SUMMARY
Gui Piovezani Ramos, M.D., is a gastroenterologist and physician-scientist focused on inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). His research aims to develop a personalized platform that integrates clinical, genetic, immunologic, epithelial and microbiological datasets. Such a platform would facilitate the development of individualized therapy and diagnostics for patients with Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.
Dr. Piovezani Ramos' laboratory uses 3D organoid systems — also known as "mini-intestines"— in vitro. The research team generates the mini-intestines using biopsies from patients with IBD. The systems allow the team to study interactions between the epithelium lining and the underlying immune system. Current work focuses on understanding how cells unique to the epithelium lining — called enteroendocrine cells — coordinate inflammation-based and non-inflammation-based symptoms in patients with Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.
Dr. Piovezani Ramos' translational work includes both clinical and mechanistic observations in the field of IBD. Translationally, he studies how epigenetic regulators can control regulatory T-cell development in the intestine and, notably, how repressor methyltransferase G9a controls can serve as a target to treat intestinal inflammation. He also focuses on colitis related to checkpoint inhibitors and immunotherapy. His goal in this area is to identify mechanisms that overlap with other immune-mediated intestinal inflammation conditions.
Clinically, Dr. Piovezani Ramos described North America's first clinical and radiological characterization of cryptogenic multifocal ulcerous stenosing enteritis and reported important assays for targeted monitoring of biologic therapies used to treat Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.
Focus areas
- Immune-epithelial interactions in intestinal mucosa. Dr. Piovezani Ramos uses patient-derived multisystem organoids to better understand IBD pathogenesis and develop personalized management approaches. This research includes collaborations with Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard University.
- Cellular therapies for intestinal inflammation. Dr. Piovezani Ramos collaborates with local and national experts to develop cellular therapies to treat inflammation, including his previous work on the epigenetic regulator G9a in regulatory T-cell development.
- Checkpoint inhibitor-related colitis. Dr. Piovezani Ramos studies patient microbiomes and functional metabolomes to find mechanisms that could prevent checkpoint inhibitor-related toxicities and improve the effectiveness of cancer treatment.
- Effectiveness of current IBD therapies. Building on his experience caring for patients with Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, Dr. Piovezani Ramos focuses on monitoring and improving the effectiveness of current IBD-directed biologic and small-molecule therapies.
Significance to patient care
Dr. Piovezani Ramos' research helps find better ways to diagnose and treat IBD. His work helps healthcare professionals choose unique medicines for each patient based on what is most likely to work for that specific patient. He also is working on a new cell-based therapy that could be a better treatment for IBD and improve patients' long-term health.
Professional highlights
- Vice chair, International Affairs Committee, Brazilian Federation of Gastroenterology, 2025-present.
- Committee member, Alimentiv Translational Research Consortium study sections, 2022-present.
- Member, American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, 2018-present.
- Crohn's and Colitis Foundation:
- Member, 2018-present.
- Lloyd Mayer Young Investigator Award, 2024.
- Member, American College of Gastroenterology, 2016-present.
- Member, American Gastroenterological Association, 2015-present.
- J. Arnold Bargen Award for Excellence in Research, Gastroenterology Fellowship, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, 2021.