AGA unveils annual recognition award recipients

AGA has named this year’s award recipients, recognizing a standout group of clinicians for their impact on the field of gastroenterology.

The honorees reflect the best of the specialty, from groundbreaking research to outstanding patient care and leadership. AGA will celebrate their achievements at Digestive Disease Week® (DDW) 2026, May 2–5 in Chicago.

Award: William Beaumont Prize in Gastroenterology

Recipient: Stuart Jon Spechler, MD, AGAF, MACG, FAFS

Title: Chief, Division of Gastroenterology, Baylor University Medical Center

Testimonial: “I am so thrilled to be the 2026 recipient of the William Beaumont Prize in Gastroenterology. In my clinical and translational research, my goal has always been to advance the care of patients with digestive diseases. I am incredibly honored to be recognized by AGA with this prize for my contributions in that regard.”

Award: Julius Friedenwald Medal

Recipient: Hashem El-Serag, MD, MPH

Title: Vice President, Learning Health System, Margaret M. and Albert B. Alkek Professor and Chair, Department of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine

Testimonial: “I am deeply honored to receive the Julius Friedenwald Medal from AGA. I accept it with deep gratitude on behalf of the mentors, colleagues, trainees, and collaborators whose partnership has made our collective work to advance gastroenterology and hepatology possible.”

Award: Distinguished Clinician Award, Private Practice

Recipient: Jeffry Nestler, MD

Title: President of Connecticut GI, PC/Co-Physician-in-Chief of the Hartford HealthCare Digestive Health Institute, Hartford Healthcare

Testimonial: “It is a tremendous honor to receive this award which is deeply meaningful to me. It reflects the privilege I have had to work alongside extraordinary colleagues, mentors, and teams who are all committed to advancing patient care and our profession. I am grateful for the opportunity to contribute to a field and community that has given me so much over the course of my career.”

Award: Distinguished Service Award in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Recipient: Rachel Issaka, MD, MAS

Title: Associate Professor; Director, Population Health Colorectal Cancer Screening Program; Kathryn Surace-Smith Endowed Chair in Health Equity Research, Fred Hutch Cancer Center, Seattle

Testimonial: “Receiving the AGA Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Award is a profound validation of our shared commitment to addressing inequities in gastrointestinal health.”

Award: Distinguished Mentor Award

Recipient: Nicholas Davidson, MD, DSc

Title: John E. and Adaline Simon Professor of Medicine and Developmental Biology; Director, Digestive Disease Research Core Center; Chief, Division of Gastroenterology, WashU Medicine

Testimonial: “I am deeply honored to be recognized with the AGA Distinguished Mentor Award, as a reflection of my lifelong commitment to nurturing and supporting future generations of leaders in Gastroenterology. This award also celebrates the accomplishments and goals of my mentees and validates our collective mission in fostering an environment that advances patient care and discovery, while developing and nurturing the next generation of leaders.”

Award: Distinguished Clinician Award, Academic Practice

Recipient: William M. Lee, MD

Title: Professor Emeritus of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas

Testimonial: “It is a great personal honor to have been nominated for and to have received this amazing award. I couldn't imagine a more fulfilling, gratifying, or fun career, which must be why I continued on until age 84! I would like to thank the many colleagues, patients and staff who supported me so loyally over these many years.”

Award: Distinguished Educator Award

Recipient: Steven Itzkowitz, MD, FACP, FACG, AGAF

Title: Professor of Medicine, Oncological Sciences and Medical Education, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

Testimonial: “Being an educator is an integral part of my identity. I am a firm believer in the adage: ‘Give a person a fish, and you feed them for a day; teach a person to fish, and you feed them for a lifetime.’ While I have been recognized for lifelong service as a medical educator by my home institution, and a national Gold Humanism award, receiving the 2026 Distinguished Educator Award from AGA fills me with enormous pride that my efforts are appreciated at the national level. I am completely indebted to my mentors, my students, my trainees and mentees, my patients, and most importantly, my family — all of whom taught me the wisdom and lessons I try my best to convey to others.”

Award: Distinguished Achievement Award in Basic Science

Recipient: Klaus H. Kaestner, PhD, MS

Title: Suor Butterworth Professor of Genetics, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine

Testimonial: “Having the work of my laboratory over the last three decades validated by AGA Distinguished Achievement Award in Basic Science means the world to me. It is wonderful to realize that my esteemed colleagues value my contributions.”

Award: Young Investigator Award in Clinical Science

Recipient: Manasi Agrawal, MD, MS

Title: Assistant Professor of Medicine/Director of Environmental Gastroenterology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

Testimonial: “Receiving the AGA Young Investigator Award is a highly meaningful recognition from one of the most respected societies in our field, affirming the impact of early-career research to gastroenterology. For me, it represents an encouragement to continue pursuing rigorous, high-impact questions at the intersection of environmental health and inflammatory bowel disease.”

Award: Young Investigator Award in Basic Science

Recipient: Melinda Engevik, PhD

Title: Associate Professor, Medical University of South Carolina

Testimonial: "Receiving the AGA Young Investigator Award in Basic Science is a tremendous honor, and I am sincerely grateful to the AGA community for their support throughout my career. This recognition reflects the dedication, creativity, and hard work of my trainees and collaborators, whose contributions make these discoveries possible. It also underscores the importance of fundamental research in advancing our understanding of gastrointestinal biology and disease. I am deeply appreciative of AGA for fostering a collaborative and innovative scientific community, and I am honored to be part of it."