Explore Gastroenterology & DigestiveResearch and Clinical Trials
The Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology conducts research in several important areas of digestive diseases ranging in focus from basic science to clinical outcome studies. Funding support for these efforts has come from university, industry, and NIH sources with both primary funding to the division members as well as funding from other areas. Our collaborative research projects are often multidisciplinary studies involving other departments and sites, such as UConn Health Molecular Oncology, UConn Storrs, and The Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine. Our division’s research projects often include fellows and residents with structured teaching elements.
Current Areas of GI Clinical Research
John W. Birk, M.D.
John W. Birk, M.D. FACG, is a gastroenterologist specializing in Advanced Endoscopy and Pancreatic and Biliary Diseases.
- Microbiota, metabolites and colon neoplasia (in collaboration with Daniel W. Rosenberg, Ph.D.)
- Mechanisms for early onset colorectal cancer (in collaboration with Daniel W. Rosenberg, Ph.D.)
- Risk factors for advanced serrated lesions in the proximal colon (in collaboration with Daniel W. Rosenberg, Ph.D.)
- Endoluminal therapy of obesity using gastric balloons
- Pancreatic cyst fluid MMP-3 + MMP-9 levels as a novel diagnostic marker to differentiate malignant from benign cysts
Adam Kim, Ph.D.
Adam Kim, Ph.D., Laboratory of Bioinformatics, Inflammation, and Liver Disease
The Laboratory of Bioinformatics, Inflammation, and Liver Disease focuses on two intertwined goals: understanding the role of inflammation and immune cells in liver disease and the application of molecular and bioinformatic tools in new and creative ways.
- The role of C-type lectin receptors in liver inflammation
- Immune responses and organ crosstalk in alcohol-associated liver disease and chronic heavy drinkers
- Applying bioinformatic tools to understand cellular responses to stimuli
Joel B. Levine, M.D.
Joel Levine, M.D., is a gastroenterologist specializing in Colon Cancer Prevention, Gastrointestinal Cancer, and Gastroenterology.
- Computational models of serrated pathway in colon cancer (in collaboration with Pramod Srivastava, Ph.D., M.D., and Marmar Moussa, Ph.D.)
- Longitudinal patterns of quantitative FIT with regard to prediction of risk for colon cancer precursors
- Role of vitamin D deficiency in colon cancer risk
- 3D holographic imaging of the surface of the colon to study alterations in mucosal permeability
- Specific bacterial lipids as clinical surrogates for microbiome diversity and risks for serrated lesions (in collaboration with Frank C. Nichols, D.D.S., Ph.D., and Robert Clark, M.D.)
- TCR-like antibodies directed to colon cancer neoepitopes inducing ADCC via NK cells (in collaboration with Rachit Ohri, Ph.D., and Marc Gillig, Ph.D.)
Houman Rezaizadeh, M.D.
Houman Rezaizadeh, M.D., is a gastroenterologist specializing in Barrett's esophagus and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).
- A phase 3, multicenter, multinational, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled Induction and maintenance study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of CC-93538 in adult and adolescent subjects with eosinophilic esophagitis
- A phase 3, multicenter, multinational, open-label extension study to evaluate the long-term safety of CC-93538 in adult and adolescent subjects with eosinophilic esophagitis
- A versatile soft robotic rramework for studying human swallowing
Haleh Vaziri, M.D.
Haleh Vaziri, M.D., is a gastroenterologist at UConn Health.
- Microbiota, metabolites and colon neoplasia (in collaboration with Daniel W. Rosenberg, Ph.D.)
- Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) focused clinical research
George Y. Wu, M.D., Ph.D.
George Y. Wu, M.D., Ph.D., is Professor Emeritus, Gastroenterology at UConn Health and a Scientific Consultant, Mitrix Bio, Inc. He specializes in general gastroenterology, including diagnostic and therapeutic upper endoscopy and colonoscopy, ultrasound-assisted liver biopsy, and ultrasound-assisted paracentesis.
- Targeted transplantation of mitochondria to hepatocytes
- Treatment of acute liver failure
- Fatty liver disease
Research Resources
If you're interested in learning more information about digestive or GI-related clinical trials, we recommend the following resources: