Dr. M. Asha Subba Lakshmi is a Clinical Director and Head of the Department of Gastroenterology with over 30 years of experience in advanced gastroenterological care. She has performed more than 2 lakh diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, with extensive expertise in ERCP, EUS, therapeutic endoscopy, liver diseases, inflammatory bowel disease and gastrointestinal bleeding. She has also been part of liver transplant teams and has contributed extensively to teaching, research and endoscopic training programmes for medical professionals in India and internationally.

Educational Qualification:

• MBBS – Osmania Medical College, Hyderabad
• MD (General Medicine) – Andhra Medical College, Visakhapatnam
• DM (Gastroenterology) – Osmania Medical College / OGH, Hyderabad

Professional Experience:

• Clinical Director and Head of the Department – Gastroenterology, CARE Hospitals, HITEC City, Hyderabad.
• Extensive experience in therapeutic ERCP, including biliary stenting, pancreatic and biliary sphincterotomy, metal stenting and endoscopic drainage procedures.
• Has treated more than 25,000 cases of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) over 24 years, along with extensive experience in upper GI endoscopy, colonoscopy and mainly therapeutic ERCP.
• Experienced in managing complex gastrointestinal disorders, liver diseases, inflammatory bowel disease and gastrointestinal bleeding.
• Has been part of the liver transplant teams at Continental Hospitals and Apollo Hospitals.
• Has actively participated in teaching and training DM and DNB students at various teaching hospitals.
• Currently involved in conducting endoscopic training programmes for Indian and international students.
• Has been actively involved in Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C screening programmes and Hepatitis B vaccination programmes in the community.

Past Positions:

• HOD and Director – Department of Gastroenterology & Hepatology, Continental Hospitals, Nanakramguda – June 2017 to April 2019.
• Director and HOD – Gastroenterology & Hepatology, MAXCURE Hospitals, Madhapur – October 2014 to May 2017.
• HOD and Consultant Gastroenterologist, Apollo Hospitals, Hyderabad – April 2010 to October 2014.
• Associate Professor – Gastroenterology, Andhra Medical College, Visakhapatnam – January 2009 to April 2010.
• Consultant Gastroenterologist, Mediciti Hospitals – 2008 to 2010.
• Assistant Professor of Gastroenterology, Osmania Medical College & Hospital, Hyderabad – July 1998 to January 2009.
• Consultant Gastroenterologist, CARE Hospitals, Hyderabad – October 2006 to January 2008.
• Consultant Gastroenterologist, Mediciti Hospitals – December 2004 to September 2006.
• Consultant Gastroenterologist, CDR Hospitals – March 1999 to December 2004.

Awards and Achievements:

• Best Paper Award – Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy of India, 1997, for “Precut Vs Needle Knife Sphincterotomy in Biliary and Pancreatic Diseases.”
• Patients Best Doctor Award – Continental Hospitals, Gachibowli, 2017.
• Times of India Award for Professional Excellence – Legend in Gastroenterology, 2017.
• Sujana Award for Professional Excellence in the Field of Medicine, 2016.
• Professional Excellence Award – Apollo Hospitals, Hyderabad, 2014.
• Co-authored a paper that received the Best Paper Award at the National Conference of the Indian Society of Gastroenterology, 2004.
• Co-authored a paper that received the 3rd Best Poster Award at ISGCON, Bengaluru, 2007.

Professional Memberships:

• Indian Society of Gastroenterology – Life Member
• Association of Physicians of India – Life Member
• Indian Medical Association – Life Member
• American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy – Member since 2006

Fellowships:

• Clinical Attachment in Liver Unit and Liver Intensive Care – King's College Hospital, London, UK, January 2005.
• Training in Endoscopic Ultrasound – University of California, San Diego, under Dr. Tom Savides, June 2006.
• Training in Liver Transplantation – University of California, San Francisco, under Dr. Sandy Feng, May 2014.

Research and Presentations:

• Principal Investigator in a randomized controlled clinical trial evaluating the efficacy and tolerability of Morease-I compared with Mebeverine in patients with Irritable Bowel Syndrome, 2006.
• Principal Investigator in a multicentre Phase II/III study evaluating treatment for chronic Hepatitis C infection, 2005.
• Principal Investigator in Phase III studies evaluating TAK-390MR for maintenance of healing in erosive esophagitis, 2005.
• Principal Investigator in a Merck clinical trial on Boceprevir in chronic Hepatitis C infection, 2012.
• Presented an international paper at Digestive Disease Week (DDW), Los Angeles, USA, 2006, on APC versus formalin spray in radiation proctitis.
• Has presented research at ISGCON and other national gastroenterology conferences.
• Has attended and contributed as faculty and speaker at numerous CME programmes.

Publications:

• Gall Bladder Motility: Role of Cisapride – A Clinical Sonologic Study, 1997.
• Choledochal Cysts in Adults, 1997.
• Non-Variceal Upper GI Bleeds in Andhra Pradesh: An Overview.
• Dieulafoy Lesion: Our Experience in a Tertiary Referral Center.
• Portal Hypertensive Gastropathy: Natural History, Clinical & Endoscopic Profile.
• Percutaneous Drainage of Pancreatic Pseudocysts: Our Experience.
• Choledochal Cysts in Children: Clinical and ERCP Correlation.
• Endoscopic Management (ERCP) of Biliary Leaks – ISGCON, 2000.
• Diarrhea in the ICU Setting – ISGCON, 2007.
• Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy – Experience of a Tertiary Referral Hospital – ISGCON, 2008.
• Narrow Band Imaging Colonoscopy – ISGCON, 2009.
• ERCP in Pregnancy – Experience in Apollo Hospitals Jubilee Hills – ISGCON, 2012.
• Oral Interferon in Chronic Hepatitis B vs. Hepatitis C – ISGCON, 2012.
• Viral Hepatitis – Outcome of a Weeklong Screening Camp – ISGCON, 2015.
• Endoscopic Ultrasound Versus Magnetic Resonance Cholangiopancreatography in Pancreatic Lesions – ISGCON, 2015.
• Prevention of Hypoxic Episodes in Obese and Obstructive Sleep Apnea Patients Undergoing Endoscopic Ultrasound – ISGCON, 2015.
• Inflammatory Bowel Disease – A Prospective Analysis of Prevalence in a Tertiary Referral Centre in Telangana – Indian Journal of Gastroenterology, 2015.
• Outcome of EUS Findings in Chronic Pancreatitis in Two Tertiary Referral Hospitals in Telangana – ISGCON, 2018.
• Outcome of a 5-Day Hepatitis Screening Camp in Continental Hospitals – ISGCON, 2018.
• Prevalence of NETs in Patients Undergoing Elective Polypectomies in Two Tertiary Referral Hospitals in Telangana – APDW, 2019.
• Co-authored approximately 60 papers and abstracts published/presented through gastroenterology conferences and journals.