Research and Clinical Trials

The gastroenterology team at UC San Diego Health is engaged in research efforts that are shaping the way gastrointestinal disease is treated across the country. Our physician-scientists, who are faculty members in the Division of Gastroenterology, are active in many research projects and clinical studies.

Research

Our gastroenterologists are currently examining:

• Patient-centered clinical research on diagnosis and treatment of gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GERD). Read more about our esophageal research.
• Physiologic studies to better understand and manage swallowing disorders such as achalasia.
• Research about evolution to cancer in the esophagus and stomach. Read more about the GEODE program.
• Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) biobanking to identify fundamental mechanisms underlying IBD, to evaluate novel therapies and to improve care. 
• Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NASH). Read about our liver research.
• 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.

Clinical Trials

Clinical trials are at the heart of all medical advances. These research studies enable researchers to look at new ways of preventing, detecting and curing disease. Most of the treatments we use today are possible because of the knowledge gained from previous clinical trials.

We are currently conducting clinical trials in many areas of gastrointestinal disease, including:

• Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), like Crohn's disease and Ulcerative colitis.
• Hepatitis
• Liver disease and issues related to abdominal transplantation

Find clinical trials at UC San Diego Health that are currently seeking participants.

Search Clinical Trials