Andrea Shin, MD

Key investigator

  • Andrea S. Shin, MD, MSCR

Current research projects

Dr. Shin’s primary research focus is to perform clinical and translational studies to develop novel diagnostic and therapeutic approaches to treat disorders of the gut-brain interaction (DGBIs) irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Key interests focus on clinical studies of the GI microbiome, metabolome (including bile acids and short chain fatty acids), and dysregulation of the microbiota-gut-brain axis in patients with in DGBI. Dr. Shin further focuses on analyzing large data repositories (e.g., NHANES, Optum) and applying survey-based approaches to investigate clinical questions, knowledge gaps, and generate novel hypotheses related to DGBI including IBS. 

Selected ongoing projects

  • Identifying obstacles and facilitators for a career in neurogastroenterology and motility among young learners and trainees (Funded by the American Neurogastroenterology and Motility Society: ANMS)
    • Aims of this project are to conduct a nationwide survey study to identify the barriers and facilitators among young learners and trainees for pursuing careers in disorders of gut-brain interaction and gastrointestinal motility 
  • Study of pathway-dependent effects of luminal microbial metabolites including short chain fatty acids, bile acids in irritable bowel syndrome
    • This project aims to identify differentially abundant metabolic pathways (genes) of short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) production and BA biotransformation in patients with IBS through functional profiling of metagenomic sequencing data
  • Fecal bile acids, fecal short chain fatty acids and the intestinal microbiota in patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and control volunteers: Diet challenge
    • Our overall goal is to investigate relationships between fecal bile acids, SCFA and the gut microbiota in IBS

Future research directions

  • Study of microbial traits as predictors of pathophysiological mechanisms in IBS
  • Development of novel microbiota modulating strategies for DGBI
  • Effective implementation of long-term microbiota-modulating dietary interventions
  • Clinical studies of live biotherapeutics in IBS

About Dr. Shin

Dr. Shin is an associate professor at the Vatche and Tamar Manoukian Division of Digestive Diseases at UCLA and co-director for the Clinical Studies and Database Core of the Goodman-Luskin Microbiome Center at UCLA. Her research focus relates to her clinical expertise and focuses on developing novel diagnostic and therapeutic approaches to treating disorders of gut-brain interaction (DGBI) and GI motility such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), functional diarrhea, chronic diarrhea, functional dyspepsia, and anorectal disorders. She received her medical degree from Indiana University School of Medicine and also completed her internal medicine residency at Indiana University School of Medicine. She then earned a master’s degree in clinical and translational research while training as a research fellow at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, followed by completion of a clinical fellowship in gastroenterology and hepatology at Indiana University.

During her research fellowship under the mentorship of Dr. Michael Camilleri, she conducted clinical trials in patients with IBS, functional constipation, and gastroparesis including a prospective study examining fecal bile acid associations with stool characteristics and colonic transit. This work led to the development of new clinical tests; fecal bile acids are now recognized as an actionable diagnostic biomarker in patients with chronic bowel dysfunction. She is a prior recipient of an institutional career-development award (KL2) and received a K23 career development award and limited competition R03 through the National Institutes of Health (NIH). She is a Rome V committee member of the Functional Bowel Disorders Committee, served as a lead physician investigator for the American Gastroenterological Association’s (AGA) IBS in America Campaign, serves on the AGA Research Awards Panel, is a Council Member for the American Neurogastroenterology and Motility Socienty (ANMS), serves as a standing member of the NIH Digestive Diseases and Nutrition C Study (DDK C) Section, and is the current Chair of the Research Committee for the ANMS. She has co-authored over 70 peer-reviewed publications and serves as an Associate Clinical Editor for Neurogastroenterology & Motility and as editorial board member for Alimentary, Pharmacology, & Therapeutics, Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, and BMC Medicine. 

Key publications - Full list of publications

  1. Shin A, Xu H. Healthcare Costs of Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Irritable Bowel Syndrome Subtypes in the United States. Am J Gastroenterol. 2024 Apr 18. doi: 10.14309/ajg.0000000000002753. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38483304
  2. Veraza DI, Calderon G, Jansson-Knodell C, Aljaras R, Foster ED, Xu H, Biruete A, Shin A. A systematic review and meta-analysis of diet and nutrient intake in adults with irritable bowel syndrome. Neurogastroenterol Motil 2024;36:e14698. doi: 10.1111/nmo.14698. Epub 2023 Oct 27. PMID: 37897138; NIHMSID: NIHMS1939056
  3. Shin A, Xu H, Imperiale TF. The Prevalence, Humanistic Burden, and Health Care Impact of Irritable Bowel Syndrome Among United States Veterans. Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol 2023;21:1061-1069.e1. doi: 10.1016/j.cgh.2022.08.005. Epub 2022 Aug 11. PMID: 35964894; PMCID: PMC9918609
  4. Waseem MR, Shin A, Siwiec R, James-Stevenson T, Bohm M, Rogers N, Wo J, Waseem L, Gupta A, Jarrett M, Kadariya J, Xu H. Associations of Fecal Short Chain Fatty Acids With Colonic Transit, Fecal Bile Acid, and Food Intake in Irritable Bowel Syndrome. Clin Transl Gastroenterol 2023;14:e00541. doi: 10.14309/ctg.0000000000000541. PMID: 36227781; PMCID: PMC9875959
  5. Shin A, Kashyap PC. Multi-omics for biomarker approaches in the diagnostic evaluation and management of abdominal pain and irritable bowel syndrome: What lies ahead. Gut Microbes 2023;15:2195792. doi: 10.1080/19490976.2023.2195792. Review. PMID: 37009874; PMCID: PMC10072066
  6. Shin A, Xu H. Privacy Risks in Microbiome Research: Public Perspectives before and during a Global Pandemic. Ethics Hum Res 2022;44:2-13. doi: 10.1002/eahr.500132. PMID: 35802792
  7. Jansson-Knodell CL, Krajicek EJ, Ramakrishnan M, Rogers NA, Siwiec R, Bohm M, Nowak T, Wo J, Lockett C, Xu H, Savaiano DA, Shin A. Relationships of Intestinal Lactase and the Small Intestinal Microbiome with Symptoms of Lactose Intolerance and Intake in Adults. Dig Dis Sci 2022;67:5617-5627. doi: 10.1007/s10620-022-07469-w. Epub 2022 Mar 23. PMID: 35322314
  8. Calderon G, Patel C, Camilleri M, James-Stevenson T, Bohm M, Siwiec R, Rogers N, Wo J, Lockett C, Gupta A, Xu H, Shin A. Associations of Habitual Dietary Intake With Fecal Short-Chain Fatty Acids and Bowel Functions in Irritable Bowel Syndrome. J Clin Gastroenterol 2022;56:234-242. doi: 10.1097/MCG.0000000000001521. PMID: 33780215; PMCID: PMC8435047
  9. Jansson-Knodell CL, White M, Lockett C, Xu H, Shin A. Associations of Food Intolerance with Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Psychological Symptoms, and Quality of Life. Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol 2022;20:2121-2131.e3. doi: 10.1016/j.cgh.2021.12.021. Epub 2021 Dec 21. PMID: 34952206; PMCID: PMC9209586
  10. Hendrix J, Ranginani D, Montero AM, Lockett C, Xu H, James-Stevenson T, Shin A. Early adverse life events and post-traumatic stress disorder in patients with constipation and suspected disordered defecation. Neurogastroenterol Motil 2022;34:e14195

Past GI fellows

  • Rachel Sarnoff, MD (DGBI fellow)