News from AGA

AGA applauds Congress for recognizing the need to sustain the momentum for NIH funding and to ensure that it has the purchasing power it needs to attract the best and brightest scientists to pursue careers in research.

The Senate approved the fiscal year (FY) 2019 Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations bill that included a $2 billion increase in funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH). This increase represents a 5.5% increase in NIH funding, on top of the 8.8% increase that NIH received as part of the Omnibus Appropriations bill for FY 2018. The funding also represents the largest increase in funding since the doubling period (FY 1999-FY 2003), and enabled NIH to support 1,149 additional research grants.

The $2 billion increase included in the Senate bill reflects the necessary funding that NIH needs to keep pace with medical research inflation. This increase will enable NIH to continue to fund innovative research, improve the quality of care for millions of Americans, and maintain U.S. global leadership in medical research. The House has recommended a $1.1 billion increase in NIH funding, but AGA will be pushing for the $2 billion increase. House and Senate leaders will be working to negotiate an agreement on funding.
 

[email protected]

AGA applauds Congress for recognizing the need to sustain the momentum for NIH funding and to ensure that it has the purchasing power it needs to attract the best and brightest scientists to pursue careers in research.

The Senate approved the fiscal year (FY) 2019 Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations bill that included a $2 billion increase in funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH). This increase represents a 5.5% increase in NIH funding, on top of the 8.8% increase that NIH received as part of the Omnibus Appropriations bill for FY 2018. The funding also represents the largest increase in funding since the doubling period (FY 1999-FY 2003), and enabled NIH to support 1,149 additional research grants.

The $2 billion increase included in the Senate bill reflects the necessary funding that NIH needs to keep pace with medical research inflation. This increase will enable NIH to continue to fund innovative research, improve the quality of care for millions of Americans, and maintain U.S. global leadership in medical research. The House has recommended a $1.1 billion increase in NIH funding, but AGA will be pushing for the $2 billion increase. House and Senate leaders will be working to negotiate an agreement on funding.
 

[email protected]

AGA applauds Congress for recognizing the need to sustain the momentum for NIH funding and to ensure that it has the purchasing power it needs to attract the best and brightest scientists to pursue careers in research.

The Senate approved the fiscal year (FY) 2019 Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations bill that included a $2 billion increase in funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH). This increase represents a 5.5% increase in NIH funding, on top of the 8.8% increase that NIH received as part of the Omnibus Appropriations bill for FY 2018. The funding also represents the largest increase in funding since the doubling period (FY 1999-FY 2003), and enabled NIH to support 1,149 additional research grants.

The $2 billion increase included in the Senate bill reflects the necessary funding that NIH needs to keep pace with medical research inflation. This increase will enable NIH to continue to fund innovative research, improve the quality of care for millions of Americans, and maintain U.S. global leadership in medical research. The House has recommended a $1.1 billion increase in NIH funding, but AGA will be pushing for the $2 billion increase. House and Senate leaders will be working to negotiate an agreement on funding.
 

[email protected]

Physicians with difficult patient scenarios regularly bring their questions to the AGA Community to seek advice from fellow GIs on therapy and disease management options, best practices, and diagnoses.

In case you missed it, here are the most popular clinical cases shared in the forum recently:
 

1. Eosinophilic esophagitis and stricture

A tight stricture in the mid-esophagus of a 25-year-old patient prevented the physician from passing the scope on multiple occasions within 5 weeks.

2. Behcet’s

A 41-year-old patient with Behcet’s disease and celiac disease originally reported joint pain and diarrhea, which subsided after treatment with prednisone and sulfasalazine. Despite a limited diet and therapeutic levels of Humira, her symptoms resurfaced 6 months later with loose stools and urgency.

3. Ectopic varices with portal vein thrombosis

This case involves a 49-year-old male who developed necrotizing pancreatitis due to microlithiasis in 2008, followed by pyrexia with three pyogenic liver abscesses this past May. The attending physician solicited advice from the GI community on management of this patient’s portal hypertension.

4. Firefighters at higher CRC risk?

Join this informative discussion about a reported “1.21 times greater risk” for colorectal cancer in firefighters, and increased screening for this demographic.

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 to seek advice from fellow GIs on therapy and disease management options, best practices, and diagnoses.

In case you missed it, here are the most popular clinical cases shared in the forum recently:
 

1. Eosinophilic esophagitis and stricture

A tight stricture in the mid-esophagus of a 25-year-old patient prevented the physician from passing the scope on multiple occasions within 5 weeks.

2. Behcet’s

A 41-year-old patient with Behcet’s disease and celiac disease originally reported joint pain and diarrhea, which subsided after treatment with prednisone and sulfasalazine. Despite a limited diet and therapeutic levels of Humira, her symptoms resurfaced 6 months later with loose stools and urgency.

3. Ectopic varices with portal vein thrombosis

This case involves a 49-year-old male who developed necrotizing pancreatitis due to microlithiasis in 2008, followed by pyrexia with three pyogenic liver abscesses this past May. The attending physician solicited advice from the GI community on management of this patient’s portal hypertension.

4. Firefighters at higher CRC risk?

Join this informative discussion about a reported “1.21 times greater risk” for colorectal cancer in firefighters, and increased screening for this demographic.

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 to seek advice from fellow GIs on therapy and disease management options, best practices, and diagnoses.

In case you missed it, here are the most popular clinical cases shared in the forum recently:
 

1. Eosinophilic esophagitis and stricture

A tight stricture in the mid-esophagus of a 25-year-old patient prevented the physician from passing the scope on multiple occasions within 5 weeks.

2. Behcet’s

A 41-year-old patient with Behcet’s disease and celiac disease originally reported joint pain and diarrhea, which subsided after treatment with prednisone and sulfasalazine. Despite a limited diet and therapeutic levels of Humira, her symptoms resurfaced 6 months later with loose stools and urgency.

3. Ectopic varices with portal vein thrombosis

This case involves a 49-year-old male who developed necrotizing pancreatitis due to microlithiasis in 2008, followed by pyrexia with three pyogenic liver abscesses this past May. The attending physician solicited advice from the GI community on management of this patient’s portal hypertension.

4. Firefighters at higher CRC risk?

Join this informative discussion about a reported “1.21 times greater risk” for colorectal cancer in firefighters, and increased screening for this demographic.

More clinical cases and discussions are at https://community.gastro.org/discussions.
 

[email protected]

A simple, flexible and versatile way to ensure the AGA Research Foundation can continue to help spark the scientific breakthroughs of today so clinicians will have the tools to improve care tomorrow is through a gift in your will or living trust, known as a charitable bequest.

To make a charitable bequest, you need a current will or living trust. Your gift can be made as a percentage of your estate. Or you can make a specific bequest by giving a certain amount of cash, securities or property. After your lifetime, the Foundation receives your gift.

Including the AGA Research Foundation in your will is a popular gift to give because it is:

• Affordable. The actual giving of your gift occurs after your lifetime, so your current income is not affected.

• Flexible. Until your will goes into effect, you are free to alter your plans or change your mind.

• Versatile. You can give a specific item, a set amount of money or a percentage of your estate. You can also make your gift contingent upon certain events.

We hope you’ll consider including a gift to the AGA Research Foundation in your will or liv-ing trust. It’s simple – just a few sentences in your will or trust are all that is needed. The official bequest language for the AGA Research Foundation is: “I, [name], of [city, state, ZIP], give, devise and bequeath to the AGA Research Foundation [written amount or per-centage of the estate or description of property] for its unrestricted use and purpose.”

By including a gift to the AGA Research Foundation in your will, you can help fill the funding gap and protect the next generation of investigators.

For more information, visit http://gastro.planmylegacy.org/ or contact us at [email protected].
 

A simple, flexible and versatile way to ensure the AGA Research Foundation can continue to help spark the scientific breakthroughs of today so clinicians will have the tools to improve care tomorrow is through a gift in your will or living trust, known as a charitable bequest.

To make a charitable bequest, you need a current will or living trust. Your gift can be made as a percentage of your estate. Or you can make a specific bequest by giving a certain amount of cash, securities or property. After your lifetime, the Foundation receives your gift.

Including the AGA Research Foundation in your will is a popular gift to give because it is:

• Affordable. The actual giving of your gift occurs after your lifetime, so your current income is not affected.

• Flexible. Until your will goes into effect, you are free to alter your plans or change your mind.

• Versatile. You can give a specific item, a set amount of money or a percentage of your estate. You can also make your gift contingent upon certain events.

We hope you’ll consider including a gift to the AGA Research Foundation in your will or liv-ing trust. It’s simple – just a few sentences in your will or trust are all that is needed. The official bequest language for the AGA Research Foundation is: “I, [name], of [city, state, ZIP], give, devise and bequeath to the AGA Research Foundation [written amount or per-centage of the estate or description of property] for its unrestricted use and purpose.”

By including a gift to the AGA Research Foundation in your will, you can help fill the funding gap and protect the next generation of investigators.

For more information, visit http://gastro.planmylegacy.org/ or contact us at [email protected].
 

A simple, flexible and versatile way to ensure the AGA Research Foundation can continue to help spark the scientific breakthroughs of today so clinicians will have the tools to improve care tomorrow is through a gift in your will or living trust, known as a charitable bequest.

To make a charitable bequest, you need a current will or living trust. Your gift can be made as a percentage of your estate. Or you can make a specific bequest by giving a certain amount of cash, securities or property. After your lifetime, the Foundation receives your gift.

Including the AGA Research Foundation in your will is a popular gift to give because it is:

• Affordable. The actual giving of your gift occurs after your lifetime, so your current income is not affected.

• Flexible. Until your will goes into effect, you are free to alter your plans or change your mind.

• Versatile. You can give a specific item, a set amount of money or a percentage of your estate. You can also make your gift contingent upon certain events.

We hope you’ll consider including a gift to the AGA Research Foundation in your will or liv-ing trust. It’s simple – just a few sentences in your will or trust are all that is needed. The official bequest language for the AGA Research Foundation is: “I, [name], of [city, state, ZIP], give, devise and bequeath to the AGA Research Foundation [written amount or per-centage of the estate or description of property] for its unrestricted use and purpose.”

By including a gift to the AGA Research Foundation in your will, you can help fill the funding gap and protect the next generation of investigators.

For more information, visit http://gastro.planmylegacy.org/ or contact us at [email protected].
 

Physicians with difficult patient scenarios regularly bring their questions to the AGA Community forum to seek advice from fellow GIs on therapy and disease management options, best practices and diagnoses.

In case you missed it, here are the most popular clinical cases shared in the forum recently:

1. Ulcerative colitis
A 24-year-old male with severe pancolitis is in remission and currently functioning well, but the attending GI is fearful that a relapse is impending based on a fecal calprotectin of 1258 in a “clinically stable patient on long term maximal therapy.”



2. Esophageal varices on Warfarin
A 64-year-old patient with Child-Turcotte-Pugh (CTP) class A cirrhosis had an upper endoscopy that showed large esophageal varices with no prior history of bleeding. View Dr. Miguel Malespin’s take on this popular case in the August issue of AGA Perspectives.



3. Does he have IBS or what?
A 37-year-old male with psoriatic arthritis and abdominal pain experiences rectal bleeding and abnormal findings during colonoscopy.



4. Chronic pancolitis
Quite a few GI experts commented on next steps for this 77-year-old pancolitis patient who has refused biologics based on cost.



5. Pouchitis
This 40-year-old patient developed diarrhea, fever, abdominal pain and other symptoms, with observed ulceration and inflammation in the pouch and proximally.

More clinical cases and discussions are at https://community.gastro.org/discussions.

Physicians with difficult patient scenarios regularly bring their questions to the AGA Community forum to seek advice from fellow GIs on therapy and disease management options, best practices and diagnoses.

In case you missed it, here are the most popular clinical cases shared in the forum recently:

1. Ulcerative colitis
A 24-year-old male with severe pancolitis is in remission and currently functioning well, but the attending GI is fearful that a relapse is impending based on a fecal calprotectin of 1258 in a “clinically stable patient on long term maximal therapy.”



2. Esophageal varices on Warfarin
A 64-year-old patient with Child-Turcotte-Pugh (CTP) class A cirrhosis had an upper endoscopy that showed large esophageal varices with no prior history of bleeding. View Dr. Miguel Malespin’s take on this popular case in the August issue of AGA Perspectives.



3. Does he have IBS or what?
A 37-year-old male with psoriatic arthritis and abdominal pain experiences rectal bleeding and abnormal findings during colonoscopy.



4. Chronic pancolitis
Quite a few GI experts commented on next steps for this 77-year-old pancolitis patient who has refused biologics based on cost.



5. Pouchitis
This 40-year-old patient developed diarrhea, fever, abdominal pain and other symptoms, with observed ulceration and inflammation in the pouch and proximally.

More clinical cases and discussions are at https://community.gastro.org/discussions.

Physicians with difficult patient scenarios regularly bring their questions to the AGA Community forum to seek advice from fellow GIs on therapy and disease management options, best practices and diagnoses.

In case you missed it, here are the most popular clinical cases shared in the forum recently:

1. Ulcerative colitis
A 24-year-old male with severe pancolitis is in remission and currently functioning well, but the attending GI is fearful that a relapse is impending based on a fecal calprotectin of 1258 in a “clinically stable patient on long term maximal therapy.”



2. Esophageal varices on Warfarin
A 64-year-old patient with Child-Turcotte-Pugh (CTP) class A cirrhosis had an upper endoscopy that showed large esophageal varices with no prior history of bleeding. View Dr. Miguel Malespin’s take on this popular case in the August issue of AGA Perspectives.



3. Does he have IBS or what?
A 37-year-old male with psoriatic arthritis and abdominal pain experiences rectal bleeding and abnormal findings during colonoscopy.



4. Chronic pancolitis
Quite a few GI experts commented on next steps for this 77-year-old pancolitis patient who has refused biologics based on cost.



5. Pouchitis
This 40-year-old patient developed diarrhea, fever, abdominal pain and other symptoms, with observed ulceration and inflammation in the pouch and proximally.

More clinical cases and discussions are at https://community.gastro.org/discussions.

Congrats to AGA Research Foundation grantee Amir Zarrinpar, MD, PhD, from UC San Diego whose new microbiome research has been published in Nature Communications. Dr. Zarrinpar — a former AGA Microbiome Junior Investigator Research Award recipient — used his AGA funding to study cyclical fluctuations in the gut microbiome and its effects on host metabolism. This new study in Nature Communications is an unexpected finding resulting from Dr. Zarrinpar’s AGA research project with his collaborator Satchin Panda, PhD, and their colleagues in the Salk Institute.

The study, Antibiotic-induced microbiome depletion alters metabolic homeostasis by affecting gut signaling and colonic metabolism, finds that mice that have their microbiomes depleted with antibiotics have decreased levels of glucose in their blood and better insulin sensitivity. The research has implications for understanding the role of the microbiome in diabetes. It also could lead to better insight into the side effects seen in people who are being treated with high levels of antibiotics.

The next steps for Dr. Zarrinpar and his team are to better understand what bacterial metabolites can affect insulin sensitivity and to functionally manipulate the microbiome to alter gut signaling to treat diabetes and other metabolic diseases. We look forward to seeing additional research on this topic that can eventually translate into improvements in patient care.
 

[email protected]

Congrats to AGA Research Foundation grantee Amir Zarrinpar, MD, PhD, from UC San Diego whose new microbiome research has been published in Nature Communications. Dr. Zarrinpar — a former AGA Microbiome Junior Investigator Research Award recipient — used his AGA funding to study cyclical fluctuations in the gut microbiome and its effects on host metabolism. This new study in Nature Communications is an unexpected finding resulting from Dr. Zarrinpar’s AGA research project with his collaborator Satchin Panda, PhD, and their colleagues in the Salk Institute.

The study, Antibiotic-induced microbiome depletion alters metabolic homeostasis by affecting gut signaling and colonic metabolism, finds that mice that have their microbiomes depleted with antibiotics have decreased levels of glucose in their blood and better insulin sensitivity. The research has implications for understanding the role of the microbiome in diabetes. It also could lead to better insight into the side effects seen in people who are being treated with high levels of antibiotics.

The next steps for Dr. Zarrinpar and his team are to better understand what bacterial metabolites can affect insulin sensitivity and to functionally manipulate the microbiome to alter gut signaling to treat diabetes and other metabolic diseases. We look forward to seeing additional research on this topic that can eventually translate into improvements in patient care.
 

[email protected]

Congrats to AGA Research Foundation grantee Amir Zarrinpar, MD, PhD, from UC San Diego whose new microbiome research has been published in Nature Communications. Dr. Zarrinpar — a former AGA Microbiome Junior Investigator Research Award recipient — used his AGA funding to study cyclical fluctuations in the gut microbiome and its effects on host metabolism. This new study in Nature Communications is an unexpected finding resulting from Dr. Zarrinpar’s AGA research project with his collaborator Satchin Panda, PhD, and their colleagues in the Salk Institute.

The study, Antibiotic-induced microbiome depletion alters metabolic homeostasis by affecting gut signaling and colonic metabolism, finds that mice that have their microbiomes depleted with antibiotics have decreased levels of glucose in their blood and better insulin sensitivity. The research has implications for understanding the role of the microbiome in diabetes. It also could lead to better insight into the side effects seen in people who are being treated with high levels of antibiotics.

The next steps for Dr. Zarrinpar and his team are to better understand what bacterial metabolites can affect insulin sensitivity and to functionally manipulate the microbiome to alter gut signaling to treat diabetes and other metabolic diseases. We look forward to seeing additional research on this topic that can eventually translate into improvements in patient care.
 

[email protected]

The AGA Research Foundation Research Awards Program includes two grants dedicated to digestive cancer research: the AGA–Caroline Craig Augustyn & Damian Augustyn Award in Digestive Cancer and the AGA–R. Robert & Sally Funderburg Research Award in Gastric Cancer.

Continue reading to learn about the novel research projects being conducted by our 2018 digestive cancer grant recipients.

AGA–Caroline Craig Augustyn & Damian Augustyn Award in Digestive Cancer

Ravikanth Maddipati, MD

University of Pennsylvania Hospital System, Philadelphia

Dr. Maddipati’s research focuses on understanding and treating metastatic disease in pancreatic cancer. With this grant, Dr. Maddipati will use advanced lineage-traced mouse models and innovative bioengineering approaches to identify the molecular pathways involved in tumor cell cooperation and define the role of circulating tumor cell-clusters in pancreatic cancer progression. This work will lead to a noninvasive method for monitoring disease progression and response to treatment in pancreatic cancer patients.

AGA’s take: Pancreatic cancer, namely pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, is one of the deadliest cancers in the U.S. The AGA Research Foundation is pleased to fund Dr. Maddipati’s research. As a physician-scientist, he is in a unique position to translate findings from basic research, using preclinical models, to develop improved approaches to treating patients with pancreatic cancer.
 

AGA–R. Robert & Sally Funderburg Research Award in Gastric Cancer

Jingwu Xie, PhD

Indiana University, Indianapolis

Dr. Xie’s research focuses on drug resistance in gastric cancer. His team recently had a monumental discovery — activated hedgehog signaling, via GLI1 and GLI2 gene up-regulation, is responsible for drug resistance in gastric cancer. Dr. Xie’s AGA-funded research will work to identify novel ways to sensitize gastric cancer cells to drug treatment by suppressing GLI1 and GLI2 activity.

AGA’s take: Gastric cancer is a very underfunded area of research in the U.S., and with limited treatment options for patients, there is a great need for novel research projects. The AGA Research Foundation is proud to fund Dr. Xie’s research, which we believe has the potential to translate into a new treatment that will improve outcomes for gastric cancer patients.
 

To see the full class of 2018 AGA Research Foundation awardees, visit the Meet Our Awardees section of our website, www.gastro.org/foundation-awardees.

[email protected]

The AGA Research Foundation Research Awards Program includes two grants dedicated to digestive cancer research: the AGA–Caroline Craig Augustyn & Damian Augustyn Award in Digestive Cancer and the AGA–R. Robert & Sally Funderburg Research Award in Gastric Cancer.

Continue reading to learn about the novel research projects being conducted by our 2018 digestive cancer grant recipients.

AGA–Caroline Craig Augustyn & Damian Augustyn Award in Digestive Cancer

Ravikanth Maddipati, MD

University of Pennsylvania Hospital System, Philadelphia

Dr. Maddipati’s research focuses on understanding and treating metastatic disease in pancreatic cancer. With this grant, Dr. Maddipati will use advanced lineage-traced mouse models and innovative bioengineering approaches to identify the molecular pathways involved in tumor cell cooperation and define the role of circulating tumor cell-clusters in pancreatic cancer progression. This work will lead to a noninvasive method for monitoring disease progression and response to treatment in pancreatic cancer patients.

AGA’s take: Pancreatic cancer, namely pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, is one of the deadliest cancers in the U.S. The AGA Research Foundation is pleased to fund Dr. Maddipati’s research. As a physician-scientist, he is in a unique position to translate findings from basic research, using preclinical models, to develop improved approaches to treating patients with pancreatic cancer.
 

AGA–R. Robert & Sally Funderburg Research Award in Gastric Cancer

Jingwu Xie, PhD

Indiana University, Indianapolis

Dr. Xie’s research focuses on drug resistance in gastric cancer. His team recently had a monumental discovery — activated hedgehog signaling, via GLI1 and GLI2 gene up-regulation, is responsible for drug resistance in gastric cancer. Dr. Xie’s AGA-funded research will work to identify novel ways to sensitize gastric cancer cells to drug treatment by suppressing GLI1 and GLI2 activity.

AGA’s take: Gastric cancer is a very underfunded area of research in the U.S., and with limited treatment options for patients, there is a great need for novel research projects. The AGA Research Foundation is proud to fund Dr. Xie’s research, which we believe has the potential to translate into a new treatment that will improve outcomes for gastric cancer patients.
 

To see the full class of 2018 AGA Research Foundation awardees, visit the Meet Our Awardees section of our website, www.gastro.org/foundation-awardees.

[email protected]

The AGA Research Foundation Research Awards Program includes two grants dedicated to digestive cancer research: the AGA–Caroline Craig Augustyn & Damian Augustyn Award in Digestive Cancer and the AGA–R. Robert & Sally Funderburg Research Award in Gastric Cancer.

Continue reading to learn about the novel research projects being conducted by our 2018 digestive cancer grant recipients.

AGA–Caroline Craig Augustyn & Damian Augustyn Award in Digestive Cancer

Ravikanth Maddipati, MD

University of Pennsylvania Hospital System, Philadelphia

Dr. Maddipati’s research focuses on understanding and treating metastatic disease in pancreatic cancer. With this grant, Dr. Maddipati will use advanced lineage-traced mouse models and innovative bioengineering approaches to identify the molecular pathways involved in tumor cell cooperation and define the role of circulating tumor cell-clusters in pancreatic cancer progression. This work will lead to a noninvasive method for monitoring disease progression and response to treatment in pancreatic cancer patients.

AGA’s take: Pancreatic cancer, namely pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, is one of the deadliest cancers in the U.S. The AGA Research Foundation is pleased to fund Dr. Maddipati’s research. As a physician-scientist, he is in a unique position to translate findings from basic research, using preclinical models, to develop improved approaches to treating patients with pancreatic cancer.
 

AGA–R. Robert & Sally Funderburg Research Award in Gastric Cancer

Jingwu Xie, PhD

Indiana University, Indianapolis

Dr. Xie’s research focuses on drug resistance in gastric cancer. His team recently had a monumental discovery — activated hedgehog signaling, via GLI1 and GLI2 gene up-regulation, is responsible for drug resistance in gastric cancer. Dr. Xie’s AGA-funded research will work to identify novel ways to sensitize gastric cancer cells to drug treatment by suppressing GLI1 and GLI2 activity.

AGA’s take: Gastric cancer is a very underfunded area of research in the U.S., and with limited treatment options for patients, there is a great need for novel research projects. The AGA Research Foundation is proud to fund Dr. Xie’s research, which we believe has the potential to translate into a new treatment that will improve outcomes for gastric cancer patients.
 

To see the full class of 2018 AGA Research Foundation awardees, visit the Meet Our Awardees section of our website, www.gastro.org/foundation-awardees.

[email protected]

Registration for the Crohn’s & Colitis Congress,^® the premier conference on inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), is open. The Crohn’s & Colitis Congress, a partnership of the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation and the American Gastroenterological Association, will take place Feb. 7-9, 2019, at the Bellagio, in Las Vegas.

Led by committee chair Brent Polk, MD, AGAF, and co-chairs Maria T. Abreu, MD, AGAF, and David T. Rubin, MD, AGAF, invited faculty include IBD thought-leaders in the fields of GI, research investigation, surgery, pediatrics, advanced practice, IBD nursing, diet and nutrition, mental health, radiology, and pathology.

The 2019 Congress’ agenda includes main sessions that will emphasize case studies and panel discussions. There will also be parallel sessions on basic and translational science for senior and junior investigators.

In addition, several pre-Congress workshops, taking place Feb. 7, will be available for selection.

There will also be plenty of social events and plenty of time to enjoy Las Vegas; including a Friday night Welcome Reception that should not be missed. It’s a great opportunity to network and celebrate.

Abstract submissions for basic, translational, and clinical research will be accepted beginning Aug. 1 and ending Oct. 24.

To learn more and register, visit www.crohnscolitiscongress.org.
 

[email protected]

Registration for the Crohn’s & Colitis Congress,^® the premier conference on inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), is open. The Crohn’s & Colitis Congress, a partnership of the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation and the American Gastroenterological Association, will take place Feb. 7-9, 2019, at the Bellagio, in Las Vegas.

Led by committee chair Brent Polk, MD, AGAF, and co-chairs Maria T. Abreu, MD, AGAF, and David T. Rubin, MD, AGAF, invited faculty include IBD thought-leaders in the fields of GI, research investigation, surgery, pediatrics, advanced practice, IBD nursing, diet and nutrition, mental health, radiology, and pathology.

The 2019 Congress’ agenda includes main sessions that will emphasize case studies and panel discussions. There will also be parallel sessions on basic and translational science for senior and junior investigators.

In addition, several pre-Congress workshops, taking place Feb. 7, will be available for selection.

There will also be plenty of social events and plenty of time to enjoy Las Vegas; including a Friday night Welcome Reception that should not be missed. It’s a great opportunity to network and celebrate.

Abstract submissions for basic, translational, and clinical research will be accepted beginning Aug. 1 and ending Oct. 24.

To learn more and register, visit www.crohnscolitiscongress.org.
 

[email protected]

Registration for the Crohn’s & Colitis Congress,^® the premier conference on inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), is open. The Crohn’s & Colitis Congress, a partnership of the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation and the American Gastroenterological Association, will take place Feb. 7-9, 2019, at the Bellagio, in Las Vegas.

Led by committee chair Brent Polk, MD, AGAF, and co-chairs Maria T. Abreu, MD, AGAF, and David T. Rubin, MD, AGAF, invited faculty include IBD thought-leaders in the fields of GI, research investigation, surgery, pediatrics, advanced practice, IBD nursing, diet and nutrition, mental health, radiology, and pathology.

The 2019 Congress’ agenda includes main sessions that will emphasize case studies and panel discussions. There will also be parallel sessions on basic and translational science for senior and junior investigators.

In addition, several pre-Congress workshops, taking place Feb. 7, will be available for selection.

There will also be plenty of social events and plenty of time to enjoy Las Vegas; including a Friday night Welcome Reception that should not be missed. It’s a great opportunity to network and celebrate.

Abstract submissions for basic, translational, and clinical research will be accepted beginning Aug. 1 and ending Oct. 24.

To learn more and register, visit www.crohnscolitiscongress.org.
 

[email protected]

The six investigators awarded AGA’s flagship research grant are working on impressive research projects that address important unmet needs for GI patients.

In partnership with generous supporters, the AGA Research Foundation provided more than $2 million in research funding to 41 investigators in 2018. The AGA Research Scholar Award was given to 6 exceptional early-career investigators who represent the future of GI research. Read about their research projects below.
 

Sarah Andres, PhD

University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia

Project title: The mRNA binding protein IMP1 regulates intestinal epithelial exosome biology during homeostasis and metastasis

Swathi Eluri, MD, MSCR

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Project title: Improving Barrett’s esophagus screening practices in primary care

Jill Hoffman, PhD

University of California, Los Angeles

AGA-Takeda Pharmaceuticals Research Scholar Award in IBD

Project title: Characterization of CRHR₂-mediated enteric glial cell function during colitis

Dr. Hoffman will use her AGA-Takeda funding to define a role for corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) signaling in enteric glial cell function, and determine CRHR₂-dependent crosstalk between enteric glial cells and the intestinal epithelium during inflammation. Through research aiming to understand the basic mechanisms of cell-to-cell signaling during intestinal inflammation, Dr. Hoffman hopes to determine how to harness these pathways to limit inflammation and promote repair in patients with IBD.
 

Elizabeth Jensen, MPH, PhD

Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC

Project title: Early life factors, gene-environment interaction, and eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE)

With this funding, Dr. Jensen will conduct the largest study to date on early life factors and EoE, using data that have been collected prospectively through population-based registries in Denmark. Ultimately, Dr. Jensen hopes her research will lead to advancements in our understanding of etiologic factors for development of immune-mediated GI diseases, such as EoE, and will lead to the identification of modifiable factors for disease prevention.
 

Sumera Rizvi, MD

Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN

Project title: Necrosis enhances tumor immunogenicity and augments cholangiocarcinoma tumor suppression in combination with PD-L1 blockade

Niels Vande Casteele, PhD

University of California, San Diego

Project title: Identifying optimal thresholds and personalized dosing regimens of infliximab to maximize endoscopic remission rates in patients with ulcerative colitis

[email protected]

The six investigators awarded AGA’s flagship research grant are working on impressive research projects that address important unmet needs for GI patients.

In partnership with generous supporters, the AGA Research Foundation provided more than $2 million in research funding to 41 investigators in 2018. The AGA Research Scholar Award was given to 6 exceptional early-career investigators who represent the future of GI research. Read about their research projects below.
 

Sarah Andres, PhD

University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia

Project title: The mRNA binding protein IMP1 regulates intestinal epithelial exosome biology during homeostasis and metastasis

Swathi Eluri, MD, MSCR

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Project title: Improving Barrett’s esophagus screening practices in primary care

Jill Hoffman, PhD

University of California, Los Angeles

AGA-Takeda Pharmaceuticals Research Scholar Award in IBD

Project title: Characterization of CRHR₂-mediated enteric glial cell function during colitis

Dr. Hoffman will use her AGA-Takeda funding to define a role for corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) signaling in enteric glial cell function, and determine CRHR₂-dependent crosstalk between enteric glial cells and the intestinal epithelium during inflammation. Through research aiming to understand the basic mechanisms of cell-to-cell signaling during intestinal inflammation, Dr. Hoffman hopes to determine how to harness these pathways to limit inflammation and promote repair in patients with IBD.
 

Elizabeth Jensen, MPH, PhD

Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC

Project title: Early life factors, gene-environment interaction, and eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE)

With this funding, Dr. Jensen will conduct the largest study to date on early life factors and EoE, using data that have been collected prospectively through population-based registries in Denmark. Ultimately, Dr. Jensen hopes her research will lead to advancements in our understanding of etiologic factors for development of immune-mediated GI diseases, such as EoE, and will lead to the identification of modifiable factors for disease prevention.
 

Sumera Rizvi, MD

Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN

Project title: Necrosis enhances tumor immunogenicity and augments cholangiocarcinoma tumor suppression in combination with PD-L1 blockade

Niels Vande Casteele, PhD

University of California, San Diego

Project title: Identifying optimal thresholds and personalized dosing regimens of infliximab to maximize endoscopic remission rates in patients with ulcerative colitis

[email protected]

The six investigators awarded AGA’s flagship research grant are working on impressive research projects that address important unmet needs for GI patients.

In partnership with generous supporters, the AGA Research Foundation provided more than $2 million in research funding to 41 investigators in 2018. The AGA Research Scholar Award was given to 6 exceptional early-career investigators who represent the future of GI research. Read about their research projects below.
 

Sarah Andres, PhD

University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia

Project title: The mRNA binding protein IMP1 regulates intestinal epithelial exosome biology during homeostasis and metastasis

Swathi Eluri, MD, MSCR

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Project title: Improving Barrett’s esophagus screening practices in primary care

Jill Hoffman, PhD

University of California, Los Angeles

AGA-Takeda Pharmaceuticals Research Scholar Award in IBD

Project title: Characterization of CRHR₂-mediated enteric glial cell function during colitis

Dr. Hoffman will use her AGA-Takeda funding to define a role for corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) signaling in enteric glial cell function, and determine CRHR₂-dependent crosstalk between enteric glial cells and the intestinal epithelium during inflammation. Through research aiming to understand the basic mechanisms of cell-to-cell signaling during intestinal inflammation, Dr. Hoffman hopes to determine how to harness these pathways to limit inflammation and promote repair in patients with IBD.
 

Elizabeth Jensen, MPH, PhD

Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC

Project title: Early life factors, gene-environment interaction, and eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE)

With this funding, Dr. Jensen will conduct the largest study to date on early life factors and EoE, using data that have been collected prospectively through population-based registries in Denmark. Ultimately, Dr. Jensen hopes her research will lead to advancements in our understanding of etiologic factors for development of immune-mediated GI diseases, such as EoE, and will lead to the identification of modifiable factors for disease prevention.
 

Sumera Rizvi, MD

Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN

Project title: Necrosis enhances tumor immunogenicity and augments cholangiocarcinoma tumor suppression in combination with PD-L1 blockade

Niels Vande Casteele, PhD

University of California, San Diego

Project title: Identifying optimal thresholds and personalized dosing regimens of infliximab to maximize endoscopic remission rates in patients with ulcerative colitis

[email protected]

“AGA is pushing the envelope in a number of areas,” said outgoing AGA President Sheila E. Crowe MD, AGAF, during the AGA Presidential Plenary at Digestive Disease Week^® (DDW). “And in a changing world, there are battlefronts where we must continue to work toward innovative solutions.”

The association continues to push reform in maintenance of certification (MOC). The Gastroenterologist-accountable Professionalism in Practice (G-APP) alternative certification pathway introduced 2 years ago created a strong platform to continue guiding the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) to adapt its own MOC process to be more flexible, less costly, and more reflective of the realities of clinical practice.

“ABIM has responded to our pressure by unveiling the 2-year check-in,” Dr. Crowe said. “This is progress, but it still fails to address all the concerns we have expressed to ABIM. AGA will continue to work collaboratively, but forcefully, to make sure that recertification is convenient, relevant, and meaningful.”

AGA has successfully pushed for improvements to the Medicare Quality Payments program. Dr. Crowe said the association remains committed to reducing the regulatory hoops, red tape, and associated costs that practices must navigate.

The continuing push to ease regulatory burdens of practice is buoyed by successes in other areas.

AGA built a new partnership with the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation and launched the first annual Crohn’s & Colitis Congress™ earlier this year. Registration for the 2019 Congress opens later this month.

The AGA Community (community.gastro.org) became a vibrant hub for clinicians to discuss their most difficult cases. Most recently, AGA made its patient education materials freely available online through the AGA GI Patient Center (patient.gastro.org). All educational pieces are available in both English and Spanish.

Research has been a top priority since AGA was founded 121 years ago, Dr. Crowe added.

“We are proud to be part of a coalition that aggressively advocated for increases at NIH and were pleased that a $3 billion increase was secured in the budget,” she said. “It was a big win in a tough environment.”

To help bridge the continuing shortfall in federal funding, the AGA Research Foundation launched an active year of fundraising and funding. The Foundation provided $2 million in research funding to 41 young investigators in the past year. An expanded awards program provided more pilot awards and more research scholar awards (RSA).

The past year also saw the launch of the AGA Fecal Microbiota Transplantation (FMT) National Registry. The new registry will assess the short- and long-term patient outcomes associated with FMT. In addition, AGA created a clinical research registry for endoscopic suturing procedures. The annual AGA Tech Summit continues to push for innovation in all areas of GI. The ultimate goal, Dr. Crowe said, is to put the most effective innovations into the hands of clinicians as quickly as possible.

During the plenary, Dr. Crowe presented the annual Julius Friedenwald Medal to Loren Laine, MD, AGAF. In addition to a distinguished academic career, Dr. Laine helped create the AGA Center for Gut Microbiome Research and Education while he was AGA president and helped establish AGA’s guideline development process.
 

[email protected]

“AGA is pushing the envelope in a number of areas,” said outgoing AGA President Sheila E. Crowe MD, AGAF, during the AGA Presidential Plenary at Digestive Disease Week^® (DDW). “And in a changing world, there are battlefronts where we must continue to work toward innovative solutions.”

The association continues to push reform in maintenance of certification (MOC). The Gastroenterologist-accountable Professionalism in Practice (G-APP) alternative certification pathway introduced 2 years ago created a strong platform to continue guiding the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) to adapt its own MOC process to be more flexible, less costly, and more reflective of the realities of clinical practice.

“ABIM has responded to our pressure by unveiling the 2-year check-in,” Dr. Crowe said. “This is progress, but it still fails to address all the concerns we have expressed to ABIM. AGA will continue to work collaboratively, but forcefully, to make sure that recertification is convenient, relevant, and meaningful.”

AGA has successfully pushed for improvements to the Medicare Quality Payments program. Dr. Crowe said the association remains committed to reducing the regulatory hoops, red tape, and associated costs that practices must navigate.

The continuing push to ease regulatory burdens of practice is buoyed by successes in other areas.

AGA built a new partnership with the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation and launched the first annual Crohn’s & Colitis Congress™ earlier this year. Registration for the 2019 Congress opens later this month.

The AGA Community (community.gastro.org) became a vibrant hub for clinicians to discuss their most difficult cases. Most recently, AGA made its patient education materials freely available online through the AGA GI Patient Center (patient.gastro.org). All educational pieces are available in both English and Spanish.

Research has been a top priority since AGA was founded 121 years ago, Dr. Crowe added.

“We are proud to be part of a coalition that aggressively advocated for increases at NIH and were pleased that a $3 billion increase was secured in the budget,” she said. “It was a big win in a tough environment.”

To help bridge the continuing shortfall in federal funding, the AGA Research Foundation launched an active year of fundraising and funding. The Foundation provided $2 million in research funding to 41 young investigators in the past year. An expanded awards program provided more pilot awards and more research scholar awards (RSA).

The past year also saw the launch of the AGA Fecal Microbiota Transplantation (FMT) National Registry. The new registry will assess the short- and long-term patient outcomes associated with FMT. In addition, AGA created a clinical research registry for endoscopic suturing procedures. The annual AGA Tech Summit continues to push for innovation in all areas of GI. The ultimate goal, Dr. Crowe said, is to put the most effective innovations into the hands of clinicians as quickly as possible.

During the plenary, Dr. Crowe presented the annual Julius Friedenwald Medal to Loren Laine, MD, AGAF. In addition to a distinguished academic career, Dr. Laine helped create the AGA Center for Gut Microbiome Research and Education while he was AGA president and helped establish AGA’s guideline development process.
 

[email protected]

“AGA is pushing the envelope in a number of areas,” said outgoing AGA President Sheila E. Crowe MD, AGAF, during the AGA Presidential Plenary at Digestive Disease Week^® (DDW). “And in a changing world, there are battlefronts where we must continue to work toward innovative solutions.”

The association continues to push reform in maintenance of certification (MOC). The Gastroenterologist-accountable Professionalism in Practice (G-APP) alternative certification pathway introduced 2 years ago created a strong platform to continue guiding the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) to adapt its own MOC process to be more flexible, less costly, and more reflective of the realities of clinical practice.

“ABIM has responded to our pressure by unveiling the 2-year check-in,” Dr. Crowe said. “This is progress, but it still fails to address all the concerns we have expressed to ABIM. AGA will continue to work collaboratively, but forcefully, to make sure that recertification is convenient, relevant, and meaningful.”

AGA has successfully pushed for improvements to the Medicare Quality Payments program. Dr. Crowe said the association remains committed to reducing the regulatory hoops, red tape, and associated costs that practices must navigate.

The continuing push to ease regulatory burdens of practice is buoyed by successes in other areas.

AGA built a new partnership with the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation and launched the first annual Crohn’s & Colitis Congress™ earlier this year. Registration for the 2019 Congress opens later this month.

The AGA Community (community.gastro.org) became a vibrant hub for clinicians to discuss their most difficult cases. Most recently, AGA made its patient education materials freely available online through the AGA GI Patient Center (patient.gastro.org). All educational pieces are available in both English and Spanish.

Research has been a top priority since AGA was founded 121 years ago, Dr. Crowe added.

“We are proud to be part of a coalition that aggressively advocated for increases at NIH and were pleased that a $3 billion increase was secured in the budget,” she said. “It was a big win in a tough environment.”

To help bridge the continuing shortfall in federal funding, the AGA Research Foundation launched an active year of fundraising and funding. The Foundation provided $2 million in research funding to 41 young investigators in the past year. An expanded awards program provided more pilot awards and more research scholar awards (RSA).

The past year also saw the launch of the AGA Fecal Microbiota Transplantation (FMT) National Registry. The new registry will assess the short- and long-term patient outcomes associated with FMT. In addition, AGA created a clinical research registry for endoscopic suturing procedures. The annual AGA Tech Summit continues to push for innovation in all areas of GI. The ultimate goal, Dr. Crowe said, is to put the most effective innovations into the hands of clinicians as quickly as possible.

During the plenary, Dr. Crowe presented the annual Julius Friedenwald Medal to Loren Laine, MD, AGAF. In addition to a distinguished academic career, Dr. Laine helped create the AGA Center for Gut Microbiome Research and Education while he was AGA president and helped establish AGA’s guideline development process.
 

[email protected]

In 2018, the AGA Research Foundation was proud to provide more than $2 million in research funding to 41 investigators.

AGA’s flagship award, the AGA Research Scholar Award, was given to five exceptional early-career investigators who represent the future of GI research. In addition, one researcher was awarded the AGA-Takeda Pharmaceuticals Research Scholar Award in Inflammatory Bowel Disease. Read about the 2018 awardees’ research projects below.
 

Sarah Andres, PhD
University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia

Project title: The mRNA-binding protein IMP1 regulates intestinal epithelial exosome biology during homeostasis and metastasis

Dr. Rizvi’s research is focused on elucidating immunogenic cell death mechanisms and exploring novel, immune-mediated therapeutic approaches in cholangiocarcinoma. This work has the potential to open novel therapeutic avenues for treatment of cholangiocarcinoma, which will ultimately improve the outcomes of patients with this devastating malignancy.



Niels Vande Casteele, PhD
University of California, San Diego

Project title: Identifying optimal thresholds & personalized dosing regimens of infliximab to maximize endoscopic remission rates in patients with ulcerative colitis

In 2018, the AGA Research Foundation was proud to provide more than $2 million in research funding to 41 investigators.

AGA’s flagship award, the AGA Research Scholar Award, was given to five exceptional early-career investigators who represent the future of GI research. In addition, one researcher was awarded the AGA-Takeda Pharmaceuticals Research Scholar Award in Inflammatory Bowel Disease. Read about the 2018 awardees’ research projects below.
 

Sarah Andres, PhD
University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia

Project title: The mRNA-binding protein IMP1 regulates intestinal epithelial exosome biology during homeostasis and metastasis

Dr. Rizvi’s research is focused on elucidating immunogenic cell death mechanisms and exploring novel, immune-mediated therapeutic approaches in cholangiocarcinoma. This work has the potential to open novel therapeutic avenues for treatment of cholangiocarcinoma, which will ultimately improve the outcomes of patients with this devastating malignancy.



Niels Vande Casteele, PhD
University of California, San Diego

Project title: Identifying optimal thresholds & personalized dosing regimens of infliximab to maximize endoscopic remission rates in patients with ulcerative colitis

In 2018, the AGA Research Foundation was proud to provide more than $2 million in research funding to 41 investigators.

AGA’s flagship award, the AGA Research Scholar Award, was given to five exceptional early-career investigators who represent the future of GI research. In addition, one researcher was awarded the AGA-Takeda Pharmaceuticals Research Scholar Award in Inflammatory Bowel Disease. Read about the 2018 awardees’ research projects below.
 

Sarah Andres, PhD
University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia

Project title: The mRNA-binding protein IMP1 regulates intestinal epithelial exosome biology during homeostasis and metastasis

Dr. Rizvi’s research is focused on elucidating immunogenic cell death mechanisms and exploring novel, immune-mediated therapeutic approaches in cholangiocarcinoma. This work has the potential to open novel therapeutic avenues for treatment of cholangiocarcinoma, which will ultimately improve the outcomes of patients with this devastating malignancy.



Niels Vande Casteele, PhD
University of California, San Diego

Project title: Identifying optimal thresholds & personalized dosing regimens of infliximab to maximize endoscopic remission rates in patients with ulcerative colitis