RESEARCH ACTIVITIES

OVERVIEW

The overall mission of the research activities in the Division of Digestive Diseases is to conduct original scientific investigations in diseases and disorders of the digestive system, including the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, liver and pancreas. Research within the division can be broadly divided into basic science research and clinical investigation. The areas of interest include pathophysiology of inflammatory disorders, microbial-host interaction, cancer biology, nutrition, intestinal motility, transplant hepatology, pancreaticobiliary disorders, chronic liver diseases including liver fibrosis and hepatitis C virus infection, and cancer prevention. Research projects are funded by various institutions including the National Institutes of Health, American Digestive Health Foundation, American Cancer Society, American Heart Association, The Georgia Cancer Coalition and various pharmaceutical companies. A summary of the research projects is provided below. Detailed information regarding specific faculty members’ research interest is also included in the web page for individual faculty.

BASIC SCIENCE RESEARCH

The basic science research program of the division follows a number of themes. They include inflammatory biology and pathobiology, cancer biology, GI physiology, motility and nutrition, and chronic liver diseases. Specific projects include molecular mechanisms of tumorigenesis (Drs. Yang and Hagedorn), regulation of intestinal epithelial cell proliferation and differentiation (Drs. Anania, Yang and Ziegler), bacteria-host interaction and host immune response (Dr. Klapproth), genomic response to hepatitis C virus infection (Dr. Hagedorn), the mechanisms controlling eukaryotic translation (Dr. Curt Hagedorn), molecular regulation of the transport processes (Drs. Merlin, Sitaraman, and Yun), signaling mechanisms and enteric neuron survival, and nutritional adaptation during intestinal regeneration (Dr. Ziegler).

Basic Science Research Areas of Interest
Principal Investigators

Emory Epithelial Pathobiology Research Development Center

The division is home to the recently funded Emory Epithelial Pathobiology Research Development Center by the National Institute of Diabetes, Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK). Dr. Yang is Principal Investigator and Dr. Charles Parkos of Department of Pathology is co-Investigator. The Center is designed to provide shared core resources for a group of investigators from 4 different departments including Medicine, Pathology, Biochemistry and Physiology with a common interest in the biology and pathobiology of epithelial disorders. Three core facilities are supported by the Center including (A) Gene Expression Analysis Core, which provides state-of-the-art service for cDNA microarray analysis and gene profiling, (B) Imaging Core, which provides service for confocal microscopic imaging and cell sorting, and (C) Cell Culture and Monoclonal Antibody Core, which provides investigators with polarized epithelial cell lines maintained on transwells and ability to generate monoclonal antibodies.

Key investigators (members) of the Center include: Vincent Yang (PI), Charles Parkos (co-PI and Core C Director), Andy Neish (Core A Director), Asma Nusrat (Core B Director), Ifor Williams (Core B co-Director), Frank Anania, Doug Eaton, Andrew Gewirtz, Curt Hagedorn, Dean Jones, Jan-Michael Klapproth, Didier Merlin, Shanthi Sitaraman, Shanthi Srinivasan, Chris Yun, and Tom Ziegler.

CLINICAL INVESTIGATION

The division currently conducts a variety of clinical research studies in the areas of chronic hepatitis infection, portal hypertension, peptic ulcer disease, and colon cancer. Specific projects include drug trials in chronic hepatitis B and C virus infection (Drs. Hagedorn, Martinez and Slaker), TIPS vs. surgical shunt treatment for portal hypertension (Dr. Martinez), primary biliary cirrhosis (Dr. Martinez), intravenous proton pump inhibitor for acute upper GI bleeding (Drs. Affronti, Cai and Tayara), techniques to facilitate therapeutic ERCP (Drs. Affronti and Cai), host immune response to hepatitis C virus infection (Dr. Hagedorn), chemoprevention of colorectal cancer (Dr. Yang), and capsule endoscopy (Dr. Cohen).

Clinical Research Principal Investigators

John Affronti, M.D.
Qiang Cai, M.D., Ph.D.
Robert Cohen, M.D.
Yaman Tayara, M.D.
Vincent Yang, M.D., Ph.D.