Lavanya Viswanathan, MD, MS, FACG, FACP
Department of Gastroenterology Hepatology and Nutrition, Division of Internal Medicine
About Lavanya Viswanathan
Dr. Lavanya Viswanathan is Associate Professor within the department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition. She served with distinction in the United States Air Force, where she was Lieutenant Colonel and Chief of the Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Motility at David Grant Medical Center, Travis AFB, CA. During her Air Force career, she practiced medicine internationally as the only motility-trained Gastroenterologist in the Department of Defense and built a comprehensive motility lab at David Grant Medical Center.
While trained in pan-gut motility disorders, she specializes in lower motility disorders. She also holds several editorship and leadership positions within Gastroenterology and Internal Medicine. "The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others." - Mahatma Gandhi
Present Title & Affiliation
Primary Appointment
Associate Professor, Department of Gastroenterology, Hepat,& Nutr, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Clinical Interests
Disorders of Gut-Brain Interaction
Anorectal and Pelvic Floor Dysmotility
Education & Training
Degree-Granting Education
| 2011 | Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, USA, MD, Medical Doctor |
| 2005 | Georgetown University, Washington, DC, USA, MS, Physiology and Biophysics, Complementary and Alternative Medicine |
| 2004 | University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA, BA, Biological Anthropology |
| 2004 | University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA, BS, Physiology and Neurobiology |
Postgraduate Training
| 2015-2018 | Clinical Fellowship, Gastroenterology, Augusta University Medical Center, Augusta, GA |
| 2012-2014 | Clinical Residency, Internal Medicine, San Antonio Uniformed Services Health Education Consortium, San Antonio, TX |
| 2011-2012 | Clinical Internship, Internal Medicine, San Antonio Uniformed Services Health Education Consortium, San Antonio, TX |
Board Certifications
| 2018 | ABIM Gastroenterology |
| 2014 | ABIM Internal Medicine |
Experience & Service
Academic Appointments
Associate Professor, Division of Internal Medicine, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, 2020 - 2024
Clinical Associate Professor, Division of Internal Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, 2018 - 2024
Assistant Professor, Division of Internal Medicine, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, 2015 - 2020
Administrative Appointments/Responsibilities
Chief, Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Motility, David Grant Medical Center, Travis AFB, CA, 2020 - 2024
Staff Physician, Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Motility, David Grant Medical Center, Travis AFB, CA, 2018 - 2020
Military or Other Governmental Service
Lieutenant Colonel, United States Air Force, 2007 - 2024
Honors & Awards
| 2024 | Meritorious Service Medal, United States Air Force |
| 2021 | Lieutenant Colonel, United States Air Force |
| 2019 | Military Health Service Female Physician Leadership Scholarship Award, Department of Defense |
| 2018 | Presidential Poster Award, American College of Gastroenterology |
| 2018 | Young Physicians Leadership Scholars Program, American College of Gastroenterology |
| 2017 | Gastroenterology Research Group Fellow Abstract Prize, American Gastroenterological Association |
| 2016 | Outstanding Resident in Volunteerism and Advocacy Award, American College of Physicians |
| 2015 | Major, United States Air Force |
| 2014 | Outstanding Provider Coin, Department of Defense |
| 2012 | Texas Chapter Grant Recipient, American College of Physicians |
| 2011 | Medical Student Award, Air Force Chapter; American College of Physicians |
| 2011 | Captain, United States Air Force |
| 2011 | American College of Physicians, Military Chapter Internal Medicine Award, Uniformed University of the Health Sciences |
Professional Memberships
Selected Publications
Peer-Reviewed Articles
- Viswanathan L, Hosseini-Carroll P, Surawicz CM. From Glass Slippers to Glass Ceilings: Will We Ever Stop Walking on Broken Glass?. Am J Gastroenterol 119(1):5-9, 2024. e-Pub 2023. PMID: 37466417.
- Viswanathan L, Rao SS. Intestinal Disaccharidase Deficiency in Adults: Evaluation and Treatment. Curr Gastroenterol Rep 25(6):134-139, 2023. e-Pub 2023. PMID: 37199899.
- Singh SP, Panigrahi MK, Patel A, Viswanathan L, Rath MM, Kar SK, Harrison SA. Comparison of Clinical, Biochemical, and Histopathologic Profiles between NAFLD in Asian-Indians and United States Adults. Euroasian J Hepatogastroenterol 12(Suppl 1):S15-S18, 2022. PMID: 36466104.
- Viswanathan L. Percutaneous Tibial Nerve Stimulation vs. Sham for Fecal Incontinence in Women: Neuromodulation for Accidental Bowel Leakage Randomized Clinical Trial, 2022.
- Viswanathan L. GI Jane: Life in the Trenches. American College of Gastroenterology Magazine, 2022.
- Viswanathan L. The Health Care Crisis Nobody is Talking About. Annals of Internal Medicine Fresh Look, 2022.
- Viswanathan L. Of Masks and Men. Annals of Internal Medicine Fresh Look, 2021.
- Viswanathan L. Colorectal Cancer Screening: 45 is the New 50. Annals of Internal Medicine Fresh Look, 2021.
- Viswanathan L, Rao SSC, Kennedy K, Sharma A, Yan Y, Jimenez E. Prevalence of Disaccharidase Deficiency in Adults With Unexplained Gastrointestinal Symptoms. J Neurogastroenterol Motil 26(3):384-390, 2020. PMID: 32380581.
- Kluesner JK, Whang SC, Viswanathan L, Olatunbosun ST. Visual Vignette. Endocr Pract 26(7):799, 2020. e-Pub 2020. PMID: 33471651.
- Desai M, Viswanathan L, Gupta N, Kennedy KF, Repici A, Hassan C, Sharma P. Impact of Electronic Chromoendoscopy on Adenoma Miss Rates During Colonoscopy: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Dis Colon Rectum 62(9):1124-1134, 2019. PMID: 31162375.
- Daniel H, Erickson SM, Bornstein SS, Health and Public Policy Committee of the American College of Physicians, Kane GC, Gantzer HE, Henry TL, Lenchus JD, Li JM, McCandless BM, Nalitt BR, Viswanathan L, Murphy CJ, Azah AM, Marks L. Women's Health Policy in the United States: An American College of Physicians Position Paper. Ann Intern Med 168(12):874-875, 2018. e-Pub 2018. PMID: 29809243.
- Butkus R, Serchen J, Moyer DV, Bornstein SS, Hingle ST, Health and Public Policy Committee of the American College of Physicians, Kane GC, Carney JK, Gantzer HE, Henry TL, Lenchus JD, Li JM, McCandless BM, Nalitt BR, Viswanathan L, Murphy CJ, Azah A, Marks L. Achieving Gender Equity in Physician Compensation and Career Advancement: A Position Paper of the American College of Physicians. Ann Intern Med 168(10):721-723, 2018. e-Pub 2018. PMID: 29710100.
- Daniel H, Bornstein SS, Kane GC, Health and Public Policy Committee of the American College of Physicians, Carney JK, Gantzer HE, Henry TL, Lenchus JD, Li JM, McCandless BM, Nalitt BR, Viswanathan L, Murphy CJ, Azah AM, Marks L. Addressing Social Determinants to Improve Patient Care and Promote Health Equity: An American College of Physicians Position Paper. Ann Intern Med 168(8):577-578, 2018. PMID: 29677265.
- Vasant DH, Sharma A, Bhagatwala J, Viswanathan L, Rao SSC. Apprenticeship-based training in neurogastroenterology and motility. Expert Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol 12(3):215-222, 2018. e-Pub 2017. PMID: 29140124.
- Viswanathan L. Trial Evaluating Ambulatory Therapy of Travelers' Diarrhea (TrEAT TD) Study: A Randomized Controlled Trial Comparing 3 Single-Dose Antibiotic Regimens With Loperamide. Clin Infect Dis, 2017.
- Lavanya V, Manas P, Shivaram S, Anish P, Sanjib K, Stephen H. Comparison of Clinical, Biochemical, and Histopathologic Profiles Between NAFLD in Asian-Indians and United States Adults, 2015.
- Viswanathan L, Patel A. Hepatotoxicity Associated with Herbal Tea Containing Kelp. ACG Case Rep J 1(1):55-7, 2013. e-Pub 2013. PMID: 26157821.
- Viswanathan Lavanya, Angueira Carlos, Patel Anish. Blue Rubber Bleb Nevus Syndrome. Consultantlive, 2013.
- Viswanathan L, Vigersky RA. The effect of herbal medications on thyroid hormone economy and estrogen-sensitive hepatic proteins in a patient with prostate cancer. Arch Intern Med 172(1):58-60, 2012. PMID: 22232148.
- Viswanathan L. Diprosopus Twins, 2011.
- Lubinski C, Aberg J, Bardeguez AD, Elion R, Emmanuel P, Kuritzkes D, Saag M, Squires KE, Weddle A, Rainey J, Zerehi MR, Ralston JF, Fleming DA, Bronson D, Cooke M, Cutler C, Ejnes Y, Gluckman R, Liebow M, Musana K, Mayer ME, Purtle MW, Reynolds PP, Viswanathan L, Weiss KB, Yehia B. HIV policy: the path forward--a joint position paper of the HIV Medicine Association of the Infectious Diseases Society of America and the American College of Physicians. Clin Infect Dis 48(10):1335-44, 2009. PMID: 19385087.
- Ginsburg, Jack, Tia Taylor, Michael S. Barr, J. Fred Ralston, David A. Fleming, David L. Bronson, MD, FACP; Charles Cutler, Yul Ejnes, Robert Gluckman, Mark Liebow, Kenneth Musana, Mark E. Mayer, Mark W. Purtle, P. Preston Reynolds, Lavanya Viswanathan, Kevin B. Weiss, and Baligh Yehia. Nurse Practitioners in Primary Care. American College of Physicians Policy Monograph, 2009.
- Arnold JT, Gray NE, Jacobowitz K, Viswanathan L, Cheung PW, McFann KK, Le H, Blackman MR. Human prostate stromal cells stimulate increased PSA production in DHEA-treated prostate cancer epithelial cells. J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol 111(3-5):240-6, 2008. e-Pub 2008. PMID: 18621129.
Editorials
- Viswanathan L. P is for Physician, 2019.
- Viswanathan L. Sexism in medicine is a public health issue. KevinMD, 2016.
Book Chapters
- Viswanathan L, Rao, SSC. How to Set Up an Endoscopy Center. In: Diagnostic and Therapeutic Procedure in Gastroenterology: An Illustrated Guide, 2018.
- Sampliner Richard, Viswanathan, Lavanya and Sharma, Prateek. Medical Therapy for Barrett’s Esophagus. In: Pearson’s Textbook of Thoracic Surgery, 2017.
- Viswanathan L, Sharma P. Barrett's Esophagus (Am I going to get cancer? What should I do to avoid it?). In: Gastrointestinal Motility Disorders: A Point-of-Care Clinical Guide, 2017.
Patient Reviews
CV information above last modified September 23, 2024