MBBS, FRACP

Dr David Badov is Executive Chairman and CEO of Direct Endoscopy, one of Australia’s largest private endoscopy providers, and has over 30 years’ experience as a gastroenterologist. He has performed more than 150,000 endoscopic procedures and is recognised for his expertise in colorectal cancer prevention, inflammatory bowel disease, liver disease and endoscopy.

In addition to his clinical practice, Dr Badov is a medical leader, having founded and developed several successful healthcare businesses across day hospitals, primary care, pathology and preventative health. He is the Founder and Medical Director of HealthScreen, an Australian executive health and preventative medicine service focused on early disease detection and longevity. He also serves on the Board of Directors of Day Hospitals Australia, contributing to the future of private healthcare and day hospital reform across Australia. (Day Hospitals Australia⁠)

Dr Badov is committed to medical education and innovation. He is a Senior Lecturer at Monash University and an Honorary Enterprise Senior Fellow at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Melbourne, where he supports the translation of medical innovation into improved patient care while mentoring the next generation of healthcare professionals. (LinkedIn⁠)

Dr Thornton completed his MBBS at Monash University in 1998 and advanced training in gastroenterology in 2006 after working as an advanced trainee registrar at Monash Medical Centre and locally at Frankston Hospital. His expertise is in general Gastroenterology and in particular luminal disease and inflammatory bowel disorders. He especially enjoys the acute gastroenterology issues involved with managing patients in his VMO role at Frankston Hospital and Peninsula Health. Aaron has admitting rights at both Frankston Hospital and privately at Peninsula Private Hospital.

Dr Bernard Chin graduated from the University of Adelaide and complete his Gastroenterology training in Sydney. Initially trained in interventional endoscopy including EUS, ECRP, ESG and Double Balloon Enteroscopy, Dr Chin settled into General Gastroenterology in Cairns since 2007 where he still operates the only full service private Gastroenterology practice in Far North Queensland.

He joined Direct Endoscopy as Specialist Gastroenterologist in 2022 providing timely access to affordable high quality endoscopic services and subsequent management. He has also introduced his Abdominal Pain Program in Melbourne to manage patients with Abdominal Cutaneous Nerve Entrapment Syndrome (ACNES), the most common cause of non-surgical abdominal pain.

Dr Mark Lust undertook his Gastroenterology training in Melbourne before completing his PhD in the field of Inflammatory Bowel Diseases through the University of Melbourne and St Vincent’s Hospital. He spent 2009 as a Clinical Fellow at the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford, before returning to St Vincent’s Hospital as a Staff Gastroenterologist. Mark maintains a broad interest in all aspects of gastroenterology and hepatology with a specific expertise in inflammatory bowel disease.

Professor Roberts is the Director of Hepatology at the Alfred Hospital. He was awarded a Doctorate by the University of Melbourne for his research and spent three years at the famous Mayo Clinic in the USA. Professor Roberts has numerous publications in major international journals. Apart from endoscopy, his other area of expertise is hepatology, particularly autoimmune and viral hepatitis. He is a member of the Gastroenterology Society of Australia (GESA), the Australian Liver Association (ALA) and the European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL).

Dr. Stephen Bloom is a Consultant Gastroenterologist and Hepatologist. Following completion of his studies at the University of Melbourne and Alfred Health, Dr. Bloom completed his advanced gastroenterology training at Royal Melbourne Hospital and Eastern Health. He has an active interest in all aspects of gastroenterology including functional disorder, luminal diseases and hepatology, publishing research in these fields. Dr Bloom also holds a public hospital appointment as Specialist Gastroenterologist at Eastern Health. Dr. Bloom is currently completing a PhD in community management and non-invasive screening for liver disease through Monash University and is a member of the Gastroenterology Society of Australia (GESA) and the European Association for the Study of Liver (EASL).

Dr. Viet Pham is a gastroenterologist with an interest in general gastroenterology, advanced endoscopy and inflammatory bowel disease. He has a current appointment with Western Health as a Specialist Gastroenterologist and is also a visiting Specialist at the Royal Darwin Hospital. He graduated from the University of Sydney in 2001 with an Honours degree in Medical Science and went on to complete his medical degree in 2004 at Flinders University. He trained at the Royal Adelaide Hospital and the Canberra Hospital and obtained his Fellowship in 2012. He has completed 2 fellowship years training in Advanced Endoscopy at Western Health where he gained skills in Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatogram (ERCP), Endoscopic Ultrasound and Endoscopic Mucosal Resection. Viet holds current certification for gastroscopy, colonoscopy, ERCP and EUS from the Australian Conjoint Committee for the Recognition of Training in Gastrointestinal Endoscopy.

Dr Belinda Jackson completed her gastroenterology training at The Alfred Hospital and at Eastern Health. She is currently completing a PhD through the University of Melbourne in inflammatory bowel disease. Belinda has presented at local and international conferences and has published research in both hepatology and inflammatory bowel disease. She currently works as a Gastroenterologist and Hepatologist at The Austin Hospital and at Goulburn Valley Health. She has an interest in inflammatory bowel disease, functional gut disorders and liver disease and is actively involved in medical education.

Dr William Kemp completed his medical degree at Monash University, Melbourne in 1996 and is now a senior staff Gastroenterologist at The Alfred Hospital. Dr Kemp has in an interest in liver disease and viral hepatitis and has a PhD in the study of portal hypertension. He has published numerous research papers in both national and international journals and been author of two book chapters on viral hepatitis and portal hypertension. He has an active interest in diagnostic and therapeutic gastroscopy and colonoscopy and served as an instructor in NETI accredited endoscopy and capsule endoscopy courses. He is a member of the Gastroenterology Society of Australia (GESA), the Australian Liver Association (ALA) and the European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL).

Dr Dave Gibson is originally from the Newcastle, England. He completed his gastroenterology training in Dublin Ireland. He subsequently completed a 2 year advanced endoscopy fellowship in The Alfred, Melbourne. He currently has a public consultant appointment at the Alfred, while also having a private practice at Cabrini, Malvern. His main interests are therapeutic endoscopy including removal of large polyps, small bowel enteroscopy and management of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD).

Dr. Salman graduated with honours from Cairo University in 2007 and completed specialist training in Internal Medicine, Gastroenterology, and Hepatology at Cairo University Hospitals. He has worked at major tertiary hospitals in Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Australia, and currently practices in Melbourne while holding an academic appointment as an Associate Professor at Cairo University.

Dr. Salman is a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians and a Fellow of the Royal Colleges of Physicians of London, Edinburgh, and Ireland. He has extensive experience in diagnostic and therapeutic gastrointestinal endoscopy, including gastroscopy and colonoscopy, as well as in the management of general medical conditions, gastrointestinal disorders, including inflammatory bowel disease, and complex hepatology disorders.
He has authored more than 75 peer-reviewed publications and he is an active member of several leading international professional societies, including the Gastroenterological Society of Australia (GESA), the American College of Gastroenterology (ACG), the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA), the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE), and the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD).

Dr Mohammad Shir Ali is a Consultant Gastroenterologist and Hepatologist with a special interest in advanced diagnostic and therapeutic endoscopy. He graduated from Western Sydney University with a Bachelor of Medical Science (Honours) and was awarded the University Medal before completing his Doctor of Medicine at the University of New South Wales (UNSW).

Dr Shir Ali completed specialist training in Gastroenterology through the Royal Australasian College of Physicians, followed by Advanced Endoscopy Fellowships at John Hunter Hospital in Newcastle and Monash Health in Melbourne. He has also undertaken advanced therapeutic endoscopy training at the Osaka Medical and Pharmaceutical University Hospital in Japan, internationally recognised for excellence in advanced endoscopic techniques.

He provides comprehensive assessment and management of gastrointestinal and liver conditions, including disorders of the oesophagus, stomach, small bowel, colon, liver and pancreas. His expertise encompasses gastroscopy, colonoscopy, bowel cancer screening and surveillance, as well as advanced procedures including endoscopic ultrasound (EUS), endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) and endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR).

In addition to clinical practice, Dr Shir Ali has a strong commitment to research, education and continuous professional development. He has presented research at national and international scientific meetings and is dedicated to delivering high-quality, evidence-based care tailored to each patient’s individual needs.

Dr Chris Desmond is an experienced gastroenterologist with more than 25 years’ specialist experience, providing comprehensive care across all areas of gastroenterology and hepatology. He has a particular interest in bowel cancer screening, inflammatory bowel disease, coeliac disease, reflux disease, capsule endoscopy, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), food intolerances and functional gastrointestinal disorders, and Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS).

Dr Desmond completed his specialist gastroenterology training at The Alfred Hospital before undertaking advanced endoscopy fellowships at the Royal Brisbane Hospital and the Medical University of South Carolina, USA, with a subspecialty focus on endoscopic ultrasound (EUS). He was also awarded an NHMRC Research Scholarship through Monash University.

A Visiting Specialist at Monash Health, Dr Desmond performs diagnostic and therapeutic gastroscopy, colonoscopy and endoscopic ultrasound, combining advanced procedural expertise with a warm, patient-centred approach. He is committed to providing timely, evidence-based care and helping patients achieve the best possible digestive health outcomes.