Inside Stanford Digestive Health
News from the Gastroenterology Division.
Inside Stanford Digestive Health: Autumn 2026
Joo Ha Hwang, MD, PhD
Welcome to this edition of our newsletter. Our division has to celebrate, and I am excited to share details on our progress and the people who make it possible.
We are growing and growing with intention. This issue introduces a remarkable group of new faculty spanning advanced endoscopy, neurogastroenterology, hepatology, and digital health- including an internationally recognized pioneer of endoscopic submucosal dissection, Dr. Yahagi. Each brings expertise that meaningfully expands what we can offer our patients, and that strength is already visible in a clinical ESD program now among the highest-volume in the country.
Our research continues to set the pace nationally. In this issue alone, you'll find a landmark Crohn's disease trial published in Nature Medicine, a prestigious NCI MERIT Award, new thinking on how we approach transplant evaluation, and a growing body of work on the role of artificial intelligence in gastroenterology and hepatology.
But the heart of this division has always been its people. I'm proud to celebrate our award-winning educators, whose mentorship shapes the next generation; our graduating fellows, heading off to make their mark across the country and, in several cases, staying right here, and the dedicated staff whose work quietly holds everything together.
Thank you for being part of this community, and for everything you do to move it forward.
Joo Ha Hwang, MD, PhD
Meet our New Division Chief
In This Issue
Autumn 2026