A/Prof David van der Poorten is a Staff Specialist Gastroenterologist & Hepatologist at Westmead Public Hospital and also has appointments as a Consultant Gastroenterologist at the new Hospital for Specialist Surgery (HSS) in Norwest, Westmead Private and Strathfield Private Hospitals. He is a Clinical Associate Professor at the University of Sydney and is active in both teaching and research. He is a Doctor of Philosophy (medicine) and an active member of the Royal Australasian college of Physicians and the Gastroenterological Society of Australia (GESA).