The IBD Program at Montefiore Hutchinson Campus, Bronx, NYApril 19, 2015 - BRONX, NY - The Montefiore Einstein Division of Gastroenterology & Liver Diseases proudly announces its Program for Inflammatory Bowel Diseases, an innovative, multidisciplinary treatment initiative offering comprehensive medical and surgical care for patients with inflammatory bowel disease, including Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.
Spearheaded by Dr. Dana Lukin and Dr. Alexis Grucela, the IBD Program includes a collaborative network of deeply committed care providers from departments including rheumatology, dermatology, and ophthalmology; joint medical-surgical appointments with onsite specialists; and a focused medicine-surgery IBD conference to educate physicians and physicians-in-training on developments in the diagnosis and treatment of patients with IBD.
A Crippling Disease With a Broad Spectrum
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) comprises a diverse range of disease ranging from mild and asymptomatic to severe and debilitating inflammatory disease involving not only the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, but also multiple other organ systems including the eyes, skin, joints, bones, kidneys, and others.
"Clinical symptoms may not be evident for many years, and these symptoms are frequently absent despite active inflammation, so it is imperative that patients are followed by clinicians with expertise in IBD ," said Dr. Lukin, Director of the IBD Program. "We need to to ensure that patients are being followed in accordance with established quality measures, that their clinicians have experience with new medications, including biologic therapy, and that subtle indicators of disease activity are detected."
Research Focus on Underrepresented Populations
The IBD Program seeks to further IBD research, with a number of IRB-approved studies and clinical trials under way. The Program encourages the participation of fellows, residents, medical students, and undergraduates to participate in its clinical and translational research, which affords the unique opportunity to examine IBD incidence among the Bronx's significant proportion of African American, Afro-Caribbean, and Hispanic patients, populations that are currently underrepresented in the medical research literature that covers this disease.
A Network of Multidisciplinary Specialists
Dana Lukin, MD, PhDDr. Lukin joined the Montefiore Einstein Division of Gastroenterology & Liver Diseases as an assistant professor and attending gastroenterologist in 2013, following a gastroenterology & liver diseases fellowship at Columbia University Medical Center. He completed medical school (including a PhD in biology) and an internal medicine residency at Mount Sinai School of Medicine. Dr. Lukin is actively involved in clinical trials and translational research in IBD, including a study on the role of indole signaling in intestinal permeability in IBD. He serves on the Chapter Medical Advisory Committee (CMAC) for the New York Chapter of the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America (CCFA).
Rahul Narang, MDDr. Rahul Narang, the program's primary colorectal surgeon beginning in May 2015, completed a medical degree at Ross University School of Medicine, an internship in general surgery at North Shore University-LIJ Medical Center, and a surgical residency at Beth Israel Medical Center. As a surgical oncology research fellow at the University of Pittsburgh's Hillman Cancer Center, he studied the effects of alpha-dendritic cell vaccination on ovarian and colorectal cancer. Additionally, he completed a colon and rectal surgery fellowship and an advanced fellowship in minimally invasive colon and rectal surgery at Cleveland Clinic Florida. Dr. Narang has presented at multiple national surgical societies, including the national meetings for the American College of Surgeons and the American Board of Colon and Rectal Surgery.
Gastroenterologist-surgeon Dr. Lawrence Brandt, whose pioneering research includes the use of fecal transplantation to treat chronic and recurring C. difficile colitis, and gastroenterologist Dr. Joann Kwah are also affiliated with the IBD Program.
Since its inception, the IBD Program has rapidly grown to become a referral center for the care of complex IBD patients. Its future development will include expanded patient care, research, education, and patient advocacy services.
Schedule an Appointment
The Program for Inflammatory Bowel Disease, located at the Montefiore Hutchinson Campus (Hutchinson Metro Center, 1250 Waters Place), accepts patients on Tuesday mornings. Patients who wish to make an appointment, and physicians interested in referring patients or becoming involved in the Program should call 844-MMC-COLON (844-662-2656) or contact Dr. Lukin (dlukin@montefiore.org).
