Gastroenterology Hepatology

Currently led by the Interim Division Chief and Clinical Director Mohammad Al-Haddad, MD, and until recently led by Naga Chalasani, MD, Interim Chair of the Department of Internal Medicine, the Division of Gastroenterology & Hepatology within the Department of Internal Medicine at IU School of Medicine has a distinguished tradition of innovation in research and education and a demonstrated excellence in patient care. Consistently ranked among the top 15 units nationally by U.S. News and World Report, this is one of the largest divisions of its kind in the United States, offering an enormous breadth of clinical and research expertise for learners and faculty peers.

GI Update Symposium

The GI Update is an annual, full-day CME event hosted by the Gastroenterology/Hepatology Division at Indiana University School of Medicine. Designed for gastroenterologists, internists, family practice physicians, other primary care providers, and nurses, this course examines new developments in gastroenterology and hepatology, specifically “breakthrough” research that has clinical relevance for today’s busy physicians and advanced providers.

The next GI Update Symposium will be held on Friday, May 7, 2021 as a virtual event. More information to come.

Clinical Facilities

Gastroenterology & Hepatology faculty physicians are the exclusive GI and Hepatology care providers at IU Health University Hospital, Eskenazi Health, and the Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center in Indianapolis. Our team includes over 70 faculty members and 9 advanced practice providers. Collectively, our faculty perform over 40,000 endoscopic procedures at several practice sites, making us one of the powerhouses of endoscopy in the Midwest and nation-wide.Our prized Advanced and Therapeutic Endoscopy Program is world-renowned with over 7500 procedures performed such as ERCP, EUS, endoluminal therapies and third space endoscopy in a state-of-the-art recently renovated suite. In addition, we offer unique and highly specialized services in Hepatology, Transplant Hepatology, Colon Cancer Screening, Inflammatory Bowel Disease, upper and lower GI Motility, Medical and Endoscopic weight loss, and familial and hereditary GI conditions. Our main outpatient surgical center has been named after Dr. Glen Lehman in recognition to his numerous contributions to the field of endoscopy. In addition to our traditional Academic Health Center-based clinics and endoscopy suites, the division offers ambulatory and procedural practices at Spring Mill, IU Health North hospital, and IU Health Saxony Hospital. Our newly renovated and expanded outpatient endoscopy suite on the North side has been names after Dr. Douglas Rex, a world-renowned endoscopist and a pioneer in colorectal cancer screening. In continuing the tradition started nearly 30 years ago, the division has a robust outreach clinical program where faculty clinicians have established practices in the towns surrounding Indianapolis. Outreach programs are active in Tipton, Batesville, Zionsville, Martinsville, and Lebanon.

History of the Division

 The Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology at IU School of Medicine was founded by Dr. Philip Christiansen in 1958 and flourished under the leadership of Drs. Lawrence Lumeng (Division Director from 1984 to 2007) and Glen Lehman (Clinical Director from 1985 to 2005) to national prominence. Under the current leadership, the division has enjoyed significant growth to faculty and fellowship size, patient and procedural volume, and the federally funded research program. In 2019, the Indiana Center for Liver Research (ICLR) was founded under the leadership of Dr. Gianfranco Alpini.