2023 Research & Career Development Award Recipients
AASLD Foundation is pleased to announce our 2023 Research & Career Development Awardees. These exceptional investigators and clinicians have received one to three-year grants supporting innovative research in liver diseases, career development for early career investigators, and specialized training for front-line providers treating liver patients.
Pinnacle Research Award in Liver Diseases
Hui Han, PhD
University of Illinois at Chicago
Project Title: Role of Macrophage Derived Osteopontin in Non-alcoholic Steatohepatitis
Mentor: Natalia Neito, PhD
Ty D. Troutman, PhD
Cincinnati Children’s Hospital
Project Title: ATF3-Dependent Mechanisms for Kupffer Cells in Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease
Mentor: Chandrashekhar Gandhi, PhD, FAASLD
Shengmin Yan, PhD
Tulane University School of Medicine
Project Title: Roles and mechanisms of cholestasis in alcohol-associated hepatitis
Mentor: Xiao-Ming Yin, MD, PhD, FAASLD
The 2023 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
Thomas Cotter, MD
UT Southwestern Medical Center
Project Title: Determining the Influence of Biological and SDOH Factors in Racial and Ethnic Disparities in the Prognosis of Alcohol-Associated Liver Disease
Mentor: Mack Mitchell, MD, FAASLD
Cynthia L. Hsu, MD, PhD
University of California, San Diego
Project Title: The role of gut microbial ethanol production in alcohol use disorder and alcohol-associated liver disease
Mentor: Bernd Schnabl, MD, FAASLD
The 2023 Clinical, Translational, and Outcomes Research Awards in Liver Diseases are made possible through independent grants and unrestricted donations from Gilead Sciences, AASLD, and donors to the AASLD Foundation.
Afdhal/McHutchison LIFER Award
Rohil Jain, PhD
Massachusetts General Hospital
Project Title: Measurement of Mitochondrial Redox State & Injury via Resonance Raman Spectroscopy During Machine Perfusion of Human Livers
Mentor: Shannon Tessier, PhD
The 2023 Afdhal/McHutchison LIFER Award is made possible through an independent grant from the Liver Institute and Foundation for Education and Research (LIFER) and donors to the AASLD Foundation.
Gupta Family Pilot Award in PSC Research
Yilin Yang, PhD
Yale University
Project Title: The therapeutic implication of hepatic lymphatics in primary sclerosing cholangitis
Mentor: Yasuko Iwakiri, PhD, FAASLD
The 2023 Gupta Family Pilot Research Award in PSC Research is made possible through the Gupta Family Research Fund and donors to the AASLD Foundation.
Autoimmune Liver Diseases Exploratory Research Award
Hossam Abdelsamed, PhD
University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
Project Title: Understanding mechanism(s) regulating generation/maintenance of autoimmunity in liver transplant patients
Mentor: Angus Thomson, PhD
The 2023 Autoimmune Liver Diseases Pilot Research Award is made possible through a generous contribution given to establish this award and unrestricted donations from AASLD Foundation donors.
Pilot Research Award in Liver Diseases
Tess (Therese) Bittermann, MD
University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine
Project Title: A pilot investigation into the effects of increased ambient heat exposure on cirrhosis outcomes
Mentor: David Kaplan, MD, FAASLD, FACP, AGAF
The 2023 Pilot Research Award in Liver Diseases is made possible through unrestricted donations from AASLD and donors to the AASLD Foundation.
Anna S. Lok Advanced/Transplant Hepatology Fellow Award
Nghiem B. Ha, MD, MAS
University of California, San Francisco
Mentor: Jennifer Lai, MD
The 2023 Anna S. Lok Advanced/Transplant Hepatology Fellow 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 Fellow Award
Anya I. Mezina, MD, MSc
University of Pennsylvania
Mentor: David Kaplan, MD, FAASLD, FACP, AGAF
The 2023 Joseph R. Bloomer Advanced/Transplant Hepatology Fellow Award is made possible through a bequest from the estate of Dr. Joseph Bloomer and donors to the AASLD Foundation.
Kimberly A. Brown Advanced/Transplant Hepatology Fellow Award
Praveena Narayanan, MD
Mayo Clinic Rochester
Mentor: Pramod K. Mistry, MD, PhD, FRCP, FAASLD
The 2023 Kimberly A. Brown Advanced/Transplant Hepatology Fellow Award is made possible through the Kimberly A. Brown Fund and donors to the AASLD Foundation.
Ashwani K. Singal Advanced/Transplant Hepatology Fellow Award
For Research in Alcohol-Associated Liver Disease
Sasha Deutsch-Link, MD
University of North Carolina School of Medicine
Mentor: A. Sidney Barritt, MD, MSCR, FAASLD
The 2023 Ashwani K. Singal Advanced/Transplant Hepatology Fellow Award is made possible through the Singal Family Fund and donors to the AASLD Foundation.
Vinay Sundaram Advanced/Transplant Hepatology Fellow Award
Robert M. Wilechansky, MD
Massachusetts General Hospital
Mentor: Tracey Simon, MD
The 2023 Vinay Sundaram Advanced/Transplant Hepatology Fellow Award is made possible through the Vinay Sundaram Legacy Fund and donors to the AASLD Foundation.
Advanced/Transplant Hepatology Fellow Award for Research in Autoimmune Hepatitis
Silvia Nastasio, MD
Boston Children’s Hospital
Mentor: Maria Serena Longhi, MD, PhD
The 2023 Advanced/Transplant Hepatology Fellow Award for Research in Autoimmune Hepatitis is made possible through a generous anonymous donor in support of AIH-related research.
Advanced/Transplant Hepatology Fellow Award
Yael R. Nobel, MD, MS
Columbia University
Mentor: Elizabeth Verna, MD
Sarah L. Maxwell, MD
University of California, San Francisco
Mentor: Emily Perito, MD
Kathleen Yan, MD
University of Colorado School of Medicine
Mentor: Lisa Forman, MD
Divya Ayyala-Somayajula, MD, MAS
University of Southern California
Mentor: Norah Terrault, MD, MPH, FAASLD
The 2023 Advanced/Transplant Hepatology Fellow Awards are made possible through unrestricted donations from AASLD and donors to the AASLD Foundation.
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