Fasiha Kanwal

Fasiha Kanwal, M.D., M.S.H.S. is a Professor of Medicine and Chief of the Section of Gastroenterology and Hepatology at Baylor College of Medicine. She also serves as an Investigator in the Clinical Effectiveness & Population Health Program at the Center for Innovations in Quality, Effectiveness and Safety, Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center, and as a Staff Physician in Gastroenterology at the same VA facility. Additionally, she is a Member of the Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center.

Dr. Kanwal earned her M.D. from King Edward Medical College in Pakistan (1995) and completed her Internal Medicine Residency at Saint Barnabas Medical Center. She furthered her training with a Gastroenterology Fellowship and obtained an M.S.H.S. from UCLA School of Public Health (2004).

Her research focuses on the structure, processes, and outcomes of care for patients with chronic liver diseases, with particular emphasis on quality management, medical decision-making, patient-reported outcomes, cost-effectiveness analyses, and cirrhosis complications. She has made significant contributions to understanding viral hepatitis and developing quality metrics for liver disease care.

Dr. Kanwal's publication record shows a strong focus on fatty liver disease nomenclature changes (from NAFLD to MASLD), hepatocellular carcinoma epidemiology, and clinical care pathways. Her work often appears in high-impact journals and frequently takes the form of consensus statements and practice guidelines that shape the field of hepatology.

• Emerging Leaders in Gastroenterology Award
• Research Excellence in GI and Liver (REGAL) Award
• Top 2% most frequently cited scientists worldwide (PLoS Biology, 2021)
• American College of Gastroenterology Research Award (2003, 2009)
• American Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy Quality Award (2008)

Dr. Kanwal has secured significant research funding, including NIH grants focused on liver cancer risk stratification, patient-centered care for advanced liver disease, and the Cirrhosis Quality Collaborative. She serves in leadership roles on multiple committees including as Chair of the AASLD Practice Metrics Committee and previously as Editor-in-Chief of Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology (2017-2022). Her work bridges clinical practice, quality improvement, and health services research to enhance care for patients with liver diseases.