About the contributor

• Gary D. Gramigna
• Raj K. Goyal

Gary D. Gramigna

Gary D. Gramigna is a speech pathologist at the VA Boston Healthcare System. He received a Master of Science degree in Speech and Hearing Sciences from the University of Arizona and has been working in the Boston area for 20 years, specializing in communication and swallowing disorders of adults and special populations in medical settings. Within the VA Boston Healthcare System, he is a leader in oropharyngeal swallowing disorders, developing numerous swallow programs and contributing to research in neurogenic communication and swallowing disorders, particularly oropharyngeal swallowing diagnostics and treatment. He serves as Adjunct Faculty at Emerson College Communication Sciences and Disorders and holds appointments at Boston University and Northeastern University.

Raj K. Goyal

Dr Raj K. Goyal is Mallinckrodt Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School and staff physician at the VA Boston Healthcare System (VABHS). He earned his M.B. B.S. from Amritsar Medical College, Panjab University, and his M.D. from Maulana Azad Medical College, University of Delhi, in India. Following postdoctoral training at Yale University, he joined Baylor College of Medicine in 1971 and the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School in 1973. In 1978, he became chair of the Division of Gastroenterology at the University of Texas in San Antonio. In 1981, he joined Harvard Medical School and became chair of the Division of Gastroenterology at Beth Israel Hospital in Boston. He was later recruited to the VABHS and served as Associate Chief of Staff for Research and Development at the VABHS from 1995 to 2005. Dr. Goyal is an eminent gastroenterologist and an investigator whose research has provided some of the important advances in our understanding of esophageal and gastric physiology and diseases including Barrett's esophagus, enteric neurotransmission and the physiology and pathophysiology of esophageal and gastric motility. He provided the first evidence for the existence of muscarinic receptor subtypes. His work forms the basis of many current concepts regarding the regulation of esophageal sphincters, esophageal peristalsis, esophageal nocioceptors, gastroparesis and Barrett's esophagus. Dr Goyal has served on numerous editorial boards and was editor-in-chief of Gastroenterology from 1986 to 1991. He was the Founder President of the American Motility Society and is the recipient of its Distinguished Achievement Award.