Research and Clinical Trials

The faculty in the Division of Gastroenterology is engaged in research efforts that are shaping the way gastrointestinal disease is treated across the country.

Our physician-scientists are active in numerous research projects and clinical studies. For example, our gastroenterologists are examining:

• Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) biobanking to identify fundamental mechanisms underlying IBD, to evaluate novel therapies and to improve care. Read about our IBD research. 
• Obesity and alcohol use, and their relationship to liver cancer. Read more about our liver research
• Complications of portal hypertension
• Minimally invasive, scarless surgical techniques to treat GI conditions. For more information, visit the Center for the Future of Surgery.
• Combination therapy with immunosuppressives and tumor necrosis factor antagonists to treat Crohn’s disease
• Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease
• Complications of cirrhosis and liver transplantation
• New ways to alleviate pain associated with esophageal motility disorders
• Post-liver transplantation immunosuppression and recurrence of hepatitis C
• Hepatitis B virus epidemiology
• Endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration for diagnosing lung cancer and pancreatic masses, and for placing metal markers into tumors to allow for stereotactic radiosurgery
• Advances in the treatment of celiac disease
• Use of capsule endoscopy instead of upper endoscopy prior to bariatric surgery
• Combined endoscopic and laparoscopic procedures to treat acute esophageal perforations, gastrointestinal stromal cell tumors (GISTs)
• Laparoscopic-assisted endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) in patients with prior Roux-en-Y gastric bypass
• Pelvic floor disorders and how they affect fecal incontinence and constipation

Publications

 Scientific Articles in Gastroenterology

 View abstracts of scientific articles written by UC San Diego Health System’s gastroenterologists.

UC San Diego Health System Research Laboratories

• Wm. K. Warren Medical Research Center for Celiac Disease at UC San Diego
• Eckmann Laboratory for Host Defense and Immunity 
• John Chang Laboratory - Understanding Cell Fate Determination in the Immune System
• Rohit Loomba Laboratory - Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

Clinical Trials

Clinical trials are highly regulated health-related research studies that move advances in the treatment of disease forward into clinical practice. They offer people the chance to receive newly developed therapies and provide crucial information for improving care. The Division of Gastroenterology is currently conducting clinical trials related to a broad spectrum of gastrointestinal diseases and conditions. Find clinical trials at UC San Diego Health System that are currently seeking participants.

For clinical trials related to Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis go to IBD Clinical Trials. For clinical trials related to liver disease go to Liver Center - Research and Clinical Trials.