Eight of America's Most Outstanding Young Gastroenterologists Earn Recognition as 2006 American Gastroenterological Association Foundation Research Scholars
Prestigious Program to Encourage Young Investigators in Academic Gastroenterology Enters 22nd Year Serving Research to Improve Health
Bethesda, Maryland (May 9, 2006) - Eight of America’s most outstanding young gastroenterologists have been chosen as 2006 American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) Research Scholars, the AGA Foundation announced today. The prestigious Research Scholar Awards offer each scientist a total award of $225,000 to help support his or her research over a three-year period. The goal of Research Scholar Awards is to guarantee the perpetuation of strong science through the encouragement of young physician investigators and ultimately to improve patient care through digestive diseases research.
Tremendous advances in cell biology, genetics, immunology and neurobiology have occurred over the past several years. These advances have dramatically improved the ways in which patients are screened, diagnosed and treated for digestive diseases. When gastroenterologists are able to combine new knowledge obtained from basic research, clinical investigation and innovative technology, enormous gains may be realized in the fight against digestive diseases.
These extremely competitive awards ensure that bright, young physicians and scientists devote their careers to advancing the field of digestive health through research. Awards are based on the qualifications of the candidate, the quality of the candidate’s research proposal and the commitment of the candidate’s institution to protect 70 percent of his or her time for research.
The 2006 AGA Research Scholars are:
- Claudia Andl, PhD
University of Pennsylvania
Interaction of E-Cadherin and Tgfb-Receptor II Modulates Cancer Migration and Invasion - Kenneth Hung, MD, PhD
Massachusetts General Hospital
Identification of Proteome Profiles in a Murine Intestinal Tumor Model - Eric Lemmer, MD, PhD
Mount Sinai School of Medicine
Dysregulation of Hedgehog Signaling in Hepatocellular Carcinoma - Akhil Maheshwari, MD, MBBS
University of Alabama at Birmingham
ELR CXC Chemokines and Persistent Cytomegalovirus Infection of Intestinal Macrophages - Shumei Song, MD PhD
The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center
The Role of Bile Acids and Benzo(A)Pyrene Diol Epoxide in the Development of Esophageal Adenocarcinoma - Sandeep Tripathy, MD, PhD
Washington University School of Medicine
The Role of Activating Receptors in Natural Killer (NK) Cell Development - Sarah Keates, PhD
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
Helicobacter Pylori-Mediated Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) Upregulation in Gastric Carcinogenesis
(Recipient of the AGA Foundation - TAP Endowed Research Scholar Award in Acid Related Disease) - Kenneth Yu, MD
University of Pennsylvania
Proteomic Approaches to Tumor Marker Discovery in Pancreatic Cancer
(Recipient of the AGA Foundation Bernard L. Schwartz Designated Research Scholar Award in Pancreatic Cancer)
"In order to encourage young investigators to enter the field of gastroenterology and to continue motivating those already working in the field, we need to provide the resources necessary to seed innovative and exciting research. Therefore, we are enormously pleased to be able to fund these gifted scholars through the AGA Foundation," said James W. Freston, MD, PhD and Chairman of the AGA Foundation. "Through this kind of innovative research, we hope our young scholars will identify the mechanisms by which gastroenterological diseases function and are triggered, which will continue to lead to more effective treatments, and perhaps a cure for digestive diseases."
Said Foundation Executive Director Carol M. Dreher, "Support for the Foundation's research grants comes from a variety of sources. In 2005 the AGA Foundation received a generous unrestricted research grant from TAP Pharmaceuticals, Inc. TAP's contribution of $5 million continues to help us fund a number of awards, including seven of the researchers named above. Additional RSAs have been designated by donors for specific disease areas, such as the contribution from the Bernard L. Schwartz Foundation to establish an award focused on academic research careers in pancreatic cancer."
The Research Scholar Awards program was launched in 1984 to provide crucial early support to investigators who show promise in academic gastroenterology research. The program’s premise recognized that resources awarded early on could provide a stable platform from which future research funding would be derived. During and after their time as an AGA Research Scholar, recipients have made important contributions to the field of gastroenterology and many former award recipients have gone on to hold distinguished appointments in major medical institutions in the United States and Canada.
Since 1984, the AGA and its Foundation has awarded over $18 million to fund 140 Research Scholars and has provided a total of $28,579,000 in research support. The Scholars were chosen by a distinguished 25-person national advisory committee chaired by Dr. Don C. Rockey of University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. Members of the committee include leading gastroenterologists from the University of California, Los Angeles, Georgetown University, University of Virginia, Louisiana State University, National Institutes of Health, Washington University, Mount Sinai School of Medicine and Stanford University School of Medicine.
The AGA Research Scholar Awards program addresses the critical problem of a lack of funding for entry-level researchers in gastroenterology. At a time of unparalleled scientific and clinical opportunity, the field of gastroenterology faces a significant decline in the number of gastroenterologists entering academic research careers. Although the National Institutes of Health (NIH) funds a significant amount of gastroenterology research, it rarely funds young investigators working independently without a research track record. Additionally, NIH gastroenterology research funding is proportionately much smaller than for diseases with less or similar health impact (such as HIV/AIDS or breast cancer).
There are over 300 digestive diseases that adversely affect the lives of more than 65 million Americans. Thirty percent of Americans suffer a gastroenterological illness each year, resulting in over 8 million hospital admissions and 30 million doctor visits. At least 40 million Americans are burdened with chronic digestive conditions that disrupt their lives. More Americans are hospitalized for digestive diseases than for any other type of illness. Nearly one in four cancer deaths is related to the digestive system. The annual costs associated with digestive diseases have continued to rise to an all time high of more than $85 billion and the magnitude of this problem is increasing rapidly. Since 1985, the number of people suffering digestive health problems in the United States has climbed by 20 percent. By 2025, our nation’s average life expectancy will increase from 77 to 82 years. Because many digestive diseases occur as we age, their incidence may skyrocket.
The AGA is dedicated to the mission of advancing the science and practice of gastroenterology. Founded in 1897, the AGA is the oldest medical-specialty society in the United States. The AGA’s more than 14,000 members include physicians and scientists who research, diagnose and treat disorders of the gastrointestinal tract and liver. For more information, visit www.gastro.org.
The Foundation for Digestive Health and Nutrition (FDHN) is the foundation of the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA). The Foundation's ultimate mission mirrors that of the AGA: to improve the human condition through understanding, preventing, diagnosing and curing digestive diseases. Separately incorporated and governed by a distinguished board of AGA physicians and the lay public, the Foundation raises funds for research and public education. Donors to the Foundation include a significant number of AGA physicians, patients and family members of those who suffer from digestive diseases, and the pharmaceutical industry.
