Medical Team - Digestive Disease Specialists & Gastrointestinal Surgeons

With a nationally-recognized medical staff of digestive disease specialists and GI surgeons, the Temple Digestive Disease Center team of doctors has earned a reputation for excellence and innovative care, due in part to its successful treatment of unusual and difficult cases.

Gastroenterology

Oleh Haluszka, M.D.
Chief, Section of Gastroenterology
CLINICAL INTERESTS: Therapeutic endoscopy for management of GI cancer, GI bleeding, and other diseases of the pancreas, bile duct, gallbladder, and liver; pancreatic/biliary endoscopy (ERCP); enteral and biliary stenting; mucosal ablative therapies; endoscopic ultrasound; enteroscopy for visualization of small bowel; biomarkers of pancreaticobiliary tumors
EDUCATION: Medical degreee, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences
TRAINING: Gastroenterology fellowships, US Naval Hospital, San Diego, CA, and Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee. Residency and internship, US Naval Hospital and Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda
CERTIFICATION: Internal Medicine, Gastroenterology
VIDEO: Oleh Haluszka, MD - For Physicians
VIDEO: Oleh Haluszka, MD - For Patients

If you would like to schedule an appointment with Dr. Haluszka, click here.

Abbas E. Abbas, MD, MS
Chief of Thoracic Surgery, Temple University Hospital
Associate Professor of Surgery, Temple University School of Medicine
CLINICAL INTERESTS: Diseases of the lung, tracheobronchial tree, esophagus, mediastinum and chest wall. Expertise in thoracic surgical oncology, robotic and other minimally invasive thoracic techniques, advanced bronchoscopic and esophageal endoscopy, lung volume reduction surgery, thymectomy, hiatal hernia repair, and special procedures for benign esophageal disease and other thoracic conditions
EDUCATION: Ain-Shams University School of Medicine, Cairo, Egypt
TRAINING: Fellowship, Cardiothoracic Surgery, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN; Residency, Surgery, Pennsylvania Hospital, University of Pennsylvania Health System, Philadelphia, PA
CERTIFICATION: Surgery, Thoracic Surgery
VIDEO: Abbas Abbas, MD - Robotic Surgery for Esophageal Cancer

If you would like to schedule an appointment with Dr. Abbas, click here.

Paul J. Bandini, M.D.
CLINICAL INTERESTS: Inflammatory bowel disease; liver and biliary tract problems; peptic ulcer disease
EDUCATION: Bachelor’s degree, St. Peter’s College; medical degree, Hahnemann Medical College
TRAINING: GI fellowship, Temple University Hospital
CERTIFICATION: Internal Medicine, Gastroenterology

If you would like to schedule an appointment with Dr. Bandini, click here.
 

Martin Black, M.D.
Director, Liver Unit
Medical Director, Liver Transplantation Program
CLINICAL INTERESTS: Diagnosis and treatment of liver disease; drug-induced disease; chronic viral hepatitis; chronic active hepatitis; interferon therapy; non-alcoholic steato-hepatitis
EDUCATION: St. Mary’s Hospital Medical School, University of London
TRAINING: Hepatology fellowship, Royal Free Hospital, London, under the aegis of Dame Sheila Sherlock; fellowships at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York and the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, NIH
CERTIFICATION: Internal Medicine, Gastroenterology
PUBLICATION LISTING: PubMed

If you would like to schedule an appointment with Dr. Black, click here.

Charles P. Bongiorno, MD
Associate Professor of Clinical Medicine, Temple University School of Medicine
CLINICAL INTERESTS: Diagnosis and treatment of gastrointestinal disorders, including Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, celiac disease, reflux disease, ulcers, irritable bowel syndrome and diverticular
disease as well as swallowing disorders; diseases of the pancreas, gallbladder, bile duct, and liver
EDUCATION: Medical College of Toledo, Toledo, OH
TRAINING: Fellowship, Gastroenterology and Nutrition, Graduate Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania; Residency, Internal Medicine, Graduate Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania
CERTIFICATION: Internal Medicine, Gastroenterology

If you would like to schedule an appointment with Dr. Bongiorno, click here.

Brintha K. Enestvedt, MD, MBA
Assistant Professor of Medicine, Temple University School of Medicine
CLINICAL INTERESTS: Diagnosis and management of gastrointestinal disease with a focus on use of advanced endoscopic procedures; staging and management of pancreatic, bile duct, and esophageal cancers; treatment of hepatobiliary and pancreatic diseases; endoscopic ultrasound; endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP); balloon-assisted enteroscopy, treatment of dysplastic Barrett's esophagus; endoscopic mucosal resection; colonoscopy; upper endoscopy and endoscopic treatment of GI bleeding or surgical complications
EDUCATION: Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine
TRAINING: Fellowship, Gastroenterology & Hepatology, Oregon Health & Science University; Fellowship, Therapeutic Endoscopy, University of Pennsylvania; Residency, Internal Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University
CERTIFICATION: Internal Medicine, Gastroenterology

If you would like to schedule an appointment with Dr. Enestvedt, click here.

Nestor Esnaola, M.D., M.P.H, M.B.A, F.A.C.S.
Professor and Vice Chair, Clinical and Academic Affairs and
Chief of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, Temple University School of Medicine
SPECIALTIES: Gastrointestinal surgical oncology with a focus on hepatico-pancreatico-biliary cancers; complex resections for locally advanced primary tumors and hepatic colorectal metastases; novel neoadjuvant/surgical protocols for patients with locally advanced GI cancers; ongoing research on alternative staging and cancer treatment modalities and racial/ethnic disparities in cancer care and outcomes; local and national initiatives to improve surgical quality and safety
MEDICAL SCHOOL: The Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore
TRAINING: General Surgery residency, Brigham & Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School; Transplantation Biology fellowship, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School; Surgical Oncology fellowship, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
CERTIFICATION: Surgery

To request an appointment with Dr. Esnaola, please click here.

Robert S. Fisher, M.D.
CLINICAL INTERESTS: Gastrointestinal motor function — especially the esophagus, stomach, small intestine, colon and gallbladder; acid/peptic disorders such as GERD and peptic ulcer disease; adaptation of scintigraphic techniques to study gastrointestinal motor function; functional gastrointestinal diseases, including functional dyspepsia; irritable bowel syndrome; noncardiac chest pain; biliary dyskinesia
EDUCATION: Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Princeton University; medical degree, University of Pennsylvania
TRAINING: GI fellowship, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania
CERTIFICATION: Internal Medicine, Gastroenterology
PUBLICATION LISTING: PubMed

If you would like to schedule an appointment with Dr. Fisher, click here.

Frank K. Friedenberg, M.D.
CLINICAL INTERESTS: Inflammatory bowel disease; gastroparesis; functional dyspepsia; colon cancer screening; therapy for pseudomembranous colitis
EDUCATION: Bachelor’s degree, Albright College; medical degree, Temple University School of Medicine
TRAINING: GI fellowship, Yale-New Haven Hospital and Albert Einstein Medical Center
CERTIFICATION: Internal Medicine, Gastroenterology
PUBLICATION LISTING: PubMed

If you would like to schedule an appointment with Dr. Friedenberg, click here.

Brenda J. Horwitz, M.D.
Director, Gastroenterology Fellowship Program
CLINICAL INTERESTS: Functional gastrointestinal disorders, especially irritable bowel syndrome; women’s issues in gastroenterology; acid/peptic disorders; viral hepatitis
EDUCATION: Bachelor’s degree, Bucknell University; medical degree, Jefferson Medical College
TRAINING: GI fellowship, Temple University Hospital
CERTIFICATION: Internal Medicine, Gastroenterology
PUBLICATION LISTING: PubMed

If you would like to schedule an appointment with Dr. Horwitz, click here.

Benjamin Krevsky, M.D.
Associate Chief, Section of Gastroenterology
Director, Gastrointestinal Endoscopy
CLINICAL INTERESTS: Gastrointestinal malignancies, especially esophageal and colon cancers; motor disorders of the gastrointestinal tract, especially constipation and fecal incontinence; capsule endoscopy; endoscopic laser therapy and ablative therapy for Barrett’s esophagus; hemorrhoid therapy
EDUCATION: Bachelor’s and master’s degrees, Yale University; medical degree, University of Cincinnati
TRAINING: GI fellowship, Temple University Hospital
CERTIFICATION: Internal Medicine, Gastroenterology
PUBLICATION LISTING: PubMed

If you would like to schedule an appointment with Dr. Krevsky, click here.

Harvey M. Licht, M.D
CLINICAL INTERESTS: General gastrointestinal diseases; gastroesophageal reflux disease; inflammatory bowel disease; colon cancer screening
EDUCATION: Bachelor’s degree, State University of New York at Stony Brook; medical degree, Albert Einstein College of Medicine
TRAINING: GI fellowship, Veterans Administration Hospital, Washington, DC
CERTIFICATION: Internal Medicine, Gastroenterology
PUBLICATION LISTING: PubMed

If you would like to schedule an appointment with Dr. Licht, click here.

Jennifer L. Maranki, M.D., M.S.
CLINICAL INTERESTS: Pancreatic, hepatobiliary, and stomach disorders; gastrointestinal cancers; advanced endoscopic techniques
EDUCATION: Temple University School of Medicine
TRAINING: Fellowship,Gastroenterology, University of Virginia Medical Center,
Charlottesville; Advanced Endoscopy, University of Virginia Medical Center,
Charlottesville; Residency, Internal Medicine, Temple University Hospital
CERTIFICATIONS: Gastroenterology, Internal Medicine

If you would like to schedule an appointment with Dr. Maranki click here.

Henry P. Parkman, M.D.
Director, GI Motility Laboratory
Director, Clinical Research Unit President, American Motility Society
CLINICAL INTERESTS: Neuromuscular control of gastrointestinal motor function; motor disorders of the esophagus, stomach and small intestine; muscles of the GI tract; the effect of autonomic dysfunction on the GI tract; gastroparesis; functional dyspepsia; achalasia; noncardiac chest pain; gastroesophageal reflux disease; irritable bowel syndrome; chronic constipation
EDUCATION: Bachelor’s degree, Harvard University; medical degree, Case Western Reserve University
TRAINING: GI fellowship, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania; GI research fellowship, Mayo Clinic; research training, Johns Hopkins Hospital
CERTIFICATION: Internal Medicine, Gastroenterology
PUBLICATION LISTING: PubMed

If you would like to schedule an appointment with Dr. Parkman, click here.

Vishal Patel, M.D.
CLINICAL INTERESTS: Chronic hepatitis B and C; complications of portal hypertension; and acute liver failure
EDUCATION: St. George's University School of Medicine, Grenada, West Indies
TRAINING: Hepatology fellowship, Albert Einstein Medical Center, 2008; Internal Medicine residency, Lehigh Valley Hospital, 2007
CERTIFICATION: Internal Medicine

If you would like to schedule an appointment with Dr. Patel, click here.

Malini Mathur, M.D.
CLINICAL INTERESTS: Endoscopic ultrasound and gastrointestinal oncology
EDUCATION: Boston University School of Medicine
TRAINING: Internal Medicine residency, New York University Medical Center; Gastroenterology fellowship, New York University Medical Center
CERTIFICATION: Internal Medicine, Gastroenterology (board eligible)

If you would like to schedule an appointment with Dr. Sahu, click here.

Robin D. Rothstein, MD
Medical Director, Inflammatory Bowel Disease Program, Temple University Hospital
Associate Professor of Clinical Medicine, Temple University School of Medicine
CLINICAL INTERESTS: Inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis), celiac sprue, diarrheal illnesses, microscopic colitis
EDUCATION: The Medical College of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
TRAINING: Fellowship, Gastroenterology, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania; Residency, Internal Medicine, George Washington University Medical Center
CERTIFICATION: Gastroenterology, Internal Medicine

If you would like to schedule an appointment with Dr. Rothstein, click here.

Michael S. Smith, M.D., M.B.A.
CLINICAL INTERESTS: Diagnosis and treatment of Barrett's esophagus, including BARRX® radiofrequency ablation, cryo-ablation, complex endoscopic mucosal resection, narrow band imaging and endoscopic ultrasound
EDUCATION: Bachelor's degree, Princeton University; medical degree, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine; M.B.A. degree, Wharton School of Business, University of Pennsylvania
TRAINING: Internal medicine residency, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania; Division of Digestive and Liver Diseases fellowship, New York Presbyterian Hospital, Columbia Campus
VIDEO: Michael Smith, MD - Barrett's Esophagus

If you would like to schedule an appointment with Dr. Smith, click here.

Gastrointestinal and Bariatric Surgery

Colleen B. Gaughan, M.D.
CLINICAL INTERESTS: Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD); Barrett's esophagus; achalasia and esophageal motility disorders; lung cancer; mediastinal tumors; tracheal tumors and tracheal stenosis
EDUCATION: Temple University School of Medicine
TRAINING: General Surgery residency, Temple University Hospital; Thoracic and Foregut Surgery fellowship, University of Southern California/Los Angeles County Hospital; Cardiothoracic Surgery fellowship, University of Miami/Jackson Memorial Hospital
CERTIFICATION: General Surgery, Thoracic Surgery (board eligible)

If you would like to schedule an appointment with Dr. Gaughan, click here.

Sean P. Harbison, M.D.
Vice Chair, Surgical Education
CLINICAL INTERESTS: General surgery, surgical oncology
EDUCATION: Bachelor’s degree, LaSalle University; medical degree, Temple University School of Medicine
TRAINING: Surgical residency, Graduate Hospital; Surgical Oncology fellowship, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
CERTIFICATION: Surgery
PUBLICATION LISTING: PubMed

If you would like to schedule an appointment with Dr. Harbison, click here.

Amit Khanna, M.D., M.P.H.
Associate Director, Colon and Rectal Surgery
Director, Rectal Cancer Program
CLINICAL INTERESTS: Minimally invasive/laparoscopic colon and rectal surgery; colorectal oncology; diverticular disease; inflammatory bowel disease; anorectal disease; Crohn's disease; ulcerative colitis
EDUCATION: Medical degree, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY; master of public health degree, Health Policy and Management, Columbia University School of Public Health
TRAINING: Surgery residency, University of Rochester Medical Center; Colon and Rectal Surgery fellowship, Cleveland Clinic - Florida Campus, Weston, FL
CERTIFICATION: General Surgery, Colon and Rectal Surgery

If you would like to schedule an appointment with Dr. Khanna, click here.

John Meilahn, M.D.
Director, Bariatric Surgery, Temple University Hospital
CLINICAL INTERESTS: Bariatric surgery including laparoscopic and open gastric bypass, adjustable gastric banding, gastric sleeve and duodenal switch; revisional surgery; advanced laparoscopic surgery; gastrointestinal surgery; general surgery
EDUCATION: Bachelor’s degree, Drexel University; medical degree, University of Pennsylvania
TRAINING: Surgical fellowship, The Johns Hopkins Hospital
CERTIFICATION: Surgery
PUBLICATION LISTING: PubMed

If you would like to schedule an appointment with Dr. Meilahn, click here.

Affiliated Medical Staff 

John Daly, M.D.
Interim Chair, Department of Surgery
Surgical Director, William Maul Measey Institute for Clinical Stimulation and Patient Safety
SPECIALTIES: Surgical oncology
MEDICAL SCHOOL: Temple University School of Medicine, Philadelphia
TRAINING: General Surgery residency, University of Texas Medical School at Houston
CERTIFICATION: Surgery
PUBLICATION LISTING: PubMed

Gary S. Cohen, M.D.
Co-Director, Liver Tumor Program
SPECIALTIES: Vascular and Interventional Radiology
MEDICAL SCHOOL: Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY
TRAINING: Vascular/Interventional Radiology fellowship, Temple University Hospital; Radiology residency, Temple University Hospital
CERTIFICATIONS: Vascular and Interventional Radiology
 
 

Ashokkumar Babulal Jain, M.D., F.A.C.S.
Director, Liver Transplant Program
SPECIALTIES: Abdominal solid organ transplantation, including in cases of Jehovah's witnesses and HIV positive patients, and research in several clinical aspects of transplantation with a special interest in immunosuppressive agents with pharmacokinetics and drug interaction
MEDICAL SCHOOL: Topiwala National Medical School, Bombay, India
TRAINING: Multi-Organ Abdominal Transplantation Fellowship, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center; Liver, Kidney and Pancreas Transplantation Fellowship, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham, UK; General Surgery Fellowship, Nair Hospital, Bombay, India; General Surgery (Trauma) Fellowship, Sion Hospital, Bombay, India; General Surgery Residency, Sion Hospital, Bombay, India
CERTIFICATIONS: Surgery

Andreas Karachristos, M.D., Ph.D., F.A.C.S.
Surgical Director, Kidney Transplant Program
Co-Director, Liver Tumor Program
SPECIALTIES: Liver transplantation and hepatobiliary surgery, renal and pancreas transplantation, general surgery on the end-organ failure patient
MEDICAL SCHOOL: University of Crete School of Medicine (Greece)
TRAINING: Organ Transplantation/Hepatobiliary Surgery fellowship, University of Cincinnati; General surgery residency, Temple University Hospital
CERTIFICATIONS: Surgery
PUBLICATION LISTING: PubMed

Curtis Miyamoto, M.D.
Chair, Department of Radiation Oncology
Medical Director, Oncology Service Line
SPECIALTIES: General external beam radiation; 3-D conformal radiotherapy; IMRT; IGRT; Gamma Knife® treatments; stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) and stereotactic radiotherapy (SRT); stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT); hyperthermia; translational research; brain tumors and disorders; prostate, lung, breast, head & neck, and GI cancers
MEDICAL SCHOOL: Universidad de Navarra, Spain
TRAINING: Radiation Oncology residency, Hahnemann University Hospital, Philadelphia; Radiation Oncology and Nuclear Medicine Research fellowship, Hahnemann University Hospital; Oncology fellowship, American Cancer Society
CERTIFICATION: Radiation Oncology
PUBLICATION LISTING: PubMed

Aruna Padmanabhan, M.D.
Director, Medical Breast Oncology
SPECIALTIES: Breast cancer and supportive care in cancer patients
MEDICAL SCHOOL: Kasturba Medical College, India
TRAINING: Internal Medicine residency, Trinitas Hospital, Seton Hall University, New Jersey; Medical Oncology fellowship, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo
CERTIFICATION: Medical Oncology, Internal Medicine

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