Fernando Azpiroz, MD, PhD
Former Rome Foundation Board Member
Served 2008 – 2017
Dr. Azpiroz is currently Chief of the Department of Digestive Diseases at the University Hospital Vall d’Hebron, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Spain, since the year 2009, and Professor of Medicine. He graduated from medical school at the University of Valladolid, Spain, in 1977, and after completing a residency program in general surgery at the San Carlos University Hospital of Madrid, he followed a three year fellowship in the Gastrointestinal Research Unit at the Mayo Clinic, where he received the Edward C. Kendall Award for Meritorious Research.
Dr. Azpiroz clinical practice develops in a large referral unit, and specifically focusses on functional gut disorders. His research program investigates the origin of gastrointestinal sensations, either pleasant or unpleasant (symptom), which involves the control mechanisms of gut motility, sensitivity and contents. Dr. Azpiroz has been distinguished with the 1999 Janssen Award for Clinical Research in Digestive Diseases, the Fourth Research Award of the International Group for the Study of Gastrointestinal Motility, the 2003 Research Scientist Award of the Functional Brain Gut Research Group, and the Senior Investigator-Clinical Science Award of the International Foundation for Functional Gastrointestinal Disorder. At present Dr Azpiroz serves as Chairman of the Microbiota & Health Section, European Society of Neurogastroenterology and Motility and he is a member of the Board of Directors, Rome Foundation for the Study of Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders.