The Digestive Diseases Research Center (DDRC) was originally founded in 1976 at the same time the Gastroenteroloy ward was established in Shariati Hospital, and then called “The Great Cyrus” Hospital. Weekly scientific sessions on diagnosis and treatment of patients referring with gastroenterology diseases were among main activities in this center. Training the first group of gastroenterology fellows was set up in this gastroenterology center at the same time with Shiraz University of Medical Sciences. DDRC is the first research center on gastroenterology diseases that has been established in Iran. The goal of this center is to provide the suitable infrastructure for research in the field of gastroenterology. This center aims at producing, prioritizing, and disseminating the knowledge that the scientific society, patients, and the public need for health promotion in the society. The research that has been done in this center has significantly helped in advancing knowledge in the field of gastroenterology at international level. In 2011, this center was approved as Digestive Diseases Research Institute (DDRI) by the Council of Tehran University of Medical Sciences. Activities in DDRI are divided between three research centers on pancreatic and hepatobiliary diseases, gastrointestinal and hepatic cancers and autoimmune and motility disorders of the gastrointestinal tract. DDRI officially collaborates with International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). This institute has collaborations with many research centers and organizations at national, regional, and international levels depending on research topic. DDRI is located in Shariati Hospital and is affiliated to Tehran University of Medical Sciences.