Gastroenterologist Mouen Khashab specializes in therapeutic endoscopy, and he oversees this group of practitioners across the Johns Hopkins enterprise. Nationally and internationally known in the field of interventional endoscopy, Dr. Khashab has contributed immensely to the field’s advancement as a minimally invasive means to treat gastrointestinal and pancreaticobiliary disorders. Dr. Khashab earned his medical degree from the American University of Beirut Faculty of Medicine, and subsequently completed a residency in internal medicine and a fellowship in gastroenterology at Indiana University. He then completed a two-year fellowship at The Johns Hopkins Hospital before joining the faculty in 2011. A busy researcher, Dr. Khashab has published more than 600 papers in peer-reviewed journals. In 2013, he described the procedure called gastric peroral endoscopic myotomy (known as G-POEM) and was able to disseminate and teach it all over the world. Other procedures that he expanded include peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM), peroral endoscopic myotomy with fundoplication (POEM-F), Zenker’s peroral endoscopic myotomy (Z-POEM) and full thickness resection. In 2022, he received the Master Endoscopist Award from the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE) for his numerous contributions to the field. His procedural expertise includes endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), endoscopic ultrasound (EUS), interventional EUS, submucosal endoscopy, POEM/achalasia, endoscopic mucosal resection, endoscopic submucosal dissection, luminal stenting, large polyp resection and Barrett’s therapy, among others. Dr. Khashab is involved with multiple gastrointestinal societies and has served on many committees, including the ASGE Standards of Practice Committee, which is in charge of formulating guidelines for the practice of endoscopy. He has also served as an associate editor for the journal Endoscopy, a premier journal in the field. Khashab is a highly sought-after speaker at national and international conferences, and he has participated in multiple live endoscopy conferences. Outside of academic medicine, Dr. Khashab is an entrepreneur. His major interest is in new technology and medical devices, and his goal is to disrupt the field by introducing technology that makes endoscopic procedures safer, easier, efficient and more scalable. Dr. Khashab is rated as an Elite provider by MediFind in the treatment of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD). His top areas of expertise are Achalasia, Pancreatic Pseudocyst, Bile Duct Obstruction, Endoscopy, and Gastric Bypass.

Lee Akst, M.D., specializes in treating the larynx (voicebox), in particular the treatment of voice and swallowing disorders. He is a leading laryngologist in office-based procedures such as vocal fold injection augmentation, pulsed KTP laser treatment, and laryngeal botox injection. In the operating room, Dr. Akst specializes in phonosurgery for the treatment of vocal cord disease, with emphasis on voice restoration and improvement. A strong focus of his practice involves the use of pulsed angiolytic lasers, which allow for subspecialized care of laryngeal papillomas, laryngeal dysplasia, and early vocal cord cancers while preserving the quality and strength of the voice. Dr. Akst is a national leader in the field of laryngology and serves in leadership roles for the American Laryngological Association, the American Broncho-Esophagological Association, and the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery. He lectures extensively on the treatment of laryngeal disease, teaching other physicians how to care for patients with voice and swallowing concerns. His research interests include the development of robotic laryngeal surgery, the study of voice and swallowing complaints in the elderly, and the advancement of pulsed lasers for the treatment of laryngeal diseases with a focus on leukoplakia. This provider is registered with the Florida Department of Health to perform telehealth services for patients in Florida. Dr. Akst is rated as a Distinguished provider by MediFind in the treatment of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD). His top areas of expertise are Spasmodic Dysphonia, Laryngitis, Perichondritis, Endoscopy, and Laryngectomy.

Gina Adrales, M.D., M.P.H., joins the Johns Hopkins Department of Surgery as Director of the Division of Minimally Invasive Surgery, Director of the Minimally Invasive Surgery Training and Innovation Center, and Co-Director of the Johns Hopkins Bariatric Surgery Fellowship. Her areas of clinical expertise include gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), gallbladder disease, achalasia, splenectomy (spleen removal), benign gastric and intestinal surgery, bariatric surgery, and open and laparoscopic hernia repair (inguinal, ventral, incisional, umbilical, hiatal, paraesophageal). Dr. Adrales has been named an associate member of the American College of Surgeons' Academy of Master Surgeon Educators. Awardees are recognized for having devoted their careers to surgical education and are considered premier leaders in their respective fields. Prior to joining Johns Hopkins, Dr. Adrales was on faculty at Dartmouth where she directed the Surgery Clerkship, the Hernia Surgery Center, and the Bariatric Surgery Program. During her tenure at Dartmouth, she earned her Masters of Public Health at The Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice. She received her undergraduate degree from the College of William and Mary and her medical degree from the University of Virginia. She completed her residency at the Carolinas Medical Center and a research and clinical fellowship in minimally invasive surgery at the University of Kentucky before her first faculty appointment at the Medical College of Georgia. A national leader in hernia surgery, Dr. Adrales serves on the Executive Council of the Americas Hernia Society and previously served on the Executive Council of the Americas Hernia Society Quality Collaborative to improve the safety and quality of hernia surgery. She is actively involved in a number of committees for the Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons including various roles in surgical education, the development of the Fundamentals of Endoscopic Surgery and an innovative interactive hernia surgery education module. Dr. Adrales’ research interests include health services research, clinical outcomes and quality improvement in minimally invasive foregut surgery, bariatric and metabolic surgery, and abdominal wall reconstruction. She has presented her work regionally, nationally, and internationally. Dr. Adrales is rated as an Advanced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD). Her top areas of expertise are Hernia, Hiatal Hernia, Gastroparesis, Gastrectomy, and Sleeve Gastrectomy.

Gastroenterologist Saowanee Ngamruengphong specializes in the endoscopic diagnosis and management of gastrointestinal malignancies, premalignant and malignant lesions in the gastrointestinal tract (e.g., early gastric cancer, Barrett's esophagus-associated neoplasia), esophageal cancer, colon polyps or early colorectal cancer, and pancreatic and biliary disease. Dr. Ngamruengphong earned a medical degree from Chulalongkorn University and completed residency training at the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center. She undertook fellowship training in gastroenterology at the Mayo School of Graduate Medical Education and further fellowship training in therapeutic endoscopy at The Johns Hopkins Hospital. Her research interests include endoscopic resection and the management of precancerous or cancerous gastrointestinal lesions. Dr. Ngamruengphong is a member of several professional organizations, including the Thai Medical Council, the American College of Gastroenterology and the American Gastroenterological Association. Videos Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection (ESD) — Eileen’s Story Recent News Articles and Media Coverage A Rare, Stomach-Saving Endoscopic Procedure, Inside Tract (Spring 2021) Case Presentation: ESD-TAMIS, Inside Tract (Spring 2019) Innovative Approaches to Colorectal Surgery Benefit Patients, Surgery (Winter 2019) For Colorectal Polyps: Early Detection and Minimally Invasive Endoscopic Resection, Inside Tract (Winter, 2019) The Cutting Edge of Endoscopic Resection, Inside Tract (Spring, 2017) Stomach Cancer: Know Your Risks & Treatment Options, Johns Hopkins Surgery (4/26/2017). Dr. Ngamruengphong is rated as an Advanced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD). Her top areas of expertise are Achalasia, Pancreatic Pseudocyst, Stomach Cancer, Endoscopy, and Gastric Bypass.

Loc Le is a Gastroenterologist in Baltimore, Maryland. Dr. Le is rated as a Distinguished provider by MediFind in the treatment of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD). His top areas of expertise are Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD), Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), Barrett Esophagus, Colonoscopy, and Endoscopy.

Laryngologist Simon Best specializes in voice and airway disorders, including the comprehensive care of professional voice-users and performers. He treats patients diagnosed with recurrent respiratory papillomatosis (RRP), vocal cord paralysis, laryngeal cancer, precancerous vocal cord dysplasia, benign laryngeal lesions (polyps, cysts, nodules), and laryngeal and tracheal stenosis. He has expertise in the operative management of vocal cord disorders, including Blue Light laser surgery and office-based management of vocal cord papilloma, dysplasia and vocal cord paralysis. Dr. Best earned a medical degree from the Yale School of Medicine and completed residency training in Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. He undertook fellowship training in laryngology at Massachusetts General Hospital. Dr. Best has a particular clinical and research interest in recurrent respiratory papillomatosis and sees patients from across the country for specialized care for this disorder. He offers operative and office-based laser for papilloma, utilizing the Blue Light laser, which allows for precise excision of papilloma while preserving underlying vocal function. Dr. Best is also a pioneer in the adjuvant use of bevacizumab for RRP, helping many patients break the cycle of repeated surgeries. The Best Laboratory studies RRP and the development of novel immunotherapies to target the underlying viral infection. This research is conducted in collaboration with the head and neck cancer and cervical cancer research groups at Johns Hopkins, which also study human papillomavirus-related diseases. In addition, Johns Hopkins is a site for ongoing clinical trials in DNA immunotherapy, the goal of which is to eliminate the causative viral infection that leads to RRP. Dr. Best is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD). His top areas of expertise are Laryngeal Nerve Damage, Recurrent Respiratory Papillomatosis, Spasmodic Dysphonia, Laryngectomy, and Gastrostomy.

Alexander Hillel specializes in the medical and surgical management of patients who have scar tissue blocking their larynx and/or trachea, a condition called laryngotracheal stenosis. This condition occurs in patients who have had prolonged intubation, an autoimmune disease or a rare disease called idiopathic subglottic stenosis. He also treats patients with voice and throat problems, including spasmodic dysphonia and swallowing difficulty. After he earned his medical degree from the Tulane University School of Medicine, Dr. Hillel completed his residency in otolaryngology–head and neck surgery at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and a fellowship in laryngology and airway surgery at the Emory Voice Center. Dr. Hillel directs a laboratory that seeks to better understand why scar forms in the larynx and trachea. In an effort to improve treatment, he and his team investigate the relationship between the immune system, bacteria and other antigens and scar formation in the airway. He has led a number of clinical trials to improve treatment for subglottic stenosis, including the first interventional study for idiopathic subglottic stenosis. Researchers in Dr. Hillel’s lab are also testing drugs that may halt the progression of, or reverse, scar formation, and they have engineered a drug-eluting stent that is being tested to translate to patients with subglottic stenosis. He holds sponsored grants to conduct his research from the National Institutes of Health, surgical foundations and the medical device industry. In addition to clinical and research work, Dr. Hillel has a leadership role within the Department of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, serving as the vice director of education. Dr. Hillel is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD). His top areas of expertise are Spasmodic Dysphonia, Subglottic Stenosis, Perichondritis, Laryngectomy, and Endoscopy.

Jonathan Schreiber is a Gastroenterologist in Baltimore, Maryland. Dr. Schreiber is rated as a Distinguished provider by MediFind in the treatment of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD). His top areas of expertise are Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD), Morning Sickness, Esophagitis, Endoscopy, and Gastrostomy. Dr. Schreiber is currently accepting new patients.

Dr. Wolfe's practice includes all aspects of primary care, with an emphasis on women's health. She attended Medical School at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine in Cleveland, Ohio. She completed a primary care residency at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center. Videos 2016 Excellence in Service and Professionalism Award - Leah Wolfe, M.D., Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center. Dr. Wolfe is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD). Her top areas of expertise are Autoimmune Hepatitis, Hepatitis, Familial Hypertension, and Glucocorticoid-Remediable Aldosteronism.

Brenda Zosa, M.D., is a fellowship-trained minimally invasive surgeon in the Johns Hopkins Department of Surgery. She has advanced training in foregut surgery, bariatric surgery, advanced endoscopy, and abdominal wall reconstruction surgery. Dr. Zosa joins Johns Hopkins after completing her fellowship at the University of Wisconsin in Madison, WI. She sees patients experiencing a range of gastroenterology conditions, and can provide patients advanced therapeutic endoscopy treatments including per oral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) and per oral pyloromyotomy (POP). Dr. Zosa sees patients at the Johns Hopkins Outpatient Center and Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center in Baltimore, and the Johns Hopkins Health Care & Surgery Center – Green Spring Station in Lutherville. Dr. Zosa is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD). Her top areas of expertise are Hernia, Hiatal Hernia, Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia, and Gastroparesis.

Alexandra Lazzara is an assistant professor of pediatrics with the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. Dr. Lazzara’s research is focused on communication with families and decision making for infants with chronic critical illness. She is currently piloting a web-based decision aid for families making resuscitation decisions at the limits of viability and plans to expand this framework to other disease processes commonly seen in the NICU. Dr. Lazzara is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD). Her top areas of expertise are Intraventricular Hemorrhage of the Newborn and Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD).

Dr. Bulat joins Johns Hopkins from Tulane University, where he was director of the neurogastroenterology and motility service and director of the GI training program. He specializes in motility and functional disorders, with an emphasis on gastroparesis. He completed his master’s degree (neuroscience) and doctorate (physiology and pharmacology) in the area of smooth muscle function, as well as motility subspecialty training, at McMaster University. Dr. Bulat is an accomplished researcher and has authored several publications and book chapters in his field of interest. Dr. Bulat is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD). His top areas of expertise are Gastroparesis, Gastric Dysmotility, Morning Sickness, Gastrectomy, and Endoscopy.

Matthew Kashima, M.D., specializes in the treatment of diseases of the ears, nose, and throat. Dr. Kashima is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD). His top areas of expertise are Infant Hearing Loss, DFNB1, Jones Syndrome, Nonsyndromic Hearing Loss, and Gastrostomy.

Dr. Akshintala received his medical degree from the Andhra Medical College in India in 2011. Following this, he completed a post-doctoral research fellowship in Gastroenterology at Johns Hopkins Hospital where he established himself as a dedicated researcher. Dr. Akshintala completed his internship and residency training in Internal Medicine at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center in 2016. He completed his fellowship in Gastroenterology at Johns Hopkins Hospital in 2019. Dr. Akshintala then completed additional fellowships in Advanced Endoscopy and Medical Pancreatology at the Johns Hopkins Hospital in 2021. As of July 1, 2021, Dr. Akshintala is an Assistant Professor of Medicine in the Division of Gastroenterology at Johns Hopkins Hospital. Dr. Akshintala’s research is focused on the medical as well as endoscopic evaluation and treatment of inflammatory disorders of the pancreas. He is also interested in developing new devices and technologies for the care of patients with gastrointestinal disorders. Dr. Akshintala has conducted multi-national randomized-controlled trials and has won numerous awards at major national and international conferences for his research. He also has authored more than 60 original articles, editorials, book chapters and review articles. Dr. Akshintala has received grant funding from the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE) and the Maryland State to support his research. As an innovator, Dr. Akshintala has patented new therapies for gastrointestinal bleeding and pancreas necrosis, a complication of acute pancreatitis. An internationally recognized researcher conducting multi-national clinical trials, Dr. Akshintala holds an Adjunct Assistant Professor position at the Asian Institute of Gastroenterology in India, one of the largest gastroenterology hospitals in the world. Dr. Akshintala is a Ph.D. candidate with the Dutch Pancreatitis Study Group in the Netherlands, who have been pioneered landmark clinical trials related to pancreatitis. Dr. Akshintala offers in-person clinic visits at the Baltimore location and also provides telemedicine visits for patients located in Maryland, Washington, D.C. and Virginia. Dr. Akshintala is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD). His top areas of expertise are Hereditary Pancreatitis, Acute Pancreatitis, Chronic Pancreatitis, Endoscopy, and Lithotripsy.

Dr. Berger is Associate Professor in the Johns Hopkins Division of General Internal Medicine and Core Faculty at the Johns Hopkins Berman Institute of Bioethics, with joint appointment in the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. With an active practice in primary care internal medicine at Johns Hopkins, Dr. Berger focuses his clinical, educational, and research work, as well as his widely read publications for the lay public, on the ways in which shared decision making in the doctor-patient encounter might be in conflict with medical evidence and the political, social, and psychological realities of the patient. Dr. Berger teaches residents in their internal medicine clinic and medical students on the wards at Johns Hopkins Hospital, and is part of a Berman faculty team which teaches bioethics to residents in a number of Johns Hopkins specialty programs. He is also staff physician at the Esperanza Clinic Health Center, a free clinic serving undocumented Spanish-speaking immigrants. Dr. Berger is the author of two books for the lay public on doctor-patient communication and on patient preference in the context of medical evidence. Dr. Berger is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD). His top areas of expertise are Maturity Onset Diabetes of the Young, Type 2 Diabetes (T2D), Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), and Nontuberculous Mycobacterial Lung Disease.

Emily Carper is a primary care provider, practicing in Family Medicine in Baltimore, Maryland. Dr. Carper is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD). Her top areas of expertise are Obesity, Maturity Onset Diabetes of the Young, Hypertension, and Glucocorticoid-Remediable Aldosteronism.

Michael Randolph is a primary care provider, practicing in Internal Medicine in Baltimore, Maryland. Dr. Randolph is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD). His top areas of expertise are End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD), Hypertensive Heart Disease, Enlarged Liver, and Pediatric Myocarditis. Dr. Randolph is currently accepting new patients.

Kalpana Atluri is a primary care provider, practicing in Internal Medicine in Baltimore, Maryland. Dr. Atluri is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD). Her top areas of expertise are Nephrosclerosis, Renovascular Hypertension, Maturity Onset Diabetes of the Young, and Glucocorticoid-Remediable Aldosteronism.

Thomas Abernathy is a Gastroenterologist in Catonsville, Maryland. Dr. Abernathy is rated as an Advanced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD). His top areas of expertise are Lactose Intolerance, Familial Adenomatous Polyposis, Hemorrhoids, Gastrectomy, and Colonoscopy.

Allen Banegura is a Gastroenterologist in Catonsville, Maryland. Dr. Banegura is rated as an Advanced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD). His top areas of expertise are Familial Adenomatous Polyposis, Angiodysplasia of the Colon, Esophagitis, Gastrectomy, and Colonoscopy.