Biography

Kerry Dunbar, M.D., Ph.D., is a Professor in the Department of Internal Medicine at UT Southwestern Medical Center and a member of the Division of Digestive and Liver Diseases. She serves as a staff physician and Section Chief of Gastroenterology at the Dallas VA Medical Center and is an Associate Program Director for the UT Southwestern Internal Medicine residency program.

Originally from Texas, Dr. Dunbar holds a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry and cell biology from Rice University in Houston. She earned her medical degree from UT Southwestern and completed internal medicine residency training. She completed advanced training through a fellowship in gastroenterology and hepatology at Johns Hopkins University, where she also earned a doctorate in clinical investigation.

Certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine in gastroenterology, Dr. Dunbar joined the UT Southwestern Faculty in 2011.

Dr. Dunbar's clinical and research interests include Barrett’s esophagus, gastroesophageal reflux disease, esophageal motility disorders, eosinophilic esophagitis, and novel endoscopic imaging technologies.

Dr. Dunbar’s research has resulted in more than 75 publications in peer-reviewed journals and contributions to book chapters. Additionally, she has presented her findings at scientific conferences throughout the United States and around the world.

Dr. Dunbar is active in several professional societies, including the American Gastroenterological Association, the American Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, the American College of Gastroenterology, the American Neurogastroenterology and Motility Society, the Alliance for Academic Internal Medicine, and the American Foregut Society, where she serves as Senior Associate Editor of Foregut: Journal of the American Foregut Society. She is also Councilor for the nonprofit American Gastroenterological Association Institute’s Esophageal, Gastric, and Duodenal Disorders Section and Endoscopy, Technology, and Imaging Section.

Dr. Dunbar was named among D Magazine's Best Doctors in 2020 and 2021.

Education

Undergraduate
Rice University (1995), Biochemistry
Medical School
UT Southwestern Medical Center (2000), Medicine
Graduate School
Johns Hopkins University (2012), Clinical Investigation

Research Interest

  • Barrett's esophagus
  • Eosinophilic esophagitis
  • Esophageal motility disorders
  • Gastroesophageal reflux disease
  • Novel endoscopic imaging

Publications

Featured Publications LegendFeatured Publications

A human Barrett's esophagus organoid system reveals epithelial-mesenchymal plasticity induced by acid and bile salts.
Zhang Q, Bansal A, Dunbar KB, Chang Y, Zhang J, Balaji U, Gu J, Zhang X, Podgaetz E, Pan Z, Spechler SJ, Souza RF, Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol 2022 06 322 6 G598-G614
Itraconazole Exerts its Anti-Tumor Effect in Esophageal Cancer by Suppressing the HER2/AKT Signaling Pathway.
Zhang W, Bhagwath AS, Ramzan Z, Williams TA, Subramaniyan I, Edpuganti V, Kallem RR, Dunbar KB, Ding P, Gong K, Geurkink SA, Beg MS, Kim J, Zhang Q, Habib AA, Choi SH, Lapsiwala R, Bhagwath G, Dowell JE, Melton SD, Jie C, Putnam WC, Pham TH, Wang DH, Mol Cancer Ther 2021 Aug
In Barrett's epithelial cells, weakly acidic bile salt solutions cause oxidative DNA damage with response and repair mediated by p38.
Huo X, Dunbar KB, Zhang X, Zhang Q, Spechler SJ, Souza RF, Am. J. Physiol. Gastrointest. Liver Physiol. 2020 03 318 3 G464-G478
Efficacy of Prophylactic Hemoclips in Prevention of Delayed Post-Polypectomy Bleeding in Patients with Large Colonic Polyps.
Feagins LA, Smith AD, Kim D, Halai A, Duttala S, Chebaa B, Lunsford T, Vizuete J, Mara M, Mascarenhas R, Meghani R, Kundrotas L, Dunbar KB, Cipher DJ, Harford WV, Spechler SJ, Gastroenterology 2019 May
Aberrant p53 Immunostaining in Barrett's Esophagus Predicts Neoplastic Progression: Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses.
Snyder P, Dunbar K, Cipher DJ, Souza RF, Spechler SJ, Konda VJA, Dig. Dis. Sci. 2019 05 64 5 1089-1097
Beyond Dysplasia Grade: The Role of Biomarkers in Stratifying Risk.
Dunbar KB, Souza RF Gastrointest. Endosc. Clin. N. Am. 2017 Jul 27 3 447-459
Unique Clinical Features of Los Angeles Grade D Esophagitis Suggest That Factors Other Than Gastroesophageal Reflux Contribute to its Pathogenesis.
Nguyen AD, Spechler SJ, Shuler MN, Souza RF, Dunbar KB J. Clin. Gastroenterol. 2017 Jun

Books

Featured Books Legend Featured Books

Honors & Awards

  • Lyman E. Bilhartz, M.D. Memorial Teaching Award
    UT Southwestern, Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Digestive and Liver Diseases (2013)
  • UT Southwestern LEAD Program Participant
    UT Southwestern Leadership Program (2012)
  • World Endoscopy Organization Research Award
    Awarded to young investiagor in gastroenterology for endoscopic research excellence (2011)
  • Women's Leadership Award
    Johns Hopkins Women's Network, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions (2005)
  • Ho Din Award of the Southwestern Medical Foundation
    (2000)

Professional Associations/Affiliations

  • American College of Gastroenterology (2006)
  • American Gastroenterological Association (2003)
  • American Neurogastroenterology and Motility Society (2013)
  • American Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (2004)