As a clinician, scientist, and educator, Dr. Loren Laine, AGAF, of the Yale University School of Medicine, is poised to represent the diverse needs of the members of the American Gastroenterological Association throughout the coming year of his presidency of the AGA Institute, which begins at the conclusion of Digestive Disease Week (DDW) 2012.
"[Dr. Laine] recognizes the importance of preparing for the impact of health care reform on gastroenterology, advocating for GI practitioners and researchers, enhancing education and training during fellowship and beyond, and developing evidence-based guidelines, clinical decision tools, and quality measures for use by physicians and payers," according to Dr. M. Brian Fennerty, AGAF, professor of medicine, division of gastroenterology and hepatology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland.1
Deeply involved in the work of the AGA for more than 20 years, Dr. Laine has served on the AGA Institute Governing Board twice and chaired the AGA Institute Council, which creates AGA’s program for DDW. Prior to chairing the council, he was elected to lead two of its sections: the esophageal, gastric, and duodenal disorders section and the clinical practice section. He also served as an associate editor of Gastroenterology, directed the AGA Spring Postgraduate Course at DDW, and served as an always enthusiastic member of various committees and task forces, including the education and training committee, research task force, undergraduate teaching project, and guideline development task force.
"His extensive background of service within and outside the AGA provides a strong foundation on which to build and lead," said Dr. Kenneth McQuaid, AGAF, FASGE, chief, gastroenterology section, and professor of clinical medicine, University of California, San Francisco.1
In addition to his major commitments to the AGA, over the years Dr. Laine has been involved with activities of the National Institutes of Health and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, as well as the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy and the American College of Gastroenterology.
A noted clinical investigator, Dr. Laine’s research has focused on all aspects of GI bleeding (variceal, nonvariceal, occult, obscure, and lower), ulcer disease (Helicobacter pylori, NSAIDs, low-dose aspirin), GERD, dyspepsia, and AIDS-related disorders. He is an internationally renowned educator, sought after to lecture at professional society meetings around the world. He is also a highly skilled therapeutic endoscopist who, through his endoscopic studies, has had an enormous impact on how clinicians currently treat variceal and nonvariceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding.
Dr. Laine attended Pomona College in Claremont, Calif., where he majored in chemistry and zoology, graduating magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa. He went to medical school at UCLA, where he also completed his internal medicine residency, and completed his fellowship in GI at the University of California, San Diego.
Until 2011, Dr. Laine was associate chair in the department of medicine of the University of Southern California (USC) School of Medicine and chief of staff of the Los Angeles County + USC Healthcare Network. Last year, he moved east to a new position as professor of medicine and director of clinical research at the Yale University School of Medicine. ☐
Reference
1. Fennerty MB, McQuaid K. Our New President – Loren A. Laine, MD. Gastroenterology 2012;142: 1240-4.
