Dr. Kao received his B.S. degree in psychobiology from UCLA in 1992 and his M.D. from the USC School of Medicine in 1996. He went on to complete his internal medicine residency at UC Davis Medical Center in California and did a combined clinical/basic research GI fellowship at the University of Michigan. During his GI fellowship training, he studied the effect of tumor-derived TGF-β on dendritic cell tumor vaccine. After joining the GI faculty at the University of Michigan in 2002, he was awarded the American Gastrointestinal Association/Foundation for Digestive Health and Nutrition Fellowship to Faculty Transition Award and the GlaxoSmithKline Institute for Digestive Health Basic Research Award, which allowed him to compete successfully for a K08 Award from the NIDDK studying the role of dendritic cells in Helicobacter pylori infection. He transitioned successfully from his K08 to R01 focusing on understanding the mechanism of GI immune homeostasis. His other research interests include the role of gut microbiota in diseases of the GI tract, and he has translated this knowledge into clinical practice by helping to start the Fecal Microbiota Transplantation Program at the University of Michigan. Dr. Kao is also passionate about resident and fellow research training and currently serves as the Associate Director of Research for the GI Fellowship Training Program at the University of Michigan overseeing the research progress of 21 GI/hepatology fellows in the program. He serves on several editorial boards including Gastroenterology. His clinical interests include management of H. pylori, IBD, eosinophilic esophagitis, and celiac disease, as well as fecal microbiota transplant for recurrent Clostridium difficile colitis.