Faculty

Our Leadership Team:

 


 

 

 

Ansu Noronha, MD is a clinician-scientist with an expertise in Inflammatory Bowel Diseases and a Clinical Associate Professor of Medicine at Boston University. She completed her clinical training at Boston Medical Center after receiving her MD from Jefferson Medical College. As a clinician in the Crohn’s and Colitis Program at Boston Medical Center, she works as a part of a multi-disciplinary team of gastroenterologists, nutritionists, colorectal surgeons and pharmacists. Current research/clinical interests include the role of the microbiome in GI conditions including IBD, is trained in fecal microbiota transplant and chromoendoscopy. She is also the current Clinical Director for the Section of Gastroenterology.

Christopher S. Huang, MD is a Clinical Associate Professor of Medicine at Boston University Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine and is the current Gastroenterology Section Chief and Director of Endoscopy Services at Boston Medical Center. He graduated from Cornell University in 1994 and then attended New Jersey Medical School (1994-1998) before completing his Internal Medicine Residency at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital. He then completed his Gastroenterology Fellowship training at Boston Medical Center in 2004 and stayed on to join the faculty. His clinical interests include colonoscopy, capsule endoscopy, and therapeutic /advanced endoscopy techniques such as ERCP, endoscopic ultrasound, endoscopic mucosal resection, and enteral stenting. His professional interests include endoscopy education, and he has taught at and co-directed several national endoscopy courses for first year GI fellows. He has served on various institutional, local, and national committees including the Seven Year Liberal Arts/Medical Education Program Admissions Committee at Boston University, the Education Committee of the Massachusetts Gastroenterology Association, and the Training Committee of the American Society For Gastrointestinal Endoscopy.

 

 

 

 

Sharmeel K Wasan, MD, FACG is a clinician-educator with an expertise in Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (IBD) and a Clinical Associate Professor of Medicine at Boston University Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine. She completed her clinical training at Boston Medical Center, the Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and the University of Maryland. She received her BS in Biological Sciences and BA in Anthropology from Stanford University in Palo Alto, CA and received her MD from Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York. As the Fellowship Program Director for the Section of Gastroenterology and Hepatology at Boston Medical Center, she is actively involved in the training of fellows, residents, and medical students. Her current clinical and research interests include vaccination strategies, health care maintenance in patients with IBD, and educational strategies in endoscopy training and has received research and educational grants from BU and from industry supported funding.

 

Madeleine Haff, MD, is a  an Assistant Professor at the Boston University Chobanian and Avedisian  School of Medicine. A graduate of Williams College, Dr. Haff received her MD from the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth where she was the president of the Dartmouth chapter of the Alpha Omega Alpha honor society as well as a member of the Gold Humanism Honor Society. She completed her Internal Medicine Residency at Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital in Boston and her fellowship in Gastroenterology and Hepatology at Boston Medical Center (BMC). She serves as the Associate Program Director of Education. Her research focuses on Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease (MASLD), care delivery, and predictive markers of disease. She has been involved and led several projects examining MASLD, cardiovascular risk, and predictors of disease in the Framingham Heart Study. She also serves as co-investigator on several clinical trials on chronic liver diseases.

Robert C. Lowe, MD is a clinician-Educator with an expertise in Gastroenterology and Hepatology, and a Professor and Assistant Dean of Medical Education of Medicine at Boston University Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine. He is a graduate of Harvard Medical School, trained in Internal Medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and completed his GI fellowship training at Boston Medical Center. He is the Director of the Gastroenterology Course at the Boston University School of Medicine, as well as an Associate Clerkship director in Internal Medicine. At BMC, he is a Key Faculty member in the IM residency program and Director of the Medical Education Pathway for internal medicine residents. He has received numerous awards for his clinical teaching, including the Massachusetts Medical Society Award for Excellence in Medical Student Education. Current clinical interests include viral hepatitis, autoimmune liver disease, and metabolic liver diseases. He serves nationally on the American Gastroenterological Association’s Maintenance of Certification Committee.

 

 

Our Faculty:

Uri, Avissar, MD is a clinician-educator with expertise in gastroenterology and liver transplant and a Clinical Associate Professor of Medicine at Boston University Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine. He completed his clinical training at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center and the University of Cincinnati Medical Center. He received his BS in Chemistry from Yale University in New Haven, CT and received his MD from the University of Rochester Medical Center in NY. His clinical interests include general gastroenterology, hepatology, and liver transplant. He is actively involved in the training of fellows, residents, and medical students.

Juanita Belton, PA-C, MPH joined Boston University Medical Center’s Dempsey Center for Digestive Disease in 2018 as a Physician Assistant in the Crohn’s and Colitis Research Center. She specializes in Inflammatory Bowel Disease and general GI, including IBS, GERD, and abdominal pain. Mrs. Belton received her Bachelor of Biology from the Historically Black College Clark Atlanta University in Atlanta, Georgia. She went on to attend Boston University School of Public Health Concentrating in Maternal and Child Health. After earning her MPH, she joined BMC’s Project Trust for three years providing HIV, Hep C, and STD testing and Education. She left Project Trust to attend Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences earning her Masters in Physician Assistant Studies. She has 10 years experience practicing as a Physician Assistant. Before bringing her skills to BMC, she previously practiced Gastroenterology and Primary Care at Cambridge Health Alliance in Everett, MA and in Correctional Medicine at Hampden Correctional Center in Western, Mass. She is currently an Clinical Assistant Professor at Boston University Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine and is the leader of the section’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee.

 

 

 

 

Charles Bliss Jr., MD, AGAF, FACP, is a clinician with expertise in H. pylori and Clinical Associate Professor of Medicine at Boston University Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine. He received his MD from Boston University, and did residency at Boston City Hospital, and fellowship at Boston University. He has continued to care for patients at Boston Medical Center and East Boston Neighborhood Health Center since finishing his training. He also has served on the BU Committee on Appeals and the Awards Committee.

 

 

 

 

Lizabeth M. Cline, NP, MSN received her BS in Nursing in 1982 from Boston University and her MSN from Syracuse University in 1995. Ms. Cline’s clinical focus is liver disease including fatty liver disease and viral hepatitis. She is currently an Instructor in Gastroenterology at Boston University School of Medicine

Julia Ding, MD is an Assistant Professor of medicine at the Boston University Avedisian and Chobanian school of Medicine. Dr. Ding has a strong interest in advanced endoscopic innovation and medical device development. A recipient of the Gold Humanism Honor Society recognition and the Alpert Medical School Merit Scholarship, Dr. Ding is committed to combining compassionate, patient-centered care with innovation in gastroenterology and advanced endoscopy.

 

Kevin Z. Huang, MD he serves as Co-Director of the Neurogastroenterology and Motility Program in the Center for Digestive Disorders. He is also an Assistant Professor of Medicine  at the Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine. Dr. Huang completed his internal medicine residency, chief residency, and gastroenterology fellowship at BMC and he completed an advanced fellowship in Neurogastroenterology and Motility at Massachusetts General Hospital. His clinical and research interests focus on gastrointestinal motility disorders—including achalasia, esophageal dysmotility, gastroparesis, and dyssynergic defecation—as well as disorders of gut–brain interaction, such as functional dyspepsia, irritable bowel syndrome, and chronic abdominal pain

Adnan Khan, MD is an Assistant Professor of Medicine at Boston University Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine and he also servers as the Director of Endoluminal Surgery for the department.  His residency was completed at West Virginia University before moving to Marshall University Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine for his Gastroenterology fellowship, serving as a chief fellow. Dr. Khan obtained his Advanced Therapeutic Endoscopy training at Duke University School of Medicine where he learned to specialize in bile duct stones, biliary and pancreatic duct strictures, primary sclerosing cholangitis, and more.

 

 

 

 

Arpan Mohanty, MD is a clinical hepatologist at Boston Medical Center and a Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine at Boston University Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine. She completed at residency training in Internal Medicine at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center and fellowship training in Digestive Diseases at Yale University. She is also trained in Advanced/Transplant hepatology at Massachusetts General Hospital. 

Dr. Mohanty’s research focuses on end stage liver disease and its complications. She has expertise and interest in biomarker development and outcomes research in portal hypertension. Dr. Mohanty has been recognized by several awards including the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD) Advanced/Transplant Hepatology Award and AASLD Pilot Research Award. Her research on biomarker development using spectroscopic markers of gut mucosal circulation is currently funded under an R21 (co-PI) from the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities. She serves in the Portal Hypertension education subcommittee of the AASLD.

MooreThomas C. Moore, MD is a clinician with an expertise in gastrointestinal motility and a Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine at Boston University Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine. He completed his gastroenterology fellowship at Boston University School of Medicine. He completed his undergraduate studies at Yale University and received his medical degree from Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. His clinical interests are gastrointestinal motility disorders, gastroesophageal reflux disease, and functional bowel disorders.

Moss Alan Moss MD, AGAF, FACG, FEBG, FRCPI is a clinician-scientist with an expertise in Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), and a Clinical Professor of Medicine at Boston University. He completed his clinical training at University College Dublin and Harvard Medical School-affiliated programs. He has held leadership roles in the AGA and Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation, and as a member of scientific review boards for NIH, European Union and many national research agencies.

 

 

 

 

David Nunes MD, FRCPI is a clinician and clinical investigator with an interest in liver disease and a Clinical Associate Professor of Medicine at Boston University Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine.  He completed his clinical training at Trinity College Dublin.  He is the Director of the Hepatology Program at Boston Medical Center and has held prior research grants from the NIDDK, and Industry supported funding.  He also has a continued limited role in research including clinical outcomes related to hepatitis C treatment and non-invasive assessment of liver fibrosis.

 

Lilani Perera, MD is an Associate Clinical Professor of Medicine at Boston University Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine and she servers as the Director of the Crohn’s & Colitis Program at BMC. She graduated from the University of Colombo with honors before attending Medical College of Wisconsin for her Gastroenterology fellowship and Mount Sinai Medical Center for her Advanced IBD training. Dr. Perera is passionate about mentoring future classes of Gastroenterologists, patient education and gender equity. She has been acknowledged as a leader in Gastroenterology due to her active participation in the American Gastroenterological Association and the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation.

 

 Horst C. Weber, MD, FACG, AGAF, is a clinician-scientist with an expertise in gastrointestinal hormones, neuroendocrine tumors, and functional bowel disorders, and is a Clinical Associate Professor of Medicine and Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at Boston University Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine. He completed his clinical training at the University of Mainz, Georgetown University, and the National Institutes of Health. He published over 150 original reports, reviews, book chapters, and abstracts, and received research funding from the NIDDK, ACG, DoD, and the Medical Foundation. Current research interests include healthcare disparities in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and he has directed many CME programs on GERD and functional bowel disorders. He holds leadership roles in the ACG, and serves on Editorial boards of several biomedical journals.

 

Santia (Nina) Berberena, PsyD, is a CT native and proud UConn alumnus. After completing her bachelors degree in psychology at the University of Connecticut in 2006, she then went on to complete a masters degree in health psychology at Central Connecticut State University. In her desire to learn more about the developing role that mental health providers have in medical settings, she pursued a doctorate in clinical psychology at William James College with a specialization in health and provision of behavioral health services in community mental health and hospital settings. Dr. Berberena’s training experiences have granted her the opportunity to provide both individual and group psychotherapy to patients throughout the lifespan both within the inpatient psychiatric and outpatient settings.

 

Our Administrative Team

Monic Allen-Allen MHA, Administrative Director

Mary Bell, Administrative Coordinator Crohn’s and Colitis Program

Sarah Pinchinat B.S. and B.A., GME Program Administrator