Anita Afzali MD, MPH, FACG

Anita Afzali, MD, MPH, FACG, is an Associate Professor of Clinical Medicine and a gastroenterologist who specializes in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) at The Ohio State University (OSU) Wexner Medical Center. She is the Medical Director of the OSU Inflammatory Bowel Disease Center and holds the Abercrombie & Fitch Endowed Chair in Inflammatory Bowel Disease. Dr. Afzali received her medical degree and completed her internal medicine residency and gastroenterology fellowship at the University of Washington in Seattle, WA. While in fellowship, she worked in outcomes research and epidemiology, and graduated with a master’s degree in public health (MPH). Her subspecialty training includes a 1-year advanced IBD fellowship at the University of Washington, prior to becoming faculty at the University of Washington – Harborview Medical Center where she served as Director of the IBD Program and Associate Medical Director of the Gastroenterology Clinics. She is currently pursing another master’s degree at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, to obtain a Master’s in Healthcare Management (MHCM).

Dr. Afzali’s research interests include clinical outcomes and association of bowel and joint disease, influence of the metabolic syndrome, and impact of race/ethnicity in IBD, as well as pharmacoeconomics, pediatric-to-adult transition, and women of childbearing age with IBD. She is extensively involved in IBD clinical trials research and is OSU site principal investigator in nearly 30 clinical trials. Dr. Afzali has extensive peer-reviewed publications and is an invited lecturer of national and international programs. She serves on several advisory boards and committees, including as co-Chair of the Crohn’s & Colitis National Professional Education Committee, Board Member of the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation – Central Ohio, Board Member of the Ohio Gastroenterology Society, as well as Member of the Oversight Committee for Promoting Access and Care Through Centres of Excellence (PACE) program for Crohn’s and Colitis Canada. Dr. Afzali is also a member of the American College of Gastroenterology (ACG) Minority Affairs and Cultural Diversity Committee and ACG Education Committee.

She serves as Associate Editor of the American Journal of Gastroenterology, Associate Editor of the Current Treatment Options in Gastroenterology Journal, and Co-Editor of the World Gastroenterology Organization quarterly newsletter e-WGN.