Jasmohan S. Bajaj, M.D., a professor in the Department of Internal Medicine’s Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition and at the Richmond VA Medical Center, will serve as co-editor-in-chief of the American Journal of Gastroenterology, also known as the Red Journal. It is the official clinical journal of the American College of Gastroenterology, with monthly issues publishing original research articles, review articles, editorials and other content providing practical and professional support for gastroenterologists.
Bajaj and his co-editor, Millie Long, M.D., an associate professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, will begin their three-year terms with the January 2022 issue.
“The overall ethos is for the Red Journal to bolster the standing it currently holds as a ‘one-stop shop’ where our clinical readership can enhance their practice and patient management skills,” said Bajaj. “The overall vision for the journal is to ensure it continues to further the mission of the college and expands its reach, ensuring inclusivity while threading the needle between novelty, innovation and education.”
Bajaj, who has served as an associate editor of the journal for more than 10 years, said he looks forward to receiving new prospective studies and randomized trials from around the world and also focusing on clinically relevant microbiome research. He also emphasized diversity, equity, and inclusion as priorities.
“As co-editor this means encouraging diverse voices to participate and be heard in and through the American Journal of Gastroenterology,” he said. “This commitment to DEI would cut across the editorial board, authorship, reviewers and subjects covered.”
Bajaj has served as a principal investigator or co-investigator for clinical trials in areas such as hepatic encephalopathy, chronic liver disease and microbiome, with his work being published in Nature, Gastroenterology, Hepatology, American Journal of Gastroenterology and Liver Transplantation, among others. He also serves as chair for the North American Consortium for Study of End-Stage Liver Disease.
According to Patricia Sime, M.D., chair of the Department of Internal Medicine, Bajaj’s research has positioned him at the forefront of clinical innovations in gastroenterology.
“It has been a matter of great joy and pride for me to have seen Dr. Bajaj’s career blossom at VCU. He joined us relatively soon after completing his training and has grown to be the thought leader in the field of liver-brain cross-talk,” Sime said. “His pioneering work on the intestinal microbiome in cirrhosis and its impact on brain function before and after liver transplant has transformed the field and serves as the foundation for assessment and treatment of hepatic encephalopathy worldwide. He brings great talent, dedication and commitment to our department and institution.”
