Harrys A. Torres, MD, FAASLD

Biography

Harrys A. Torres, MD, FACP, FIDSA, FAASLD, is a Professor of Medicine in the Department of Infectious Diseases, Infection Control, and Employee Health, as well as an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas. He is board-certified in internal medicine and infectious diseases, with additional certifications in HIV/AIDS and Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. Dr. Torres is the founder and director of the Hepatitis C virus (HCV) clinic at MD Anderson, which is the first dedicated clinic in the U.S. and likely in the world, focused on managing HCV in cancer patients.

He is a member of several national committees for professional societies, including the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD), the European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL), the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA), and the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ESCMID). Dr. Torres serves as the Chair of the AASLD Special Interest Group on HCV.

Dr. Torres' work has significantly influenced the standard of care for HCV-infected cancer patients. He is dedicated to facilitating translational research in the prevention, detection, and treatment of HCV in patients with cancer. He is the principal investigator for research grants on HCV from the NIH/NCI and investigator-initiated studies from pharmaceutical companies. His additional research interests include hepatitis B virus, hepatitis D virus, and hepatitis E virus infections in immunocompromised patients, particularly those with cancer or hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients.

Dr. Torres has co-authored nearly 140 articles published in peer-reviewed journals, including "CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians," "Lancet," "Gastroenterology," "Hepatology," "Journal of Hepatology," "Journal of the National Cancer Institute," "Lancet Haematology," "American Journal of Gastroenterology," "Leukemia," "Clinical Infectious Diseases," "Blood," "Nature Reviews Clinical Oncology," "Journal of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network," "Cancer," and "Liver International." Many of his publications are accompanied by editorials. His research has been featured on over 100 professional web resources and news websites, including Reuters, Fox News, and the Houston Chronicle. He has presented nearly 150 abstracts at international meetings and has written eight book chapters. His achievements in HCV research have been recognized multiple times by the AASLD and the American Society of Clinical Oncology, among others.

In addition to his research activities, Dr. Torres lectures widely both nationally and internationally. In 2023, he launched the International ECHO (Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes) clinic on viral hepatitis in patients with cancer to educate providers in the U.S. and other countries on managing cancer patients with viral hepatitis. He also trains infectious diseases and gastroenterology fellows at the hepatitis clinic at MD Anderson. Additionally, Dr. Torres has extensive administrative experience; he has served as the Medical Director and Patient Experience Officer for the Internal Medicine Center at MD Anderson for many years.