditions as we transition from an era of empiric medicine to precision medicine.
3. Probiotics currently on the market are foods or dietary supplements. To date, no probiotic products have been approved by the FDA to treat, mitigate, cure, or prevent specific diseases.
AGA has recently developed educational materials for patients on probiotics, which can be accessed at www.gastro.org/probiotics in English and Spanish. Share this resource with your patients by printing it out, emailing or uploading to your patient portal.
Two recent studies published in Cell, “Personalized Gut Mucosal Colonization Resistance to Empiric Probiotics Is Associated with Unique Host and Microbiome Features” and “Post-Antibiotic Gut Mucosal Microbiome Reconstitution Is Impaired by Probiotics and Improved by Autologous FMT,” have received significant media coverage and are causing questions and concern among physicians and patients who use probiotic supplements.
The AGA Center for Gut Microbiome Research and Education provides three reminders for talking to your patient about probiotics:
1. Probiotics are generally thought to be safe for healthy individuals, but we don’t know the long-term consequences. For individuals who have a chronic disease, are immunocompromised, or otherwise vulnerable (such as the elderly), patients should seek guidance from physicians on whether probiotics may be appropriate. In general, probiotics should not be used indiscriminately; potential risk and benefit should be considered as for all human interventions.
2. This research does not conclude that probiotics are unsafe or useless for everyone. However, the results suggest that individuals may respond very differently to the same probiotic product depending on their diet, genetics, microbiome, and other aspects of their health. Experts are trying to better understand which bacteria are best for whom, under which conditions as we transition from an era of empiric medicine to precision medicine.
3. Probiotics currently on the market are foods or dietary supplements. To date, no probiotic products have been approved by the FDA to treat, mitigate, cure, or prevent specific diseases.
AGA has recently developed educational materials for patients on probiotics, which can be accessed at www.gastro.org/probiotics in English and Spanish. Share this resource with your patients by printing it out, emailing or uploading to your patient portal.
Two recent studies published in Cell, “Personalized Gut Mucosal Colonization Resistance to Empiric Probiotics Is Associated with Unique Host and Microbiome Features” and “Post-Antibiotic Gut Mucosal Microbiome Reconstitution Is Impaired by Probiotics and Improved by Autologous FMT,” have received significant media coverage and are causing questions and concern among physicians and patients who use probiotic supplements.
The AGA Center for Gut Microbiome Research and Education provides three reminders for talking to your patient about probiotics:
1. Probiotics are generally thought to be safe for healthy individuals, but we don’t know the long-term consequences. For individuals who have a chronic disease, are immunocompromised, or otherwise vulnerable (such as the elderly), patients should seek guidance from physicians on whether probiotics may be appropriate. In general, probiotics should not be used indiscriminately; potential risk and benefit should be considered as for all human interventions.
2. This research does not conclude that probiotics are unsafe or useless for everyone. However, the results suggest that individuals may respond very differently to the same probiotic product depending on their diet, genetics, microbiome, and other aspects of their health. Experts are trying to better understand which bacteria are best for whom, under which conditions as we transition from an era of empiric medicine to precision medicine.
3. Probiotics currently on the market are foods or dietary supplements. To date, no probiotic products have been approved by the FDA to treat, mitigate, cure, or prevent specific diseases.
AGA has recently developed educational materials for patients on probiotics, which can be accessed at www.gastro.org/probiotics in English and Spanish. Share this resource with your patients by printing it out, emailing or uploading to your patient portal.
AGA’s investment in the future of GI
Each year, we provide more than $2 million in research funding.
What will the practice of gastroenterology look like in 20 years? It is our hope that physicians have an abundance of new tools and treatments to care for their patients suffering from digestive disorders.
How will we get there? New treatments and devices are the result of years of research.
To help make this dream a reality, AGA – through the AGA Research Foundation – has made a commitment to support investigators in GI and hepatology with its Research Awards Program. In the past year, the foundation provided $2.1 million in research funding to 41 highly qualified investigators. These diverse researchers range from young investigators to more seasoned leaders in GI, all embarking on novel research projects that will advance our understanding of digestive conditions and pave the way for future discoveries in the field.
The AGA Research Foundation sincerely thanks all of its donors – without your gifts, this work wouldn’t be possible.
Please join us to help spark the scientific breakthroughs of today so clinicians will have the tools to improve care tomorrow. Donate your tax-deductible gift today at www.gastro.org/donateonline.
Each year, we provide more than $2 million in research funding.
What will the practice of gastroenterology look like in 20 years? It is our hope that physicians have an abundance of new tools and treatments to care for their patients suffering from digestive disorders.
How will we get there? New treatments and devices are the result of years of research.
To help make this dream a reality, AGA – through the AGA Research Foundation – has made a commitment to support investigators in GI and hepatology with its Research Awards Program. In the past year, the foundation provided $2.1 million in research funding to 41 highly qualified investigators. These diverse researchers range from young investigators to more seasoned leaders in GI, all embarking on novel research projects that will advance our understanding of digestive conditions and pave the way for future discoveries in the field.
The AGA Research Foundation sincerely thanks all of its donors – without your gifts, this work wouldn’t be possible.
Please join us to help spark the scientific breakthroughs of today so clinicians will have the tools to improve care tomorrow. Donate your tax-deductible gift today at www.gastro.org/donateonline.
Each year, we provide more than $2 million in research funding.
What will the practice of gastroenterology look like in 20 years? It is our hope that physicians have an abundance of new tools and treatments to care for their patients suffering from digestive disorders.
How will we get there? New treatments and devices are the result of years of research.
To help make this dream a reality, AGA – through the AGA Research Foundation – has made a commitment to support investigators in GI and hepatology with its Research Awards Program. In the past year, the foundation provided $2.1 million in research funding to 41 highly qualified investigators. These diverse researchers range from young investigators to more seasoned leaders in GI, all embarking on novel research projects that will advance our understanding of digestive conditions and pave the way for future discoveries in the field.
The AGA Research Foundation sincerely thanks all of its donors – without your gifts, this work wouldn’t be possible.
Please join us to help spark the scientific breakthroughs of today so clinicians will have the tools to improve care tomorrow. Donate your tax-deductible gift today at www.gastro.org/donateonline.
Top AGA Community patient cases
Physicians with difficult patient scenarios regularly bring their questions to the AGA Community (https://community.gastro.org/discussions) to seek advice from colleagues about therapy and disease management options, best practices and diagnoses.
In case you missed it, here are the most popular clinical discussions shared in the forum recently:
1. Addressing early-onset CRC
With the recommendation by the American Cancer Society to start colorectal cancer screening at 45, Dr. Samir Gupta and Dr. Peter Liang led a hearty discussion on the intended and unintended consequences of widespread implementation of these recommendations.
2. Surveillance colonoscopies in IBD patients
The question “are GIs doing too many surveillance colonoscopies in IBD patients” evolved into a call for more clinical guidance on the topic. IBD experts, AGA President Dr. David Lieberman, and the AGA Guidelines and Clinical Practice Update Committees tackle next steps and recommendations.
3. Patient case: severe colitis in asymptomatic patient
When a 51-year-old patient was seen for a colonoscopy screening, subsequent biopsies revealed severe active chronic colitis with lymphoplasmacytic infiltrate, crypts, and crypt abscesses and no granulomas. Would you treat as ulcerative colitis or wait?
4. Patient case: IBD patient with steroid dependency
A 35-year-old female who was seen for refractory diarrhea and cramps tested positive for perinuclear antineutrophil antibodies cytoplasmic (pANCA). Her symptoms resolved after she received prednisone for an unrelated issue. The physician asks: is a low dose of prednisone “safer” than Remicade?
More clinical cases and discussions are at https://community.gastro.org/discussions.
[email protected]
Physicians with difficult patient scenarios regularly bring their questions to the AGA Community (https://community.gastro.org/discussions) to seek advice from colleagues about therapy and disease management options, best practices and diagnoses.
In case you missed it, here are the most popular clinical discussions shared in the forum recently:
1. Addressing early-onset CRC
With the recommendation by the American Cancer Society to start colorectal cancer screening at 45, Dr. Samir Gupta and Dr. Peter Liang led a hearty discussion on the intended and unintended consequences of widespread implementation of these recommendations.
2. Surveillance colonoscopies in IBD patients
The question “are GIs doing too many surveillance colonoscopies in IBD patients” evolved into a call for more clinical guidance on the topic. IBD experts, AGA President Dr. David Lieberman, and the AGA Guidelines and Clinical Practice Update Committees tackle next steps and recommendations.
3. Patient case: severe colitis in asymptomatic patient
When a 51-year-old patient was seen for a colonoscopy screening, subsequent biopsies revealed severe active chronic colitis with lymphoplasmacytic infiltrate, crypts, and crypt abscesses and no granulomas. Would you treat as ulcerative colitis or wait?
4. Patient case: IBD patient with steroid dependency
A 35-year-old female who was seen for refractory diarrhea and cramps tested positive for perinuclear antineutrophil antibodies cytoplasmic (pANCA). Her symptoms resolved after she received prednisone for an unrelated issue. The physician asks: is a low dose of prednisone “safer” than Remicade?
More clinical cases and discussions are at https://community.gastro.org/discussions.
[email protected]
Physicians with difficult patient scenarios regularly bring their questions to the AGA Community (https://community.gastro.org/discussions) to seek advice from colleagues about therapy and disease management options, best practices and diagnoses.
In case you missed it, here are the most popular clinical discussions shared in the forum recently:
1. Addressing early-onset CRC
With the recommendation by the American Cancer Society to start colorectal cancer screening at 45, Dr. Samir Gupta and Dr. Peter Liang led a hearty discussion on the intended and unintended consequences of widespread implementation of these recommendations.
2. Surveillance colonoscopies in IBD patients
The question “are GIs doing too many surveillance colonoscopies in IBD patients” evolved into a call for more clinical guidance on the topic. IBD experts, AGA President Dr. David Lieberman, and the AGA Guidelines and Clinical Practice Update Committees tackle next steps and recommendations.
3. Patient case: severe colitis in asymptomatic patient
When a 51-year-old patient was seen for a colonoscopy screening, subsequent biopsies revealed severe active chronic colitis with lymphoplasmacytic infiltrate, crypts, and crypt abscesses and no granulomas. Would you treat as ulcerative colitis or wait?
4. Patient case: IBD patient with steroid dependency
A 35-year-old female who was seen for refractory diarrhea and cramps tested positive for perinuclear antineutrophil antibodies cytoplasmic (pANCA). Her symptoms resolved after she received prednisone for an unrelated issue. The physician asks: is a low dose of prednisone “safer” than Remicade?
More clinical cases and discussions are at https://community.gastro.org/discussions.
[email protected]
AGA advocates on Capitol Hill
Thank you to members who met with their congressperson and who participated in Virtual Advocacy Day.
Advocates met with House and Senate offices to push for passage of the Removing Barriers to Colorectal Cancer Screening Act, legislation that waives the coinsurance for screening colonoscopies that become therapeutic and has broad, bipartisan and bicameral support. They made the argument that paying for prevention services saves the government money in the long term by preventing treatment costs on cancer treatment.
H.R. 2077, the Restoring Patient’s Voice Act, addresses step therapy protocols that threaten the physician-patient relationship and delay timely treatment to care. Support for the legislation is growing and our advocates were able to relay experiences they have encountered with their patients’ care being delayed and also the administrative burden this policy places on practices.
Katherine Clark, D-Mass., a member of the House Labor-HHS Appropriations Subcommittee, met with our advocates and let them know that the House-Senate conferees agreed to the $2 billion increase in NIH funding in the final bill. Rep. Clark is a strong supporter of NIH and called it the “pillar of our economy.” AGA members encouraged their legislators to support the final Labor-HHS package that includes this $2 billion increase, which amounts to a 5.5% increase. The Senate recently approved the final agreement on Labor-HHS for fiscal year 2019 and we call on the House to follow suit.
AGA appreciates all those advocates who took time out of their busy schedules to advocate on behalf of their colleagues and patients. We also appreciate those who took time to participate in Virtual Advocacy Day. Remember, if we don’t advocate for GI, no one will.
To learn more about how you can get involved visit www.gastro.org/advocacy.
Thank you to members who met with their congressperson and who participated in Virtual Advocacy Day.
Advocates met with House and Senate offices to push for passage of the Removing Barriers to Colorectal Cancer Screening Act, legislation that waives the coinsurance for screening colonoscopies that become therapeutic and has broad, bipartisan and bicameral support. They made the argument that paying for prevention services saves the government money in the long term by preventing treatment costs on cancer treatment.
H.R. 2077, the Restoring Patient’s Voice Act, addresses step therapy protocols that threaten the physician-patient relationship and delay timely treatment to care. Support for the legislation is growing and our advocates were able to relay experiences they have encountered with their patients’ care being delayed and also the administrative burden this policy places on practices.
Katherine Clark, D-Mass., a member of the House Labor-HHS Appropriations Subcommittee, met with our advocates and let them know that the House-Senate conferees agreed to the $2 billion increase in NIH funding in the final bill. Rep. Clark is a strong supporter of NIH and called it the “pillar of our economy.” AGA members encouraged their legislators to support the final Labor-HHS package that includes this $2 billion increase, which amounts to a 5.5% increase. The Senate recently approved the final agreement on Labor-HHS for fiscal year 2019 and we call on the House to follow suit.
AGA appreciates all those advocates who took time out of their busy schedules to advocate on behalf of their colleagues and patients. We also appreciate those who took time to participate in Virtual Advocacy Day. Remember, if we don’t advocate for GI, no one will.
To learn more about how you can get involved visit www.gastro.org/advocacy.
Thank you to members who met with their congressperson and who participated in Virtual Advocacy Day.
Advocates met with House and Senate offices to push for passage of the Removing Barriers to Colorectal Cancer Screening Act, legislation that waives the coinsurance for screening colonoscopies that become therapeutic and has broad, bipartisan and bicameral support. They made the argument that paying for prevention services saves the government money in the long term by preventing treatment costs on cancer treatment.
H.R. 2077, the Restoring Patient’s Voice Act, addresses step therapy protocols that threaten the physician-patient relationship and delay timely treatment to care. Support for the legislation is growing and our advocates were able to relay experiences they have encountered with their patients’ care being delayed and also the administrative burden this policy places on practices.
Katherine Clark, D-Mass., a member of the House Labor-HHS Appropriations Subcommittee, met with our advocates and let them know that the House-Senate conferees agreed to the $2 billion increase in NIH funding in the final bill. Rep. Clark is a strong supporter of NIH and called it the “pillar of our economy.” AGA members encouraged their legislators to support the final Labor-HHS package that includes this $2 billion increase, which amounts to a 5.5% increase. The Senate recently approved the final agreement on Labor-HHS for fiscal year 2019 and we call on the House to follow suit.
AGA appreciates all those advocates who took time out of their busy schedules to advocate on behalf of their colleagues and patients. We also appreciate those who took time to participate in Virtual Advocacy Day. Remember, if we don’t advocate for GI, no one will.
To learn more about how you can get involved visit www.gastro.org/advocacy.
AGA Research Foundation researcher of the month: David L. Boone, PhD
AGA Research Foundation pilot awards are an invaluable tool for investigators – they provide seed funding to explore promising new lines of research and generate preliminary data for larger grants. So, when David L. Boone, PhD, received the 2017 AGA-Pfizer Young Investigator Pilot Research Award in Inflammatory Bowel Disease from the AGA Research Foundation, he was able to double-down on a very targeted project studying innate immunity in IBD. Based on his recent accomplishments – both in and out of the lab – we’re excited for you to get to know Dr. Boone, associate professor of microbiology and immunology at Indiana University School of Medicine-South Bend, and our AGA Research Foundation researcher of the month.
Bench to bedside: working toward new treatment options in IBD
The Boone lab AGA-funded project is specifically focused on JAK inhibitors, which are becoming a more popular treatment option for patients with IBD, especially for those patients who don’t respond to anti-TNF therapy. Dr. Boone is committed to enhancing our understanding of how these JAK inhibitors work at a cellular level. If we can understand this, Dr. Boone is optimistic it will lead to new approaches for treating inflammation in IBD.
With his AGA Research Foundation grant, Dr. Boone and his lab characterized a new robust mouse model of colitis that is entirely driven by innate immune mechanisms. With this model, his team is investigating the cellular and molecular mechanisms that drive innate immune-mediated inflammation in the intestine, which will provide important insights for future IBD drug development. You can read the specifics of Dr. Boone’s research in his recently published work in Mucosal Immunology.
Pilot award provides a stepping stone
Dr. Boone’s AGA Research Foundation pilot grant has paved the way for future success. Using the data from his AGA-funded project, as well as the constructive feedback he received from the AGA awards panel, Dr. Boone went on to successfully obtain new funding in the form of a Pfizer ASPIRE research grant. This work is building the foundation for Dr. Boone’s next big grant venture: an NIH R01 grant.
Two postdocs, a graduate student, a technician, and a dog named Boone
Dr. Boone shared with us that the best outcome from his AGA grant was that the additional funding made it possible to grow his lab by a postdoctoral researcher and lab technician. One of Dr. Boone’s great passions is training the next generation of scientists, both in the lab and through his role as a microbiology and immunology professor for first-year medical students at Indiana University Medical School.
Beyond the lab – a commitment to IBD patients
Dr. Boone wanted to do more to support patients with IBD. He had heard of Camp Oasis – the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation regional camp for patients with IBD – and knew of physicians who provided medical services at the camp. After looking into making a donation to Camp Oasis Michigan, Dr. Boone learned that what the camp really needed was male counselors. So, despite being “older than an average camp counselor,” Dr. Boone packed his bags for Michigan. Participating in Camp Oasis the last 2 years has been a great joy for Dr. Boone and provides added inspiration and motivation for his work in the lab.
The AGA Research Foundation is proud to fund researchers who are committed to improving the lives of patients – both in and out of the lab. You can help keep great researchers in GI by making a gift to the AGA Research Foundation, www.gastro.org/foundation.
AGA Research Foundation pilot awards are an invaluable tool for investigators – they provide seed funding to explore promising new lines of research and generate preliminary data for larger grants. So, when David L. Boone, PhD, received the 2017 AGA-Pfizer Young Investigator Pilot Research Award in Inflammatory Bowel Disease from the AGA Research Foundation, he was able to double-down on a very targeted project studying innate immunity in IBD. Based on his recent accomplishments – both in and out of the lab – we’re excited for you to get to know Dr. Boone, associate professor of microbiology and immunology at Indiana University School of Medicine-South Bend, and our AGA Research Foundation researcher of the month.
Bench to bedside: working toward new treatment options in IBD
The Boone lab AGA-funded project is specifically focused on JAK inhibitors, which are becoming a more popular treatment option for patients with IBD, especially for those patients who don’t respond to anti-TNF therapy. Dr. Boone is committed to enhancing our understanding of how these JAK inhibitors work at a cellular level. If we can understand this, Dr. Boone is optimistic it will lead to new approaches for treating inflammation in IBD.
With his AGA Research Foundation grant, Dr. Boone and his lab characterized a new robust mouse model of colitis that is entirely driven by innate immune mechanisms. With this model, his team is investigating the cellular and molecular mechanisms that drive innate immune-mediated inflammation in the intestine, which will provide important insights for future IBD drug development. You can read the specifics of Dr. Boone’s research in his recently published work in Mucosal Immunology.
Pilot award provides a stepping stone
Dr. Boone’s AGA Research Foundation pilot grant has paved the way for future success. Using the data from his AGA-funded project, as well as the constructive feedback he received from the AGA awards panel, Dr. Boone went on to successfully obtain new funding in the form of a Pfizer ASPIRE research grant. This work is building the foundation for Dr. Boone’s next big grant venture: an NIH R01 grant.
Two postdocs, a graduate student, a technician, and a dog named Boone
Dr. Boone shared with us that the best outcome from his AGA grant was that the additional funding made it possible to grow his lab by a postdoctoral researcher and lab technician. One of Dr. Boone’s great passions is training the next generation of scientists, both in the lab and through his role as a microbiology and immunology professor for first-year medical students at Indiana University Medical School.
Beyond the lab – a commitment to IBD patients
Dr. Boone wanted to do more to support patients with IBD. He had heard of Camp Oasis – the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation regional camp for patients with IBD – and knew of physicians who provided medical services at the camp. After looking into making a donation to Camp Oasis Michigan, Dr. Boone learned that what the camp really needed was male counselors. So, despite being “older than an average camp counselor,” Dr. Boone packed his bags for Michigan. Participating in Camp Oasis the last 2 years has been a great joy for Dr. Boone and provides added inspiration and motivation for his work in the lab.
The AGA Research Foundation is proud to fund researchers who are committed to improving the lives of patients – both in and out of the lab. You can help keep great researchers in GI by making a gift to the AGA Research Foundation, www.gastro.org/foundation.
AGA Research Foundation pilot awards are an invaluable tool for investigators – they provide seed funding to explore promising new lines of research and generate preliminary data for larger grants. So, when David L. Boone, PhD, received the 2017 AGA-Pfizer Young Investigator Pilot Research Award in Inflammatory Bowel Disease from the AGA Research Foundation, he was able to double-down on a very targeted project studying innate immunity in IBD. Based on his recent accomplishments – both in and out of the lab – we’re excited for you to get to know Dr. Boone, associate professor of microbiology and immunology at Indiana University School of Medicine-South Bend, and our AGA Research Foundation researcher of the month.
Bench to bedside: working toward new treatment options in IBD
The Boone lab AGA-funded project is specifically focused on JAK inhibitors, which are becoming a more popular treatment option for patients with IBD, especially for those patients who don’t respond to anti-TNF therapy. Dr. Boone is committed to enhancing our understanding of how these JAK inhibitors work at a cellular level. If we can understand this, Dr. Boone is optimistic it will lead to new approaches for treating inflammation in IBD.
With his AGA Research Foundation grant, Dr. Boone and his lab characterized a new robust mouse model of colitis that is entirely driven by innate immune mechanisms. With this model, his team is investigating the cellular and molecular mechanisms that drive innate immune-mediated inflammation in the intestine, which will provide important insights for future IBD drug development. You can read the specifics of Dr. Boone’s research in his recently published work in Mucosal Immunology.
Pilot award provides a stepping stone
Dr. Boone’s AGA Research Foundation pilot grant has paved the way for future success. Using the data from his AGA-funded project, as well as the constructive feedback he received from the AGA awards panel, Dr. Boone went on to successfully obtain new funding in the form of a Pfizer ASPIRE research grant. This work is building the foundation for Dr. Boone’s next big grant venture: an NIH R01 grant.
Two postdocs, a graduate student, a technician, and a dog named Boone
Dr. Boone shared with us that the best outcome from his AGA grant was that the additional funding made it possible to grow his lab by a postdoctoral researcher and lab technician. One of Dr. Boone’s great passions is training the next generation of scientists, both in the lab and through his role as a microbiology and immunology professor for first-year medical students at Indiana University Medical School.
Beyond the lab – a commitment to IBD patients
Dr. Boone wanted to do more to support patients with IBD. He had heard of Camp Oasis – the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation regional camp for patients with IBD – and knew of physicians who provided medical services at the camp. After looking into making a donation to Camp Oasis Michigan, Dr. Boone learned that what the camp really needed was male counselors. So, despite being “older than an average camp counselor,” Dr. Boone packed his bags for Michigan. Participating in Camp Oasis the last 2 years has been a great joy for Dr. Boone and provides added inspiration and motivation for his work in the lab.
The AGA Research Foundation is proud to fund researchers who are committed to improving the lives of patients – both in and out of the lab. You can help keep great researchers in GI by making a gift to the AGA Research Foundation, www.gastro.org/foundation.
Mayo Clinic announces new president and CEO: Gianrico Farrugia, MD
The Mayo Clinic Board of Trustees has announced that Gianrico Farrugia, MD, vice president and CEO of Mayo Clinic Florida, will take over as president and CEO of Mayo Clinic at the end of the year. AGA congratulates Dr. Farrugia on this accomplishment.
Here’s three reasons why AGA is excited by this news:
1. Dr. Farrugia is an accomplished GI investigator. Dr. Farrugia runs an NIH-funded translational laboratory focused on disorders of GI motility. The aim of Dr. Farrugia’s work is to understand at a cellular, subcellular and molecular level how the normal functions of the GI tract determine the defects that result in diseases such as diabetic gastroparesis, slow transit constipation, and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), which will ultimately lead to new strategies to treat these diseases by developing targeted disease-modifying agents.
2. Dr. Farrugia is an alumnus of the AGA Research Foundation Research Scholar Award program. Dr. Farrugia received his Research Scholar Award in 1994 for his project titled “Jejunal Smooth Muscle Ion Channel Regulation in Health and Disease.”
3. Dr. Farrugia has given back to AGA both with his time – serving on the AGA Nominating Committee, AGA Institute Council, and Cellular and Molecular Gastroenterology and Hepatology editorial board – and by contributing, with his wife Geraldine Farrugia, to the AGA Research Foundation at the highest level as an AGA Legacy Society member.
Join AGA members in congratulating Dr. Farrugia in the AGA Community, community.gastro.org.
The Mayo Clinic Board of Trustees has announced that Gianrico Farrugia, MD, vice president and CEO of Mayo Clinic Florida, will take over as president and CEO of Mayo Clinic at the end of the year. AGA congratulates Dr. Farrugia on this accomplishment.
Here’s three reasons why AGA is excited by this news:
1. Dr. Farrugia is an accomplished GI investigator. Dr. Farrugia runs an NIH-funded translational laboratory focused on disorders of GI motility. The aim of Dr. Farrugia’s work is to understand at a cellular, subcellular and molecular level how the normal functions of the GI tract determine the defects that result in diseases such as diabetic gastroparesis, slow transit constipation, and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), which will ultimately lead to new strategies to treat these diseases by developing targeted disease-modifying agents.
2. Dr. Farrugia is an alumnus of the AGA Research Foundation Research Scholar Award program. Dr. Farrugia received his Research Scholar Award in 1994 for his project titled “Jejunal Smooth Muscle Ion Channel Regulation in Health and Disease.”
3. Dr. Farrugia has given back to AGA both with his time – serving on the AGA Nominating Committee, AGA Institute Council, and Cellular and Molecular Gastroenterology and Hepatology editorial board – and by contributing, with his wife Geraldine Farrugia, to the AGA Research Foundation at the highest level as an AGA Legacy Society member.
Join AGA members in congratulating Dr. Farrugia in the AGA Community, community.gastro.org.
The Mayo Clinic Board of Trustees has announced that Gianrico Farrugia, MD, vice president and CEO of Mayo Clinic Florida, will take over as president and CEO of Mayo Clinic at the end of the year. AGA congratulates Dr. Farrugia on this accomplishment.
Here’s three reasons why AGA is excited by this news:
1. Dr. Farrugia is an accomplished GI investigator. Dr. Farrugia runs an NIH-funded translational laboratory focused on disorders of GI motility. The aim of Dr. Farrugia’s work is to understand at a cellular, subcellular and molecular level how the normal functions of the GI tract determine the defects that result in diseases such as diabetic gastroparesis, slow transit constipation, and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), which will ultimately lead to new strategies to treat these diseases by developing targeted disease-modifying agents.
2. Dr. Farrugia is an alumnus of the AGA Research Foundation Research Scholar Award program. Dr. Farrugia received his Research Scholar Award in 1994 for his project titled “Jejunal Smooth Muscle Ion Channel Regulation in Health and Disease.”
3. Dr. Farrugia has given back to AGA both with his time – serving on the AGA Nominating Committee, AGA Institute Council, and Cellular and Molecular Gastroenterology and Hepatology editorial board – and by contributing, with his wife Geraldine Farrugia, to the AGA Research Foundation at the highest level as an AGA Legacy Society member.
Join AGA members in congratulating Dr. Farrugia in the AGA Community, community.gastro.org.
Rising microbiome investigator: Ting-Chin David Shen, MD, PhD
We spoke with Dr. Shen, instructor of medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and the recipient of the AGA Research Foundation’s 2016 Microbiome Junior Investigator Award, to learn about his passion for gut microbiome research.
How would you sum up your research in one sentence?
My research examines the metabolic interactions between the gut microbiota and the mammalian host, with a particular emphasis on amino acid metabolism and nitrogen flux via the bacterial enzyme urease.
What impact do you hope your research will have on patients?
My hope is that by better understanding the biological mechanisms by which the gut microbiota impacts host metabolism, we can modulate its effects to treat a variety of conditions and diseases including hepatic encephalopathy, inborn errors of metabolism, obesity, malnutrition, etc.
What inspired you to focus your research career on the gut microbiome?
My clinical experience as a gastroenterologist inspired my interest in metabolic and nutritional research. When I learned of the impact that the gut microbiota has on host metabolism, it created an entirely different perspective for me in terms of thinking about how to treat metabolic and nutritional disorders. There are tremendous opportunities in modifying our gut microbiota in concert with dietary interventions in order to modulate our metabolism.
What recent publication from your lab best represents your work, if anyone wants to learn more?
The following work examined how the use of a defined bacterial consortium without urease activity can reduce colonic ammonia level upon inoculation into the gut and ameliorate morbidity and mortality in a murine model of liver disease: Shen T.D., Albenberg L.A., Bittinger K., et al, Engineering the gut microbiota to treat hyperammonemia. J Clin Invest. 2015 Jul 1;125(7):2841-50. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4563680/.
We spoke with Dr. Shen, instructor of medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and the recipient of the AGA Research Foundation’s 2016 Microbiome Junior Investigator Award, to learn about his passion for gut microbiome research.
How would you sum up your research in one sentence?
My research examines the metabolic interactions between the gut microbiota and the mammalian host, with a particular emphasis on amino acid metabolism and nitrogen flux via the bacterial enzyme urease.
What impact do you hope your research will have on patients?
My hope is that by better understanding the biological mechanisms by which the gut microbiota impacts host metabolism, we can modulate its effects to treat a variety of conditions and diseases including hepatic encephalopathy, inborn errors of metabolism, obesity, malnutrition, etc.
What inspired you to focus your research career on the gut microbiome?
My clinical experience as a gastroenterologist inspired my interest in metabolic and nutritional research. When I learned of the impact that the gut microbiota has on host metabolism, it created an entirely different perspective for me in terms of thinking about how to treat metabolic and nutritional disorders. There are tremendous opportunities in modifying our gut microbiota in concert with dietary interventions in order to modulate our metabolism.
What recent publication from your lab best represents your work, if anyone wants to learn more?
The following work examined how the use of a defined bacterial consortium without urease activity can reduce colonic ammonia level upon inoculation into the gut and ameliorate morbidity and mortality in a murine model of liver disease: Shen T.D., Albenberg L.A., Bittinger K., et al, Engineering the gut microbiota to treat hyperammonemia. J Clin Invest. 2015 Jul 1;125(7):2841-50. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4563680/.
We spoke with Dr. Shen, instructor of medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and the recipient of the AGA Research Foundation’s 2016 Microbiome Junior Investigator Award, to learn about his passion for gut microbiome research.
How would you sum up your research in one sentence?
My research examines the metabolic interactions between the gut microbiota and the mammalian host, with a particular emphasis on amino acid metabolism and nitrogen flux via the bacterial enzyme urease.
What impact do you hope your research will have on patients?
My hope is that by better understanding the biological mechanisms by which the gut microbiota impacts host metabolism, we can modulate its effects to treat a variety of conditions and diseases including hepatic encephalopathy, inborn errors of metabolism, obesity, malnutrition, etc.
What inspired you to focus your research career on the gut microbiome?
My clinical experience as a gastroenterologist inspired my interest in metabolic and nutritional research. When I learned of the impact that the gut microbiota has on host metabolism, it created an entirely different perspective for me in terms of thinking about how to treat metabolic and nutritional disorders. There are tremendous opportunities in modifying our gut microbiota in concert with dietary interventions in order to modulate our metabolism.
What recent publication from your lab best represents your work, if anyone wants to learn more?
The following work examined how the use of a defined bacterial consortium without urease activity can reduce colonic ammonia level upon inoculation into the gut and ameliorate morbidity and mortality in a murine model of liver disease: Shen T.D., Albenberg L.A., Bittinger K., et al, Engineering the gut microbiota to treat hyperammonemia. J Clin Invest. 2015 Jul 1;125(7):2841-50. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4563680/.
AGA comments on HHS’ drug affordability blueprint
AGA’s new drug affordability principles were put into action in July when AGA Chair Sheila Crowe, MD, AGAF, provided comments on the Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) recent policy statement and Request for Information, “HHS Blueprint to Lower Drug Prices and Reduce Out-of-Pocket Costs” (Blueprint). Comments were limited to four areas of the Blueprint.
Medicare Part B to Part D drug transition
Over the past decade there has been interest in consolidating Part B and Part D drug coverage and payment. AGA urges physician-administered drugs and biologics to remain under Part B due to the complexities surrounding them.
Since Part D does not allow for supplemental coverage and has higher coinsurance, this action would achieve savings by shifting costs to Medicare beneficiaries. Moving them to Part D would also increase the risk of waste leading to unnecessary Medicare spending. AGA urges the administration to avoid policy solutions that achieve Medicare program savings at the expense of Medicare beneficiaries.
Indication-based payments
The Blueprint seems to imply that off-label uses of prescription drugs are inherently less valuable than on-label uses. If the administration moves towards value-based pricing, off-label indications should not automatically be valued less, or priced lower, than on-label indications. Specifically, AGA urges the administration to ensure all medically accepted indications are appropriately valued for a drug or biologic.
Medicare Part B Competitive Acquisition Program (CAP)
AGA does not oppose the idea of a new, voluntary CAP program as it would allow interested physicians and practices to provide Part B drug administration without the burden of high acquisition costs.
AGA strongly opposes a future Part B CAP that includes vendors or Medicare carriers conducting medical reviews or utilization management. Utilization management undermines shared decision-making between physicians and patients, increases physician burden, and often puts patients at risk by delaying access to necessary care.
Reduce patient out-of-pocket spending
As out-of-pocket costs continue to rise, AGA supports the administration’s plans to increase cost transparency in the Medicare program as it increases the efficiency of the shared decision-making process between patient and physician. Drug and biologic manufacturers, health plans, and pharmacy managers should work together to lower out-of-pocket expenses for Medicare beneficiaries and for all people with digestive diseases.
Although AGA shares the Blueprint’s goal of lowering the cost of prescription drugs, lowering out-of-pocket costs for patients, increasing competition and fostering innovation, we are concerned that the recent proposal by the Trump administration to allow Medicare Advantage (MA) plans to utilize step therapy would threaten the aforementioned goals. Step therapy is a utilization management tool used by insurers that requires patients to fail one or more medications before covering the original therapy that is prescribed by the physician. AGA is concerned that the recent announcement by the Trump administration would not provide patients with the necessary protections, would increase the regulatory burden that physicians already face with step therapy and prior authorization, and could hinder innovation by preferring the lowest cost medication which may not necessarily be the most effective. AGA will continue to push for necessary patient protections to ensure that patients have the ability to appeal step therapy protocols when appropriate and are able to receive the medication that their physician thinks is the most effective to manage their condition.
AGA’s new drug affordability principles were put into action in July when AGA Chair Sheila Crowe, MD, AGAF, provided comments on the Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) recent policy statement and Request for Information, “HHS Blueprint to Lower Drug Prices and Reduce Out-of-Pocket Costs” (Blueprint). Comments were limited to four areas of the Blueprint.
Medicare Part B to Part D drug transition
Over the past decade there has been interest in consolidating Part B and Part D drug coverage and payment. AGA urges physician-administered drugs and biologics to remain under Part B due to the complexities surrounding them.
Since Part D does not allow for supplemental coverage and has higher coinsurance, this action would achieve savings by shifting costs to Medicare beneficiaries. Moving them to Part D would also increase the risk of waste leading to unnecessary Medicare spending. AGA urges the administration to avoid policy solutions that achieve Medicare program savings at the expense of Medicare beneficiaries.
Indication-based payments
The Blueprint seems to imply that off-label uses of prescription drugs are inherently less valuable than on-label uses. If the administration moves towards value-based pricing, off-label indications should not automatically be valued less, or priced lower, than on-label indications. Specifically, AGA urges the administration to ensure all medically accepted indications are appropriately valued for a drug or biologic.
Medicare Part B Competitive Acquisition Program (CAP)
AGA does not oppose the idea of a new, voluntary CAP program as it would allow interested physicians and practices to provide Part B drug administration without the burden of high acquisition costs.
AGA strongly opposes a future Part B CAP that includes vendors or Medicare carriers conducting medical reviews or utilization management. Utilization management undermines shared decision-making between physicians and patients, increases physician burden, and often puts patients at risk by delaying access to necessary care.
Reduce patient out-of-pocket spending
As out-of-pocket costs continue to rise, AGA supports the administration’s plans to increase cost transparency in the Medicare program as it increases the efficiency of the shared decision-making process between patient and physician. Drug and biologic manufacturers, health plans, and pharmacy managers should work together to lower out-of-pocket expenses for Medicare beneficiaries and for all people with digestive diseases.
Although AGA shares the Blueprint’s goal of lowering the cost of prescription drugs, lowering out-of-pocket costs for patients, increasing competition and fostering innovation, we are concerned that the recent proposal by the Trump administration to allow Medicare Advantage (MA) plans to utilize step therapy would threaten the aforementioned goals. Step therapy is a utilization management tool used by insurers that requires patients to fail one or more medications before covering the original therapy that is prescribed by the physician. AGA is concerned that the recent announcement by the Trump administration would not provide patients with the necessary protections, would increase the regulatory burden that physicians already face with step therapy and prior authorization, and could hinder innovation by preferring the lowest cost medication which may not necessarily be the most effective. AGA will continue to push for necessary patient protections to ensure that patients have the ability to appeal step therapy protocols when appropriate and are able to receive the medication that their physician thinks is the most effective to manage their condition.
AGA’s new drug affordability principles were put into action in July when AGA Chair Sheila Crowe, MD, AGAF, provided comments on the Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) recent policy statement and Request for Information, “HHS Blueprint to Lower Drug Prices and Reduce Out-of-Pocket Costs” (Blueprint). Comments were limited to four areas of the Blueprint.
Medicare Part B to Part D drug transition
Over the past decade there has been interest in consolidating Part B and Part D drug coverage and payment. AGA urges physician-administered drugs and biologics to remain under Part B due to the complexities surrounding them.
Since Part D does not allow for supplemental coverage and has higher coinsurance, this action would achieve savings by shifting costs to Medicare beneficiaries. Moving them to Part D would also increase the risk of waste leading to unnecessary Medicare spending. AGA urges the administration to avoid policy solutions that achieve Medicare program savings at the expense of Medicare beneficiaries.
Indication-based payments
The Blueprint seems to imply that off-label uses of prescription drugs are inherently less valuable than on-label uses. If the administration moves towards value-based pricing, off-label indications should not automatically be valued less, or priced lower, than on-label indications. Specifically, AGA urges the administration to ensure all medically accepted indications are appropriately valued for a drug or biologic.
Medicare Part B Competitive Acquisition Program (CAP)
AGA does not oppose the idea of a new, voluntary CAP program as it would allow interested physicians and practices to provide Part B drug administration without the burden of high acquisition costs.
AGA strongly opposes a future Part B CAP that includes vendors or Medicare carriers conducting medical reviews or utilization management. Utilization management undermines shared decision-making between physicians and patients, increases physician burden, and often puts patients at risk by delaying access to necessary care.
Reduce patient out-of-pocket spending
As out-of-pocket costs continue to rise, AGA supports the administration’s plans to increase cost transparency in the Medicare program as it increases the efficiency of the shared decision-making process between patient and physician. Drug and biologic manufacturers, health plans, and pharmacy managers should work together to lower out-of-pocket expenses for Medicare beneficiaries and for all people with digestive diseases.
Although AGA shares the Blueprint’s goal of lowering the cost of prescription drugs, lowering out-of-pocket costs for patients, increasing competition and fostering innovation, we are concerned that the recent proposal by the Trump administration to allow Medicare Advantage (MA) plans to utilize step therapy would threaten the aforementioned goals. Step therapy is a utilization management tool used by insurers that requires patients to fail one or more medications before covering the original therapy that is prescribed by the physician. AGA is concerned that the recent announcement by the Trump administration would not provide patients with the necessary protections, would increase the regulatory burden that physicians already face with step therapy and prior authorization, and could hinder innovation by preferring the lowest cost medication which may not necessarily be the most effective. AGA will continue to push for necessary patient protections to ensure that patients have the ability to appeal step therapy protocols when appropriate and are able to receive the medication that their physician thinks is the most effective to manage their condition.
AGA Center for Gut Microbiome Research and Education scientific advisory board welcomes new members
Four leading experts in microbiome research have recently been appointed to the scientific advisory board of the AGA Center for Gut Microbiome Research and Education.
Robert A. Britton, PhD
Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
Dr. Britton studies the role of microbes in health and diseases, with a focus on identifying microbes with therapeutic properties for a variety of disorders.
Suzanne Devkota, PhD
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California
Dr. Devkota investigates the role of diet in shaping the community of bacteria that live in our intestines (the “gut microbiome”).
Lita M. Proctor, PhD
National Human Genome Research Institute, Rockville, Maryland
Dr. Proctor is responsible for coordination of the Human Microbiome Project (HMP), an eight-year NIH Common Fund initiative to create a toolbox of resources for the emerging field of microbiome research.
Liping Zhao, PhD
Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey
Dr. Zhao studies the interactions between diet and gut microbiota in the onset and progression of chronic diseases such as obesity and diabetes.
AGA recognizes the outgoing members of the scientific advisory board who have made valuable contributions to the center’s work over their terms: Lee M. Kaplan, MD, PhD, AGAF, Zain Kassam, MD, MPH, and Ece Mutlu, MD, MBA, AGAF.
Four leading experts in microbiome research have recently been appointed to the scientific advisory board of the AGA Center for Gut Microbiome Research and Education.
Robert A. Britton, PhD
Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
Dr. Britton studies the role of microbes in health and diseases, with a focus on identifying microbes with therapeutic properties for a variety of disorders.
Suzanne Devkota, PhD
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California
Dr. Devkota investigates the role of diet in shaping the community of bacteria that live in our intestines (the “gut microbiome”).
Lita M. Proctor, PhD
National Human Genome Research Institute, Rockville, Maryland
Dr. Proctor is responsible for coordination of the Human Microbiome Project (HMP), an eight-year NIH Common Fund initiative to create a toolbox of resources for the emerging field of microbiome research.
Liping Zhao, PhD
Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey
Dr. Zhao studies the interactions between diet and gut microbiota in the onset and progression of chronic diseases such as obesity and diabetes.
AGA recognizes the outgoing members of the scientific advisory board who have made valuable contributions to the center’s work over their terms: Lee M. Kaplan, MD, PhD, AGAF, Zain Kassam, MD, MPH, and Ece Mutlu, MD, MBA, AGAF.
Four leading experts in microbiome research have recently been appointed to the scientific advisory board of the AGA Center for Gut Microbiome Research and Education.
Robert A. Britton, PhD
Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
Dr. Britton studies the role of microbes in health and diseases, with a focus on identifying microbes with therapeutic properties for a variety of disorders.
Suzanne Devkota, PhD
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California
Dr. Devkota investigates the role of diet in shaping the community of bacteria that live in our intestines (the “gut microbiome”).
Lita M. Proctor, PhD
National Human Genome Research Institute, Rockville, Maryland
Dr. Proctor is responsible for coordination of the Human Microbiome Project (HMP), an eight-year NIH Common Fund initiative to create a toolbox of resources for the emerging field of microbiome research.
Liping Zhao, PhD
Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey
Dr. Zhao studies the interactions between diet and gut microbiota in the onset and progression of chronic diseases such as obesity and diabetes.
AGA recognizes the outgoing members of the scientific advisory board who have made valuable contributions to the center’s work over their terms: Lee M. Kaplan, MD, PhD, AGAF, Zain Kassam, MD, MPH, and Ece Mutlu, MD, MBA, AGAF.