A vital mission of the Division of Digestive and Liver Diseases is to promote excellence in research related to gastrointestinal, liver and pancreatic diseases. The basic research interests of our faculty range from the study of molecular and cellular biology through systems and integrative biology. clinical research is also varied, from natural history studies to trials of new therapies.
Inflammatory and infectious diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and liver are studied at all levels from basic principles to clinical trials. Current research topics include molecular pathogenesis of fibrosis, biology of stellate cells, graft-versus-host disease, anti-viral immune responses, opioid immunomodulatory effects, hepatitis B viral replication and treatment of chronic viral hepatitis.
Gastrointestinal tract and liver cancers are the focus of research by a number of faculty investigators. Prevention of and screening for colorectal cancer, natural history of hepatocellular carcinoma and molecular basis of carcinoma complicating Barrett's esophagus are some of the topics.
An interest in metabolism unites the third major group of faculty members. Obesity and fatty liver disease and diseases of lipid metabolism are the subject of current endeavors. More details of the research by our faculty members of the division can be obtained from the links above and at left.
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