Andres Duarte-Rojo, MD, PhD is a board-certified Transplant Hepatologist for University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Main clinical interests include complications of cirrhosis and portal hypertension, comprehensive care of waitlisted candidates with advanced liver disease and non-invasive liver disease assessment (NILDA). Recent authored publications include Usefulness of controlled attenuation parameter and liver stiffness measurement for the identification of extended-criteria donors and risk-assessment in liver transplantation and also Introducing the smartphone app, EL-FIT (Exercise and Live FITness), to help monitor and prehabilitate liver transplant candidates, in which he created the app.

Dr. Duarte-Rojo is an Associate Professor at the University of Pittsburgh was recently appointed Liver Transplant Medical Director of the Starzl Transplantation Institute at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. He conducts clinical and translational research on disorders of physical function/sarcopenia and the benefits of exercise in advanced liver disease, as well as in evaluating effective approaches to pre- and post-transplant NILDA. His work includes studies on the assessment of frailty metrics, how to better identify minimal hepatic encephalopathy and the interaction between frailty and hepatic encephalopathy. Using clinimetrics and a patient-centered approach, he aims to better target diagnostic and treatment endpoints to advance the care of patients with cirrhosis and improve clinical outcomes in liver transplantation. Dr. Duarte-Rojo has over 100 peer reviewed manuscripts including consensus and guidelines for professional societies.

Dr. Duarte-Rojo also conducts bi-weekly Sarcofit Research Lab meetings where he mentors multiple trainees to advance in the field of sarcopenia and physical fitness in advanced liver disease.

Dra Valeria I. Descalzi

Training: Dra. Descalzi completed her undergraduate studies at the Faculty of Medicine, at the National University of Buenos Aires, obtaining the title of Physician in 1990. Within her postgraduate professional training, she completed a residency in Internal Medicine at the Center for Medical Studies and Clinical Investigations (CEMIC) obtaining the Certificate of Residence in Medical Clinic. She completed the Fellowship in Hepatology and Liver Transplantation in 1999 in the Liver Unit, Hepatobiliary Surgery and Liver Transplantation of the Favaloro Foundation (I.C. and C.C.)

Medical Assistance: She has worked as a clinical hepatologist in the Hepatology and Transplantation Unit of the Favaloro Foundation University Hospital since 1997, holding various positions during this period. She currently works as Head of Hepatology of the Hepatology and Liver Transplantation Unit of the Favaloro Foundation University Hospital.

Scientific Activity: Within the Professional and Academic Societies to which she belongs, she stands out being a Full Member of the Argentine Transplantation Society (SAT), The Transplantation Society (TTS), the Argentine Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AAEEH). She has the title of Specialist in Hepatology granted by the Ministry of Health of the Nation and she works within the teaching area as Head of Practical Works Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Favaloro University. She has participated internationally in therapeutic clinical research trials and presented research developed within the field of hepatology and liver transplantation at both national and international conferences. Among the awards and mentions received, the "Adolfo Aztiria" Prize awarded by the National Academy of Medicine for the best work on clinical medicine stands out.

Work: "Natural History of Hepatitis C. Multidisciplinary Experience in Argentina." The Rolando Figueroa Barrios award granted by the ALEEH and also awarded by the AAEEH for the work "Evaluation of the use of Anti-HB core Positive Donors in Liver Transplantation in Argentina" and the Prize of the XXII Latin American and Caribbean Transplant Congress (STALYC) and XII Argentine Congress of Transplantation (SAT), for the study of the "Impact of Basiliximab therapy on the recurrence of hepatitis C after liver transplantation."

Manuel Mendizabal, MD

Dr. Mendizabal currently works as a hepatologist at the Hepatology and Liver Transplantation Unit of the Austral University Hospital in Buenos Aires. He received his medical degree from Austral University and completed his Internal Medicine residency at the same Institution. He subsequently completed his training in Hepatology and Liver Transplantation at the University of Pennsylvania under the direction of Dr. Rajender Reddy. He is part of the different regional scientific societies, being currently the Secretary of the Latin American Association for the Study of the Liver (ALEH) and the Secretary of the Argentine Society for the Study of Liver (SAHE). His areas of interest are viral hepatitis, acute liver failure, and liver transplantation.