Researcher Spotlight: Qiang Cai

What is your professional background?
I am a master clinician and professor at Emory University School of Medicine. I graduated from Nanchang University School of Medicine in China and obtained my PhD in physiology from Cornell University. I completed training in internal medicine and gastroenterology in China, then completed another residency and fellowship training in the United States. I joined Emory as a full-time faculty in 2001. 

In what division do you work, and who is your mentor? 
I work in the Division of Digestive Diseases. Though I am the most senior faculty in the division, I consider everyone in the division as a mentor in certain aspects.

Briefly describe your research. Why is it important?
My research is related to therapeutic endoscopy and it is important because it saves lives.

What do you like most about Emory?
Emory has given me great opportunities to start new therapeutic endoscopic procedures. I am a therapeutic endoscopist. In the last 10 years or so, I started many new endoscopic therapies in Emory, such as ESD, POEM, GPOEM, ZPOEM, STER, EFTR, etc., for treatment of patients with gastrointestinal cancers, achalasia, gastroparesis, etc. Hundreds of patients have already received great care and benefit from those endoscopic surgeries. Many people have supported me in starting and performing these new endoscopic procedures, especially Drs. R. Wayne Alexander, David Stephens, Ira R. Horowitz, and Douglas C. Morris. My past division chiefs, Drs. Frank Anania, Robin Rutherford and current division chiefs, Drs. Shanthi Srinivasan and Jennifer Christie have also supported me fully. I would like to take this opportunity to share my appreciation for all their help.

What is your favorite movie or TV show? 
Haha, ‘Hard to Kill’

What do you like to do in your spare time?
I like swimming, cooking, traveling, and also sitting there doing nothing.

What is a fun fact about you?
I don’t like to talk too much, I like to do.