Mahmoud Nassar, MD, PhD, a fellow in the endocrinology, diabetes and metabolism program, won several awards at the 2024 annual meeting of the American College of Gastroenterology.
Fellow Receives Awards for Clinical Research Studies
By Dirk Hoffman
Published December 10, 2024
Mahmoud Nassar, MD, PhD, a trainee in the endocrinology, diabetes and metabolism fellowship program at the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, received several prestigious outstanding research awards at the American College of Gastroenterology (ACG) 2024 annual meeting.
The awards come on the heels of recognition of his previous research work at the Endocrine Society’s ENDO 2024 meeting, where Nassar was also awarded two distinguished research honors.
“These accolades are a profound validation of our research team’s dedication and hard work,” he says. “Being acknowledged on such esteemed platforms reinforces our commitment to advancing clinical research and inspires us to continue pushing the boundaries of medical science.”
Studying Impact of GLP-1 Receptor Agonists on Cancers
At the ACG 2024 annual meeting Oct. 25-30 in Philadelphia, Nassar received an ACG Outstanding Research Award in the Colorectal Cancer Prevention Category (Trainee) and a Presidential Poster Award for a study titled “Comparative Outcomes of Pancreatic, Colon, and Liver Cancers in GLP-1 RA Treated Patients: A Retrospective Analysis.”
The study explored the impact of GLP-1 receptor agonists — medications used for diabetes and obesity management, including semaglutide (commonly known as Ozempic or Wegovy) — on the incidence of certain cancers.
Utilizing TriNetX, a global health research network, the research team analyzed health records from over 15 million individuals with Type 2 diabetes and obesity.
“The findings were promising. Patients treated with GLP-1 receptor agonists demonstrated lower rates of pancreatic, colon, and liver cancers compared to those not receiving these medications,” Nassar says.
“This suggests that GLP-1 receptor agonists may offer additional protective benefits beyond blood sugar and weight management. These results underscore the need for further research to better understand these potential cancer-preventive effects.”
Nassar was first author on the study that was published in The American Journal of Gastroenterology. Senior author on the paper was Anthony D. Martinez, MD, clinical associate professor of medicine in the Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition.
Esophageal Dilation Procedures Analyzed
Nassar was also co-author on a study titled “Safety of Esophageal Dilation Procedures in Patients on Antithrombotic Therapy: A U.S. Collaborative Network Cohort Study,” that was also published in The American Journal of Gastroenterology and received an Esophagus - Standard Study: ACG Outstanding Research Award and Presidential Poster Award.
Esophageal dilation procedures, such as balloon dilation, pneumatic dilation, and Savary dilation, are frequently performed on patients prescribed antithrombotic medications. The study aimed to assess the safety of these procedures in patients on anticoagulation and dual antiplatelet medications (DAPT) using a U.S.-based multi-institutional database.
In the multi-institutional cohort study, the incidence of post-esophageal dilation bleeding was significantly higher in patients on anticoagulants. However, this was not noted in patients on DAPT compared to control groups regardless of the dilation modality.
Mahmoud Nassar, MD, PhD, center, displays one of his ACG awards at the group’s annual meeting. At left is Jonathan A. Leighton, MD, ACG president. At right is Anita Afzali, MD, chair of the ACG Educational Affairs Committee.
Grateful for His Many Mentors at UB
Nassar notes that TriNetX played a pivotal role in facilitating both research projects.
“By offering access to anonymized clinical data, the platform enabled us to analyze large datasets efficiently, validate our hypotheses, and generate real-world evidence to support our findings,” he says. “This resource has proven invaluable in streamlining our research efforts and enhancing the impact of our work.”
Nassar says he is also deeply grateful to his many mentors, including Martinez, Andrew H. Talal, MD, MPH, professor of medicine; Ajay Chaudhuri, MBBS, clinical professor of medicine and chief of the Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism; Husam A. Ghanim, PhD, research associate professor of medicine; and Erlin J. Marte, DO, clinical instructor of medicine; along with other esteemed faculty at the University at Buffalo.
“Their exceptional guidance, profound expertise, and dedication to nurturing emerging researchers have been instrumental in shaping my journey as a medical investigator,” Nassar says. “Their mentorship has equipped me with the skills to navigate the complexities of clinical research while fostering resilience and intellectual growth.”