About Bertus Eksteen
Bertus Eksteen’s journey into medicine began with a passion for understanding how the human body fights disease. Born and raised in South Africa, he completed his MBChB at the University of Pretoria in 1996.
But he didn’t stop there. His hunger for knowledge took him abroad, earning him a membership in the Royal College of Physicians (MRCP) in London in 1998 before completing a PhD in immunology at the University of Birmingham.
In 2008, Bertus obtained a CCT in Gastroenterology and Hepatology, plus a Fellowship (FRCP) with the Royal College of Physicians in 2011. That blend of clinical practice and research training laid the foundation for a career devoted to advancing healthcare for patients living with complex, chronic diseases.
Building a Global Reputation in Calgary
Today, Dr. Bertus Eksteen calls Calgary, Alberta, home. He leads an internationally recognized liver research program at the Aspen Woods Clinic. The clinic now ranks among the world’s largest sites for Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis (PSC) and Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD clinical trials under his leadership.
The Aspen Woods Clinic has a catchment area that includes Southern Alberta, eastern British Columbia, and western Saskatchewan. It also has formal relationships with several biotech companies to develop novel therapeutics for PSC.
Dr. Eksteen’s impact also stretches into organ transplantation, where he’s part of the Southern Alberta Liver Transplant Clinic at the Foothills Hospital in Calgary. Additionally, he holds the Clinical Associate Professor of Medicine position at the University of Calgary, where he plays a vital role in guiding the next generation of gastroenterologists and hepatologists through education and mentorship.
Turning Science Into Solutions
Innovation has defined Bertus’ scientific career. One of his first discoveries was how mucosal T-cells are skewed in diseases such as PSC and IBD. His work shed light on how gut-immune cells attack and damage the liver—a discovery that changed how the scientific community understands autoimmune diseases affecting the liver.
Dr. Bertus Eksteen also united a PSC patient cohort of over 400 individuals. This group has been instrumental in discovering and publishing nine newly recognized genetic risk loci for PSC through collaborations with the International PSC Study Group.
He has held major research funding from the Medical Research Council in the UK and in Canada, including serving previously as the national co-lead Principal Investigator with Dr. Moayyedi for the Canadian Institutes for Health Research (CIHR) SPOR program to investigating the role of the gut microbiome in IBD.
As Principal Investigator, Dr. Eksteen led another CIHR Signature Initiative focused on chronic inflammatory diseases. Bertus has also led advancements in clinical endoscopic imaging of the bile ducts to detect early dysplasia in patients with PSC and IBD—a move that has transformed how doctors catch and manage pre-cancerous changes.
Standing Up for Physicians and Patients
Bertus isn’t just a doctor and scientist and a powerful advocate. He is Chair of the Specialty Care Alliance and the Joint Physician Advocacy Committee (JPAC) for the Alberta Medical Association (AMA).
In these roles, he is the voice of the specialist physicians in critical negotiations with the Alberta government. One of his primary objectives is to help fix the healthcare system by fostering better collaboration among specialists and primary care doctors.
He supports models that increase patient choice, improve access to specialty services, and create a more sustainable and efficient healthcare system for all Albertans.
Awards That Mark a Legacy of Excellence
Bertus has had the privilege of being awarded some top recognitions in his field over the years. His award list goes as follows:
- ASNEMGE/AGA Rising Star Award European Gastroenterology Association.
- Sir Francis Avery Jones Research Medal British Society of Gastroenterology.
- The Sheila Sherlock Research Medal from the British Association for the Study of the Liver.
- Winner of MRS/RCP Young Investigators Award, Academy of Medical Sciences, London.
- 2005 Overall winner for original research at the Emerging Leaders in Gastroenterology Program, Gothenburg, Sweden.
He has also been invited to present keynote talks at prestigious academic institutions and professional societies, including Oxford University and the Association of Physicians of Great Britain and Ireland.
Since 2011, Dr. Bertus has been licensed by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta, Canada, specializing in Gastroenterology and Internal Medicine. He is also licensed by the General Medical Council, UK.
Endurance: A Way of Life
Outside of the hospital and lab, Bertus is an avid endurance athlete. He has run in marathons and ultramarathons worldwide, including the New York Marathon (three times), London Marathon, Victoria Marathon, Valley of Fire Marathon, and South Africa’s iconic Two Oceans Ultramarathon.
He also competes in some of Canada’s and the world’s most extreme races, such as the Sinister Seven Ultramarathon and the IronLegs Ultramarathon. For Bertus, endurance sports aren’t just a pastime; they reflect the mindset he brings to his work: relentless, goal-driven, and never willing to settle for anything less than excellence.
Where Innovation Meets Compassion
Looking toward the future, Bertus remains committed to advancing the frontiers of clinical care and research. He is forging partnerships with biotech companies, developing novel therapies for patients with PSC and IBD, and fighting for healthcare reforms that place patients at their core.
His life’s work — from uncovering immune system mysteries to building better healthcare delivery models — reminds us that progress doesn’t happen by accident. It takes deep curiosity, years of hard work, and a commitment to improve continually.
For Dr. Bertus Eksteen, that journey is far from over. And patients across Canada and worldwide are already seeing the difference through his unwavering dedication.
