New gastroenterology division chief appointed

A scientist who has received national research honors has been selected as the new chief of the University of Florida College of Medicine’s division of gastroenterology, hepatology and nutrition.

Dr. Richard V. Benya joined the faculty Jan. 15. Most recently, he was at the University of Illinois at Chicago, where he founded and directed the institution’s GI Cancer Center. Previously Benya worked as a clinical associate with the digestive diseases branch of the National Institutes of Health.

In his new position, Benya will oversee the work of 14 faculty members and nine fellows and will report to Dr. Phillip Toskes chair of the department of medicine.

Last year, the American Gastroenterological Association presented Benya with its Young Investigator Award, given annually to a scientist younger than 45 who has made significant contributions to gastrointestinal research. Benya has focused his research on the role of two unrelated peptide hormones in certain diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, including colon cancer.

His discoveries include the determination that gastrin-releasing peptide receptors play an important role in regulating the shape and appearance of colon cancer cells. He also discovered that galanin receptors contribute significantly to infectious diarrhea.

While at UF, Benya will work to enhance the division’s basic research program and to expand its educational efforts. He also hopes to develop outreach programs to bring community physicians to UF for advanced specialized training unavailable elsewhere.

“GI is arguably the most exciting branch of medicine,” Benya said.

“I want to share this with medical students and residents at UF in ways that will result in their wanting to pursue additional training and education in our discipline.”

Benya earned his medical degree from Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, N.C., and completed a gastroenterology fellowship at Georgetown University Hospital in Washington, D.C.