Satish Sanku Chander Rao MD, PhD, FRCP, FACG, AGAF

Prof. Satish Sanku Chander Rao is the J. Harold Harrison, MD, Distinguished University Chair in Gastroenterology and Founding Director of the Digestive Health Center, Digestive Health Clinical Research Center, and Director, Neurogastroenterology/Motility and tenured Professor of Medicine at Augusta University, USA. He served as the Chief, Division of Gastroenterology/Hepatology, Director, GI Service line, and GI Fellowship Program Director. Previously, he was Professor of Medicine & Director, Neurogastroenterology/motility at the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa.

Satish Rao received his MBBS from Osmania Medical College, Hyderabad, India, his PhD from the University of Sheffield, UK, and Fellowship of the Royal College of Physicians (FRCP), UK. He completed his internal medicine training at several centers and a clinical research fellowship at the University of Liverpool, UK. He is American Board certified in Medicine and Gastroenterology. He is the past President of the American Neurogastroenterology/Motility Society.

His research interests in the field of Neurogastroenterology/Motility have focused on gaining mechanistic insights, developing novel diagnostic tools, and pioneering innovative treatments for common disorders, especially constipation, dyssynergic defecation, fecal incontinence, IBS, food intolerance, gas and bloating, and small intestinal bacterial and fungal overgrowth (SIBO/SIFO) and visceral pain. He is credited with discovering dyssynergic defecation, a problem that affects 1/3rd of constipated patients, and its remedy, biofeedback therapy, as well as novel treatments, such as sensory adaptation training for rectal hypersensitivity. He has pioneered several novel tests, including translumbosacral anorectal magnetic stimulation for pelvic floor neuropathy, esophageal balloon distension for chest pain, and fructose and fructan breath tests. He developed the first method for examining bidirectional gut and brain interactions in humans. His latest invention, translumbosacral neuromodulation therapy (TNT) is revolutionizing treatment for fecal incontinence. He has been awarded 4 patents.

Dr. Rao is a National Institutes of Health funded principal investigator for 20 years and currently holds $ 10.6 million NIH UO-1 and 3.8 million RO-1 grants. Dr. Rao has edited 10 books, including Handbook of GI Motility (2015), and Clinical and Basic Neurogastroenterology & Motility (2020). He has published over 500 peer reviewed articles with 22,300 citations, a H index of 87 and i10 index of 235. An astute clinician, Dr. Rao has been selected as one of the “Best Doctors in America” and as America’s Top Doctors for over 25 years. He has mentored over 100 Physicians from across the world, many of whom are leaders and professors in their own countries. Thirty of his mentees have received national/ international research awards- a testament of his dedication as a distinguished mentor. He has been invited to lecture in 35 countries as a visiting professor. These include live demonstrations of motility procedures and novel TNT procedures, and train gastroenterologists and fellows globally and at multiple institutes in India and all 5 continents.

Dr. Satish Rao has received the 3 highest meritorious honors from the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA), the AGA Distinguished Clinician Award, AGA Master's Award for Outstanding Clinical Research, and AGA Distinguished Educator Award. He received the American College of Gastroenterology Auxiliary Research Award, the International Foundation for Functional GI Disorders Senior Clinical Investigator Award, University of Iowa Regents Distinguished Award for Faculty Excellence, “Dr. PN Chuttani Oration”, the highest honor from Indian Society of Gastroenterology, and the Augusta University Distinguished Research Award and the Medical College of Georgia Distinguished Faculty Award and Mexican Society of Gastroenterology Honorary Diplomate/Fellow. Dr. Rao is one of a rare breed of academicians referred to as a triple threat and has excelled as an internationally renowned researcher, distinguished educator, and outstanding physician.