Donald Castell MD is Professor of Medicine and Director of the Esophogeal Disorders Program at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston. He served as President of the American Gastroenterological Association from 1998 - 1999. Dr. Castell is internationally recognized as a leading authority on diseases of the esophagus and esophageal function, and has authored or co-authored more than 500 scientific publications. Amongst other books, Dr Castell has been the editor of all 4 previous editions of The Esophagus.
Joel E. Richter, MD, is Richard L. Evans Professor of Medicine and Chair, Department of Medicine, Temple University School of Medicine, Philadelphia. Dr. Richter is a past president of the American College of Gastroenterology and served as director, ACG, Institute for Clinical Research and Education from 1995 to 2004. From 2002 to 2003, he served as president of the World Organization for Specialized Studies on Diseases of the Esophagus. Dr. Richter is the author of more than 250 original papers, 114 editorials/reviews, and 101 book chapters. He is co-editor in chief for the American Journal of Gastroenterology, and is one of the editors of the forthcoming Wiley-Blackwell book, Textbook of Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology. He has been author or editor of 11 books.