The AASLD Distinguished Service Award is given to an individual in honor of his or her sustained service to AASLD or the liver disease community in general. The award recognizes service provided to the community of hepatology researchers and clinicians over an extended period; service that is well above and beyond that provided by many members who serve on the Governing Board and Committees of the AASLD. The awardee need not be a member of the AASLD. Current members of the AASLD Governing Board are not eligible.
Presentation of the 2008 Distinguished Service Award to Andres T Blei, MD
The AASLD 2008 Distinguished Service Award was presented posthumously to Dr. Andres T Blei. Dr. Blei passed away October 1, 2008.
Dr. Blei has contributed to the life of the AASLD since he became a member in 1980. He served as Chairman of the Training and Education Committee (1987) and of the Clinical Research Committee (1996) as well as served in numerous other committees of the Society and the American Liver Foundation. In 1992, he was asked to serve as Associate Editor of Hepatology, a task he carried out through two editors-in-chief, until 1998. His vision for growth of the journal led to his designation as Editor-in-Chief from 2001 till 2006, a tenure that can be viewed as successful and distinguished. Not only did the impact factor of the journal rise from 7.3 to 10.4, but his period was characterized by a deeper scientific as well as humanistic projection of the journal’s pages, a wide international representation and a commitment to tackle controversies surrounding publication in hepatology.
A native of Argentina, Dr. Blei came to the United States to pursue an academic career. After training periods at Yale and the University of Chicago, his career blossomed at Northwestern University, where he currently holds the position of Professor of Medicine and Surgery. Author of more than 200 manuscripts and book chapters, his laboratory at the Lakeside VA Medical Center focused over 25 years on the interaction between liver failure and the brain. His original descriptions of brain edema in animal models of acute liver failure and abnormalities of circadian biology in models of chronic liver failure have paved the way to new conceptual understandings of the pathophysiology of hepatic encephalopathy, research that was always complemented with corresponding human studies. His commitment to clinical care led to the establishment of a successful liver transplant program at Northwestern Memorial Hospital.
A large number of trainees from around the world have spent time in his laboratory; currently, 17 of them occupy academic positions in the United States and Europe. His efforts have been recognized by election to the American Society of Clinical Investigation, honorary memberships/awards from universities and national societies (Toronto, Argentina, Colombia, Hungary) and lectureships in different American and foreign universities/societies. In 2008, he became the recipient of the Achievement Award from the International Society of Hepatic Encephalopathy and Nitrogen metabolism. He also received the first International Recognition Award conferred by the European Association for the Study of the Liver.
Distinguished Service Awardees
1981 Leon Schiff, MD
1983 Hans Popper, MD
1984 Burton Combes, MD
1988 Dame Sheila Sherlock, MD, PhD
1989 Herbert Falk, MD
1990 Kunio Okauda, MD
1991 Carroll M Leevy, MD
1993 Sarah C Kalser, PhD
1997 Steven Schenker, MD
1998 Kamal G Ishak, MD
1999 Michael F Sorrell, MD
2000 Willis C Maddrey, MD
2001 Anthony S Tavill, MD
2002 Esteban Mezey, MD
2003 Paul D Berk, MD
2004 Eugene R Schiff, MD
2005 Leonard B Seeff , MD
2006 Allan W Wolkoff , MD
2007 William F Balistreri , MD
2008 Andres T Blei, MD