January 2026

GASTROENTEROLOGY

NIH AWARDS $12 MILLION TO NORTHWESTERN MEDICINE FOR PRECISION MEDICINE IN ACHALASIA

Featuring: ​John Pandolfino, MD
We’re proud to have received a $12 million NIH grant through the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. The grant, titled PREMEDIA (Precision Medicine in Achalasia), will fund a five-year, multi-center study focused on achalasia and esophageal motility disorders.

About the PREMEDIA Initiative

This landmark project will start in spring 2026 and involve 16 centers nationwide with Northwestern Medicine serving as the primary site. 

Achalasia remains a complex condition with limited understanding of its pathophysiology. PREMEDIA aims to discover biological markers that could transform care for patients with esophageal motility disorders. To do this, the study will:
​
  • Evaluate achalasia treatments to determine optimal approaches.
  • Use patient-reported outcomes to learn how patients perceive their recovery and quality of life after procedures.
  • Investigate underlying causes of achalasia and related motility disorders through blood and muscle tissue samples.

“This grant represents a tremendous opportunity to advance our understanding of achalasia and esophageal motility disorders,” says John Pandolfino, MD, chief of Gastroenterology and Hepatology at Northwestern Medicine. “By combining clinical outcomes with patient-reported experiences and biological data, we can move toward truly personalized treatment strategies that improve quality of life for our patients.” 
John Pandolfino, MD, the chief of Gastroenterology and Hepatology at Northwestern Medicine.

Refer a Patient

Northwestern Medicine welcomes the opportunity to collaborate with you in caring for your patients. ​

You May Also Like