Diagnosis and management of irritable bowel syndrome

Dr Chang is an Associate Professor of Medicine in the Division of Digestive Diseases and Department of Medicine at UCLA and is the Director of the UCLA Motility Unit. She is also the Director of the Women's Digestive Health Center, which is the clinical program under the newly established CNS: Center for Neurovisceral Sciences & Women's Health at UCLA. Dr Chang received her medical degree at the UCLA School of Medicine. She completed her internal medicine residency at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center and her GI fellowship training in the UCLA Affiliated GI Fellowship Training Program. Dr Chang also worked as an Associate Consultant in the Department of Gastroenterology at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.

Dr Chang's main area of research is the pathophysiology of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) with particular interests in the overlap of IBS with fibromyalgia (FM), as well as gender differences and neuroendocrine alterations. She is principal investigator on two NIH RO1 grants studying the central and peripheral mechanisms underlying IBS. Her previous research in these syndromes has shown that afflicted patients have altered somatic and visceral perceptual and CNS responses. Her present studies are addressing the general hypothesis that a neurobiological model exists in patients with IBS and FM, with alterations in the following CNS responses to stressors: inadequate antinociceptive responses, and altered hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis response, autonomic balance and neuroimmune modulation. Her research is also exploring the sex- and gender-related differences in these pathophysiologic mechanisms.

Dr Chang has been a principal investigator on numerous clinical research trials examining the effects of novel treatments for functional bowel disorders. These studies are carried out at two clinical research centers, one on the UCLA campus in Westwood and the other at the UCLA VA Medical Center (VAGLAHS). In addition, Dr Chang is a member of the American College of Gastroenterology, the American Gastroenterological Association, and the Society for Neuroscience.

She is the author or co-author of numerous publications, including peer-reviewed journal articles, book chapters, reviews, editorials, and abstracts. In addition, she has served as reviewer for numerous journals. She has given many clinical and research presentations at national and international meetings, and teaching lectures to physician and patient groups and at the UCLA School of Medicine. Dr Chang has been the recipient of the Young Investigator Award from the American Motility Society, Auxiliary Award from the American College of Gastroenterology, and the Janssen Award in Gastroenterology for Basic or Clinical Research.