Get to know our 2024 AGA Pilot Award recipients

Applications close Sept. 12 for the 2025 AGA Pilot Research Awards. We also have specialty awards and our premier AGA Research Scholar Award available. Learn more and apply for AGA research funding.

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Pooja Mehta, MD, MSCS

University of Colorado Denver

Project: Advancing equity in eosinophilic esophagitis by using targeted screening in the pediatric population

Dr. Mehta is committed to delivering equitablecare that enhances health outcomes for all patients, irrespective of race, sex, genderor socioeconomic status and this study representsa crucial step toward achieving equitablecare by investigating and addressing disparities in children with eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE). The findings could be applied nationwide to enhance the diagnosis of EoEin marginalized communities, leading to better disease outcomes through earlier detection and treatment.

Linda C. Cummings, MD, MS

University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center

Project: Assessing the impact of H. pylori genetic profiles on eradication success

Dr. Cummings is investigating Helicobacter pylori, a Group I carcinogen according to the WHO, due to its association with gastric cancer, which ranks as the fourth leading cause of cancer-related deaths globally. Effective eradication of H. pylorican significantly lower both gastric cancer incidence and related mortality. However, treating H. pylorihas become increasingly difficult due to rising antimicrobial resistance. In 2018, the WHO identified clarithromycin-resistant H. pylorias a high global research priority, underscoring the urgent need for effective eradication therapies. This research aims to enhance our understanding of H. pyloriresistance, paving the way for precise, personalized treatment options.

Guilherme Piovezani Ramos, MD

Boston Children's Hospital

Project: Epidermal growth factor receptor inhibition promotes enteroendocrine differentiation to alter gastrointestinal motility

Dr. Ramos' researchprovidesmechanistic insights into how epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) signaling influences intestinal stem cell (ISC) differentiation, focusing on specific EGF-regulated transcription factors. Additionally, for the first time, they will examine enteroendocrine cell (EEC) hormone secretion in cancer patients undergoing EGFR inhibitor (EGFRi) therapy to uncover the mechanisms behind EGFRi-associated diarrhea (EAD). Understanding how EGF signaling and ISC differentiation affect EECs and contribute to EAD, as well as other gastrointestinal motility disorders, could lead to new targeted therapies for these conditions.

Simon Schwoerer, PhD

University of Chicago

Project: A novel high-throughput screening approach to identify compounds that modulate cancer-associated fibroblast plasticity

Dr. Schwoerer is investigating pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), a highly aggressivecancer with a five-year survival rate of less than 12%. A major challenge in treating PDAC is the extensive fibro-inflammatory stroma, which containsdiverse cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs). These CAFs can either promote or inhibit tumor progression and understanding the origins of this heterogeneity and how to selectively target CAF populations remainsa significant clinical question. Dr. Schwoerer aims to address this by screening for drugs that influence CAF diversity, with the goal of developing new treatment strategies that exploit novel therapeutic vulnerabilities in PDAC.

Yankai Wen, PhD

University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston

Project: Role of neutrophil-derived hypoxia-inducible factors in hepatic ischemia/reperfusion injury

Dr. Wen's research explores how neutrophil-derived hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)1a contributes to hepatic ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury via neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs). Hepatic I/R injury is a major issue in liver transplantation, the primary treatment for end-stage liver disease. This study aims to clarify the previously unexplored mechanism involving the HIF1a/glycolysis/phosphoenolpyruvate axis in NET formation. Additionally, it seeksto provide evidence for a novel therapeutic strategy targeting neutrophil-derived HIF1a to reduce graft injury and improve outcomes in liver transplant patients.

Alice Cheng, PhD

Stanford University

Project: Concurrent gut microbiome and host editing for precision engineering of the circulating bile acid pool

Dr. Cheng's research aims to advance our understanding of bile acid physiology and bile-acid mediated diseases by creating experimental models that closely mimic the human bile acid pool. These efforts could ultimately leadto the development of therapies for diseases affected by bile acids, including primary sclerosing cholangitis, primary biliary cirrhosis, cholelithiasis and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis.

Petra Hirsova, PhD, PharmD

Mayo Clinic

Project: New insight into hepatic T cell populations in metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH)

Dr. Hirsova'sresearch focuses on T cell-mediated pathogenicity, an emerging area in metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) research. Thisstudy will provideimportant insights into distinct hepatic T cell subsets that may promote MASH pathogenesis. The generated data will be a useful resource for future studies in the field, ultimately helpingto guide new therapeutic strategies for patients with MASH.

Sarah Maxwell, MD

University of California, San Francisco

Project: A pilot pediatric fruit/vegetable voucher program in patients with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease and food insecurity

Dr. Maxell's study is pioneering the use of an innovative voucher program for fruits and vegetables in children with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatoticliver disease (MASLD) and household food insecurity (FI) who are under care at a pediatric weight management clinic. This research aims to determinewhether the voucher program improves diet quality (e.g., fruit and vegetable intake) and impacts MASLD and other metabolic health factors in these children. It will enhance our understanding of how food insecurity affects the development and severity of MASLD and explore whether voucher programs can mitigate these effects.

David Boone, PhD

Indiana University

Project: Stromal cell contributions to inflammatory bowel disease

Dr. Boone's research definesthe functional role of stromal cell Thy1 (CD90) in the development of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). While Thy1 is currently recognized as a surface marker for T cells, innate lymphoid cells and stromal cells, his study will reveal Thy1's role as an active protein onstromal cells that contributes to IBD pathogenesis. This new insight will enhance our understanding of stromal cell involvement in IBD and pave the way for developing Thy1-targeted therapies for the disease in the future.

Sara Chloe Di Rienzi, PhD

Baylor College of Medicine

Project: The role of intestinal-derived oxytocin in gut inflammation

Dr. Di Rienzi's research focuses on the role of gut epithelial oxytocin in reducing gut inflammation and addressing motility issues. Patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) often struggle with stress management, depression and anxiety. Hormones in both the gut and brain might shed light on their co-occurrence in IBD. These insights have led to trials of antidepressants, such as serotonin reuptake inhibitors, for IBD treatment. Dr. Di Rienzi's work is exploring whether oxytocin could be a potential target for IBD therapy, with future studies aiming to investigate its role in stress management.

Jared Andrew Sninsky, MD, MSCR

Baylor College of Medicine

Project: Novel machine learning biomarker model for ulcerative colitis: development and validation

Dr. Sninskyaims to develop a serum biomarker to assess disease activity in ulcerative colitis patients by utilizingclinically available assays for serum protein electrophoresis and C-reactive protein. His research will provide insights into the acute phase reactant response to active inflammation in ulcerativecolitis, aiming to establisha novel, accessible serum biomarker for disease monitoring. This serum biomarker will facilitateprecise disease activity assessment, evaluate treatment responseand potentially reduce the need for colonoscopies.

Thanks to your support of the AGA Research Foundation, we were able to award $2.64 million to 79 promising researchers in the 2024 awards cycle.

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