Houston Methodist Underwood Center Presenters Lead Lineup at DDW 2025

Digestive Disease Week will be hosted May 3-6 in San Diego. Considered the largest and most prestigious conference in the world for GI professionals, DDW 2025 provides an unparalleled opportunity to learn about the latest developments in gastroenterology, hepatology, endoscopy and gastrointestinal surgery.

As in years past, faculty from Houston Methodist's Underwood Center for Digestive Health will be featured in a wealth of presentations, including state-of-the-art lectures, poster sessions, research forums and plenary sessions.

"DDW 2025 underscores our continued commitment to driving innovation and clinical excellence," said Dr. Eamonn Quigley, chief of Gastroenterology at Houston Methodist. "The depth and breadth of our contributions reflect the Underwood Center's leadership role in shaping the future of digestive health."

Underwood Center faculty invited to speak at DDW 2025

Dr. Quigley will deliver the Frances and Don W. Powell, MD Lecture at 8:30 a.m. Saturday, May 3 on "Small Intestinal Microbiota as Modulator of Functional and Inflammatory GI Disease." The translational symposium will ask attendees to consider how they diagnose small intestinal bacterial overgrowth — via microbial composition, quantity or function?

Dr. Sudha Kodali, medical director of the Liver Tumor Program at Houston Methodist, will present during "Hepatology for the Gastroenterologist" at 10 a.m. on Sunday, May 4. This clinical symposium provides evidence-based advice on early management of common liver problems encountered in a GI clinic, including how to determine if a referral to a hepatologist is warranted.

Houston Methodist hepatologist-gastroenterologist Dr. Mazen Noureddin will deliver a state-of-the-art lecture at 11 a.m. on Monday, May 5 entitled "Update on Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease Therapies Pipeline." An internationally recognized leader in MASLD research, Dr. Noureddin will present new results from the Once-Monthly Efimosfermin Alfa (BOS-580) in Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatohepatitis with F2/F3 Fibrosis: A 24 Week, Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Phase 2 Trial.

Dr. Bincy Abraham, director of the Underwood Center's Fondren Inflammatory Bowel Disease Program, will lead multiple sessions starting with "AGA/ASGE Postgraduate Breakout Session on Inpatient Management of Acute Severe Ulcerative Colitis and Severe Crohn's Disease" at 12:15 p.m. on Saturday, May 3; and "AGA Board Review Course on GI Diseases in Pregnancy" at 3:16 on Sunday, May 4. Additionally, Dr. Abraham will moderate two research forum panel discussions — "Emerging Strategies for the Management of Complicated IBD" at 10 a.m. on Monday, May 5; and "IBD Complications" at 8 a.m. on Tuesday, May 6.

In addition to the speakers above, Underwood Center poster presentations at DDW 2025 will feature topics from innovative IBD predictors to advanced endoscopic techniques to novel insights into diagnostic methodologies and treatment outcomes in hepatology and GI surgery.

"This year represents our largest participation at DDW ever, with a total of 34 abstracts accepted — 17 more than last year — and Underwood Center faculty members leading many high-profile lectures and breakout sessions," said Dr. Quigley.

Underwood Center poster presentations include:

Saturday, May 3, 12:30 p.m.

• "Once-Monthly Efimosfermin Alfa Improves Fast and FIB-4 Composite Biomarker for MASH Stage F2/F3 Fibrosis in a 24-Week Phase 2 Trial" presented by Dr. Mazen Noureddin
• "Predictors of MACE in Inflammatory Bowel Disease" presented by Dr. Christopher Fan and Dr. Bincy Abraham
• "Role of Antibiotic Prophylaxis for Endoscopic Colorectal Resection: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis" presented by Dr. Thomas McCarty
• "Outcomes of Per Oral Endoscopic Myotomy (POEM) with Short Esophageal Myotomy and Low Delta Distensibility Index (DI)" presented by Dr. Ali Raza, Dr. Thomas McCarty and Dr. Sunil Dacha

Sunday, May 4, 12:30 p.m.

• "Utility of Triple Modality Testing by Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography in Patients with HILAR Biliary Strictures" presented by Dr. Thomas McCarty, Dr. Ali Raza and Dr. Sunil Dacha
• "Establishing Standards of Practice for Transoral Outlet Reduction (TORE): A Global Expert Consensus Using a Modified Delphi Method" presented by Dr. Thomas McCarty

Monday, May 5, 12:30 p.m.

• "Diurnal, Age- and Sex-Related Variations in Hydrogen and Methane Excretion as Detected by a Handheld Personal Gas Analyzer" presented by Dr. Eamonn Quigley
• "Comparative Outcomes Following Cholecystectomy with Bile Duct Exploration vs. Cholecystectomy Alone: A Propensity Score-Matched Analysis" presented by Dr. Thomas McCarty
• "Endoscopic Closure of a Large Duodenal Diverticulum Using a Novel Helical Tack-Based System" presented by Dr. Thomas McCarty
• "Patients Without Baseline Pruritus Who Initiate Treatment with OCA Have Similar Risk of Developing Treatment-Emergent Pruritus as Those Who are Not on Treatment with OCA" presented by Dr. David Victor

Tuesday, May 6, 12:30 p.m.

• "Developing a Multi-Class Learning Algorithm for Identification of IBD in Electronic Medical Records: Integrating ICD-10 Codes and Clinical Keywords" presented by Dr. Bincy Abraham and Dr. Christopher Fan
• "Dietary Patterns and Prevalence of Disorders of Gut-Brain Interaction — Analyses from the Rome Foundation Global Epidemiology Survey" presented by Dr. Eamonn Quigley