Interactive, intentional, and inspiring. Exactly what #AGABestofFORWARD was all about. The energy in every session was electric ⚡️

So proud of this incredible group of early-career GI leaders who made #AGABestofFORWARD truly shine! 🌟 Every session was intentionally designed to build practical skills: 🔑 Grant writing & elevator pitch 🔑 Sources of funding (federal + non-federal) and negotiation 🔑

🧵 A quick re-introduction and what you can expect from this account: I’m a gastroenterologist @UCSF focused on IBD, anal cancer prevention, and LGBTQ+ health 🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍🌈 Here’s what drives my work ⬇️

@AmCollegeGastro @Y_ECCO_IBD @CCLRI @drtracyhull @SWexner @SaraElOualiMD @JHashashMD @MayoClinic @PriSantiagoMD @RishikaChughMD @AmerGastroAssn @BCryer @EdwardLoftus2 @AmyOxentenkoMD @UmaMahadevanIBD @MccutchenDr @ibddocmaria @EdBarnesMD @LauraRaffalsMD 🧵(4/4) - While the microbiome remains central to pouch inflammation, our Gut review highlights additional key players: 🔹 Epithelial barrier changes and altered host–microbe interactions 🔹 Immune activation that perpetuates inflammation 🔹 Stromal cells likely play an

@AmCollegeGastro @Y_ECCO_IBD @CCLRI @drtracyhull @SWexner @SaraElOualiMD @JHashashMD @MayoClinic @PriSantiagoMD @RishikaChughMD (3/4) - Available models to study pouchitis 🔸The figure highlighted by Gut summarizes existing rodent models of pouchitis, but each has key disadvantages. Importantly, they fail to fully resemble human disease. 🔸Despite the insights from animal studies, we still lack

🧵(2/4) - Pouch adaptation 🔸Following IPAA, the ileal mucosa used to create the pouch is exposed to higher bacterial density, a shift toward obligate anaerobes, and altered metabolites. 🔸The pouch epithelium undergoes villous atrophy and becomes colon-like with expansion of

🧵 (1/4) 💎Honored to have our review featured in @Gut_BMJ ! 🔸Pouchitis is the most common complication after colectomy with ileal pouch–anal anastomosis (IPAA) for ulcerative colitis. 🔸 While most patients initially respond to antibiotics, inflammation recurs in > 50% of

Thank you to the ⭐️ faculty and the excellent @IBDConference team for coming to Cleveland for #AIBDRegionals. Great educational experience @tinahamd @MaiaKayalMD @IBDBen @KatieFalloonMD @MRegueiroMD @JosephHabibi_MD @ManuelBragaMD

Honored to have been selected to #AGABestofFORWARD and connecting with brilliant minds in the field🔥 🌟@CCF_GIFellows @MichelleKimMD @ManuelBragaMD @SuhaAbushamma @JPAchkarMD @MRegueiroMD @JosephHabibi_MD @AmerGastroAssn

Truly outstanding small-group session by the one and only Dr. Brijen Shah: “So You Want to Be… a Clinical Educator.” Personalized, inspiring, and filled with practical wisdom for aspiring clinician-educators. 👏 @SuhaAbushamma #DrJustinField #DrHamidMoein #DrRenukaSri

@AmerGastroAssn Best of FORWARD – Start of Day 2 Early-career GIs shared practical advice for career success: • Express your needs early • Avoid institutions with rigid contracts • Choose a place that invests in you—not just your labor @Chris_Velez_MD Dominique Bailey

💡Immersed in this wonderful program from @AmerGastroAssn with a comprehensive agenda on: 🔑 Leadership 🔑 Granting opportunities and writing 🔑 Networking 🔑 Career development 🔑 Early faculty challenges And… 🫶🏼 Re-uniting with GI friends! #AGABestofFORWARD

📣 Inspiring session by AGA President-Elect @BCryer on leadership and collaboration within @AmerGastroAssn Honored to help co-direct this year’s #AGABestofFORWARD 💎 alongside @SandraQuezadaMD, @BCryer, #DrNicoletteRodriguez & #DrMuyiwaAwoniyi.

At the @AmerGastroAssn FORWARD Program today, @GabreJoel tackled one of the toughest transitions in medicine — the leap from fellow to faculty. Key challenges for early-career physician-scientists: 🔹Balancing new family, career, and debt 🔹No clearly defined research path

💡 Future GI leaders in action 💪— learning, connecting, and shaping what’s next at @AmerGastroAssn’s Best of FORWARD program. #AGAFORWARD #Leadership #Gastroenterology @IAmDonawon • @ManuelBragaMD • @Bubu_Banini • @cfritzMD • @MccutchenDr • @SandraQuezadaMD •

So wonderful to have #FORWARDfamily alums and leadership like @ManuelBragaMD and @BCryer here with us for the #BestOfFORWARD this weekend! #AGAFORWARD

✨Patient Education webinar: IBD Symptoms Outside of the Gut 🔹Geared towards Hispanic/Latino IBD patients and caregivers. Learn more and register here: https://t.co/limHIigHx4 #IBD #crohnsdisease #ulcerativecolitis #EII #enfermedadesgastrointestinales @CrohnsColitisFn

🙌🏽 Grateful to amazing people, all in for improving lives of patients with #IBD - #OneIBD #WeTheFibrosisLab🔬#STARConsortium. Post-doc appreciation lunch. 🙌🏽 @JChandra_IBD @pranab_IBD @ManuelBragaMD @JosephHabibi_MD @KatieFalloonMD @SuhaAbushamma @MRegueiroMD @JPAchkarMD

Meet #CCCongress26 Keynote, @IBD_FloMD, presenting ‘From Mechanisms to Medicine: The Journey to Therapies for Stricturing Crohn’s Disease.’ Join us Jan 22-24 in Vegas to connect with experts & the latest breakthroughs in #IBD care. Register by Oct 21 & SAVE: 🔗

First week in clinic and already feeling very supported. Pictured here: friend turned colleague @KatieFalloonMD & our fun MAs! Not pictured: multiple check-ins from @tqaziMD @IBD_FloMD @JPAchkarMD @MRegueiroMD @IBDBen @ManuelBragaMD @GI_PharmD @MichelleKimMD & more @CleClinicMD