We’re proud of — and humbled by — our reputation for world-class research at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. For 127 years, our institution has led advancements in the science of medicine.

But underlying our relentless pursuit of medical knowledge is a fundamental drive: to help alleviate human suffering through the treatment of illness and disease.

This edition of Inside Tract showcases just a few of the ways that we do what we’ve dedicated our lives to—blending rigorous science with the compassionate care of patients.

The conditions you'll read about in this issue are among today’s most widespread and pernicious: inflammatory bowel disease, gastroparesis, diabetes, obesity and, of course, cancer. Though the conditions are common, our teams’ approaches are often anything but.

Saowanee Ngamruengphong, for example, spent last summer in Tokyo, studying advanced therapeutic endoscopy techniques for gastric cancer. There, she learned from some of the world’s foremost experts in the field, and she brings this expertise, scarcely available in the U.S., to our patients most in need.

Mouen Khashab continues to advance surgery-sparing, endoscopic solutions for conditions of the GI tract.  In this issue, we delve into his efforts centered on the ubiquitous condition refractory gastroparesis.

Equally innovative, Joanna Melia's research into the genetics of IBD mines the origins of Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis—teasing out clues that may one day lead to advanced treatments.

And Ashish Nimgaonkar and colleagues are engineering a pill—based on prior research focused on weight loss—that may eliminate diabetes symptoms in patients who take it before meals.

It is truly an honor to work with such colleagues—physicians and scientists who strive every day to improve the health and lives of our patients and people throughout the world.  Should you have questions for me, anyone in this issue, or other members of our division, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

Tony Kalloo, Director

Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology

Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine