The Inflammatory Bowel Disease Program at Rush has a multidisciplinary clinical team to provide you with cutting edge diagnostic abilities and the best treatment program for your Crohn's, ulcerative colitis, microscopic colitis or pouchitis.

Ece Mutlu, MD, MBA, MS  is the director of the IBD Program at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, Illinois. Dr. Mutlu focuses her practice exclusively on patients with inflammatory bowl disease. Additionally, Dr. Multu has her master's degree in clinical research and directs a number of clinical trials for patients with Crohn's and ulcerative colitis that focus on effective drug therapies, the impact of diet on IBD and the role of colonic bacteria in the development of IBD.   

Ali Keshavarzian, MD, director of the Division of Digestive Diseases at Rush University Medical Center, is an internationally renowned physician, researcher and presenter on inflammatory bowel disease. His current research includes the role of colonic bacteria in the development of IBD development and the impact of mind/body medicine on patients with ulcerative colitis.  

Garth Swanson, MD, MS, is an assistant professor of medicine in the Division of Digestive Diseases. His practice focuses on the diagnosis, management, and treatment of inflammatory bowel disease. Dr. Swanson has a master's degree in clinical research and his research interests include how environmental factors, such as alcohol and sleep, can affect gut inflammation and colonic bacteria. 

Susan L. Mikolaitis, RD, LDN, CNSD, is a specialized gastrointestinal dietitian who offers adult patients with Crohn's and ulcerative colitis comprehensive nutrition services to augment the management of their disease. She has 20 years of experience specifically focused on nutrition and gastrointestinal diseases with an emphasis on counseling patients afflicted with IBD on healthy eating. Although diet has not been shown to cause IBD, appropriate dietary intervention may decrease symptoms associated with IBD and minimize the potential for nutritional deficits. Learn more about nutrition services for gastroenterology patients at Rush.

Sharon Jedel, PsyD, is a clinical psychologist with expertise in treating patients with gastrointestinal disorders.  She assists IBD patients in coping with the psychological impact of their illness, managing their symptoms and improving their overall quality of life. Although stress does not cause inflammatory bowel disease, mounting evidence indicates that stress it can exacerbate IBD symptoms and trigger flare-ups. Her research interests include the effects of psychological stress on flare-up in IBD as well as the role of coping on IBD. Learn more about counseling services for gastroenterology patients at Rush.

The Inflammatory Bowel Disease Program additionally has the expertise of a experienced gastrointestinal pathologist, Shriram Jakate, MD, and two renowned colorectal surgeons, Theodore Saclarides, MD, and Marc Brand, MD, as part of the IBD clinical team at Rush. 

Rush is a leader in the Chicago area and throughout the region in the surgical treatment of ulcerative colitis, using techniques that preserve sphincter function and avoid permanent stomas.  With regard to surgery for Crohn's disease, preservation of as much bowel as possible is vitally important to avoid problems with malabsorption and malnutrition. For more information, visit the Colon & Rectal surgery page.

Courtney Hansen, RN, BSN and Jessica Sison, RN, BSN are our IBD nurses. Both Courtney and Jessica are available to answer any questions you may have, provide injections, teach you to do your own injections, and conduct infusions. To accommodate our patients, our nurses also assist in scheduling tests and consultations with rheumatology, surgery, hepatology, or hematology, as recommended. Our nurses remain active in the Crohn’s & Colitis community and participate in ongoing IBD research studies and education.

For Appointments or More Information

To make an appointment with the Inflammatory Bowel Disease Program at Rush, or for more information, please contact our office at (312) 942-1414.