The Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology at Kasturba Hospital, Manipal was one of the first centres in Karnataka to start advanced GI therapeutic endoscopic procedures. The Department specializes in advanced procedures for treating gastrointestinal bleeding, biliary and pancreatic diseases and gastrointestinal tumors endoscopically so as to avoid expensive, high – risk surgical procedures. The Department was also one of the earliest centers in Southern India to start endoscopic therapy for pancreatic diseases and endoscopic ultrasonography. One of the major achievements of the department is the contribution made for the recognition of inflammatory bowel diseases in India. Today the Department provides relief to patients suffering from a wide variety of GI ailments. The focus of the treatment is particularly on interventional methods. A team of experienced specialist doctors and trained support staff work round-the-clock to provide world class medical care. The department also offers specialized care including intensive care for patients with advanced liver disease. The department is equipped with state-of-the-art infrastructure for research. Areas of research are clinical pancreatic diseases, inflammatory bowel disorders and pharmacoeconomics.