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Whether you’re experiencing liver disease in early or advanced stages, experts at Penn Medicine combine advanced diagnostics with innovative therapies to address all types of liver disease. Hepatology faculty offer comprehensive liver disease care for acute and chronic liver conditions, including liver transplantation evaluation and post-transplant care, at multiple locations in Philadelphia and surrounding region. Specialized clinics provide unique, multidisciplinary care for conditions such as alcohol-related liver disease, ascites, primary liver cancers and certain liver-metastatic cancers. Penn hepatologists lead innovative clinical and translational research in chronic liver disease as well as offer access to cutting edge industry-sponsored clinical trials.

Section leadership

David E. Kaplan, MD MSc
Director, Section of Hepatology
Professor of Medicine
david.kaplan@pennmedicine.upenn.edu

Maarouf Hoteit, MD
Medical Director of Liver Transplantation
Professor of Clinical Medicine
maarouf.hoteit@pennmedicine.upenn.edu

Academic faculty – Clinical site

Christine Chan, MD – PCAM, PMUC
Maarouf Hoteit, MD – PCAM, Somers Point
Dempsey Hughes, MD - PCAM
David E. Kaplan, MD – PCAM, Radnor, CMCVAMC
Nadim Mahmud, MD MSCE – PCAM, CMCVAMC
Jorge Marrero MD – PCAM
Jonathan Nahas, MD- PCAM, PAH
Stacey Prenner, MD – PCAM, Newark (DE)
Rajender K. Reddy, MD - PCAM
Kenneth Rothstein, MD – PCAM, Princeton, Doylestown, Yardley
Marina Serper, MD – PCAM
Ethan Weinberg, MD – PCAM, Radnor
Kelley Weinfurtner, MD MSc – PCAM

Non-academic faculty

Eyob Feyssa, MD – Lancaster, Redding, Lehighton
Andres Rierra, MD – Lancaster, Redding, Cherry Hill

Advanced Practitioners

Brenda Appolo, PA - PCAM
Sophea Bachalis, NP – PCAM, Yardley
Lorie Sinese, PA – PCAM, Radnor

Hepatology Section Specialty Clinics

Transplant Oncology Clinic: The Liver Tumor Clinic provides rapid access to multidisciplinary cancer management, facilitating evaluation for liver transplantation, resection, regional interventions, systemic therapy, and combinations thereof, personalized for each patient’s individual needs. Primary conditions evaluated and treated include hepatocellular carcinoma, intrahepatic and hilar cholangiocarcinoma, and selected metastatic cancers (e.g. colorectal cancer)

Contact: Leah Santos, RN 1-215-273-5055
Faculty: Maarouf Hoteit, MD, Kelley Weinfurtner MD MSc

Ascites Clinic: Our specialized Ascites Clinic offers comprehensive treatment options for patients with refractory ascites, including access to an innovative device that automatically pumps fluid from the abdominal cavity into the bladder.

Contact: Meghan Campi, RN 1-267-760-1464
Faculty: Ethan Weinberg, MD

iLEARN Clinic: The iLEARN Clinic provides multidisciplinary management of alcohol-related liver disease, with a goal of improving liver transplantation opportunities and outcomes.

Faculty: Jonathan Nahas, MD; Ethan Weinberg, MD, Marina Serper, MD

Fontan-associated Liver Disease (FALD) Clinic: The FALD clinic provides longitudinal care for adults with liver dysfunction related to congenital heart disease.

Faculty: Dempsey Hughes, MD, Maarouf Hoteit, MD

Metabolic-dysfunction Associated Steatotic Liver Disease (MASLD) Clinic: The MASLD clinic offers comprehensive care for fatty liver and MASH/NASH.

Faculty: Pedro Ochoa-Allemant, MD

Hepatology Research

Center for Data, Outcomes and Translational Science (CDOTS)

Hepatology Clinical Trials

See our current open clinical trials
Contact: Grace Kim-Lee at gracekim.lee@pennmedicine.upenn.edu

The mission of the Penn Esophageal and Swallowing Disorders Program is to provide comprehensive, multidisciplinary, patient-centered care for individuals with esophageal and swallowing disorders. Through close collaboration among gastroenterologists, foregut surgeons, advanced practice providers, nurses, dietitians, and research staff, we are committed to delivering innovative, evidence-based care that advances the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of esophageal diseases. We strive for excellence in clinical care, education, and research to improve outcomes and enhance the quality of life for every patient we serve.

Section Leadership

Kristle Lynch, MD
Alexandra Starling, MD
Katherine Alexander, MHS, PA-C
Shivani Thanawala, MD

Research staff, espohagus

Maureen Demarshall, BSN, RN | Clinical Research Nurse Manager
Sophia Caterina, BS, Clinical Research Coordinator
Kavya Bellam, BS, Clinical Research Coordinator
Alexis Winters, BS, Clinical Research Coordinator

The Gastrointestinal Cancer Genetics Program at Penn Medicine is dedicated to caring for individuals and families who have, or are at risk for, a hereditary gastrointestinal cancer and/or colon polyps. This includes patients with a personal or family history of pancreatic cancer, colorectal cancer or gastric cancer, as well as other gastrointestinal cancers. We offer state-of-the-art cancer risk evaluation, genetic counseling, genetic testing and medical care from an expert clinical team. Our physician specialists, genetic counselors and researchers provide their patients with the most current options for evaluating and managing cancer risk. As part of the Gastrointestinal Cancer Genetics Program is the Gastrointestinal Cancer Risk Evaluation Program (GI-CREP) which offers comprehensive information and evaluation for patients who may be at an increased risk for developing gastrointestinal polyps and/or gastrointestinal cancer due to a hereditary syndrome. Additionally, the Gastrointestinal Cancer Genetics Program collaborates with the King Center for Lynch Syndrome at Penn Medicine's Abramson Cancer Center, with the King Center being dedicated to the clinical care of individuals with Lynch syndrome, as well as to advancing education, outreach, and research related to this hereditary condition.

Leadership

Bryson Katona, MD, PhD
Director, Gastrointestinal Cancer Genetics Program
Executive Director, King Center for Lynch Syndrome

Jessica Long, MS, CGC
Director of Education and Outreach, King Center for Lynch Syndrome

Associated faculty and staff

Junghyun Lim, MD, MPH
Derek Mann, MS, CGC
Arravinth Anantharajah, MS, CGC

The Penn Women's Fully Integrated Rectovaginal Symptom Team (FIRST) multidisciplinary clinic addresses colorectal, gastrointestinal and urogynecological issues, including defecatory disorders, pelvic organ prolapse, urinary and fecal incontinence, and rectovaginal fistulas by all three specialties in a single convenient location. The goal for the clinic is to provide streamlined care for patients with severe pelvic floor disorders.

Leadership

Farzana Rashid Hossain, MD (Gastroenterology)
Pam Levin, MD (Urogynecology) 
Erica Pettke, MD (Colorectal surgery)

 

Associated faculty and staff

Octavia Pickett-Blakely, MD (GI Nutrition)
Manoj Matthew, MD (Radiology)
Penn Physical Therapists

 

The clinicians in the GI Nutrition, Obesity and Celiac Disease Program provide specialized, digestive and liver disease - focused nutritional assessments and make recommendations for medical nutrition therapy. Our team is passionate about enhancing nutrition education for learners across the continuum from medical students to faculty, and clinical staff. By engaging in collaborative, multidisciplinary research, our clinicians provide contributions that inform clinical care and provide patients access to investigational therapies for some conditions with limited treatment options.

Leadership

Octavia Pickett-Blakely, MD, MHS, Program Director

Associated faculty and staff

Jessica Griffin, MA RD, LDN, Clinical Dietitian Specialist
Laura Menken, MS, RD, LDN, Clinical Dietitian Specialist

Penn Medicine’s Program in Neurogastroenterology and Motility provides state-of-the-art consultative care, scholarship, and education focused on gastrointestinal dysmotility and disorders of gut-brain interaction. We are attuned to the often complex and interdisciplinary nature of these conditions and work closely with nutrition, physical therapy, psychology, and many other clinical colleagues across the health system.

Faculty

Nitin Ahuja, MD, MS
Ernesto Robalino Gonzaga, MD
Erin Toto, MD
Sharon Wolfson, MD

Advanced Practice Providers

Tanya Carter, CRNP
Hannah Ryan, CRNP

Mission statement

The mission of the Penn Inflammatory Bowel Diseases Program is to transform the lives of individuals affected by IBD through excellence in patient-centered care, groundbreaking research, education, and innovation. As an academic leader, we are committed to advancing basic science, translational discovery, and clinical research while expanding equitable access to clinical trials and evidence-based therapies for patients of all backgrounds.

Through early diagnosis, proactive disease management, and personalized treatment strategies, we strive to improve long-term outcomes of IBD. Our multidisciplinary program integrates the expertise of gastroenterologists, colorectal surgeons, radiologists, GI-specialized dietitians, wound and ostomy care nurses, and specialists across rheumatology, dermatology, ophthalmology, and other disciplines to provide comprehensive care addressing the full spectrum of IBD.

IBD Co-Directors

Meenakshi Bewtra, MD
Neilanjan Nandi, MD

IBD Faculty

Faten Aberra, MD
Aaron Balinski, MD
Shivali Berera, MD
Anna Buchner, MD
James Lewis, MD
Maura Levandowski, CRNP
Gary Lichtenstein, MD
Amanda Pebenito, MD
Farzana Rashid, MD
Christopher Schmoyer, MD
Robert Stein, MD
Chung Sang Tse, MD
Andrew Weber, MD
Alexandra Weiss, MD