My clinical focus and sub-specialization is in gastrointestinal, hepatic, and pancreatic pathology, which dovetails with my primary research interest in pre-cancerous lesions of the gastrointestinal tract. Broadly defined, pre-cancerous lesions include not only dysplastic lesions, but also such disease entities as Barrett esophagus, fatty liver disease, and inflammatory bowel disease that can lead to esophageal carcinoma, hepatocellular carcinoma, and colonic adenocarcinoma, respectively. A key question in this field is what determines progression at each step of carcinogenesis. What distinguishes progressors from non-progressors? To help accomplish some of our research goals, we are developing "high-resolution" molecular and digital techniques for the evaluation of gastrointestinal tissues utilizing emerging technologies. Therefore, my laboratory and collaborative work is focused on understanding the mechanisms underlying these pathophysiologic states to help define practical diagnostic and therapeutic clinical applications with the ultimate goal of improving patient care.
