Editorial introductions

Abstract

Current Opinion in Gastroenterology was launched in 1985. It is one of a successful series of review journals whose unique format is designed to provide a systematic and critical assessment of the literature as presented in the many primary journals. The field of gastroenterology is divided into 12 sections that are reviewed once a year. Each section is assigned a Section Editor, a leading authority in the area, who identifies the most important topics at that time. Here we are pleased to introduce the Section Editors for this issue. SECTION EDITORS Maria T. AbreuMaria T. AbreuDr Maria T. Abreu is a gastroenterologist who specializes in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). She completed her medical degree at the University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine, USA. Her postdoctoral training included an internship and residency in medicine at the Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts and a clinical and research fellowship in gastroenterology at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), USA. She was an Associate Professor of Medicine with Mount Sinai School of Medicine, NYC and head of the IBD Center. She is currently the Director of the Crohn's and Colitis Center, Professor of Medicine and Professor of Microbiology and Immunology at the University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine. Dr Abreu was honored in April 2018, with the Provost's Award for Scholarly Activity. She was appointed in June 2018 to serve as the Vice Chair of Research for the Department of Medicine. Dr Abreu has more than 20 years of leadership experience in basic, translational and clinical research and mentoring. She is a nationally and internationally renowned physician-scientist in IBD. Dr Abreu was elected to the American Society for Clinical Investigation in 2010 and to the Association of American Physicians (AAP) in 2018. She holds key positions with several professional societies. She is the immediate past Council Chair of the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) Institute Council. Her most recent appointment is as the Deputy Chair of the International Organization for the Study of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IOIBD), where she will serve as Chairperson starting in 2019. In March 2018, Dr Abreu was recognized by the CCF (Crohn's & Colitis Foundation) by presentation of the Honorary Book of Hope Award presented at the 28th annual Book of Hope CCF Luncheon. She has received the 2016 Minority Digestive Health Care Award for her commitment to helping minority trainees and researching GI health issues in minority populations. Dr Abreu is frequently invited as a speaker (in English and Spanish) at CME-accredited seminars and symposia on basic science and clinical topics all over the world. As an educator, she regularly speaks at national and international symposia. She has authored more than 100 peer-reviewed articles, books, chapters and reviews. Additionally, she has served as an editorial board member for Inflammatory Bowel Diseases and Gastroenterology & Hepatology News, a former editor for the Journal of Immunology and former associate editor of Journal of Crohn's & Colitis. She is currently a reviewer for several other prestigious journals. Mitchell L. SchubertMitchell L. SchubertDr Mitchell L. Schubert is currently Professor of Internal Medicine and Physiology at Virginia Commonwealth University Health Science Center, USA, as well as Chief of the Section of Gastroenterology and Director of Endoscopy at the McGuire Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Richmond, Virginia, USA. Dr Schubert graduated from New York University, USA, in 1973 and Baylor College of Medicine, USA, in 1977. He completed an internal medicine residency and National Institutes of Health gastroenterology fellowship at Virginia Commonwealth University, USA. He joined the medical faculty at Virginia Commonwealth University in 1982. Dr Schubert has served on NIH and VA Study Sections as well as numerous American Gastroenterological Association, American College of Gastroenterology, and Veterans Administration committees. He is President of the Richmond Gastroenterological Society, Section Editor for Current Opinion in Gastroenterology, and Associate Editor for Digestive Diseases and Sciences. Dr Schubert's research interests involve the study of acid-related disorders. His laboratory studies the regulation of gastric acid secretion in health and disease. Dr Schubert has been the recipient of the Veterans Administration Career Development Award, American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) Research Scholar Award, and has authored over 100 original papers and reviews including the chapters “Gastric Secretion” for Sleisenger and Fordtran's textbook, Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease and “Regulation of Gastric Acid Secretion” for Johnson's textbook, Physiology of the Gastrointestinal Tract.