Dear GRG Member:

I'm delighted to update you on the various activities conducted by the GRG througout the past year. Membership participation has been outstanding this year with governing board elections and with topic suggestions for the Spring Symposium. The GRG, often in partnership with the AGA Institute, continues to be instrumental in the organization of a number of highly successful workshops or symposia, including the Annual Methodologies in Healthcare Outcomes in Gastroenterology directed by Jay Goldstein, MD, the GRG/AGA Japan Symposium and the GRG/European Symposium. Consistent with its mission to support the career development of junior investigators, the GRG/AGA continues to provide the Young Investigator Basic Research and Clinical Science Awards, as well as the Fellows Travel Awards to Digestive Disease Week (DDW)®. The GRG also has been responsible for hosting a highly successful Spring Symposium with state-of-the-art lectures given by leaders in various GI fields. Looking toward the future, I am very hopeful that the GRG will continue to thrive as an organization that supports basic and clinical GI research and the career development of junior GI investigators.

This newsletter will look back at some of the events that took place last year and will look at some of the upcoming initiatives and programs that will take place at DDW 2007. I hope that these activities will serve to demonstrate that the GRG is alive and well. Again, we need your input and feedback on how the GRG can serve your needs and those of the young investigators in our field.

Sincerely Yours,

Vincent W. Yang, MD, PhD
President

Results of 2006 Election of Officials

This past summer, we had a very successful election process for vacated official positions in the leadership rank. A great many highly qualified candidates ran for the position of president-elect and for membership in the Steering Committee. Almost 150 members voted for the candidates of their choice. We want to congratulate everyone who participated in this process for caring about this organization. We would also like to take this opportunity to thank those outgoing members of the steering committee (Tim Wang, MD and John Carethers, MD, AGAF) and the immediate past president, John Del Valle, MD, for their tireless devotion to advancing the vision of the GRG.

The election results are summarized as follows:

President-Elect: Jonathan D. Kaunitz, MD, Los Angeles, CA
Dr. Kaunitz is professor of medicine at the David Geffen School of Medicine of the University of California, Los Angeles. He is an expert in the area of gastroduodenal mucosa defense and acid-sensing protective mechanisms of the duodenum. His administrative responsibilities have included serving as program director of the UCLA-affiliated GI Training Program and associate chief of GI section at the West Los Angeles VA Medical Center. He is the current chair of the Clinical and Integrative Gastrointestinal Pathobiology (CIGP) Study Section at the National Institutes of Health.

Steering Committee Member: Nicholas O. Davidson, MD, St. Louis, MO
Dr. Davidson is professor of medicine, pharmacology and molecular biology, and director of Division of Gastroenterology at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. His basic laboratory research interests are in the cell and molecular regulation of hepatic and intestinal lipid metabolism, as well as in mechanisms of gene regulation through protein-RNA interactions. His clinical research interests are in the genetic and environmental modifiers of colorectal cancer susceptibility. He has been extremely active in various leadership roles in the AGA Institute, including serving as chair of the Gastroenterology Research Committee, member of the AGA Institute Leadership Cabinet and board member of the Foundation for Digestive Health and Nutrition (FDHN).

Steering Committee Member: Mrinalini C. Rao, PhD, Chicago, IL
Dr. Rao is professor of physiology and biophysics, professor of medicine and vice provost for faculty affairs at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Her research interests are understanding the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying hormonal and neurotransmitter regulation of epithelial ion transport processes. She has been an active member of the AGA Institute, having served as member for the Nominating Committee and member and chair of the PhD/MD-PhD/PhD-DVM Committee.

Three additional members of the Steering Committee are slated to begin their post in 2007: Shanthi Sitaraman MD, PhD, Rhonda Souza, MD, AGAF, and Gregory Gores, MD, AGAF. Their election is particularly gratifying as both Dr. Sitaraman and Dr. Souza received the GRG/AGA Young Investigator Awards in the past.

Steering Committee Member: Shanthi V. Sitaraman, MD, PhD, Atlanta, GA
Dr. Sitaraman is associate professor of medicine in the Division of Digestive Diseases at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta, GA. She is an established investigator in the pathogenic mechanisms of inflammatory bowel diseases. Dr. Sitaraman currently chairs the American Federation for Medical Research, Southern Region and is a chartered member of the Gastrointestinal Mucosal Pathobiology (GMPB) Study Section at the National Institutes of Health.

Steering Committee Member: Rhonda F. Souza, MD, AGAF, Dallas, TX
Dr. Souza is associate professor of medicine in the Division of Gastroenterology at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School in Dallas. Her research interests are in translational research with particular emphasis on the molecular mechanisms underlying the development and neoplastic progression of Barrett’s Esophagus. She is a member of the AGA Institute's Young GI and Trainee Committee and a participating faculty member in the AGA Academic Skills Workshop.

Steering Committee Member: Gregory Gores, MD, AGAF, Rochester, MN
Dr. Gores is professor of medicine, physiology, and biomedical engineering, and chair of the Division of Gastroenterology at the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine in Rochester, MN. He is a leader in studying the role of death receptors in hepatocyte apoptosis and in understanding the mechanisms of carcinogenesis of biliary epithelia. Clinically, he is engaged in developing protocols as related to innovative multidisciplinary efforts in the diagnosis and treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma and cholangiocarcinoma. He is actively involved in numerous activities of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD) and was immediate past chair of the Hepatobiliary Pathophysiology (HBPP) Study Section at the National Institutes of Health.

Highlights of GRG Activities at DDW 2006

GRG/AGA Young Investigator Basic Research Award
Rhonda F. Souza, MD, AGAF
University of Texas Southwestern Medical School
Dallas, Texas
Rhonda Souza, MD (elected GRG Steering Committee member) is associate professor of medicine in the Division of Gastroenterology at UT Southwestern. After graduating from Cornell University, she received her MD ( AOA) from Howard University. Dr. Souza did her internal medicine residency at Beth Israel Hospital in Boston, followed by a fellowship in gastroenterology at the University of Maryland Medical School in Baltimore. In 1998, Dr. Souza was recruited to UT Southwestern by Stuart Spechler, MD, chief of the Gastroenterology Division. Her primary research focus is in the area of molecular pathogenesis of gastrointestinal cancer, with a particular interest in the areas of Barrett’s Esophagus and adenocarcinoma of the esophagus.

GRG/AGA Young Investigator Clinical Science Award
Lauren Gerson, MD, MSc
Stanford University
Palo Alto, California
Lauren Gerson MD, MSc is assistant professor of medicine in the Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology at Stanford University. She received her undergraduate degree from Princeton University and her MD from SUNY Buffalo. After performing residency training at CA Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco, she received fellowship training in gastroenterology at Stanford, where she also received a masters degree in health research and policy. Her clinical expertise is in the diagnosis and management of gastroesophageal reflux disease, esophageal motility disorders, and obscure GI bleeding using capsule endoscopy and double balloon enteroscopy. Her research interests include epidemiology and clinical trials in GERD and Barrett's Esophagus; cost-effectiveness studies in the areas of Barrett's Esophagus and new technology; and quality-of-life assessment for patients with GERD and Barrett's Esophagus.

GRG/AGA Fellow Travel Awards

The GRG would like to recognize Rifat Pamukcu, MD, Ex-Officio, for his generous financial contributions to fund this program since its inception. In 2006, the following fellows received $500 each to cover total costs to DDW:

Zhihong Hu, MD, PhD (The University of Chicago); Sripathi Sureban, PhD (Washington University School of Medicine); Pavel Strnad, PhD (Palo Alto VA Health Care System); Flavio Rocha, MD (Brigham and Women's Hospital); Chin Chen, PhD (Stanford University School of Medicine); Purna Kashyap, MD (University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston); David Carney, MD (University of Texas Southwestern Medical School); Satish Ramalingham, PhD (Washington University School of Medicine); Michael Kappelman, MD (Children's Hospital, Boston); Brian Chung, PhD (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign).

GRG Spring Symposium

The Spring Symposium was organized by Averil Ma, MD, of the University of California at San Francisco with topics focused on the regulation of ubiquintylation. Presentations were given by three outstanding speakers: Zhijian “James” Chen, PhD, HHMI and UT Southwestern (Ubiquitin Signaling in the NF- kB Pathway); Toshiyasu Taniguchi, MD, PhD, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center (The Fanconi Anemia-BRCA Pathway and Cancer); and Averil Ma, MD, UCSF (A20 and the Enzymatic Regulation of Ubiquintylation and Inflammation).

Other GRG Sponsored Activities

12^th Annual Methodologies in Healthcare Outcomes in Gastroenterology: A Workshop Symposium
Director: Jay Goldstein, MD
Co-Directors: Glenn M. Eisen, MD; MPH, John F. Johanson, MD, MSc
November 10-11, 2006, Denver, CO
For the past twelve years, the GRG has sponsored an annual two-day symposium entitled “Methodologies in Healthcare Research Outcomes in Gastroenterology: A Workshop Symposium” in conjunction with the AGA Institute. This meeting provides interested individuals and GI trainees with instruction in the common research tools utilized in the broad field of outcomes research and emphasizes the exciting career opportunities in academic clinical research. Each year, the course is very well received by trainees and is a “must attend” meeting for any individual considering a career in outcomes/health services-related research. Focused on individualized mentoring, this workshop allows for close interaction for the faculty and attendees in a comfortable and informal setting. Unique features of the course are that the GRG sponsors trainee scholarships to facilitate attendance and all trainees are encouraged to present their research in various stages of development. This year's course was a great success with more than 50 attendees and 15 expert faculty. One of the course highlights was a presentation by A. Mark Fendrick, MD entitled “Value Based Insurance Design: A 'Clinically Sensitive' Approach to Preserve Quality and Contain Costs” as the First Annual Bernard S. Bloom, PhD Memorial Lecturer. Next year’s course will take place in November.

The GRG/AGA Japan Symposium
Through the committed effort of our GRG members, Chung Owyang, MD and Gene Chang, MD, in collaboration with Professor Hibi and Professor Watanabe from Japan, the Japan GRG/AGA Symposium was initiated in December 2002, co-sponsoring a total of four highly successful meetings. Each meeting was centered on promoting the open exchange of scientific knowledge between our organizations, focusing to a great extent on young trainees and faculty. We are pleased to announce that the AGA Institute through the International Committee has fully endorsed this initiative and will be providing $3,000 Travel Awards for young investigators who will be attending the next symposium. The Japanese Society of Gastroenterology (JSGE), in partnership with the AGA Institute, will be organizing the next symposium.

BSG Research Workshop on Pancreatitis and Calcium Signaling
Organizers: Robert Sutton, Ole Petersen, and Stephen Pandol
November 12-14, 2006, Liverpool, UK
The GRG is proud to be a co-sponsor for the British Society of Gastroenterology (BSG) Research Workshop on Pancreatitis and Calcium Signaling that took place at the Liverpool Medical Institution, Liverpool, UK. The objectives of this workshop were to review progress in understanding the pathogenesis of pancreatitis, subject this understanding to constructive scrutiny with input from research workers outside gastroenterology, enhance interchange of ideas and collaborations, engage and encourage younger researchers in the field, and promote biomedical research through the participating associations and societies. Other co-sponsors included the AGA Institute, FDHN and Physiological Society.

Planned GRG Activities for DDW 2007

At DDW 2007, the GRG will grant two Young Investigator awards including GRG/AGA Young Investigator Basic Research Award and GRG/AGA Young Investigator Clinical Science Award. We are accepting nominations through February 14, 2007. For details of the nominating process, please visit  www.gastroresearch.org/grg-awards.html.

Thanks to Dr. Rifat Pamukcu’s continuous support, the GRG is offering two travel grants to trainees: GRG/AGA Fellow Travel Awards and GRG/AGA Abstract of the Year Award. The deadline for submitting an application is March 21, 2007. Please visit www.gastroresearch.org/travel-grants.html for details of the application process.

We have also lined up a very exciting schedule for the 2007 GRG Spring Symposium, which will take place Sunday, May 20, 2007, from 1:00 to 3:30 p.m. at the Washington Convention Center in Washington, DC. The title of the symposium is "Understanding the Dialog: The Microbial-Host Interaction," which will feature four speakers:

Andrew S. Neish, MD
Department of Pathology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA
Commensal bacterial modulation of intestinal epithelial signaling pathways

James B. Kaper, PhD
Center for Vaccine Development, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD
Bacterial cell-to-cell signaling in the gastrointestinal tract

Hans-Christian Reinecker, MD
Gastrointestinal Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA
Dendritic cells: the commanders-in-chief of mucosal immune defenses

Ruth E. Ley, PhD
Center for Genome Sciences, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO
Ecological and evolutionary forces shaping microbial diversity in the human intestine