Dr. Dunn Receives R01
July 27, 2026
Dr. James Dunn has received an R01 from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases to further his work on spring-mediated enterogenesis.
Lengthening the small intestine is a potentially curative therapy for patients with intestinal failure due to short bowel syndrome. Short bowel syndrome is the result of devastating diseases that affect the small intestine. Patients with short bowel syndrome have malabsorption and cannot eat normal meals. Over the last two decades, Dunn and his team have developed and refined a helical spring device to lengthen the small intestine.
Dunn began a clinical trial for patients with short bowel syndrome in September 2025.
"In all three patients with short bowel syndrome who underwent the placement of a single helical spring, they were weaned off parenteral nutrition completely even though there was only a small increase in the overall length of the intestine," said Dunn. "This surprisingly beneficial outcome will be examined in this renewal proposal to define the potential mechanism of the systemic effect of spring-mediated enterogenesis."
Dunn also plans to develop new ways to deliver the device via endoscopy to minimize potential morbidity.
"These studies will likely revolutionize the treatment strategy for patients with short bowel syndrome," said Dunn.
Related Stories
– Stanford Medicine MagazineIn pursuit of a medical device for children with short gut syndrome
A spring that lengthens intestine to treat short gut moves from lab to life at Stanford Medicine as innovators tackle the pediatric medical device gap.
– SurgeryRevolutionizing Treatment for Short Bowel Syndrome with Dr. James Dunn
In this episode, host Rachel Baker interviews Dr. James Dunn, chief of the Division of Pediatric Surgery at Stanford University. Dr. Dunn is the inventor of a device that uses distraction enterogenesis to lengthen the small intestine. Join us as we delve into Dr. Dunn's innovative work on short bowel syndrome and his inspiring journey to bring new devices from bench to bedside.
Media Contact
About Stanford Surgery
The Stanford University Department of Surgery is dedicated to inventing the future of surgical care through:
• pioneering cutting-edge research,
• developing the next generation of leaders, and
• healing through incomparable surgical skills and compassion.
To learn more, please visit surgery.stanford.edu
The Latest
Stanford Cardiovascular InstituteWhen Blood Vessels Trigger Heart Failure: A New Mechanism Driving Inherited Cardiomyopathy
“For many years, LMNA cardiomyopathy has largely been viewed through the lens of the cardiomyocyte,” said Nazish Sayed, MD, PhD, senior author of the study. “Our findings suggest that the endothelium is not simply a bystander. Endothelial cells undergo profound reprogramming that can actively contribute to fibrosis and cardiac dysfunction.”
SurgeryPostdoc Spotlight: Bo Liu, DDS, PhD
Bo Liu, DDS, PhD, transitioned from dentistry to research, becoming a senior research scientist at Stanford Medicine where she leads innovative work in plastic and reconstructive surgery
SurgeryOptimizing Surgical Care Through Clinical Trials with Dr. Shipra Arya
On the latest episode of Scrubcast, Dr. Shipra Arya discusses her groundbreaking PAUSE trial focused on optimizing care for frail patients. She also introduces her new WARRIORS trial, which aims to address sex-specific screening guidelines for abdominal aortic aneurysms in women.
MedPage TodaySurgery Underused for Primary Hyperparathyroidism With End-Organ Damage, Study Says
Large study highlights gap between guidelines and clinical practice. Drs. Lia Delaney and Carolyn Seib were first and senior authors on the study.
SurgeryDr. Ahn Receives F32
General Surgery Resident Dr. Daniel Ahn has received an F32 from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute to fund his project: Data-Driven Solutions for Heart Allocation Policy Challenges: the LVAD Dilemma and the Status Exception Crisis.
SurgeryDr. Dunn Receives R01
Dr. James Dunn has received an R01 from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases to further his work on spring-mediated enterogenesis.
SurgeryDr. Awad Named Department of Surgery Vice Chair of Education
Michael Awad, MD, PhD, MHPE, has been named Vice Chair of Education for the Department of Surgery at Stanford, effective September 1, 2026, bringing extensive expertise in surgical education and minimally invasive surgery. This appointment highlights Stanford's commitment to advancing surgical training through innovation and evidence-based methods.
SurgeryAWS Selects Dr. Tso for 2026 Patricia Numann Outstanding Medical Student Award
General Surgery Intern Dr. Jade Tso was selected by the Association of Women Surgeons (AWS) and the AWS Foundation as the 2026 Patricia Numann Outstanding Medical Student Award recipient.
SurgeryAR-Guided Lumpectomy Receives NCI Funding
Drs. Jacqueline Tsai and Bruce Daniel received National Cancer Institute funding to advance an augmented-reality guided lumpectomy system that uses supine volumetric MRI to help surgeons more accurately remove breast tumors. The project aims to reduce positive margins, minimize repeat surgeries and over-excision, and prepare the technology for future clinical trials.
Division of Plastic & Reconstructive SurgeryDr. Paige Fox Promoted to Professor
Dr. Paige M. Fox has been promoted to Professor in the Stanford University Department of Surgery, Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, effective August 1, 2026