About Us

We are one of the largest digestive health and liver disease programs in the country, providing prevention, diagnosis and treatment of diseases involving the gastrointestinal tract and liver. Not only are we leaders in the clinic, our faculty are also leaders in their respective areas of research, conducting and participating in many pharmaceutical clinical investigations. The innovative research conducted by our physicians and faculty has paved the way for more effective methods of prevention, diagnosis and treatment of gastrointestinal diseases.

Leadership

Chief, William Chey, MD - Chief

William Chey, MD
William Chey, MD

William Chey, MD received his medical degree and completed training in internal medicine at Emory University School of Medicine. Dr. Chey then completed a fellowship in gastroenterology at the University of Michigan and has remained as faculty at the University of Michigan where he is the H. Marvin Pollard Professor of Gastroenterology. He holds a joint appointment as a Professor of Nutritional Sciences. Dr. Chey was appointed Chief of the Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology in May 2022.

Dr. Chey's research interests focus on the diagnosis and treatment of disorders of gut brain interaction and H. pylori infection. He has mentored more than 70 students, residents, fellows, and junior faculty, many of which are leaders in gastroenterology. Dr. Chey is a medical innovator and holds several patents. He is a former Co-Editor-in-Chief of the American Journal of Gastroenterology and has authored more than 400 manuscripts, reviews, chapters, and books including more than 10 national and international clinical practice guidelines. Dr. Chey is a board member of the American College of Gastroenterology, Rome Foundation, International Foundation of GI Disorders, and GI on Demand. He is also the Secretary of the American College of Gastroenterology and Vice President of the International Foundation for Gastrointestinal Disorders.

Dr. Chey has been elected to “Best Doctors” since 2001 and has received the U-M Dean’s Outstanding Clinician Award, U-M Dean’s Award for Innovation and Commercialization, and the Distinguished Clinician Award from the American Gastroenterological Association. In 2020, Dr. Chey was awarded honorary membership in the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and received the prestigious Berk-Fise Award from the American College of Gastroenterology.

Faculty Leadership

Leslie Aldrich, MD
Assistant Professor of Medicine
Chief of Ambulatory Operations, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology
Medical Director, East Ann Arbor, Ambulatory Surgery and Medical Procedures Center
Medical Director, Northville Medical Procedures Unit

Pratima Sharma, MD, MS
Associate Professor, Department of Internal Medicine
Interim Medical Director of Liver Transplantation

Anna Lok, MD
Alice Lohrman Andrews Research Professor in Hepatology
Assistant Dean for Clinical Research
Professor of Internal Medicine and Director of Clinical Hepatology
Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology

Neil Sheth, MD
Clinical Lecturer
Assistant Clinical Chief
Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology

Grace Su, MD
Veterans Affairs Ann Arbor Healthcare System
Associate Chief of Medicine for Subspecialty Care and Access
Chief of the Gastroenterology Section

Division Administrator

Jacob West
Division Administrator
3912G Taubman Center, SPC 5362
Ann Arbor, MI 48109
[email protected]

Business Manager

Megann Smith
Business Manager
3912 Taubman Center, SPC 5362
Ann Arbor, MI 48109
[email protected]

Clinical Activities

  • Outpatient Services provided at the Taubman Center and at our various satellite clinics at Briarwood, Brighton, Canton, Dexter, East Ann Arbor, Livonia, Northville, Saline, and the Veterans Affairs (VA) Ann Arbor Healthcare Center.

  • Inpatient Services, including a luminal GI service, hepatology service, and consultation service at University Hospital and the VA.
  • Gastroenterology and Hepatology Endoscopy Practice at the Medical Procedures Unit (MPU) in University Hospital in Ann Arbor and at East Ann Arbor Ambulatory Surgery and Medical Procedures Center, as well as Northville Health Center, Livonia Center for Specialty Care, and the VA.
  • The Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology also has established a number of clinical centers of excellence including the Esophageal Disorders Program, the Functional Bowel Disorders Program, the Hepatology Program, the Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) Program, the Interventional Endoscopy Program, the multidisciplinary Michigan Bowel Control Program, and the Wilson Disease Program.

Learn more.

Research Activities

In our mission to create knowledge through research, the Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology continues to conduct cutting-edge investigations of the molecular, cellular, and physiological conditions of healthy and diseased states of the gastrointestinal tract, liver, and pancreas. The central piece of the Division's research endeavor is the NIH-funded University of Michigan Center for Gastrointestinal Research, which encompasses three thematic areas of research:

  1. neurobiology of appetite control and visceral pain;
  2. molecular and cellular mechanisms of inflammation; and
  3. cell growth, differentiation, and programmed cell death.

With the critical support of the Center, research funding for the Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology has increased dramatically over the last several years, now totaling over $15 million including over 50 individual grants from the NIH and other federal funding agencies.

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Educational Activities

In addition to their clinical excellence, the University of Michigan Gastroenterology and Hepatology faculty also provide numerous educational programs to physicians and patients in Michigan and the surrounding areas. Our Continuing Medical Education network offers several courses and over 100 single lectures annually.

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Wellness Activities

Women in Gastroenterology Committee

The Women in Gastroenterology Committee addresses the needs of our female faculty members by providing opportunities specific to their unique professional and personal needs.

Mission

  • Promote work-life balance and encourage a collaborative environment among women in GI.
  • Foster and promote the involvement and professional advancement of women in GI institutionally and nationally.
  • Ensure that institutional policies and recommendations take into account the interests of women in GI. 

The Women in GI Committee gather for a variety of social and educational events each year. 

Committee Chairs 

Contact Us

Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology Academic Office 

Andrea Besson
Administrative Assistant 
3912 Taubman Center
1500 East Medical Center Drive, SPC 5362
Ann Arbor, MI 48109-5362
Phone: (734) 615-4628 (non-patient related calls only)
[email protected]