Biomedical Graduate Studies

Description of Research Expertise

Dr. Chang's research expertise is in immune mechanisms of viral persistence and disease pathogenesis with a focus on human hepatitis C and B viruses, +/- HIV confection. As the PI of a VA Merit award using the VA's Million Veterans Program (MVP), Dr. Chang is also conducting population-based genomic analyses of cardiometabolic disorders including MASLD/NAFLD and liver disease progression to cirrhosis and HCC--in collaboration with other large national and international genomic cohorts.

Description of Clinical Expertise

Dr. Chang's clinical area of expertise is in the evaluation, treatment and study of patients with acute and chronic liver disease (e.g. HBV, HCV, MASLD). She founded and directed the active GI/Liver clinic at the Philadelphia VA Medical Center in 1999-2012 and supervised fellows in the Fellows' GI/Hepatitis Clinic 2002-2024. She continues to see patients as an attending physician for GI/Liver Clinic to date.

Description of Other Expertise

As the Associate Chief of Staff for Research (ACOS/R&D) and Associate Dean for Research at the Philadelphia Corporal Michael J Crescenz VA Medical Center (CMCVAMC) since 2012, Dr. Chang leads the VA research program at the CMCVAMC with an administrative oversight for all of its VA-based and/or VA-funded research (e.g. via VA Career Development Award, Merit Review, Cooperative Studies Program and MVP research). Dr. Chang has also been actively engaged in VA research at the national level, serving as the Acting Chief R&D Officer in Washington DC (Dec 2015 - Mar 2016), member of the national Executive Committee for the VA's Million Veteran Program (MVP) ( and a member of the national ACOS/R&D Council (2024-present). She is committed to mentoring VA-based researchers both locally and nationally, and has built a cadre of VA Career Development Awardees at the CMCVAMC since starting her leadership role as ACOS/R&D.