John Yung-Chong Kao, MD

John Y. Kao, MD, Professor of Medicine, Associate Vice Chair of Basic & Translational Research, Department of Internal Medicine Co-Director of NIH T32 Training Program in Basic and Translational Digestive Sciences, Division of Gastroenterology & Hepatology Michigan Medicine University of Michigan Medical School.

Dr. Kao completed his undergraduate degree at the University of California in Los Angeles, his MD degree at the University of Southern California, his Internal Medicine residency at UC Davis, and his combined Basic Research and Clinical Gastroenterology Fellowship at the University of Michigan. For the past 20 years, his research has been funded by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) and has resulted in >100 papers. He is an elected member of the American Society of Clinical Investigation (ASCI) and currently serves as a permanent member of the NIH Digestive System Host Defense, Microbial Interactions, and Immune and Inflammatory Diseases (DHMI) study sections. Dr. Kao’s research program focused on understanding the role of gut microbes in chronic inflammatory disorders with an emphasis on the homeostatic mechanisms of host–microbe interaction in the gastrointestinal tract. Current studies in this laboratory use genetically engineered and experimental mouse models to investigate several epithelial and immune pathways critical for maintaining mucosal homeostasis. Current projects funded by DoD/VA and NIH include probing the pathways involved in the development of Helicobacter-associated intestinal metaplasia and the role of epithelial NADPH oxidases, Duox2, in preventing gut bacterial translocation. Understanding these pathways may lead to new therapeutic strategies and targets for the prevention of bacterial-driven gut inflammation and its associated malignant complications. His clinical work is centered on the care of complicated refractory H. pylori infection. He also co-founded the Fecal Microbiota Transplant program for the treatment of refractory C. difficile infection. Dr. Kao is also passionate about mentoring and serves as the co-director of the NIH T32 Basic and Translational Digestive Science Research Training Program. In his spare time, he enjoys playing tennis with colleagues at Michigan Medicine and traveling with his wife, Sherry, who is Section Lead of Optometry at Kellogg Eye Center, and with their three children and miniature poodle, Boba.

My clinical interests are Helicobacter pylori infection, celiac disease, eosinophilic esophagitis, and other immune-mediated gastrointestinal disorders.

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My research interests are gastrointestinal mucosal immunology, bacteria-host interactions, pathogenesis of immune-mediated gut inflammatory disorders (Helicobacter pylori, celiac disease, inflammatory bowel disease), and dendritic cell-based cancer vaccine.