Dear AASLD Community,
It’s truly an honor to begin this year serving as President of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD). I step into this role with deep gratitude for the community that defines AASLD, respect for the leadership that preceded me, and a strong sense of responsibility for the work ahead.
AASLD has been a professional home to me since I was a medical student, as it has been for many of you. Together, we will continue to elevate and inspire one another through science, service, and shared responsibility.
Across practice, research, education, advocacy, mentorship, and so much more, AASLD is here to support you and the patients and communities who depend on our work. This year, my focus is on priorities that ensure every member can fully engage in our work and mission across all corners of the globe. These priorities include:
- Elevating scientific leadership and innovation.
- Fostering belonging for members at every career stage.
- Creating meaningful and accessible service and leadership pathways.
- Positioning membership as a gateway to professional enhancement, networking, and opportunity to influence the field.
- Advocating for our patients and colleagues in unprecedented and uncertain medical and scientific environments.
We are living in a time that calls for steady leadership, a unified and engaged community, and an unwavering commitment to the highest levels of medical care, scientific discovery, and integrity. Our collective voice matters deeply in shaping the future of hepatology, patient care, and public health.
At its core, AASLD is and always has been about service: service to each other, to our members, to clinicians and researchers, to patients and their families, and to the entire field of hepatology.
As a member, your involvement is critical to strengthening our collective impact. I invite each of you to consider lending your expertise through a committee or Special Interest Group (SIG). These opportunities are not only central to advancing AASLD’s mission, but also to developing the next generation of leaders in hepatology. Service creates pathways for collaboration, mentorship, and influence, ensuring our work meets the moment and is shaped by voices across career stages, disciplines, and regions. To learn more about AASLD SIGs and committees, please email Membership@AASLD.org.
Please also consider engaging in our public policy advocacy, mentoring a colleague, and taking full advantage of the resources, connections, and learning opportunities available to you. Every act of engagement elevates our field, amplifies our impact, and reinforces AASLD’s role as the global scientific leader.
Thank you for the work you do, the patients you serve, and the community you help build every day. I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to serve alongside you and look forward to all we will accomplish together in the year ahead.
With appreciation,
Saul J. Karpen, MD, PhD, FAASLD
AASLD President