The Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology at OHSU specializes in preventing, diagnosing and treating digestive and liver diseases. Our physicians and advanced practice providers are nationally recognized in education, research and clinical care.

As the only academic medical center in Oregon, we collaborate with primary care and subspecialty providers across the state and Pacific Northwest. Many gastroenterologists in the region completed their training in our division. They later partner with us to provide the latest advances in clinical care.

Our clinical programs include:

• OHSU Digestive Health Center
• Interventional endoscopy program
• Hepatology, liver transplant and liver tumor program
• Inflammatory bowel disease program

Digestive Health Center

The Digestive Health Center unites subspecialty providers in all areas of gastroenterology, including:  

• Inflammatory bowel disease
• Liver disease
• General gastroenterology
• Pancreatic and biliary disease
• Motility disorders
• Interventional endoscopy
• Esophageal diseases

Medical and surgical gastrointestinal experts work with complementary subspecialists across the university. This ensures each patient has access to state-of-the-art diagnostics and treatments. 

Digestive Health Center clinical care

We are committed to the management of complex benign and malignant diseases of the upper GI tract. Our clinicians offer the latest innovations in the early detection and minimally invasive treatment of Barrett’s esophagus and early esophageal cancer. Working with surgeons, we provide a full spectrum of treatments for patients with: 

• Gastroesophageal reflux disease
• Dysphagia
• Motility disorders

We also treat patients with refractory symptoms and complex surgical histories.

In addition, we partner with our colleagues at the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute and the Brenden-Colson Center for Pancreatic Care to detect and treat GI cancers early.

Digestive Health Center research

For decades, we have been central to efforts to improve colon cancer screening. Our faculty led pivotal studies that confirmed colon cancer screening saves lives. The Digestive Health Center and Multispecialty Procedure Unit continue this legacy of improving early detection and prevention.

Our faculty and colleagues at the Brenden-Colson Center have long collaborated on pancreatic cancer-related research. We also work with multidisciplinary teams at the Knight Cancer Institute to study both benign and malignant diseases.

Digestive Health Center leadership

Kaveh Sharzehi, M.D., M.S., and Andrea M. Stroud, M.D., M.S., co-lead the Digestive Health Center. 

Interventional endoscopy program

Providers from across the region refer patients to us for second and third opinions and tertiary treatments that include:

• Pancreatic endotherapy, including extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy
• Deep enteroscopy
• Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP)
• Endoscopic ultrasound (diagnostic and intervention)
• Endobariatrics
• Total pancreatectomy with islet autotransplantation (TPIAT)
• Advanced endoscopic resection
• Third-space endoscopy, including endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR), endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD), peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM)

Interventional endoscopy fellowships

Gastroenterology Fellowship trainees rotate on our advanced endoscopy service. They work with us on consults and get hands-on training in procedures and follow-up care.  

We have a fourth-year fellow rotate with us on outpatient and inpatient procedures and receive hands-on procedural training. We also offer an advanced endoscopy fellowship. 

Interventional endoscopy research

Our interventional endoscopy team participates in multiple research projects, including research on pancreatic cancer screening, pancreatic cysts and refractory luminal strictures. We also take part in clinical trials studying biomarkers for these conditions.

Program leadership

Jessica Yu, M.D., M.S., is the section head of the interventional endoscopy program in the Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology.

Kaveh Sharzehi, M.D., M.S., is the endoscopy director for the division.

Emily Jonica, M.D., is the program director of the Therapeutic Endoscopy Fellowship.

Hepatology, liver transplant and liver tumor program

OHSU is the only institution in Oregon that offers comprehensive hepatology care, including liver transplantation.   Our team sees patients with liver disease from across Oregon, southwest Washington and Idaho. Our hepatologists have been at the forefront of treatments for viral hepatitis, chronic liver disease and hepatocellular carcinoma.

Hepatology clinical care

Our hepatology program includes two multidisciplinary care teams focused on liver transplants and tumors. The teams include:

• Hepatologists
• Transplant surgeons
• Nurse coordinators
• Social workers
• Dietitians

Together, they address an array of liver diseases with comprehensive care, including advanced transplant oncology procedures.

Hepatology fellowships

We are actively training the next generation of hepatologists.  

Transplant Hepatology Fellowship trainees receive clinical exposure to our inpatient hepatology consultative service. They also gain significant clinical experience in outpatient hepatology, including:

• General hepatology
• Multidisciplinary care for hepatocellular carcinoma
• Liver transplant clinics

We also play a key role in training Gastroenterology Fellowship trainees and Internal Medicine residents.

Hepatology research

Several team members conduct multidisciplinary outcomes research involving end-stage liver disease, liver transplants and liver tumors.

Program leadership

Willscott (Scott) Naugler, M.D., leads the hepatology, liver transplant and liver tumor program at OHSU.

Janice H. Jou, M.D., M.H.S., is the medical director of the liver transplant and liver tumor groups at the Portland VA Medical Center.

Inflammatory bowel disease program

At OHSU, we provide comprehensive, subspecialty care for more than 3,000 patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), including Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. Our faculty are nationally recognized experts who have trained at leading academic institutions and are actively shaping the future of IBD care through leadership roles in organizations including the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation.

Inflammatory bowel disease clinical care

We deliver advanced, patient-centered care for individuals with complex and refractory Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. Our multidisciplinary program integrates expertise across specialties, including:

• Gastroenterology
• Colorectal surgery
• Nutrition
• Health psychology
• Clinical pharmacology

This collaborative model enables the development of highly individualized treatment strategies that address the full spectrum of disease burden, including both physical and psychosocial dimensions.

Our program offers access to state-of-the-art therapeutic approaches and incorporates advanced disease monitoring tools, including validated biomarkers and intestinal ultrasound, to inform real-time clinical decision-making. We are committed to a treat-to-target approach, with the goal of optimizing long-term outcomes and quality of life.

Inflammatory bowel disease research

As a leading academic center, we are actively engaged in multicenter clinical trials, providing patients with access to novel and emerging therapies. Our research program also prioritizes health equity in IBD, with ongoing work focused on disparities in care delivery, including within LGBTQ+ populations, as well as patient-centered outcomes related to emerging diagnostic technologies such as intestinal ultrasound.

The Thomas Lab is dedicated to studying intestinal inflammation that occurs in the setting of cancer. This work focuses on diagnosing and treating intestinal inflammation associated with cancer immunotherapy and understanding how chronic intestinal inflammation can increase the risk of colorectal cancer in some patients with IBD. Through translational and clinical investigation, this work seeks to elucidate disease mechanisms and accelerate the improved diagnosis and treatment of patients living with intestinal inflammation.

Inflammatory bowel disease program leadership

Elisa Boden, M.D., leads the inflammatory bowel disease program.