Thomas A. Brasitus becomes President of American Gastroenterological Association

Thomas A. Brasitus becomes President of American Gastroenterological Association

June 20, 2000

Thomas A. Brasitus, MD, the Walter L. Palmer Distinguished Service Professor of Medicine and professor of human nutrition and nutritional biology at the University of Chicago, assumed the presidency of the 11,000-member American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) June 20, 2000, at its annual meeting held in San Diego, California.

Founded in 1897, the American Gastroenterological Association is one of the oldest medical specialty societies in the United States. Its members include physicians and scientists who research, diagnose and treat disorders of the gastrointestinal tract and liver. The AGA serves as an advocate for its members and their patients, supports gastroenterology practice and scientific needs, and promotes the discovery, dissemination and application of new knowledge, leading to the prevention, treatment and cure of digestive and liver diseases.

Brasitus served for 15 years as director of the gastroenterology section at the University of Chicago Hospitals. A specialist in colon cancer, his clinical research activities are extensive, including service as a principal investigator on three National Institutes of Health grants, a NIDDK/NIH-sponsored Digestive Diseases Core Center Award, and as an extramural grant reviewer. He has authored more than 200 scientific articles and serves on the editorial boards of five medical journals.

A member of the AGA since 1974, Brasitus has been on its governing board for eight years, including five years as secretary. He earned his medical degree from Jefferson Medical School in Philadelphia and completed his gastroenterology fellowship training at Beth Israel Hospital (Harvard) in Boston, Massachusetts.

"I look forward to a very productive year as President of the AGA, during which I will continue to work closely with our members and leadership to address the opportunities and challenges that gastroenterologists face," said Brasitus. "I am honored to have the chance to serve this fine and longstanding organization."