From the Chiefs
Research leadership and innovation
For more than seven decades, research has been at the core of the UCLA Vatche & Tamar Manoukian Division of Digestive Diseases. Since our founding in 1953, our faculty and investigators have advanced the understanding of gastrointestinal and liver diseases through pioneering discoveries, innovative clinical studies, and multidisciplinary collaboration. Today, we are recognized as a global leader in digestive diseases research, generating new knowledge that shapes the future of patient care and improves lives around the world.
Our research enterprise is supported by internationally recognized physicians and scientists, funding from federal agencies, foundations, industry partners, and philanthropic supporters, as well as a strong infrastructure designed to accelerate scientific discovery. Faculty members publish extensively in leading journals, lead national and international research initiatives, and help translate emerging discoveries into novel diagnostics, therapies, and standards of care. The division’s growth has been further strengthened by transformative philanthropic investments, including the landmark gift from Vatche and Tamar Manoukian.
Guiding the future of discovery
As our research programs continue to expand, we remain committed to investing strategically in the people, resources, and environments that foster innovation. To help guide these efforts, we established the Research Council, an advisory body dedicated to supporting the division’s scientific mission and long-term vision.
Chaired by Dr. Catia Sternini, the Research Council brings together a diverse group of senior and junior faculty members who provide insight and leadership on key priorities, including faculty recruitment, research training, mentorship, infrastructure development, space utilization, and resource allocation. Through collaborative planning and thoughtful stewardship, the council helps ensure that our research programs remain positioned for sustained excellence and growth.
Fostering collaboration and scientific excellence
One of the division’s greatest strengths is its vibrant community of talented investigators working across basic, translational, clinical, and population sciences. Combined with UCLA’s expansive research ecosystem, this creates exceptional opportunities for collaboration both within the division and across disciplines throughout the university and beyond.
The Research Council plays an important role in cultivating these partnerships and strengthening our commitment to training the next generation of physician-scientists and researchers. By engaging faculty members who are directly involved in advancing scientific discovery, the council helps shape initiatives that build on our strengths, encourage innovation, and support emerging areas of investigation.
Through this collaborative approach, we continue to advance research that addresses the most pressing challenges in digestive and liver health while positioning the division to lead the next generation of breakthroughs for patients worldwide.
