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, announced today it will distribute $2 million in 2023 to nearly 150 grant recipients to support liver-related research, bolster the pipeline of future hepatologists, and increase patient access to specialty care through its annual AASLD Foundation Research & Career Development Awards Program.
“The AASLD Foundation is committed to investing in the people and projects leading the way towards a brighter, healthier tomorrow for liver disease patients,” said Foundation Board of Trustees Chair, Bruce A. Luxon, MD, PhD, Anton and Margaret Fuisz Professor of Medicine and Chair of the Department of Medicine at Georgetown University Medical Center. “We are proud to support both this science and these outstanding researchers and clinicians who work tirelessly to transform the understanding and treatment of liver diseases.”
More than three quarters of this funding will support research projects exploring major questions and challenges in the understanding of the causes, treatment, and cure of liver diseases, in addition to support of career development for early career hepatology researchers. The remaining funding will support the Foundation’s pipeline-building programs to answer the demand for trained specialists equipped to treat the complexities of liver disease — particularly in underserved and rural communities — and promote the global dissemination of exceptional new research at international scientific meetings.
The 2023 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.
“AASLD Foundation funding is a catalyst for these early career investigators,” said the Foundation’s Research Awards Committee Chair, Wendy A. Henderson, PhD, CRNP, FAASLD, FAAN, Professor at the University of Connecticut. “The grantees the Foundation supports today will be the next generation of future leaders in hepatology research and care for tomorrow.”
Since 2000, the AASLD Foundation and AASLD have provided over $59 million to 1,950 grantees to support liver-related research and training.
“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 2023 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 $59 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.