Alexandria, VA – The American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD) Foundation, the largest medical society supporter of liver disease research and training in the United States, today announced its combined investment of over $1.5 million in Research and Career Development Awards, Abstract Awards, Emerging Liver Scholars (ELS) Program for medical residents and its new Emerging Liver Advanced Practice Provider (APP) Program.
The 2022 award recipients — selected from a highly competitive applicant pool — demonstrate both exceptional aptitude and deep interest in liver disease research and treatment. Their work will further advance the mission of the AASLD Foundation and hepatology as a medical specialty.
This year’s funding enables:
- 21 researchers and clinicians to conduct innovative liver disease research and seek advanced hepatology training through Research and Career Development Awards.
- 82 early-career investigators to receive Abstract Awards, which recognize scientific excellence and promote professional development through an opportunity to present their research to a large, global audience at AASLD’s annual meeting, The Liver Meeting® and Digestive Disease Week®.
- 35 medical residents to explore hepatology through the ELS program, which encourages and welcomes future changemakers into the field of hepatology through learning, mentorship and networking opportunities.
- 10 advanced practice providers to receive the tools and support needed to prepare them for a specialization in liver through the new Emerging Liver APP program.
“At the core of the AASLD Foundation are the talented researchers and clinicians who work tirelessly to find better treatments and more cures for liver diseases,” said AASLD Foundation Chair, Bruce A. Luxon, MD, PhD, FAASLD. “The 2022 AASLD Foundation award recipients were selected from a highly competitive applicant pool, and demonstrate not only an exceptional aptitude, but a deep interest in liver disease research and treatment.”
In 2022, AASLD Foundation donors’ generosity enabled the foundation to fund a diverse portfolio of research projects. This year’s award recipients will explore topics including Healthcare Disparities for Liver Patients, Alcohol-Associated Liver Disease, Liver Cancer, and Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD)/Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis (NASH) among others. With NIH funding becoming increasingly competitive, Foundation research awards play an important role in supporting preliminary work that serves as a bridge to future research.
“The AASLD Foundation provides more funding of hepatology research and training than any other medical society in the United States,” explained Dr. Luxon, “but more support and more research is needed to execute the AASLD Foundation’s Vision to prevent and cure liver disease. The support from our generous donors continues to provide opportunities for innovative research which can ultimately change lives for patients around the world.”
AASLD Foundation’s enduring financial investment in its awards program demonstrates its commitment to providing critical funding for liver research, securing education and training for those caring for people with liver disease. To learn more about AASLD Foundation, and its 2022 award recipients, visit aasldfoundation.org. Follow the AASLD Foundation on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
About AASLD Foundation
The AASLD Foundation is the largest medical society supporter of liver disease research in the United States with more than $57 million awarded since 2000, together with AASLD. Its mission is to invest in innovative hepatology research and in the people who study and treat liver disease. Building upon the philanthropic legacy of AASLD, the Foundation does this by funding hepatology research and advanced hepatology training as well as by providing liver disease education for hepatologists, hepatology healthcare professionals and frontline healthcare professionals.
2022 AASLD Foundation Awardees
Pinnacle Research Award in Liver Diseases
Phillipp Hartmann, MD
University of California, San Diego
Project Title: Role of Candida albicans for the development of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis
Mentor: Bernd Schnabl, MD, FAASLD
Rui Su, PhD
City of Hope National Medical Center
Project Title: Functions and mechanisms of METTL16 in HCC pathogenesis
Mentor: Wendong Huang, PhD
The 2022 Pinnacle Research Awards in Liver Diseases are made possible through independent grants and unrestricted donations from Gilead Sciences, AASLD, and donors to the AASLD Foundation.
Clinical, Translational, and Outcomes Research Award in Liver Diseases
Andrew Moon, MD, MPH
University of North Carolina
Project Title: Incorporating the Patient Voice into Hepatocellular Carcinoma Treatment Models
Mentor: A. Sidney Barritt, MD, MSCR, FAASLD
Philip Vutien, MD, MS
University of Washington
Project Title: Development and validation of models that estimate risk of hepatocellular carcinoma in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and cured hepatitis C virus infection
Mentor: George Ioannou, MD, FAASLD
The 2022 Clinical, Translational, and Outcomes Research Awards in Liver Diseases are made possible through independent grants and unrestricted donations from Gilead Sciences, Pfizer, AASLD, and donors to the AASLD Foundation.
Bridge Award
Xiaosong Jiang, MD, PhD
University of California, Davis
Project Title: Fumarates for alcoholic liver disease
The 2022 Bridge Award is made possible through unrestricted donations from AASLD and donors to the AASLD Foundation.
Gupta Family Pilot Award in PSC Research
Konstantina Kyritsi, PhD
Indiana University School of Medicine
Project Title: The therapeutic role of neurokinin-1 receptor antagonist in primary sclerosing cholangitis
Mentor: Gianfranco Alpini, PhD, FAASLD
The 2022 Gupta Family Pilot Research Award is made possible through the Gupta Family Research Fund and donors to the AASLD Foundation.
Autoimmune Liver Diseases Pilot Research Award
Yael R. Nobel, MD
Columbia University Medical Center
Project Title: The Gut Microbiome in Autoimmune Liver Diseases Liver Transplant Rejection
Mentor: Elizabeth Verna, MD, MS
The 2022 Autoimmune Liver Disease Pilot Research Award is made possible through a generous contribution given to establish this award and unrestricted donations from AASLD Foundation donors.
Anna S. Lok Advanced/Transplant Hepatology Award
Stephanie Rutledge MBBCh BAO MRCPI
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
Mentor: Scott Friedman, MD, FAASLD
The 2022 Anna S. Lok Advanced/Transplant Hepatology Award is made possible through the Anna S. Lok Fund for Excellence in Research and Training and donors to the AASLD Foundation.
Joseph R. Bloomer Advanced/Transplant Hepatology Award
Hyunseok Kim, MD, MPH
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
Mentor: Michelle J. Lai, MD, MPH
The 2022 Joseph R. Bloomer Advanced/Transplant Hepatology Fellowship Award is made possible through a bequest from the estate of Dr. Joseph Bloomer and donors to the AASLD Foundation.
Advanced / Transplant Hepatology Award
Elizabeth Aby, MD
University of Minnesota
Mentor: Thomas Leventhal, MD
Saroja Bangaru, MD
University of Southern California - Keck School of Medicine
Mentor: Norah Terrault, MD, MPH, FAASLD
Amir Hossein Gougol, MD
University of California, San Francisco
Mentor: Neil Mehta, MD
Nimy John, MD
University of California, Los Angeles
Mentor: Steven-Huy B. Han, MD, AGAF, FAASLD
Melissa Kaltenbach, MD
University of Pennsylvania
Mentor: Therese Bittermann, MD, MSCE
Alyson Kaplan, MD
Weill Cornell Medical College
Mentor: Robert S. Brown Jr., MD, MPH, FAASLD
Nicole J. Kim, MD, MPH
University of Washington
Mentor: George N. Ioannou, MD
Sindhu Pandurangi, MD
Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center
Mentor: Jorge Bezerra, MD, FAASLD
Gopanandan Parthasarathy, MBBS
Mayo Clinic Rochester
Mentor: Harmeet Malhi, MBBS, FAASLD
Meaghan M. Phipps, MD
New York Presbyterian Hospital - Columbia University Irving Medical Center
Mentor: Julia Wattacheril, MD, MPH
Ashley Spann, MD, MSACI
Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Mentor: Manhal Izzy, MD
Alexander Vogel, MD
Mount Sinai Hospital
Mentor: Thomas D. Schiano, MD, FAASLD
The 2022 Advanced/Transplant Hepatology Awards are made possible through unrestricted donations from AASLD and donors to the AASLD Foundation.