Physician Assistant Laura Tranchini is passionate about providing patient care that focuses on health maintenance, disease prevention and patient education. She is board certified by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA) and is a member of the American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA). She is also certified in basic life support and advanced cardiac life support.
Laura graduated from Alderson Broaddus University in Philippi, WV, in 2021 with a M.S. degree in physician assistant studies. During her graduate education, she gained experience in a variety of specialties while completing clinical rotations in rural West Virginia. Laura earned her B.S. in exercise physiology at Ohio University in Athens, OH.
While completing her undergraduate education, Laura studied abroad in Cuba to learn about different methods of health care delivery, specifically in regions where access to medical resources is limited. She also spent a year working as a resident care aide at a nursing home. These experiences helped her recognize the value of a community-based approach to health care.
Laura grew up in Pittsburgh, PA, and moved to New Jersey, where she worked at Ocean Family Gastroenterology for two years prior to joining GANJ.
Dr. Rangas Lokchander, founder of Ocean Family Gastroenterology and a founding member of Ocean Endoscopy Center, has practiced gastroenterology and GI-related procedures for more than 30 years.
A diplomate of the American Board of Internal Medicine and American Board of Gastroenterology, he completed his medical degree from Madras Medical College, University of Mardras, India. At Nassau County Medical Center in New York, he completed his Residency in Medicine and a Fellowship in Gastroenterology.
Dr. Lokchander’s care philosophy incorporates a comprehensive approach where all the systems of one’s body are considered as they are all connected. He believes that the physician-patient relationship is a partnership, where both members strive to make the best decisions for healthy outcomes.
Dr. Jose Ramon E. Suatengco has been proudly practicing Gastroenterology in Toms River, NJ for the last 25 years. After graduating medical school at the University of the East Ramon Magsaysay Memorial Medical Center in Quezon City, Philippines, Dr. Suatengco completed his residency at Interfaith Medical Center in Brooklyn, NY. While there he served as Chief Resident of Internal Medicine as well as later becoming Senior Gastroenterology Fellow.
Dr. Suatengco previously owned a private solo Gastroenterology practice in Toms River from 1995 until 2018. He merged with Ocean Family Gastroenterology in January 2019. He specializes in various procedures including colonoscopy, endoscopy, anal manometry, and capsule endoscopy. In addition to being an active member of the medical community, Dr. Suatengco is also an active member of the Filipino community. He is a founder of the Filipino- American Community Development Center which focuses on celebrating Filipino culture.
With a main priority of assisting patients and providing an excellent level of care, Dr. Suatengco continues to reach above and beyond for his patients.
Dr. Neil Nagaria has been serving the GI health needs of people in the New Jersey area for 13 years, at Ocean Family Gastroenterology. He is board certified in Internal Medicine, Gastroenterology/Hepatology, and Obesity Medicine. His specialties include endoscopy, colonoscopy, enteroscopy, small bowel capsule, hemorrhoidal banding, as well as advanced endoscopic procedures such as ERCP.
Before practicing at Ocean Family Gastroenterology, Dr. Nagaria worked as a hospitalist at Saint Clare’s Hospital. He completed his internship at Flushing Hospital Medical Center and the remaining part of his two-year internal medicine residency program at Rutgers/University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ-NJMS), and served as Chief Medical Resident at Hackensack University Medical Center (HUMC) in New Jersey. He then went on to complete an intensive fellowship in Gastroenterology and Transplant Hepatology at UMDNJ-NJMS.
During his tenure at Rutgers, Dr. Nagaria published several abstracts in major medical journals. Currently, he is the primary investigator in multiple clinical trials, and part of the teaching faculty at RWJ-Community Medical Center’s residency program. He has been recognized as a NJ Top Doc in 2020-2023 and has also received the Vitals Compassionate Doctor Award. Dr. Nagaria is currently a member of the American College of Gastroenterology and American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy.
Dr. Maulik Shah is experienced in the diagnosis and treatment of gastrointestinal issues including pancreatic, biliary and liver diseases, acid reflux, inflammatory bowl disease (IBD), and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), among others.
Dr. Shah completed his fellowship training in Gastroenterology at Jefferson Health, where he was honored to be selected as Chief Fellow. He completed his internship and residency in Internal Medicine at Jefferson Health and earned his medical degree from Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine in New Jersey. Dr. Shah is currently an active member of the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, American College of Gastroenterology, and the American Gastroenterological Association.
A strong passion for teaching has led Dr. Shah to routinely give lectures to the community on a variety of gastroenterology disorders. In addition to regularly contributing to professional publications, Dr. Shah is committed to providing the highest quality of care to his patients to ensure their longevity and encourage a positive and fulfilling lifestyle.
Dr. Shah is a member of Premier GI, a division of Gastroenterology Associates of New Jersey, with offices in Hamilton and Princeton.
Joshua Weston, DO, provides comprehensive diagnosis and treatment for the full spectrum of gastrointestinal and digestive diseases, including gastroesophageal reflux disease, peptic ulcer, colon polyps and cancers, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), inflammatory bowel disease, pancreatitis and hepatobiliary disease. His special medical interests include colorectal cancer screening and prevention, gastroesophageal reflux disease and associated esophageal issues, Celiac disease, obscure gastrointestinal bleeding and viral hepatitis.
Dr. Weston completed his internship and residency in internal medicine at Geisinger Medical Center in Danville, PA, before completing his fellowship training in gastroenterology at the Rowan University School of Osteopathic Medicine/Jefferson Health in New Jersey. Prior to that, he obtained his medical degree from Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine in Philadelphia, PA. Dr. Weston also holds a B.S. in biology from Susquehanna University in Selinsgrove, PA. He is currently a member of the American College of Gastroenterology, the American Osteopathic Association, and Premier GI, a division of Gastroenterology Associates of New Jersey.
Dr. Weston is a member of Premier GI, a division of Gastroenterology Associates of New Jersey, with offices in Hamilton and Princeton.
Dr. Punitha Shivaprasad is an advanced therapeutic gastroenterologist and is the cofounder of Premier GI, a division of Gastroenterology Associates of New Jersey (GANJ). She has the distinction of starting two therapeutic endoscopy programs: one at Robert Wood Johnson (RJW) Barnabas in Hamilton, NJ, in 2015 and one at Virtua at Lourdes in Camden in 2021. She currently practices at Virtua as well as at the Premier GI offices.
Dr. Shivaprasad completed her three-year gastroenterology fellowship at Cooper University Hospital in Camden, where she also served her residency. Dr. Shivaprasad earned her doctor of osteopathy degree from the University of New England College of Medicine in Maine with honors.
In addition to these studies, Dr. Shivaprasad completed a year of Advanced Therapeutic Endoscopy fellowship at Georgetown Medical Center in Washington, D.C, where she received expert training in the treatment of biliary tract disease including bile duct stones and bile duct cancers. She continues to use advanced techniques called ERCP and Cholangioscopy to treat these complex conditions and employs an innovative technique called Endoscopic Ultrasound for the early detection and staging of pancreatic, esophageal and stomach cancers. Dr. Shivaprasad is also experienced in placing metal stents into esophagus, bile ducts, and small and large intestines, and has received additional training in the drainage of fluid collection in the pancreas.
Dr. Shivaprasad was named the Director of Advanced Therapeutic Endoscopy at RWJ Barnabas at Hamilton, NJ, where she was instrumental in setting up the institution’s first endoscopic ultrasound program. She was recognized by the staff of this department for her excellent teaching ability and was invited to give many talks, including the state level conference of the Society of Gastroenterology Nurses Association.
Currently, Dr. Shivaprasad is affiliated with Penn Medicine at Princeton in Plainsboro, NJ; RWJ Barnabas in Hamilton, NJ; Virtua at Lourdes in Camden, NJ; and the Mercer County Surgery Center in Lawrenceville, NJ.
Dr. Shivaprasad Marulendra has served the GI health needs of the residents of Mercer County and adjoining areas since 1996. He is the cofounder of Premier GI, a division of Gastroenterology Associates of New Jersey (GANJ), along with Dr. Punitha Shivaprasad. Dr. Marulendra is board certified in Gastroenterology and is a member of the American Gastroenterology Association, the American College of Gastroenterology, and the American Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy.
Dr. Marulendra completed his GI fellowship training at the Medical College of Virginia in Richmond, VA, in 1996. Prior to that, he served as the fourth-year Chief Resident there, after completing his residency in internal medicine at Wayne State University in Detroit. Dr. Marulendra earned his medical degree from Bangalore Medical College in India in 1988 before completing his internship in internal medicine from Nassau County Medical Center in Long Island, NY.
In addition to having attending physician privileges at RWJ Barnabas Hospital at Hamilton and Penn Medicine at Princeton, Dr. Marulendra is also affiliated with the Surgery Center at Hamilton and the Mercer County Surgery Center.
He has been recognized as a "Top Doctor," beginning in 2008 and is included among "Who's Who" in Gastroenterology.
Dr. Tarun K. Sharma is a gastroenterologist based in Mine Hill, NJ, in Morris County. He is a member of Digestive Disease Consultants of North Jersey PC, a division of Gastroenterology Associates of New Jersey (GANJ). In private practice since 2010, he joined the team at GANJ in 2023.
He is certified in Gastroenterology by the American Board of Internal Medicine.
Dr. Sharma completed his fellowship in gastroenterology at Allegheny General Hospital’s Dexter School of Medicine in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. His residency took place at UMDNJ-Mountainside Hospital in Montclair, NJ. In addition, he received his medical degree from St. George’s University School of Medicine in Grenada, West Indies. Dr. Sharma earned his undergraduate degree from Seton Hall University, graduating Cum Laude, where he was also a member of the Pre-medical Honor Society.
Dr. Sharma has authored numerous industry publications and presentations, most recently Single-Operator Tandem EUS and ERCP: A Five-year Experience; and Esophageal Cancer Stage: Does Dysphagia Predict EUS Tumor Stage in Esophageal Cancer?
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