2026 Research & Career Development Award Recipients

AASLD Foundation’s Research & Career Development Awards are one to three-year awards that support 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

James Ahodantin, PhD, MSc
University of Nebraska Medical Center
Project Title: HEPLISAV-B Treatment Overcomes Immune Tolerance to Eliminate Hepatitis B Virus
Mentor: Natalia Osna, MD, PhD, FAASLD

Binbin Li, PhD
Mayo Clinic
Project Title: Chemotherapy-Induced Senescence Promotes Tumor Immunosuppression in Cholangiocarcinoma
Mentor: Sumera L. Ilyas, MD

Fernanda Raya Tonetti, PhD
University of California, San Diego
Project Title: The Role of ILC3-Mediated Gut-Liver Immune Crosstalk in Alcohol-Associated Liver Disease
Mentor: Christina Llorente, PhD, MS

Clinical, Translational, and Outcomes Research Award in Liver Diseases

Pedro Ochoa-Allemant, MD, MSCE
University of Pennsylvania
Project Title: Dynamic Risk Prediction and Personalized Risk Communication in Steatotic Liver Disease
Mentor: Marina Serper, MD, MS, FAASLD

Matthew A. Odenwald, MD, PhD
University of Chicago
Project Title: Microbiota Augmentation to Reestablish Commensal Organisms (MARCO) in Patients with Decompensated Cirrhosis
Mentor: Mary E. Rinella, MD, FAASLD

Bridge Award in Liver Diseases

Nidhi Jalan-Sakrikar, PhD
Mayo Clinic Rochester
Project Title: Pathobiology of Cholestatic Liver Disease

Lin Jia, PhD
The University of Texas at Dallas
Project Title: Vagus Nerve and Cholinergic Anti-Inflammatory Pathway in the Pathogenesis of Alcohol-Associated Liver Disease

Pilot Research Award in Liver Diseases

Anna L. Peters, MD, PhD
Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center
Project Title: Defining intragraft transcriptional dynamics of B cells in antibody-mediated liver transplant rejection
Mentor: Alexander G. Miethke, MD

Enis Kostallari, PhD, MS
Mayo Clinic Rochester
Project Title: Cilia-mediated nucleotide metabolism in hepatic stellate cells promotes liver fibrosis
Mentor: Vijay H. Shah, MD, FAASLD

Autoimmune Liver Diseases Exploratory Research Award

Harry Sutton, MBBS
Toronto Hospital for Sick Children
Project Title: Single-cell multiomic examination of the liver immune microenvironment in Gestational Alloimmune Liver Disease
Mentor: Sonya A. MacParland, PhD

The 2026 Autoimmune Liver Diseases Exploratory Research Award is made possible through a generous contribution given to establish this award and unrestricted donations from AASLD Foundation donors.

Gupta Family Pilot Award in PSC Research

Diana Nakib, PhD, HBSc
University Health Network
Project Title: Immune and Stromal Pathways Underlying PSC Recurrence
Mentor: Sonya A. MacParland, PhD

The 2026 Gupta Family Pilot Research Award is made possible through the Gupta Family Research Fund and donors to the AASLD Foundation.

Anna S. Lok Advanced/Transplant Hepatology Fellow Award

Ellen W. Green, MD, PhD, MSCR
University of Wisconsin

The 2026 Anna S. Lok Advanced/Transplant Hepatology Fellowship Award is made possible through the Anna S. Lok Fund for Excellence in Research and Training and donors to the AASLD Foundation.

Joseph Bloomer Advanced/Transplant Hepatology Fellow Award

Dilara Hatipoglu, MD
University of Pennsylvania

The 2026 Joseph 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.

Kimberly A. Brown Advanced/Transplant Hepatology Fellow Award

Daniela Goyes, MD, MHS
Yale New Haven Hospital

The 2026 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

Elina Stoffel, MD, MS
NYP-Columbia University Medical Center

The 2026 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

Linnea Swanson, MD
University of Michigan

The 2026 Vinay Sundaram Advanced/Transplant Hepatology Fellow Award is made possible through the Vinay Sundaram Legacy Fund and donors to the AASLD Foundation.