
Gail Hecht MD
Professor of Medicine and Microbiology/Immunology, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, Chicago, IllinoisBiographical Sketch:
Dr. Gail Hecht earned her medical degree from Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine. She completed her residency in internal medicine at the University of Minnesota–Minneapolis and received fellowship training in gastroenterology at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA. Most of her career was spent at the College of Medicine at the University of Illinois–Chicago, where she rose to the rank of Professor of Medicine and Microbiology/Immunology and Chief of Digestive Diseases and Nutrition. She was recruited to Loyola University Chicago as Division Director of Gastroenterology and Nutrition in 2013 where she was division director until 2019. She is currently Professor of Medicine and Microbiology/Immunology at Loyola.
The focus of Dr. Hecht’s research is host–pathogen interactions with specific emphasis on enteropathogenic Escherichia coli. Her research has been funded by both the NIH and the VA. She also has an interest in the gut microbiome and its impact on intestinal function and health.
Dr. Hecht is Founding Editor and was Editor-in-Chief of Gut Microbes, published by Taylor&Francis, until 2021. Dr. Hecht has been very active in the American Gastroenterological Association, functioning as Chair of the Intestinal Disorders Section of the AGA Council, Basic Research Councilor to the Governing Board, and, ultimately, serving as President from 2009 to 2010. She was a member of the AGA Microbiome Center for Research and Education and served as Chair from 2017-2019.
Positions:
Professor of Medicine and Microbiology/Immunology; Assistant Dean for Medical Student Research 2013-2020, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois
Degrees:
MS: Medical Microbiology, University of Missouri-Columbia, MO
MD: Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine
Postgraduate Training:
Fellowship (gastroenterology): Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
Research Interests:
Host–pathogen interactions
Disclosures
Gail Hecht, MD serves on the Scientific Advisory Board of Danone and the Physician Advisory Board of Ferring and BioK+.
Recent Contributions to PracticeUpdate:
- 2023 Top Story in Gastroenterology: Antibiotic Use and Risk of Inflammatory Bowel Disease
- 2022 Top Story in Gastroenterology: Fecal Microbiota Transplantation for Patients With IBS
- Effect of Colonoscopy Screening on the Risks of Colorectal Cancer and Related Death
- 2021 Top Story in Gastroenterology: Identifying People at Risk of Crohn’s Disease Years Before Onset
- 2020 Top Stories in Gastroenterology: AGA Guidelines on Probiotics in Management of GI Disorders
- 2019 Top Stories in Gastroenterology: Probiotics in Irritable Bowel Syndrome
- 2018 Top Stories in Gastroenterology: Acute Gastroenteritis
- 2017 Top Stories in Gastroenterology: Gut Microbiomes
- 2016 Top Stories in Gastroenterology: FODMAPs in Patients With IBS
- 2015 Top Stories in Gastroenterology: Fecal Microbiota Transplantation