News from the AGA

In a huge win for patients, Medicare will begin covering colonoscopies after a positive noninvasive stool test starting in 2023. Medicare was previously the only insurer who did not cover this critical prevention procedure.

This change comes after a year of advocacy led by AGA – including multiple meetings with senior officials at HHS and legislative pressure by members across the country.

“Cost-sharing is a well-recognized barrier to screening and has resulted in disparities. Patients can now engage in CRC screening program and be confident that they will not face unexpected cost-sharing for colonoscopy after a positive noninvasive screening test,” said David Lieberman, MD, AGAF, who met with Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services officials multiple times to push this policy forward. “AGA knows that increased participation in screening will further reduce the burden of colorectal cancer.”

“This is a win for all patients and should elevate our nation’s screening rates while lowering the overall cancer burden, saving lives. Importantly, the CMS proposed rule changes will lessen colorectal cancer disparities eliminating a financial burden for many patients,” said AGA president John Carethers, MD, AGAF, who met with CMS in early July to advocate for this change.

Thank you to everyone in the GI community who advocated for this important change!

CMS announced the coverage change as part of the 2023 Medicare proposed rule, which was released July 7, 2022. The rule must be finalized this fall before taking effect Jan. 2, 2023.










 

In a huge win for patients, Medicare will begin covering colonoscopies after a positive noninvasive stool test starting in 2023. Medicare was previously the only insurer who did not cover this critical prevention procedure.

This change comes after a year of advocacy led by AGA – including multiple meetings with senior officials at HHS and legislative pressure by members across the country.

“Cost-sharing is a well-recognized barrier to screening and has resulted in disparities. Patients can now engage in CRC screening program and be confident that they will not face unexpected cost-sharing for colonoscopy after a positive noninvasive screening test,” said David Lieberman, MD, AGAF, who met with Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services officials multiple times to push this policy forward. “AGA knows that increased participation in screening will further reduce the burden of colorectal cancer.”

“This is a win for all patients and should elevate our nation’s screening rates while lowering the overall cancer burden, saving lives. Importantly, the CMS proposed rule changes will lessen colorectal cancer disparities eliminating a financial burden for many patients,” said AGA president John Carethers, MD, AGAF, who met with CMS in early July to advocate for this change.

Thank you to everyone in the GI community who advocated for this important change!

CMS announced the coverage change as part of the 2023 Medicare proposed rule, which was released July 7, 2022. The rule must be finalized this fall before taking effect Jan. 2, 2023.










 

In a huge win for patients, Medicare will begin covering colonoscopies after a positive noninvasive stool test starting in 2023. Medicare was previously the only insurer who did not cover this critical prevention procedure.

This change comes after a year of advocacy led by AGA – including multiple meetings with senior officials at HHS and legislative pressure by members across the country.

“Cost-sharing is a well-recognized barrier to screening and has resulted in disparities. Patients can now engage in CRC screening program and be confident that they will not face unexpected cost-sharing for colonoscopy after a positive noninvasive screening test,” said David Lieberman, MD, AGAF, who met with Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services officials multiple times to push this policy forward. “AGA knows that increased participation in screening will further reduce the burden of colorectal cancer.”

“This is a win for all patients and should elevate our nation’s screening rates while lowering the overall cancer burden, saving lives. Importantly, the CMS proposed rule changes will lessen colorectal cancer disparities eliminating a financial burden for many patients,” said AGA president John Carethers, MD, AGAF, who met with CMS in early July to advocate for this change.

Thank you to everyone in the GI community who advocated for this important change!

CMS announced the coverage change as part of the 2023 Medicare proposed rule, which was released July 7, 2022. The rule must be finalized this fall before taking effect Jan. 2, 2023.










 

Join us at AGA Advocacy Day on Thursday, Sept. 22, 2022, to virtually meet with your members of Congress to urge them to rein in insurance policies like prior authorization and step therapy.

If GI providers don’t have a seat at the table and engage with lawmakers, these decisions will be influenced by payers and other parties that do not have your or your patients’ best interests at heart.

AGA Advocacy Day is held shortly before the end of the fiscal year – prime time to educate policymakers and their staff about your everyday challenges and the reality of GI patient care in your state. We will also discuss the need for robust federal funding for GI research and the devastating impact that Medicare cuts could have on your practice.

Register today and AGA will take care of the rest, including scheduling your meetings and providing comprehensive advocacy training. Now more than ever, your voice needs to be heard on Capitol Hill.

Join us at AGA Advocacy Day on Thursday, Sept. 22, 2022, to virtually meet with your members of Congress to urge them to rein in insurance policies like prior authorization and step therapy.

If GI providers don’t have a seat at the table and engage with lawmakers, these decisions will be influenced by payers and other parties that do not have your or your patients’ best interests at heart.

AGA Advocacy Day is held shortly before the end of the fiscal year – prime time to educate policymakers and their staff about your everyday challenges and the reality of GI patient care in your state. We will also discuss the need for robust federal funding for GI research and the devastating impact that Medicare cuts could have on your practice.

Register today and AGA will take care of the rest, including scheduling your meetings and providing comprehensive advocacy training. Now more than ever, your voice needs to be heard on Capitol Hill.

Join us at AGA Advocacy Day on Thursday, Sept. 22, 2022, to virtually meet with your members of Congress to urge them to rein in insurance policies like prior authorization and step therapy.

If GI providers don’t have a seat at the table and engage with lawmakers, these decisions will be influenced by payers and other parties that do not have your or your patients’ best interests at heart.

AGA Advocacy Day is held shortly before the end of the fiscal year – prime time to educate policymakers and their staff about your everyday challenges and the reality of GI patient care in your state. We will also discuss the need for robust federal funding for GI research and the devastating impact that Medicare cuts could have on your practice.

Register today and AGA will take care of the rest, including scheduling your meetings and providing comprehensive advocacy training. Now more than ever, your voice needs to be heard on Capitol Hill.

On July 7, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services released the calendar year (CY) 2023 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Proposed Rule and can now be found in the Federal Register.

Good news!

In a win for patients, and thanks to collective advocacy efforts from AGA and partner societies, CMS is proposing to expand the regulatory definition of “colorectal cancer screening tests” and waive cost sharing for a necessary follow-up colonoscopy after a positive stool-based screening test.

Looming cuts 

The rule proposes 4% cuts to Medicare physician reimbursement through required decreases in the conversion factor and expiration of temporary fixes passed by Congress. AGA will continue to work with a coalition of national and state medical societies in urging Congress to prevent these cuts before Jan. 1, 2023.

What to know

• CMS expands colorectal cancer screening in a proposal to waive cost sharing for a follow-up colonoscopy to a positive stool-based colorectal cancer screening test and to cover the service for individuals 45 years of age and above.
• Medicare payment cuts are looming with cuts to the proposed CY 2023 conversion factor.
• Split/shared visits policy delayed until CY 2024.
• Payment rates for new bariatric device codes proposed.

On July 7, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services released the calendar year (CY) 2023 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Proposed Rule and can now be found in the Federal Register.

Good news!

In a win for patients, and thanks to collective advocacy efforts from AGA and partner societies, CMS is proposing to expand the regulatory definition of “colorectal cancer screening tests” and waive cost sharing for a necessary follow-up colonoscopy after a positive stool-based screening test.

Looming cuts 

The rule proposes 4% cuts to Medicare physician reimbursement through required decreases in the conversion factor and expiration of temporary fixes passed by Congress. AGA will continue to work with a coalition of national and state medical societies in urging Congress to prevent these cuts before Jan. 1, 2023.

What to know

• CMS expands colorectal cancer screening in a proposal to waive cost sharing for a follow-up colonoscopy to a positive stool-based colorectal cancer screening test and to cover the service for individuals 45 years of age and above.
• Medicare payment cuts are looming with cuts to the proposed CY 2023 conversion factor.
• Split/shared visits policy delayed until CY 2024.
• Payment rates for new bariatric device codes proposed.

On July 7, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services released the calendar year (CY) 2023 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Proposed Rule and can now be found in the Federal Register.

Good news!

In a win for patients, and thanks to collective advocacy efforts from AGA and partner societies, CMS is proposing to expand the regulatory definition of “colorectal cancer screening tests” and waive cost sharing for a necessary follow-up colonoscopy after a positive stool-based screening test.

Looming cuts 

The rule proposes 4% cuts to Medicare physician reimbursement through required decreases in the conversion factor and expiration of temporary fixes passed by Congress. AGA will continue to work with a coalition of national and state medical societies in urging Congress to prevent these cuts before Jan. 1, 2023.

What to know

• CMS expands colorectal cancer screening in a proposal to waive cost sharing for a follow-up colonoscopy to a positive stool-based colorectal cancer screening test and to cover the service for individuals 45 years of age and above.
• Medicare payment cuts are looming with cuts to the proposed CY 2023 conversion factor.
• Split/shared visits policy delayed until CY 2024.
• Payment rates for new bariatric device codes proposed.

The American Gastroenterological Association Research Foundation is the charitable arm of the AGA and plays an important role in medical research by providing grants to young scientists at a critical time in their career.

“I am beyond excited to be able to continue my journey as a young physician-scientist with the funding support. I truly understand that my career would not be possible without those who generously support scientific research. I am humbled at the opportunity to contribute to something larger than myself. As such, I am extremely grateful to the AGA Research Foundation and its donors who continue to support this vision of a future where suffering related to digestive diseases has been eliminated,” said Brian A. Sullivan, MD, a 2021 AGA Research Scholar Award recipient, who is a physician-scientist who aspires to lead a collaborative research program and develop more effective strategies for colorectal cancer prevention.

In the past decade alone, we’ve witnessed seminal work in colorectal cancer genetics and a renaissance in the understanding of inflammatory bowel syndrome and the gut microbiome. However, continued progress in advancing the treatment and cure of digestive diseases is at risk because of cuts in government spending. Without help from other funding sources, young investigators are struggling to continue their research, build their research portfolio, and obtain federal funding.
 

Your contribution makes a difference 

With donations from AGA members, we can provide young researchers with a secure, ongoing stable source of funding that drives advancement in the diagnosis, treatment and cure of digestive diseases. Everyone benefits from GI research developed by dedicated investigators.

“I donated to the AGA Research Foundation to ensure the vitality of our specialty, and to fund the research of future generations of gastroenterologists. Funding from organizations like the AGA Research Foundation is crucial for young scientists and gastroenterologists to launch their careers. At the start of my career, I received two AGA research awards. As a grateful recipient of such funding, I felt it was my turn to support the mission of the organization that I regard as my academic home away from home institution,” said Michael Camilleri, MD, AGAF, chair of the AGA Research Foundation and AGA Past President.

Many breakthroughs have been achieved through gastroenterological and hepatological research over the past century, forming the basis of the modern medical practice. Join fellow AGA members by contributing to this tradition of discovery. 

Make a tax-deductible donation to the AGA Research Foundation at www.gastro.org/donate or by mail to 4930 Del Ray Avenue, Bethesda, MD 20814.

Learn more about the AGA Research Foundation at https://foundation.gastro.org. 

The American Gastroenterological Association Research Foundation is the charitable arm of the AGA and plays an important role in medical research by providing grants to young scientists at a critical time in their career.

“I am beyond excited to be able to continue my journey as a young physician-scientist with the funding support. I truly understand that my career would not be possible without those who generously support scientific research. I am humbled at the opportunity to contribute to something larger than myself. As such, I am extremely grateful to the AGA Research Foundation and its donors who continue to support this vision of a future where suffering related to digestive diseases has been eliminated,” said Brian A. Sullivan, MD, a 2021 AGA Research Scholar Award recipient, who is a physician-scientist who aspires to lead a collaborative research program and develop more effective strategies for colorectal cancer prevention.

In the past decade alone, we’ve witnessed seminal work in colorectal cancer genetics and a renaissance in the understanding of inflammatory bowel syndrome and the gut microbiome. However, continued progress in advancing the treatment and cure of digestive diseases is at risk because of cuts in government spending. Without help from other funding sources, young investigators are struggling to continue their research, build their research portfolio, and obtain federal funding.
 

Your contribution makes a difference 

With donations from AGA members, we can provide young researchers with a secure, ongoing stable source of funding that drives advancement in the diagnosis, treatment and cure of digestive diseases. Everyone benefits from GI research developed by dedicated investigators.

“I donated to the AGA Research Foundation to ensure the vitality of our specialty, and to fund the research of future generations of gastroenterologists. Funding from organizations like the AGA Research Foundation is crucial for young scientists and gastroenterologists to launch their careers. At the start of my career, I received two AGA research awards. As a grateful recipient of such funding, I felt it was my turn to support the mission of the organization that I regard as my academic home away from home institution,” said Michael Camilleri, MD, AGAF, chair of the AGA Research Foundation and AGA Past President.

Many breakthroughs have been achieved through gastroenterological and hepatological research over the past century, forming the basis of the modern medical practice. Join fellow AGA members by contributing to this tradition of discovery. 

Make a tax-deductible donation to the AGA Research Foundation at www.gastro.org/donate or by mail to 4930 Del Ray Avenue, Bethesda, MD 20814.

Learn more about the AGA Research Foundation at https://foundation.gastro.org. 

The American Gastroenterological Association Research Foundation is the charitable arm of the AGA and plays an important role in medical research by providing grants to young scientists at a critical time in their career.

“I am beyond excited to be able to continue my journey as a young physician-scientist with the funding support. I truly understand that my career would not be possible without those who generously support scientific research. I am humbled at the opportunity to contribute to something larger than myself. As such, I am extremely grateful to the AGA Research Foundation and its donors who continue to support this vision of a future where suffering related to digestive diseases has been eliminated,” said Brian A. Sullivan, MD, a 2021 AGA Research Scholar Award recipient, who is a physician-scientist who aspires to lead a collaborative research program and develop more effective strategies for colorectal cancer prevention.

In the past decade alone, we’ve witnessed seminal work in colorectal cancer genetics and a renaissance in the understanding of inflammatory bowel syndrome and the gut microbiome. However, continued progress in advancing the treatment and cure of digestive diseases is at risk because of cuts in government spending. Without help from other funding sources, young investigators are struggling to continue their research, build their research portfolio, and obtain federal funding.
 

Your contribution makes a difference 

With donations from AGA members, we can provide young researchers with a secure, ongoing stable source of funding that drives advancement in the diagnosis, treatment and cure of digestive diseases. Everyone benefits from GI research developed by dedicated investigators.

“I donated to the AGA Research Foundation to ensure the vitality of our specialty, and to fund the research of future generations of gastroenterologists. Funding from organizations like the AGA Research Foundation is crucial for young scientists and gastroenterologists to launch their careers. At the start of my career, I received two AGA research awards. As a grateful recipient of such funding, I felt it was my turn to support the mission of the organization that I regard as my academic home away from home institution,” said Michael Camilleri, MD, AGAF, chair of the AGA Research Foundation and AGA Past President.

Many breakthroughs have been achieved through gastroenterological and hepatological research over the past century, forming the basis of the modern medical practice. Join fellow AGA members by contributing to this tradition of discovery. 

Make a tax-deductible donation to the AGA Research Foundation at www.gastro.org/donate or by mail to 4930 Del Ray Avenue, Bethesda, MD 20814.

Learn more about the AGA Research Foundation at https://foundation.gastro.org. 

We’re honored to announce that John M. Carethers, MD, AGAF, affectionately nicknamed ‘The Rock,’ will begin his term as the 117th president of the AGA Institute on June 1, 2022.

He currently serves as John G. Searle professor of internal medicine and chair of the department of internal medicine at the University of Michigan Health System, a position he has held since 2009.

Dr. Carethers’ research programs focus on familial colon cancer and polyposis syndromes. His research encompasses Lynch syndrome, juvenile polyposis, hyperplastic polyposis, and colorectal cancer. He has published more than 182 articles.

A native of Detroit, Dr. Carethers earned his undergraduate degree in molecular biology and biophysics at Wayne State University. He remained there for medical school, where he graduated at the top of his class. His ability to stay focused on his work earned him the moniker ‘The Rock’. It’s a strength that’s made him an outstanding role model and exemplary leader.

An active member of AGA for more than 20 years, Dr. Carethers received the AGA Gastrointestinal Oncology Section Research Mentor Award as well as the AGA Distinguished Mentor Award in 2017. He has served on several AGA committees, including the AGA Nominating Committee, AGA Underrepresented Minorities Committee, AGA Research Policy Committee, AGA Institute Council and the AGA Trainee & Young GI Committee. He has also served as senior associate editor of Gastroenterology.

His academic career began at the University of California, San Diego, preceded by a gastroenterology fellowship at University of Michigan in Ann Arbor and residency at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. From the beginning, he has inspired others with his strong work ethic and intense dedication.

Dr. Carethers joined the AGA Governing Board in June 2020 as vice president and served as president-elect prior to assuming the top leadership role.

We’re honored to announce that John M. Carethers, MD, AGAF, affectionately nicknamed ‘The Rock,’ will begin his term as the 117th president of the AGA Institute on June 1, 2022.

He currently serves as John G. Searle professor of internal medicine and chair of the department of internal medicine at the University of Michigan Health System, a position he has held since 2009.

Dr. Carethers’ research programs focus on familial colon cancer and polyposis syndromes. His research encompasses Lynch syndrome, juvenile polyposis, hyperplastic polyposis, and colorectal cancer. He has published more than 182 articles.

A native of Detroit, Dr. Carethers earned his undergraduate degree in molecular biology and biophysics at Wayne State University. He remained there for medical school, where he graduated at the top of his class. His ability to stay focused on his work earned him the moniker ‘The Rock’. It’s a strength that’s made him an outstanding role model and exemplary leader.

An active member of AGA for more than 20 years, Dr. Carethers received the AGA Gastrointestinal Oncology Section Research Mentor Award as well as the AGA Distinguished Mentor Award in 2017. He has served on several AGA committees, including the AGA Nominating Committee, AGA Underrepresented Minorities Committee, AGA Research Policy Committee, AGA Institute Council and the AGA Trainee & Young GI Committee. He has also served as senior associate editor of Gastroenterology.

His academic career began at the University of California, San Diego, preceded by a gastroenterology fellowship at University of Michigan in Ann Arbor and residency at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. From the beginning, he has inspired others with his strong work ethic and intense dedication.

Dr. Carethers joined the AGA Governing Board in June 2020 as vice president and served as president-elect prior to assuming the top leadership role.

We’re honored to announce that John M. Carethers, MD, AGAF, affectionately nicknamed ‘The Rock,’ will begin his term as the 117th president of the AGA Institute on June 1, 2022.

He currently serves as John G. Searle professor of internal medicine and chair of the department of internal medicine at the University of Michigan Health System, a position he has held since 2009.

Dr. Carethers’ research programs focus on familial colon cancer and polyposis syndromes. His research encompasses Lynch syndrome, juvenile polyposis, hyperplastic polyposis, and colorectal cancer. He has published more than 182 articles.

A native of Detroit, Dr. Carethers earned his undergraduate degree in molecular biology and biophysics at Wayne State University. He remained there for medical school, where he graduated at the top of his class. His ability to stay focused on his work earned him the moniker ‘The Rock’. It’s a strength that’s made him an outstanding role model and exemplary leader.

An active member of AGA for more than 20 years, Dr. Carethers received the AGA Gastrointestinal Oncology Section Research Mentor Award as well as the AGA Distinguished Mentor Award in 2017. He has served on several AGA committees, including the AGA Nominating Committee, AGA Underrepresented Minorities Committee, AGA Research Policy Committee, AGA Institute Council and the AGA Trainee & Young GI Committee. He has also served as senior associate editor of Gastroenterology.

His academic career began at the University of California, San Diego, preceded by a gastroenterology fellowship at University of Michigan in Ann Arbor and residency at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. From the beginning, he has inspired others with his strong work ethic and intense dedication.

Dr. Carethers joined the AGA Governing Board in June 2020 as vice president and served as president-elect prior to assuming the top leadership role.

We’re pleased to share that Michael Camilleri, MD, AGAF, will be taking over the AGA Research Foundation chair role beginning this month. He has recruited five members to be part of the 2022-2024 AGA Research Foundation Executive Board.

Meet the new Foundation Executive Board members

• Michael Camilleri, MD, AGAF, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN.
• Aline Charabaty, MD, AGAF, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Washington, D.C.
• Eric Esrailian, MD, MPH, AGAF, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA
• Robert A. Ganz, MD, MASGE, MNGI Digestive Health, Minnetonka, MN
• Aja S. McCutchen, MD, Atlanta Gastroenterology Associates, Hoschton, GA
• Michael L. Kochman, MD, AGAF, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA

We’re pleased to share that Michael Camilleri, MD, AGAF, will be taking over the AGA Research Foundation chair role beginning this month. He has recruited five members to be part of the 2022-2024 AGA Research Foundation Executive Board.

Meet the new Foundation Executive Board members

• Michael Camilleri, MD, AGAF, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN.
• Aline Charabaty, MD, AGAF, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Washington, D.C.
• Eric Esrailian, MD, MPH, AGAF, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA
• Robert A. Ganz, MD, MASGE, MNGI Digestive Health, Minnetonka, MN
• Aja S. McCutchen, MD, Atlanta Gastroenterology Associates, Hoschton, GA
• Michael L. Kochman, MD, AGAF, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA

We’re pleased to share that Michael Camilleri, MD, AGAF, will be taking over the AGA Research Foundation chair role beginning this month. He has recruited five members to be part of the 2022-2024 AGA Research Foundation Executive Board.

Meet the new Foundation Executive Board members

• Michael Camilleri, MD, AGAF, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN.
• Aline Charabaty, MD, AGAF, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Washington, D.C.
• Eric Esrailian, MD, MPH, AGAF, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA
• Robert A. Ganz, MD, MASGE, MNGI Digestive Health, Minnetonka, MN
• Aja S. McCutchen, MD, Atlanta Gastroenterology Associates, Hoschton, GA
• Michael L. Kochman, MD, AGAF, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA

Planned giving provides an opportunity for all who have benefited from digestive disease research to give back to the field in a unique and lasting way.

Your investment in the AGA Research Foundation will enable the foundation to continue our investment in the future of gastroenterological research and innovation. With donations from AGA members, we can provide young researchers with a secure, ongoing stable source of funding that drives advancement in the diagnosis, treatment, and cure of digestive diseases.

If you make a contribution, it will be because you believe in what we do and because you want to help make a difference in the lives of others. But we’d also like to make sure you benefit from making a gift to the AGA Research Foundation.
 

Your giving options

There are several gift arrangements to choose from. The chart below summarizes the benefits of some of the main types of charitable gifts. Just think of what you want to accomplish with your gift, and there’s probably a way to do it!

Planned giving provides an opportunity for all who have benefited from digestive disease research to give back to the field in a unique and lasting way.

Your investment in the AGA Research Foundation will enable the foundation to continue our investment in the future of gastroenterological research and innovation. With donations from AGA members, we can provide young researchers with a secure, ongoing stable source of funding that drives advancement in the diagnosis, treatment, and cure of digestive diseases.

If you make a contribution, it will be because you believe in what we do and because you want to help make a difference in the lives of others. But we’d also like to make sure you benefit from making a gift to the AGA Research Foundation.
 

Your giving options

There are several gift arrangements to choose from. The chart below summarizes the benefits of some of the main types of charitable gifts. Just think of what you want to accomplish with your gift, and there’s probably a way to do it!

Planned giving provides an opportunity for all who have benefited from digestive disease research to give back to the field in a unique and lasting way.

Your investment in the AGA Research Foundation will enable the foundation to continue our investment in the future of gastroenterological research and innovation. With donations from AGA members, we can provide young researchers with a secure, ongoing stable source of funding that drives advancement in the diagnosis, treatment, and cure of digestive diseases.

If you make a contribution, it will be because you believe in what we do and because you want to help make a difference in the lives of others. But we’d also like to make sure you benefit from making a gift to the AGA Research Foundation.
 

Your giving options

There are several gift arrangements to choose from. The chart below summarizes the benefits of some of the main types of charitable gifts. Just think of what you want to accomplish with your gift, and there’s probably a way to do it!

AGA is proud to announce the 61 recipients selected to receive research funding through its annual AGA Research Foundation Awards Program. The program serves as a catalyst for discovery and career growth among the most promising researchers in gastroenterology and hepatology.

“Our award recipients demonstrate an undeniable determination to improve the care of digestive health patients,” said Robert S. Sandler, MD, MPH, AGAF, chair of the AGA Research Foundation. “We are investing in talented early-career investigators knowing that their work will ultimately benefit patients with critical needs.”

Research Scholar Awards

AGA Research Scholar Award

Kathleen Curtius, PhD, MS, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla

Trisha Satya Pasricha, MD, MPH, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston

Bomi Lee, PhD, MS, Stanford University, Palo Alto, Calif.

Christine E. Eyler, MD, PhD, Duke University, Durham, N.C.

Joel Gabre, MD, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York



AGA–Bern Schwartz Family Fund Research Scholar Award in Pancreatic Cancer

Srinivas Gaddam, MD, MPH, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles



AGA–Takeda Pharmaceuticals Research Scholar Award in Celiac Disease

Claire L. Jansson-Knodell, MD, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland
 

Specialty Awards

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

Eunyoung Choi, PhD, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tenn.



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

Sarah Palmer Short, PhD, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tenn.
 

Pilot Awards

AGA–Medtronic Pilot Research Award in Artificial Intelligence

Dennis Shung, MD, MHS, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Conn.



AGA–Merck Pilot Research Award in Colorectal Cancer Health Disparities

Sonia Kupfer, MD, The University of Chicago, Chicago



AGA–Bristol Myers Squibb Pilot Research Award in Inflammatory Bowel Disease Health Disparities

Chung Sang Tse, MD, University of California, San Diego



AGA Pilot Research Award in Health Disparities (funded by Janssen Biotech)

Jennifer Flemming, MD, MAS, Queen’s University, Kingston, Ont.



AGA Pilot Research Award in Digestive Disease Health Disparities

Young-Rock Hong, PhD, MPH, University of Florida, Gainesville, Fla.



AGA–Amgen Pilot Research Award in Digestive Disease Health Disparities

Zachary Reichenbach, MD, PhD, Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Temple University, Philadelphia



AGA–Pfizer Pilot Research Award in Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Melinda Engevik, PhD, MS, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston

Andre Paes Batista da Silva, PhD, MSC, DDS, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland

Karen Edelblum, PhD, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, N.J.
 

Undergraduate Research Awards

AGA–Aman Armaan Ahmed Family Summer Undergraduate Research Award

Gabriela Ortiz, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis

Daniella Montalvo, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami

Subear Hussein, Children’s Hospital, Boston

Hussein Herz, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City

Kaleb Tesfai, University of California, San Diego

Varun Ponnusamy, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Mich.
 

Abstract Awards

AGA Fellow Abstract of the Year Award

Masaru Sasaki, MD, PhD, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia



AGA Student Abstract of the Year Award

Anitha Vijay, MS, Penn State University, State College, Pa.

Maafi Rizwana Islam, PhD, Marshall University, Huntington, W.V.



Fellow Abstract Awards

Nicolette Rodriguez, MD, MPH, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston

Hyunseok Kim, MD, PhD, MPH, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston

Margaret Zhou, MD, Stanford University, Palo Alto, Calif.

Steven Steinway, MD, PhD, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore

Su-Hyung Lee, PhD, DVM, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tenn.

Ian Greenberg, MD, Dallas Methodist Hospital, Dallas

Jonathan Xia, MD, PhD, Northwestern Memorial Hospital, Chicago

Donevan Westerveld, MD, NewYork-Presbyterian Weill Cornell Medicine, New York

Haley Zylberberg, MD, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York

Maria Jesus Villanueva Millan, PhD, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles

Duke Geem, MD, PhD. Children s Healthcare of Atlanta/Emory University, Atlanta

Fauzi Feris Jassir, MD, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn.

Melissa Musser, MD, PhD, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston



Student Abstract Awards

Kushal Saha, MS, BS, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, Pa.

Winston Liu, BS. Duke University, Durham, N.C.

Yoojin Sohn, BS, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tenn.

Jamie Yang, BS, David Geffen School of Medicine at University of California, Los Angeles

Rachel Hopton, BS, University of Oregon, Eugene

Alina Li, BS, Columbia University, New York

Eleazar Montalvan Sanchez, MD, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis

Christina Lin, MD, BA, BS, Kaiser Permanente Northern California, Santa Clara, Calif.

Conrad Fernandes, MD, BA, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia

Hajar Hazime, MS, BS, University of Miami

Blaine Prichard, BS, Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, Pa.

Georgetta Skinner, MS, BS, A.T. Still University, Kirksville, Mo.



AGA Abstract Award for Health Disparities Research

Kai Wang, PhD (Fellow), Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston

Alan De La Rosa, MD (Fellow), Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn.

Timothy Andrew Zaki, MD, BS (Student), UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas

Megan McLeod, MD, MS, BA, University of California, Los Angeles (student)



AGA–APFED Abstract Award in Eosinophilic GI Diseases

Takeo Hara, MD, PhD, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia

Michael Wang, BS, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, N.C.

Melissa Nelson, MD, Baylor University Medical Center, Dallas



AGA–Moti L. & Kamla Rustgi International Travel Award

Joost Algera, MD, University of Gothenburg (Sweden)

Ashkan Rezazadeh Ardabili, MD, MS, BS, Maastricht (Netherlands) University Medical Center+

AGA research awards cycle now open

This year the AGA Research Foundation is awarding more than $2.5 million dollars to investigators who are passionate about improving digestive health. Get your piece of the research funding pie with one of our awards!

The AGA Research Foundation Awards Program recruits, retains, and supports the most promising researchers in gastroenterology and hepatology. With funding from the foundation, recipients have protected time to take their research to the next level. View our awards portfolio by career stage below, then mark your calendar for upcoming application deadlines. View additional information about each award.

AGA is proud to announce the 61 recipients selected to receive research funding through its annual AGA Research Foundation Awards Program. The program serves as a catalyst for discovery and career growth among the most promising researchers in gastroenterology and hepatology.

“Our award recipients demonstrate an undeniable determination to improve the care of digestive health patients,” said Robert S. Sandler, MD, MPH, AGAF, chair of the AGA Research Foundation. “We are investing in talented early-career investigators knowing that their work will ultimately benefit patients with critical needs.”

Research Scholar Awards

AGA Research Scholar Award

Kathleen Curtius, PhD, MS, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla

Trisha Satya Pasricha, MD, MPH, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston

Bomi Lee, PhD, MS, Stanford University, Palo Alto, Calif.

Christine E. Eyler, MD, PhD, Duke University, Durham, N.C.

Joel Gabre, MD, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York



AGA–Bern Schwartz Family Fund Research Scholar Award in Pancreatic Cancer

Srinivas Gaddam, MD, MPH, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles



AGA–Takeda Pharmaceuticals Research Scholar Award in Celiac Disease

Claire L. Jansson-Knodell, MD, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland
 

Specialty Awards

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

Eunyoung Choi, PhD, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tenn.



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

Sarah Palmer Short, PhD, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tenn.
 

Pilot Awards

AGA–Medtronic Pilot Research Award in Artificial Intelligence

Dennis Shung, MD, MHS, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Conn.



AGA–Merck Pilot Research Award in Colorectal Cancer Health Disparities

Sonia Kupfer, MD, The University of Chicago, Chicago



AGA–Bristol Myers Squibb Pilot Research Award in Inflammatory Bowel Disease Health Disparities

Chung Sang Tse, MD, University of California, San Diego



AGA Pilot Research Award in Health Disparities (funded by Janssen Biotech)

Jennifer Flemming, MD, MAS, Queen’s University, Kingston, Ont.



AGA Pilot Research Award in Digestive Disease Health Disparities

Young-Rock Hong, PhD, MPH, University of Florida, Gainesville, Fla.



AGA–Amgen Pilot Research Award in Digestive Disease Health Disparities

Zachary Reichenbach, MD, PhD, Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Temple University, Philadelphia



AGA–Pfizer Pilot Research Award in Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Melinda Engevik, PhD, MS, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston

Andre Paes Batista da Silva, PhD, MSC, DDS, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland

Karen Edelblum, PhD, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, N.J.
 

Undergraduate Research Awards

AGA–Aman Armaan Ahmed Family Summer Undergraduate Research Award

Gabriela Ortiz, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis

Daniella Montalvo, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami

Subear Hussein, Children’s Hospital, Boston

Hussein Herz, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City

Kaleb Tesfai, University of California, San Diego

Varun Ponnusamy, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Mich.
 

Abstract Awards

AGA Fellow Abstract of the Year Award

Masaru Sasaki, MD, PhD, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia



AGA Student Abstract of the Year Award

Anitha Vijay, MS, Penn State University, State College, Pa.

Maafi Rizwana Islam, PhD, Marshall University, Huntington, W.V.



Fellow Abstract Awards

Nicolette Rodriguez, MD, MPH, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston

Hyunseok Kim, MD, PhD, MPH, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston

Margaret Zhou, MD, Stanford University, Palo Alto, Calif.

Steven Steinway, MD, PhD, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore

Su-Hyung Lee, PhD, DVM, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tenn.

Ian Greenberg, MD, Dallas Methodist Hospital, Dallas

Jonathan Xia, MD, PhD, Northwestern Memorial Hospital, Chicago

Donevan Westerveld, MD, NewYork-Presbyterian Weill Cornell Medicine, New York

Haley Zylberberg, MD, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York

Maria Jesus Villanueva Millan, PhD, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles

Duke Geem, MD, PhD. Children s Healthcare of Atlanta/Emory University, Atlanta

Fauzi Feris Jassir, MD, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn.

Melissa Musser, MD, PhD, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston



Student Abstract Awards

Kushal Saha, MS, BS, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, Pa.

Winston Liu, BS. Duke University, Durham, N.C.

Yoojin Sohn, BS, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tenn.

Jamie Yang, BS, David Geffen School of Medicine at University of California, Los Angeles

Rachel Hopton, BS, University of Oregon, Eugene

Alina Li, BS, Columbia University, New York

Eleazar Montalvan Sanchez, MD, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis

Christina Lin, MD, BA, BS, Kaiser Permanente Northern California, Santa Clara, Calif.

Conrad Fernandes, MD, BA, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia

Hajar Hazime, MS, BS, University of Miami

Blaine Prichard, BS, Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, Pa.

Georgetta Skinner, MS, BS, A.T. Still University, Kirksville, Mo.



AGA Abstract Award for Health Disparities Research

Kai Wang, PhD (Fellow), Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston

Alan De La Rosa, MD (Fellow), Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn.

Timothy Andrew Zaki, MD, BS (Student), UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas

Megan McLeod, MD, MS, BA, University of California, Los Angeles (student)



AGA–APFED Abstract Award in Eosinophilic GI Diseases

Takeo Hara, MD, PhD, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia

Michael Wang, BS, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, N.C.

Melissa Nelson, MD, Baylor University Medical Center, Dallas



AGA–Moti L. & Kamla Rustgi International Travel Award

Joost Algera, MD, University of Gothenburg (Sweden)

Ashkan Rezazadeh Ardabili, MD, MS, BS, Maastricht (Netherlands) University Medical Center+

AGA research awards cycle now open

This year the AGA Research Foundation is awarding more than $2.5 million dollars to investigators who are passionate about improving digestive health. Get your piece of the research funding pie with one of our awards!

The AGA Research Foundation Awards Program recruits, retains, and supports the most promising researchers in gastroenterology and hepatology. With funding from the foundation, recipients have protected time to take their research to the next level. View our awards portfolio by career stage below, then mark your calendar for upcoming application deadlines. View additional information about each award.

AGA is proud to announce the 61 recipients selected to receive research funding through its annual AGA Research Foundation Awards Program. The program serves as a catalyst for discovery and career growth among the most promising researchers in gastroenterology and hepatology.

“Our award recipients demonstrate an undeniable determination to improve the care of digestive health patients,” said Robert S. Sandler, MD, MPH, AGAF, chair of the AGA Research Foundation. “We are investing in talented early-career investigators knowing that their work will ultimately benefit patients with critical needs.”

Research Scholar Awards

AGA Research Scholar Award

Kathleen Curtius, PhD, MS, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla

Trisha Satya Pasricha, MD, MPH, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston

Bomi Lee, PhD, MS, Stanford University, Palo Alto, Calif.

Christine E. Eyler, MD, PhD, Duke University, Durham, N.C.

Joel Gabre, MD, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York



AGA–Bern Schwartz Family Fund Research Scholar Award in Pancreatic Cancer

Srinivas Gaddam, MD, MPH, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles



AGA–Takeda Pharmaceuticals Research Scholar Award in Celiac Disease

Claire L. Jansson-Knodell, MD, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland
 

Specialty Awards

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

Eunyoung Choi, PhD, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tenn.



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

Sarah Palmer Short, PhD, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tenn.
 

Pilot Awards

AGA–Medtronic Pilot Research Award in Artificial Intelligence

Dennis Shung, MD, MHS, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Conn.



AGA–Merck Pilot Research Award in Colorectal Cancer Health Disparities

Sonia Kupfer, MD, The University of Chicago, Chicago



AGA–Bristol Myers Squibb Pilot Research Award in Inflammatory Bowel Disease Health Disparities

Chung Sang Tse, MD, University of California, San Diego



AGA Pilot Research Award in Health Disparities (funded by Janssen Biotech)

Jennifer Flemming, MD, MAS, Queen’s University, Kingston, Ont.



AGA Pilot Research Award in Digestive Disease Health Disparities

Young-Rock Hong, PhD, MPH, University of Florida, Gainesville, Fla.



AGA–Amgen Pilot Research Award in Digestive Disease Health Disparities

Zachary Reichenbach, MD, PhD, Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Temple University, Philadelphia



AGA–Pfizer Pilot Research Award in Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Melinda Engevik, PhD, MS, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston

Andre Paes Batista da Silva, PhD, MSC, DDS, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland

Karen Edelblum, PhD, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, N.J.
 

Undergraduate Research Awards

AGA–Aman Armaan Ahmed Family Summer Undergraduate Research Award

Gabriela Ortiz, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis

Daniella Montalvo, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami

Subear Hussein, Children’s Hospital, Boston

Hussein Herz, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City

Kaleb Tesfai, University of California, San Diego

Varun Ponnusamy, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Mich.
 

Abstract Awards

AGA Fellow Abstract of the Year Award

Masaru Sasaki, MD, PhD, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia



AGA Student Abstract of the Year Award

Anitha Vijay, MS, Penn State University, State College, Pa.

Maafi Rizwana Islam, PhD, Marshall University, Huntington, W.V.



Fellow Abstract Awards

Nicolette Rodriguez, MD, MPH, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston

Hyunseok Kim, MD, PhD, MPH, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston

Margaret Zhou, MD, Stanford University, Palo Alto, Calif.

Steven Steinway, MD, PhD, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore

Su-Hyung Lee, PhD, DVM, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tenn.

Ian Greenberg, MD, Dallas Methodist Hospital, Dallas

Jonathan Xia, MD, PhD, Northwestern Memorial Hospital, Chicago

Donevan Westerveld, MD, NewYork-Presbyterian Weill Cornell Medicine, New York

Haley Zylberberg, MD, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York

Maria Jesus Villanueva Millan, PhD, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles

Duke Geem, MD, PhD. Children s Healthcare of Atlanta/Emory University, Atlanta

Fauzi Feris Jassir, MD, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn.

Melissa Musser, MD, PhD, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston



Student Abstract Awards

Kushal Saha, MS, BS, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, Pa.

Winston Liu, BS. Duke University, Durham, N.C.

Yoojin Sohn, BS, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tenn.

Jamie Yang, BS, David Geffen School of Medicine at University of California, Los Angeles

Rachel Hopton, BS, University of Oregon, Eugene

Alina Li, BS, Columbia University, New York

Eleazar Montalvan Sanchez, MD, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis

Christina Lin, MD, BA, BS, Kaiser Permanente Northern California, Santa Clara, Calif.

Conrad Fernandes, MD, BA, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia

Hajar Hazime, MS, BS, University of Miami

Blaine Prichard, BS, Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, Pa.

Georgetta Skinner, MS, BS, A.T. Still University, Kirksville, Mo.



AGA Abstract Award for Health Disparities Research

Kai Wang, PhD (Fellow), Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston

Alan De La Rosa, MD (Fellow), Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn.

Timothy Andrew Zaki, MD, BS (Student), UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas

Megan McLeod, MD, MS, BA, University of California, Los Angeles (student)



AGA–APFED Abstract Award in Eosinophilic GI Diseases

Takeo Hara, MD, PhD, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia

Michael Wang, BS, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, N.C.

Melissa Nelson, MD, Baylor University Medical Center, Dallas



AGA–Moti L. & Kamla Rustgi International Travel Award

Joost Algera, MD, University of Gothenburg (Sweden)

Ashkan Rezazadeh Ardabili, MD, MS, BS, Maastricht (Netherlands) University Medical Center+

AGA research awards cycle now open

This year the AGA Research Foundation is awarding more than $2.5 million dollars to investigators who are passionate about improving digestive health. Get your piece of the research funding pie with one of our awards!

The AGA Research Foundation Awards Program recruits, retains, and supports the most promising researchers in gastroenterology and hepatology. With funding from the foundation, recipients have protected time to take their research to the next level. View our awards portfolio by career stage below, then mark your calendar for upcoming application deadlines. View additional information about each award.

Applications are now open for the 2023 AGA Fellowship cohort. AGA is proud to formally recognize its exemplary members whose accomplishments and contributions demonstrate a deep commitment to gastroenterology through the AGA Fellows Program. Those in clinical practice, education, or research (basic or clinical) are encouraged to apply today.

Longstanding members who apply and meet the program criteria are granted the distinguished honor of AGA Fellowship and receive the following:

• The privilege of using the designation “AGAF” in professional activities. 
• An official certificate and pin denoting your status. 
• International acknowledgment at Digestive Disease Week® (DDW).
• A listing on the AGA website alongside esteemed peers.
• A prewritten, fill-in press release, and a digital badge to inform others of your accomplishment.

Learn more

Apply for consideration and gain recognition worldwide for your commitment to the field. The deadline is Aug. 24, 2022.

If you have any questions, contact AGA Member Relations at member@gastro.org or 301-941-2651.

Applications are now open for the 2023 AGA Fellowship cohort. AGA is proud to formally recognize its exemplary members whose accomplishments and contributions demonstrate a deep commitment to gastroenterology through the AGA Fellows Program. Those in clinical practice, education, or research (basic or clinical) are encouraged to apply today.

Longstanding members who apply and meet the program criteria are granted the distinguished honor of AGA Fellowship and receive the following:

• The privilege of using the designation “AGAF” in professional activities. 
• An official certificate and pin denoting your status. 
• International acknowledgment at Digestive Disease Week® (DDW).
• A listing on the AGA website alongside esteemed peers.
• A prewritten, fill-in press release, and a digital badge to inform others of your accomplishment.

Learn more

Apply for consideration and gain recognition worldwide for your commitment to the field. The deadline is Aug. 24, 2022.

If you have any questions, contact AGA Member Relations at member@gastro.org or 301-941-2651.

Applications are now open for the 2023 AGA Fellowship cohort. AGA is proud to formally recognize its exemplary members whose accomplishments and contributions demonstrate a deep commitment to gastroenterology through the AGA Fellows Program. Those in clinical practice, education, or research (basic or clinical) are encouraged to apply today.

Longstanding members who apply and meet the program criteria are granted the distinguished honor of AGA Fellowship and receive the following:

• The privilege of using the designation “AGAF” in professional activities. 
• An official certificate and pin denoting your status. 
• International acknowledgment at Digestive Disease Week® (DDW).
• A listing on the AGA website alongside esteemed peers.
• A prewritten, fill-in press release, and a digital badge to inform others of your accomplishment.

Learn more

Apply for consideration and gain recognition worldwide for your commitment to the field. The deadline is Aug. 24, 2022.

If you have any questions, contact AGA Member Relations at member@gastro.org or 301-941-2651.

This year’s plenary will focus on action items to eradicate health disparities in GI.

The 2022 AGA Presidential Plenary at Digestive Disease Week^® (DDW) is designed to highlight timely and high-impact research as it pertains to AGA and the global gastroenterology community. This year’s plenary will feature a series of invited speaker talks on the ways to integrate diversity and inclusion into the field of gastroenterology and hepatology.

AGA President John M. Inadomi, MD, AGAF, will present his address titled “Don’t Talk – Act: The Relevance of DEI to Gastroenterologists and Hepatologists and the Imperative for Action.” Read our Q&A with Dr. Inadomi below for details on what you can expect from the plenary.
 

Why did you want to focus on issues around diversity, equity, and inclusion in the presidential plenary?

Most obvious is the pandemic and the social issues the pandemic has amplified have made these issues a primary concern for AGA. The pandemic forced us to reexamine ourselves and to not assume everything we’ve done in the past should be done in the future. The diversity of AGA and AGA leadership is not where we want it to be. I want to use the presidential plenary as a platform to discuss race, especially, which is only one part of DEI. I can provide perspective as an Asian American experiencing a resurgence in racism and I want to involve nationally known experts like Monica Webb Hooper who’ve done research on this and have fully formed ideas on how to frame the questions and talk about action items that we, as a society, should adopt. The time of reflection and awareness has passed, the time of simply providing awareness is past. Society needs to adopt action items to address and combat racism.

Later in the plenary, I’m pleased to be joined by Dr. Byron Cryer and Dr. Sandra Quezada who will talk about how they created/developed the AGA Equity Project and their work to implement it.
 

What do you want attendees to take home from these various talks?

We hear a lot of talk about DEI, I hear a lot about awareness, a lot of talk about education. I asked the presidential plenary speakers to move beyond that to provide action items that AGA and its members can implement to reduce disparities in health outcomes. I hope that we will be able to measure these outcomes and see improvement over time coming out of the interventions proposed during this session.

Why did you choose disparities in CRC, liver disease, and IBD specifically?

I feel like these are core parts of gastroenterology and hepatology. So much of the disparities we see in colon cancer are a microcosm of the disparities that exist across the spectrum of GI and liver disease. They illustrate the problems with access and utilization. Disparities in CRC outcomes are exacerbated by the pandemic. I chose liver disease because it’s another area where racial disparities exist and are exacerbated by the pandemic. All three are core services provided by gastroenterologists and hepatologists and represent areas where racism has caused disparities in outcomes. Greatly magnified by the pandemic.
 

Why is the Association of Black Gastroenterologists and Hepatologists (ABGH) important?

It’s important for me to listen to people who are the target of racism and hear how they want AGA to address their concerns. I want a better understanding of why ABGH was formed and why now. I want to hear what they hope to achieve and how they believe the AGA can help.
 

The full AGA Presidential Plenary line-up

We hope you’ll join us for the AGA Presidential Plenary, taking place Monday, May 23, at 10 a.m. PT during DDW. In addition to Dr. Inadomi’s keynote address, presentations will include:

• AGA Julius Friedenwald Recognition of Timothy Wang
• AGA Equity Project: Accomplishments and What Lies Ahead
• The Genesis and Goals of the Association of Black Gastroenterologists and Hepatologists (ABGH)
• What We Need to Overcome Racial and Ethnic Barriers to Engage in Clinical Trials
• Reducing Disparities in Colorectal Cancer
• Reducing Disparities in Liver Disease
• Reducing Disparities in IBD

This year’s plenary will focus on action items to eradicate health disparities in GI.

The 2022 AGA Presidential Plenary at Digestive Disease Week^® (DDW) is designed to highlight timely and high-impact research as it pertains to AGA and the global gastroenterology community. This year’s plenary will feature a series of invited speaker talks on the ways to integrate diversity and inclusion into the field of gastroenterology and hepatology.

AGA President John M. Inadomi, MD, AGAF, will present his address titled “Don’t Talk – Act: The Relevance of DEI to Gastroenterologists and Hepatologists and the Imperative for Action.” Read our Q&A with Dr. Inadomi below for details on what you can expect from the plenary.
 

Why did you want to focus on issues around diversity, equity, and inclusion in the presidential plenary?

Most obvious is the pandemic and the social issues the pandemic has amplified have made these issues a primary concern for AGA. The pandemic forced us to reexamine ourselves and to not assume everything we’ve done in the past should be done in the future. The diversity of AGA and AGA leadership is not where we want it to be. I want to use the presidential plenary as a platform to discuss race, especially, which is only one part of DEI. I can provide perspective as an Asian American experiencing a resurgence in racism and I want to involve nationally known experts like Monica Webb Hooper who’ve done research on this and have fully formed ideas on how to frame the questions and talk about action items that we, as a society, should adopt. The time of reflection and awareness has passed, the time of simply providing awareness is past. Society needs to adopt action items to address and combat racism.

Later in the plenary, I’m pleased to be joined by Dr. Byron Cryer and Dr. Sandra Quezada who will talk about how they created/developed the AGA Equity Project and their work to implement it.
 

What do you want attendees to take home from these various talks?

We hear a lot of talk about DEI, I hear a lot about awareness, a lot of talk about education. I asked the presidential plenary speakers to move beyond that to provide action items that AGA and its members can implement to reduce disparities in health outcomes. I hope that we will be able to measure these outcomes and see improvement over time coming out of the interventions proposed during this session.

Why did you choose disparities in CRC, liver disease, and IBD specifically?

I feel like these are core parts of gastroenterology and hepatology. So much of the disparities we see in colon cancer are a microcosm of the disparities that exist across the spectrum of GI and liver disease. They illustrate the problems with access and utilization. Disparities in CRC outcomes are exacerbated by the pandemic. I chose liver disease because it’s another area where racial disparities exist and are exacerbated by the pandemic. All three are core services provided by gastroenterologists and hepatologists and represent areas where racism has caused disparities in outcomes. Greatly magnified by the pandemic.
 

Why is the Association of Black Gastroenterologists and Hepatologists (ABGH) important?

It’s important for me to listen to people who are the target of racism and hear how they want AGA to address their concerns. I want a better understanding of why ABGH was formed and why now. I want to hear what they hope to achieve and how they believe the AGA can help.
 

The full AGA Presidential Plenary line-up

We hope you’ll join us for the AGA Presidential Plenary, taking place Monday, May 23, at 10 a.m. PT during DDW. In addition to Dr. Inadomi’s keynote address, presentations will include:

• AGA Julius Friedenwald Recognition of Timothy Wang
• AGA Equity Project: Accomplishments and What Lies Ahead
• The Genesis and Goals of the Association of Black Gastroenterologists and Hepatologists (ABGH)
• What We Need to Overcome Racial and Ethnic Barriers to Engage in Clinical Trials
• Reducing Disparities in Colorectal Cancer
• Reducing Disparities in Liver Disease
• Reducing Disparities in IBD

This year’s plenary will focus on action items to eradicate health disparities in GI.

The 2022 AGA Presidential Plenary at Digestive Disease Week^® (DDW) is designed to highlight timely and high-impact research as it pertains to AGA and the global gastroenterology community. This year’s plenary will feature a series of invited speaker talks on the ways to integrate diversity and inclusion into the field of gastroenterology and hepatology.

AGA President John M. Inadomi, MD, AGAF, will present his address titled “Don’t Talk – Act: The Relevance of DEI to Gastroenterologists and Hepatologists and the Imperative for Action.” Read our Q&A with Dr. Inadomi below for details on what you can expect from the plenary.
 

Why did you want to focus on issues around diversity, equity, and inclusion in the presidential plenary?

Most obvious is the pandemic and the social issues the pandemic has amplified have made these issues a primary concern for AGA. The pandemic forced us to reexamine ourselves and to not assume everything we’ve done in the past should be done in the future. The diversity of AGA and AGA leadership is not where we want it to be. I want to use the presidential plenary as a platform to discuss race, especially, which is only one part of DEI. I can provide perspective as an Asian American experiencing a resurgence in racism and I want to involve nationally known experts like Monica Webb Hooper who’ve done research on this and have fully formed ideas on how to frame the questions and talk about action items that we, as a society, should adopt. The time of reflection and awareness has passed, the time of simply providing awareness is past. Society needs to adopt action items to address and combat racism.

Later in the plenary, I’m pleased to be joined by Dr. Byron Cryer and Dr. Sandra Quezada who will talk about how they created/developed the AGA Equity Project and their work to implement it.
 

What do you want attendees to take home from these various talks?

We hear a lot of talk about DEI, I hear a lot about awareness, a lot of talk about education. I asked the presidential plenary speakers to move beyond that to provide action items that AGA and its members can implement to reduce disparities in health outcomes. I hope that we will be able to measure these outcomes and see improvement over time coming out of the interventions proposed during this session.

Why did you choose disparities in CRC, liver disease, and IBD specifically?

I feel like these are core parts of gastroenterology and hepatology. So much of the disparities we see in colon cancer are a microcosm of the disparities that exist across the spectrum of GI and liver disease. They illustrate the problems with access and utilization. Disparities in CRC outcomes are exacerbated by the pandemic. I chose liver disease because it’s another area where racial disparities exist and are exacerbated by the pandemic. All three are core services provided by gastroenterologists and hepatologists and represent areas where racism has caused disparities in outcomes. Greatly magnified by the pandemic.
 

Why is the Association of Black Gastroenterologists and Hepatologists (ABGH) important?

It’s important for me to listen to people who are the target of racism and hear how they want AGA to address their concerns. I want a better understanding of why ABGH was formed and why now. I want to hear what they hope to achieve and how they believe the AGA can help.
 

The full AGA Presidential Plenary line-up

We hope you’ll join us for the AGA Presidential Plenary, taking place Monday, May 23, at 10 a.m. PT during DDW. In addition to Dr. Inadomi’s keynote address, presentations will include:

• AGA Julius Friedenwald Recognition of Timothy Wang
• AGA Equity Project: Accomplishments and What Lies Ahead
• The Genesis and Goals of the Association of Black Gastroenterologists and Hepatologists (ABGH)
• What We Need to Overcome Racial and Ethnic Barriers to Engage in Clinical Trials
• Reducing Disparities in Colorectal Cancer
• Reducing Disparities in Liver Disease
• Reducing Disparities in IBD