Watch IFFGD’s 2026 Virtual Advocacy & Education Event
Whether you are living with a chronic GI condition or you know someone who is, you understand the true impact of these conditions on those affected and the need for greater research funding for treatments and cures.
This Virtual Education Event provides presentations for patients, caregivers, and other members of the digestive health community on resources to assist with your illness journey and ways to advocate from the comfort of your home.
Please email advocacy@iffgd.org if you have any questions relating to this event or future advocacy efforts.
Advocating for Medical Research Funding
This year, IFFGD’s Virtual Advocacy Event focuses on the critical role medical research funding plays in advancing care for the GI community. Research drives progress — leading to better diagnoses, improved treatments, new medications, and ultimately hope for cures. Advocating for increased medical funding for gastrointestinal and motility disorders is essential to ensure this progress continues. During this event, you’ll learn why advocacy matters and hear directly from researchers whose funded work has made a meaningful impact on patients’ lives. Together, we can raise our voices to help shape the future of GI care.
Why is Advocating for Medical Research Funding Important?
Michigan Medicine
During this presentation, learn more about the importance of medical research and how advocating for more medical research funding can help advance progress in diagnosis, treatments, and improved quality of life for patients living with GI disorders.
Eric D. Shah is an Associate Professor in the Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology and serves as Director of the Michigan Medicine GI Physiology Laboratories.
GI Research Funded by Government Agencies
MUSC
Overview Coming Soon
Amol Sharma is the Donald O. Castell Endowed Chair in Gastroenterology at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC), with a clinical and translational focus in Neurogastroenterology and Motility, particularly diabetic gastroparesis and Parkinson’s disease. His research centers on the gut-brain axis and the development of innovative, non-invasive neuromodulation therapies. He currently leads NIH-funded, multi-center studies advancing treatment approaches for diabetic gastroparesis and serves as a principal investigator within the NIDDK-supported Gut-Brain Parkinson’s Disease Consortium.
Cedars-Sinai
Overview Coming Soon
Christopher Almario is the Associate Professor of Medicine at Cedar-Sinai. His research interests include digital medicine, health services research, cost-effectiveness analysis, clinical informatics, and development of technologies that improve health care delivery.
The Gut and Mind Connection to Gulf War Veterans' Illnesses
In this presentation, you will hear about research related to the Gut and Mind Connection to Gulf War Veterans’
Dr. Chatterjee is a human physiologist with specialized training in immunology. He earned his PhD in inflammation biology at the Bhabha Atomic Research Center and completed postdoctoral training at the NIH’s National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. His research focuses on host–microbiome interactions, redox biology, and gut–brain pathways in inflammatory diseases. In addition to his academic appointments, he serves as a Research Health Scientist with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs at the Long Beach VA Medical Center.
Nonprofit Spotlight
Learn more about the GI Nutrition Foundation, which is dedicated to improving the lives and health outcomes of those living with GI conditions, including Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, IBS, celiac disease, and eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE), through evidence-based nutrition. They empower patients and clinicians with current, comprehensive, and practical educational resources that support nutrition as a core component of GI care.
Learn more about the Strategic Alliance for Intercultural Advocacy, formerly known as the South Asian IBD Alliance. This organization works to create culturally sensitive resources, research, and education for patients, caregivers and healthcare providers managing chronic GI conditions in order to minimize delays, dispel stigma, promote early diagnosis, and improve access to treatment for all.
Learn more about the Superior Mesenteric Artery Syndrome Research Awareness and Support Foundation, which promotes research for SMAS, educates about this rare disease, advocates for early diagnosis, and provides patient support. Learn more about this organization.
Frequently Asked Questions
Email advocacy@iffgd.org before, during, or after the event.
All are welcome to participate! Many people are impacted by gastrointestinal disorders and we invite everyone to attend.
You can use the button above or by clicking the link below to register
No, this is a pre-recorded event so you will be watching the event as a viewer. As always, please email advocacy@iffgd.org with any questions or comments.
Poor internet connection or cellular service can affect the quality of your connection to this event.
You can connect using a computer, laptop, tablet, cell phone, or any other device with an internet connection.
The presentations will be visible on our YouTube channel
This event will have pre-recorded videos. You can leave comments on the videos and the IFFGD team will do our best to answer any questions you may have. You can also email us with questions at iffgd@iffgd.org
No worries! Even if you are in a different time zone, this event will be available as they contain pre-recorded videos and will be accessible even after March 15, 2025
Participants can receive a certificate for attending this virtual event after the completion of our post event survey.
We have tailored the content of this event to address the needs of our patient community. During this event, participants will learn about other nonprofits and government agencies that are made available to support patients and their caregivers living with gastrointestinal (GI) disorders. You will also learn ways to advocate for yourself and loved ones from the comfort of your own home.
No, this is a complimentary event. In fact, all of IFFGD’s programs and events are made available to our patient community at no cost!
This event should last no more than 4 hours. All videos will become available on March 15th, 2025 and will be accessible through our YouTube Channel and the Video Corner