Anil Darbari, MBBS, MD, MBA is the Director of Comprehensive Gastrointestinal (GI) Motility Center and co-chief of the Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition at Children’s National with a focus on improving care for children with complex, multidisciplinary needs. Dr. Darbari is Professor of Pediatrics at the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences. He is renowned nationally and internationally as an expert in the field of neurogastroenterology and GI motility and has devoted his career in enhancing the field by service and education. He has focused on providing the best possible care to children with complex GI problems related to the GI function and motility because of impaired function of the nerves and muscles of the GI tract, including gastroesophageal reflux, difficulty in swallowing or dysphagia, achalasia, gastroparesis, cyclic vomiting syndrome, rumination syndrome, chronic/refractory constipation and pelvic floor/outlet dysfunction.  He has developed and led multidisciplinary programs at various institutions where he has offered his services.

Dr. Darbari received medical education in India, where he also obtained a postgraduate MD degree in Pediatrics. He completed a pediatric residency in Cleveland and a fellowship in pediatric gastroenterology, hepatology and nutrition at the Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, MD.

He initiated the pediatric GI motility program as a faculty at Johns Hopkins and was the medical director of pediatric feeding disorders program at affiliated Kennedy Krieger Institute. Dr. Darbari is committed to successful development and enhancement of multidisciplinary programs while avoiding burden on the healthcare or affecting quality of care. He formally studied the business of medicine and obtained a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree with focus on healthcare from the Johns Hopkins University Carey School of Business. In addition, he has continued to provide leadership and mentoring in the field of pediatric neurogastroenterology and GI motility. He has developed and chaired several educational workshops nationally and internationally and has collaborated with several researchers in the field. Dr.  Darbari has keen focus on education of the next generation and has systematically evaluated barriers to further address this advancement goal.

Dr. Darbari has traveled worldwide enhancing the education of pediatric gastroenterologists in the field and providing focused hands-on workshops nationally and internationally. He has cared for children from all over the world and performed advanced GI Motility studies. Dr. Darbari has published multiple scientific articles on the subject and written textbook chapters related to the area of his focus. As an effort to continue education, he has trained several trainees and mentored junior faculty education and training in advanced GI motility procedures and management options. Dr. Darbari has served on national and international organizations including the North American Society of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition (NASPGHAN), where he is the current Chair of Neurogastroenterology and Motility committee.

At Children’s National, Dr. Darbari is the Director of the Comprehensive GI Motility program, where he leads his team of pediatric GI motility experts, advanced practice providers and other allied staff. He collaborates with several programs, such as Colorectal and General Surgery, Cardiology, Genetics, Pulmonology, Behavioral Psychology and Pain Medicine in the areas of GI motility disorders, functional GI disorders, postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), cystic fibrosis, autism, genetic and metabolic disorders.