Gary W. Falk MD, MS

Gary W. Falk M.D., M.S., is currently Professor of Medicine and Director, Esophageal Program, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, and University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine. He received his undergraduate and medical school training at the University of Rochester before going to George Washington University for his medical internship and residency. After a clinical and research fellowship at the University of Michigan, he was a member of the Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology at the Cleveland Clinic for over 23 years where he was director for the Swallowing and Esophageal Center.  While in Cleveland, he also received a master’s degree in clinical research from Case Western Reserve University. 

He has been involved in clinical research in Barrett’s esophagus, gastroesophageal reflux disease, Helicobacter pylori, esophageal motility disorders, advanced esophageal imaging and therapeutics and eosinophilic esophagitis throughout his career.  The most important of these themes has been in the area of early detection and prevention of esophageal cancer.  Among the contributions of his research group have been a number of publications on the significance of high-grade dysplasia in Barrett’s esophagus, including biopsy forceps yield and findings of unsuspected cancer at esophagectomy, the use of cytologic sampling as an alternative to biopsy based surveillance and the development of the concept of cytology specimens as a platform for molecular based biomarker studies.  Other studies in Barrett’s esophagus have focused on epidemiologic observations related to the role of Helicobacter pylori in the disease along with issues of age and gender in the development of cancer.  Collaborations with other centers have led to studies on familial risk, molecular imaging paradigms, chemoprevention, radiofrequency ablation and endomicroscopy. Research in eosinophilic esophagitis is now focusing on clinical trials of novel therapeutic agents, clinical and biologic aspects of pediatric to adult transition and participation in the CEGIR consortium.

Dr Falk has served nationally through professional societies, including being a Past-President of the American Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, editorial positions at journals and on grant review committees at the NIH.   He is a past associate editor of the American Journal of Gastroenterology and is current associate editor of Diseases of the Esophagus.  He is a two-time recipient of the Sidney Cohen University of Pennsylvania GI Fellowship Teacher of the Year Award, AGA Distinguished Clinician Award and AGA Imaging & Advanced Technology Section Research Mentor Award.