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Underwood Center forDigestive Disorders
Digestive Disorders
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Quarterly Digest
The “lazy hazy days of summer” are supposed to be a time for the beach and the country but there has been no letup in activity at the Underwood Center over the past few months. We have even changed our name (slightly)! Yes, we are still the Underwood Center but recognizing our current and future role in disease prevention and in the promotion of gut health, we are now known as the “Underwood Center for Digestive Health”; new signage is on the way. May 2024 saw the largest ever Underwood Center participation at Digestive Diseases Week, the most important clinical and research “gut-fest” around with lectures, poster presentations and awards from across the center. June brought the much-anticipated US News and World Report rankings with Houston Methodist GI and GI surgery again in the top ten and the hospital yet again ranked as the best in Texas and among the best in the US. Kudos also to other HM hospitals who featured prominently in the rankings. With July came the deadline for applications for the first ever Fondren Inflammation Collaborative Seed Grant Award and we were simply thrilled to receive seven high-quality applications – again from across the system and spanning the gamut of GI clinical and translational science. This, together with the finalization of an “umbrella” protocol and ongoing work to ensure that accurate and meaningful data can be extracted from our EMR, kick-start our system-wide research strategy. This is not to say that our other committees and task forces have been idle — great work on quality initiatives, community education and endoscopy cost saving, to name but a few, will enhance clinical care across the system.
It may be hot out there, but we march on.
Eamonn M.M. Quigley, MD
David M. Underwood Chair of Medicine in Digestive Disorders
Co-Director, Lynda K. and David M. Underwood Center for Digestive Disorders
Chief, Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Houston Methodist Hospital
Professor of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine
Adjunct Professor of Medicine, Texas A&M Health Sciences Center College of Medicine
A. Osama Gaber, MD, FACS, FAST
John F., Jr. and Carolyn Bookout Presidential Distinguished Chair in Surgery,
Department of Surgery
Chair, Department of Surgery
Professor of Surgery, Academic Institute
Full Member, Research Institute
Program Director, Transplant Surgery Fellowship, Department of Surgery
Houston Methodist
Weill Cornell Medical College
Eamonn Quigley, MD celebrated the end of his term as councilor for the American Neurogastroenterology and Motility Society (ANMS).
Neha Mathur, MD was featured in the New York Times article, “Does Stress Cause Ulcers?”
Drs. Kerri Glassner and Malcolm Irani passed the International Bowel Ultrasound Group’s Module 3 Workshop, and completed the IBUS training curriculum in advanced intestinal ultrasound.
Dr. Sunil Dacha was a co-course director for American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE)’s First Year GI Fellows Hands-on Course.
The Underwood Center hosted the first-ever Endoscopy Task Force Retreat where nursing leaders from across the system met to share endoscopy challenges and best practices. Patient demand for endoscopy has exponentially grown over the past few years, and the team discussed opportunities for first case on-time starts and 7-day readmission rates. Thank you to physician leaders Dr. Gulchin Ergun, Dr. Hani Zamil, Executive Sponsor Kyle Stanzel, and Sr. Project Manager Aynur Hodge for facilitating this fantastic retreat.
Liver Failure Avengers
Houston Methodist
Researchers First in World
Under the leadership of Constance Mobley, MD, PhD, FACS, researchers have successfully performed a first-in-human miniature liver hepatocyte transplant to change a patient’s lymph nodes into ectopic miniature livers.
READ MORE
Gulchin A Ergun, MD uses new approach to distinguish reflux issues
Gulchin A. Ergun, MD is testing a new, rapid method for evaluating severe reflux that offers immediate results on esophageal mucosal integrity during endoscopy. This approach is more efficient and cost-effective than traditional tests, which can take up to 96 hours or involve multiple procedures. The new technology could significantly enhance the detection of reflux conditions and reduce the need for repetitive testing, benefiting vulnerable patients, such as those undergoing lung transplants.
READ MORE
Ending organ transplant rejection
A breakthrough study by Wenhao Chen, PhD at Houston Methodist may revolutionize transplant medicine. Chen’s research identified a population of stem-like T cells that contribute to long-term organ rejection by continually replenishing cells that attack the transplant. Targeting these cells could potentially end organ rejection, improve graft survival, and reduce reliance on daily immunosuppressive drugs. This finding, recently published in *Nature Immunology*, could also have implications for treating autoimmune diseases like ulcerative colitis.
READ MORE
From Clinic to Community
The J.C. Walter Jr. Transplant Center Minority Outreach Program increased liver transplants and referrals among Hispanics in a two-year study period. However, lack of awareness and education regarding liver transplant as an option for patients and financial roadblocks prevented many patients from receiving a liver transplant.
READ MORE
Houston Methodist Developing Database for Early Detection and Treatment of Pancreatic Diseases
Researchers at Houston Methodist are pioneering a new database to enhance early detection and treatment of pancreatic diseases, including cancer, which often goes undiagnosed until advanced stages. Led by Dr. A. Osama Gaber and Dr. Ashish Saharia, this initiative aims to revolutionize patient care by analyzing detailed medical records and tumor characteristics. Their goal: to establish a specialized pancreas center for faster, more accurate diagnosis and treatment, starting with a new cyst clinic to catch potential malignancies early.
READ MORE
View our comprehensive list of clinical trials for IBD, GERD, liver and more. We invite current Underwood Center members to submit their clinical studies to be spotlighted in upcoming newsletters.
Degree of Discordance Between FIB-4 and Transient Elastography: An Application of Current Guidelines on General Population Cohort
Chang, M, Chang, D, Kodali, S, Harrison, SA, Ghobrial, M, Alkhouri, N & Noureddin. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cgh.2024.02.008
Therapeutic drug monitoring in patients with inflammatory bowel disease on ustekinumab
Saleh, A, Stading, R, Miroballi, N, Glassner, K & Abraham. https://doi.org/10.1111/1751-2980.13264
Digestive Disease Week 2024
In May, the GI Division attended Digestive Disease Week 2024 in Washington D.C. to give over 30+ oral, state-of-the-art, and poster presentations. Here's a link that shows all our faculty who had leadership roles in hands-on courses, board review courses and topic forums. Dr. Karen Woods also received a special leadership award from Women In Endoscopy for her contributions towards elevating women in gastroenterology. Congratulations to all!
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Fields Rosenberg Summer Surgical Fellowship
The Fields Rosenberg Summer Surgical Fellowship, sponsored by Wade Rosenberg, MD, and led by Dr. Jeffrey Friedman of the Department of Surgery, offers second, third, and fourth-year undergraduates an exceptional physician shadowing opportunity. This year, eight fellows from UT Austin, Rice University, Amherst College, Brown, Cornell, and University of Virginia participated in a 10-week paid internship of direct mentorship from surgeons specializing in areas such as General Surgery, Neurosurgery, Urology, Plastic Surgery, Cardiovascular Surgery and other surgical fields. This program is only made possible by mentors Drs. Kelvin Allenson, Jeffrey Friedman, Min Kim, Maham Rahimi, Michael Reader, Ross Reul, Raj Satkunasivam and Todd Trask.
On the Horizon for our Graduating Fellows
GI FELLOW
Dr. Nabeel Moon
Advanced Endoscopy Fellowship at
New York Presbyterian/
Columbia University
GI FELLOW
Dr. Shaddi Abughazaleh
Houston Regional
Gastroenterology Institute
Transplant Hepatology Fellow
Dr. Michelle Jones-Pauley
Houston Methodist Transplant
Hepatology Division
Advanced GI/MIS Bariatric Fellow
Angela Lomas, MD
University of Texas at
Rio Grande Valley
Edinburg, TX
Advanced GI/MIS Bariatric Fellow
James McClintic, MD
Texas Health Resources
Fort Worth, TX
Abdominal Multi-Organ Transplantation Fellow
Mansi Sanghvi, MBBS
Max Hospitals (Saket)
New Delhi, India
Houston Methodist Hospital
Dr. Thomas McCarty highlighted in the Leading Medicine article: Study Challenges Seven-Day Hold on GLP-1 Agonists Before Surgery.
Houston Methodist West
Shawn Gurwara, MD was featured in a recent Leading Medicine Magazine article, Home Remedies for Constipation.
Houston Methodist Willowbrook
Houston Methodist Willowbrook welcomes Brenda Findley, MSN, RN, NE-BC as the Clinical Resource Nurse for Digestive Health. Dr. Naga Addepally, GI, will be a panelist at the Women’s Health & Wellness Event in September.
At the American Society of Colon & Rectal Surgeons (ASCRS) Annual Scientific Meeting in June, Dr. Marines was able to participate in a mentorship session for residents interested in pursuing a colorectal surgery career. He was able to connect with his mentors, who were proud to learn that recently HMWB launched the first colorectal remote case observation site in the country. It is now the busiest observation site and Dr. Marines has been mentoring surgeons from different countries who have observed his surgeries.
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HMAI PRESIDENTIAL SEMINAR SERIES
The Changing Face of Medicine: Visualising the Future
Sir Pali Hungin, MD, FRCP, FRCGP, FRSA
Lead, Changing Face of Medicine Commission, United Kingdom
Professor Emeritus, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, UK
Founding Dean of Medicine, Durham University, UK
Former President, British Medical Association
Sept. 4, 2024 | 4 – 6 p.m.
Houston Methodist Research Institute
John F. Bookout Auditorium (R2-306)
Click here to register
Emerging Topics in Liver Disease Conference: Innovative Trends in
Liver Health 2024
The epidemic of liver disease has become increasingly more common and poses complex problems regarding diagnosis and management. There are recent advances in the diagnosis and management of patients with liver disease. This CE activity has been designed to educate attendees about new developments in hepatology, and new approaches to management of liver diseases that can be readily integrated into their daily practice. A group of national experts, including several renowned guest faculty, will present new findings in a clinical context that will be beneficial in the multidisciplinary management of unique and complex liver disorders.
Saturday, Sept. 21
7:30 AM to 5:00 PM
HYBRID CONFERENCE
In-person location
Houston Methodist Research Institute
John F. Bookout Auditorium
6670 Bertner Avenue
COURSE DIRECTOR
Victor Ankoma-Sey, MD, FACP, FAASLD
Director, Liver Transplant Program
Sherrie and Alan Conover Center for Liver Disease & Transplantation
Houston Methodist J.C. Walter Jr. Transplant Center
Director, Liver Associates of Texas, PA
Click here to register
49th Annual Texas Meeting
The TSGE annual meeting, held each September, offers high-quality continuing medical education for physicians, APPs, and nurses, on par with national GI conferences. The Society also supports GI Fellows through a practice management symposium and travel stipends. TSGE aims to advance knowledge and standards in gastroenterology and endoscopic methods, and TSGE has consistently worked to enhance patient care through legislative efforts in Texas.
Sept 20th-22nd, 2024 | Austin Marriott Downtown | Austin, Texas
Early bird registration is available until September 1st
Conference registration is open until September 12th
Click here to register
American Foregut Society Annual Meeting
The American Foregut Society (AFS) aims to enhance the diagnosis and management of foregut diseases by fostering collaboration between gastroenterologists and foregut surgeons. Their mission includes advancing research, developing benchmarks for excellence, and establishing specialized training programs to improve patient care and safety. The AFS envisions personalized treatment strategies and has evolved from the collective passion of individuals dedicated to advancing this specialty.
Sept 25th-29th, 2024 | Gaylord Rockies | Denver, Colorado
Click here to register
Sixth Annual
Hepatology Update for Primary Care:
A Practical Approach
Course Director
Rashid Khan, MD, FACP, FACG, FAASLD
Gastroenterology/Transplant Hepatology
Houston Methodist Baytown
PROGRAM OVERVIEW
Liver diseases have become more prevalent and primary care physicians and practitioners face increasing challenges in their prompt recognition, diagnosis and management. The burden of liver ailments is further expected to increase.
The goal of this meeting is to provide an overview of the most common liver diseases seen in the community and to bridge the learning gap between primary care and the latest advances and developments in the field of hepatology. Given the rapid pace of clinical growth in hepatology in the past decade, bridging this gap is particularly significant. A practical approach will be presented that attendees can integrate into their daily practice.
Saturday, Oct. 12
9:15 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Hybrid Conference
In-person location
Dunn Rio Grande Conference Room
6565 Fannin St
Houston, Texas 77030
Click here to register
ACS Clinical Congress 2024
The Clinical Congress program includes essential clinical and non-clinical content through Named Lectures by leading experts and over 100 Panel Sessions on relevant topics. Attendees can benefit from Postgraduate Didactic and Surgical Skills Courses, as well as Special Sessions during lunch on key interests. The Scientific Forum will present cutting-edge research and innovations, while Video-Based Education, Meet-the-Expert Sessions, and Town Hall Meetings offer additional learning opportunities.
October 19th–22nd, 2024 | Moscone Center | San Francisco, CA
Click here to register
ACG Annual Scientific Meeting
& Postgraduate Course
The ACG Annual Scientific Meeting & Postgraduate Course is a premier event for GI clinicians, featuring top faculty and focusing on their specific needs. It is the only major GI meeting included as a member benefit at no additional cost, with discounted rates for members on additional courses. ACG 2024 provides access to experts for in-depth discussions on advanced GI topics, opportunities to network, and a showcase of the latest in gastrointestinal technology and therapeutics.
October 25th–30th, 2024 | Pennsylvania Convention Center | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Click here to register
Ongoing Events
Multidisciplinary GI Conference
Every Friday at 7 a.m.
Led by: Alberto O. Barroso, MD
Presenters:
09/13 Dr. Patrick Reardon
09/20 Dr. Christopher Fan/ Dr. Raj Waghela
09/27 Dr. Amanda Arrington
10/04 Dr. Monisha Singh
10/11 Dr. Eric Haas
10/18 Dr. Rachel Schiesser/ Dr. Rabia Rizwan
10/25 Dr. Garth Beinart
Contact: Alessandra Rodriguez for more information.
Monthly IBD Case Conference
Upcoming Meetings:
Led by: Bincy Abraham, MD, Kerri Glassner, MD, Malcolm Irani, MD and Christopher Fan, MD
Upcoming Dates:
September 6
October 4
November 8
Contact: Alessandra Rodriguez for more information.
Medical Center Motility Meeting
First Wednesday of the month from 5-6 p.m.
Multi-institutional conference between MD Anderson, Houston Methodist, UT Health and Baylor College of Medicine
Contact: Carol Cox (ccox@mdanderson.org) for more information.
SHARE YOUR FEEDBACK
To be featured in the next newsletter, please submit news, events or a story to: underwoodcenter@houstonmethodist.org
If you have questions about membership, please contact: schui@houstonmethodist.org
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