New horizons in gastroenterology: interview with Professor Thomas Greuter

On Monday, 10 March, Prof. Thomas Greuter, the new Associate Professor at the Faculty of Biomedical Sciences of Università della Svizzera italiana (USI), will give his inaugural lecture on the subject of eosinophilic oesophagitis (EoE). We met him to learn more about his career and research interests.

Below is the interview conducted by the USI Institutional Communication Service.

Professor Thomas Greuter, which experiences do you consider to have been the most significant in your career?

"I have had the opportunity to enhance my training through numerous experiences at universities and hospitals in Switzerland and abroad. I would like to highlight my clinical training at the University Hospitals of Zurich and Lausanne, where I specialised in gastroenterology, interventional endoscopy, and hepatology. This experience allowed me to gain extensive knowledge and skills due to the large number of cases I treated. Furthermore, my SNSF-funded research stay at the Mayo Clinic in the United States was a crucial formative stage. To this day, I still benefit from the network of contacts and connections I developed in the USA."

The topic you have chosen for your inaugural lecture, eosinophilic oesophagitis, is unusual. What made you decide to choose it?

"Eosinophilic oesophagitis (EoE) is one of the most common diseases affecting the oesophagus and is the leading cause of difficulty swallowing in young adults. It is estimated that 1 in 700 people are affected by this condition. Despite its prevalence, EoE remains poorly understood, even among healthcare professionals and gastroenterologists. Over the past ten years, I have had the opportunity to study this intriguing disease extensively, both clinically and scientifically. Therefore, I view the conference as a valuable opportunity to raise awareness and make information about EoE more accessible to a wider audience."

What are your main areas of research at the moment?

"My research is founded on three key pillars: clinical research, translational research, and basic research. In clinical research, I focus on improving treatments for chronic gastrointestinal diseases, such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and EoE. In addition to my cohort projects and prospective studies, I consider active participation in large multicentre phase II and III studies to be fundamental. In the field of translational research, my focus is on studying the role of milk as a trigger for EoE and on the extraintestinal manifestations of chronic inflammatory bowel diseases. Finally, in basic research, my laboratory group is investigating new molecules involved in the early development of EoE."

What topics will you cover in the courses you teach at USI next semester?

"As a professor, I will be responsible for the entire field of gastroenterology and hepatology. In addition to conveying the fundamental knowledge of my specialisation, I consider it particularly important to ensure that USI students have at least a basic knowledge of EoE. Unfortunately, this aspect was not covered during my degree course. I also want students to develop an understanding of the technical possibilities offered by interventional endoscopy. This sub-discipline has developed strongly in recent years."

What do you see as the main challenges in your field today?

"My field of specialisation encompasses a wide range of conditions, as we address all diseases affecting the entire gastrointestinal tract, including the liver and pancreas. While there has been a growing trend towards specialisation within this field, which is vital for maintaining high standards of care, it is important not to lose sight of the bigger picture. We now have access to many powerful medications for treating chronic diseases; however, these treatments can be costly. This raises significant questions about social responsibility and health policy, especially given the current healthcare cost burdens. In the future, it will be essential to define more clearly who should receive which therapies, when they should be administered, and at what cost."