Gastroenterology continues to evolve rapidly as advances in colorectal cancer prevention, inflammatory bowel disease research, microbiome science and outpatient digestive care reshape the specialty.
Across the U.S., gastroenterologists are leading breakthroughs in clinical research, patient education, quality improvement and healthcare policy while helping improve outcomes for millions of patients with digestive diseases.
The following physicians stand out for their clinical expertise, scientific contributions and leadership in gastroenterology.
Editor’s note: This is not a comprehensive or ranked list. Becker’s does not endorse any individual featured. To nominate a physician for a future list, contact seydis@beckershealthcare.com.
- David Johnson, MD. Eastern Virginia Medical School (Norfolk): Dr. Johnson is chief of gastroenterology at Eastern Virginia Medical School and a nationally recognized leader in colorectal cancer screening, esophageal disease and gastrointestinal quality improvement.
A past president of the American College of Gastroenterology, he has authored more than 600 scientific publications and co-authored numerous national gastroenterology guidelines focused on colorectal cancer screening, colonoscopy quality and digestive disease management. Dr. Johnson is also widely respected for his leadership in GI policy and education, including helping advance the nation’s first state legislation mandating colon cancer screening coverage and contributing to multiple national quality and screening initiatives.
- Lawrence Brandt, MD. Montefiore Medical Center/Albert Einstein College of Medicine (New York City): Dr. Brandt is chief emeritus of gastroenterology at Montefiore Medical Center and a nationally recognized pioneer in gastrointestinal disease research and endoscopic innovation. His work has helped shape modern understanding and treatment of ischemic colitis, inflammatory bowel disease, Barrett’s esophagus and recurrent C. difficile infection, including some of the earliest research on fecal microbiota transplantation.
A past president of the American College of Gastroenterology, Dr. Brandt has authored more than 350 scientific publications and is widely respected for his contributions to gastroenterology education, clinical research and physician mentorship.
- Maria Abreu, MD. Cedars-Sinai (Los Angeles): Dr. Abreu is executive director of the F. Widjaja Inflammatory Bowel and Immunobiology Research Institute at Cedars-Sinai and an internationally recognized leader in inflammatory bowel disease research and care. A past president of the American Gastroenterological Association and former chair of the International Organization for the Study of Inflammatory Bowel Diseases, her research focuses on the relationship between the gut microbiome, innate immunity and the development of inflammatory bowel disease and IBD-associated colon cancer.
Dr. Abreu has authored nearly 300 peer-reviewed publications and is widely respected for advancing translational IBD research, microbiome science and diet-based therapeutic strategies for patients with Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.
- Sunanda Kane, MD. Mayo Clinic (Rochester, Minn.): Dr. Kane is a professor of medicine in the Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology at Mayo Clinic and a nationally recognized expert in inflammatory bowel disease. Her research focuses on Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, with particular emphasis on medication adherence, patient education and women’s health issues in IBD, including fertility, pregnancy and cancer prevention.
A past president of the American College of Gastroenterology, Dr. Kane is widely respected for advancing patient-centered IBD care, improving treatment adherence strategies and leading national efforts in gastroenterology education and patient experience initiatives.
- James Leavitt, MD. Gastro Health (Miami): Dr. Leavitt is president and chief clinical officer of Gastro Health and a nationally recognized leader in private practice gastroenterology and GI practice management.
A founding physician of Gastro Health, he helped grow the organization from a four-physician practice into one of the country’s largest multistate gastroenterology platforms. Dr. Leavitt is also widely respected for his leadership within national gastroenterology organizations, including the American College of Gastroenterology and the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, where he has focused on advancing practice management, clinical quality and outpatient GI care.
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