Martin Freeman, MD

Dr. Freeman is chief of the Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition, and associate director of the advanced pancreaticobiliary endoscopy fellowship at the University of Minnesota. He has trained numerous advanced endoscopists, many of whom have gone on to leadership positions, and has led and participated in numerous courses in Advanced Endoscopy for the ASGE. He was the lead author on three educational DVD's for the ASGE including techniques for biliary access during ERCP, endoscopic therapy of pancreatic disease, and on interventions for necrotizing pancreatitis. He received the Master of Endoscopy Award by the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy in 2012, served as President of the American Pancreatic Association in 2013, then received their lifetime achievement award in 2018, was honored as a Master of the American College of Gastroenterology in 2019 and as Master of the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy in 2020 .

Dr Freeman's main clinical and research interests involve pancreatic and biliary disorders, with a focus on interventional endoscopy. Dr. Freeman has published over 30 textbook chapters, and 250 peer reviewed articles, including several index papers for which he was the principal author: a multicenter study on ERCP complications in the New England Journal of Medicine, a multivariable model for prediction of post ERCP pancreatitis in Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, guidelines for the management of acute pancreatitis in the American Journal of Gastroenterology, and a consensus paper and a systematic review on interventions for necrotizing pancreatitis in the Pancreas, and recently in Gastroenterology . Other research areas include drainage of malignant hilar obstruction and treatment of sphincter of Oddi dysfunction, for which he was a contributor to a recently completed multicenter NIH funded randomized trial. Major directions of his clinical interests and research at present include management of severe acute pancreatitis, recurrent acute pancreatitis, pancreaticobiliary cancers, and diagnosis and management of chronic pancreatitis.

HONORS AND AWARDS FOR RESEARCH WORK, TEACHING, PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT, AND SERVICE

• Clinical Research and Innovation Award, University of Minnesota Medical Center (2020)

• Wall of Scholarship (2014)
  Inducted for publication cited >1,000 times in 2/3 indices

External Sources

• Master of the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (2020)

• Master of the American College of Gastroenterology (2019)
• Mpls.St. Paul Magazine "Top Doctor" (2006 - 2021)
• Minnesota Monthly Top Doctors (2014 - 2021)
• Vay Liang and Frisca Go Lifetime Achievement Award, American Pancreatic Association (2018)
• Master Endoscopist Award, American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (2012)

• Fellow, American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (2009-Present)
• Honorary Member, New York Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (2008-Present)
• Founder and Co-chair, Minnesota Pancreaticobiliary Club (1999-Present)
• Hennepin County Medical Society (1995-Present)
• Fellow, American College of Gastroenterology (1995-Present)
• American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE) (1984-Present)
• Member, American Pancreatic Association (2008-Present)
• Councilor, American Pancreatic Association (2008-2014)
• President, American Pancreatic Association (2012-2013)
• President, Upper Midwest Regional Endoscopic Society (1992-1994)

Research interests involve pancreatic and biliary disorders, with a focus on interventional endoscopy. Dr. Freeman has published over 30 textbook chapters, and 250 peer reviewed articles, including several index papers for which he was the principal author: a multicenter study on ERCP complications in the New England Journal of Medicine, a multivariable model for prediction of post ERCP pancreatitis in Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, guidelines for the management of acute pancreatitis in the American Journal of Gastroenterology, and a consensus paper and a systematic review on interventions for necrotizing pancreatitis in the journals Pancreas, and recently in Gastroenterology . Other research areas include drainage of malignant hilar obstruction and treatment of sphincter of Oddi dysfunction, for which he was a contributor to a recently completed multicenter NIH funded randomized trial. Major directions of his clinical interests and research at present include management of severe acute pancreatitis, recurrent acute pancreatitis, pancreaticobiliary cancers, and diagnosis and management of chronic pancreatitis.

• Nathan JD, Yang Y, Eaton A, Witkowski P, Wijkstrom M, Walsh M, Trikudanathan G, Singh VK, Schwarzenberg SJ, Pruett TL, Posselt A, Naziruddin B, Mokshagundam SP, Morgan K, Lara LF, Kirchner V, He J, Gardner TB, Freeman ML, Ellery K, Conwell DL, Chinnakotla S, Beilman GJ, Ahmad S, Abu-El-Haija M, Hodges JS, Bellin MD. Surgical approach and short-term outcomes in adults and children undergoing total pancreatectomy with islet autotransplantation: A report from the Prospective Observational Study of TPIAT.Pancreatology. 2021 Sep 29:S1424-3903(21)00575-5

• Wothe JK, Aidoo R, McEachron KR, Harindhanavudhi T, Trikudanathan G, Freeman ML, Kirchner V, Pruett TL, Beilman GJ, Hodges JS, Bellin MD Reduced bone mineral density in the first year after total pancreatectomy with islet autotransplantation (TPIAT). Pancreatology. 2021 Sep 4:S1424-3903(21)00562-7

• Nanno Y, Wastvedt S, Freeman ML, Trikudanathan G, Schwarzenberg SJ, Downs EM, Kirchner VA, Pruett TL, Beilman GJ, Chinnakotla S, Hering BJ, Bellin MD.Metabolic measures before surgery and long-term diabetes outcomes in recipients of total pancreatectomy and islet autotransplantation. Am J Transplant. 2021 Mar 23. doi: 10.1111/ajt.16573. Online ahead of print.

• Lara LF, Wastvedt S, Hodges JS, Witkowski P, Wijkstrom M, Walsh RM, Singh VK, Schwarzenberg SJ, Pruett TL, Posselt A, Naziruddin B, Nathan JD, Morgan KA, Mitchell R, Kirchner VA, Mokshagundam SL, Hatipoglu B, Gardner TB, Freeman ML, Chinnakotla S, Beilman GJ, Abu-El-Haija M, Conwell DL, Bellin MD; POST study consortium. The Association of Smoking and Alcohol Abuse on Anxiety and Depression in Patients With Recurrent Acute or Chronic Pancreatitis Undergoing Total Pancreatectomy and Islet Autotransplantation: A Report From the Prospective Observational Study of TPIAT Cohort Pancreas. 2021 Jul 1;50(6):852-858.

• Krafft MR, Freeman ML.Precut biliary sphincterotomy in ERCP: Don't reach for the needle-knife quite so fast! Gastrointest Endosc. 2021 Mar;93(3):594-596.