Ayse Aytaman

Ayse Aytaman, MD, is a Clinical Professor of Medicine at SUNY Downstate Medical Center and Chief of Gastroenterology and Hepatology at the VA NY Harbor Health Care System’s Brooklyn Campus. She holds leadership roles including Co-Director of the VISN 2 South Liver Team and founder of the National VA Liver Cancer Team. Her clinical focus includes general gastroenterology, hepatitis management, and advanced liver disease.

Dr. Aytaman earned her MD from the University of Vienna School of Medicine, followed by residency and fellowship training at SUNY Downstate. She has pioneered initiatives such as the VA’s first multi-facility ECHO Tumor Board and a national mentorship program for HCV management. Her research emphasizes outcomes research, hepatocellular carcinoma surveillance, and healthcare cost analyses.

Recognition includes the Federal Employees Team of the Year Award 2017, ACG Special Service Award, and the first female recipient of the American Liver Foundation’s Physician of the Year (2018). She is a nationally recognized educator, having mentored over 200 gastroenterology fellows and developed hepatology curricula for VA fellowship programs.

Dr. Aytaman’s contributions extend to tele-hepatology outreach, mobile health screening programs, and advocacy through the Empire Liver Foundation. She actively serves on national committees for the VA, American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases, and American College of Gastroenterology.