Basic Science Emerging Topic Conference: Inflamed Passions of the Liver: A Journey to Clinical, Translational and Basic Liver Immunology

This engaging two-day conference will explore the latest advancements in understanding the immune landscape of the liver in health and disease. Led by global experts, the program offers a comprehensive look at clinical insights and research of liver immunology. 
 

The conference will feature presentations on a wide range of topics, including: 

>> Checkpoint Inhibition and Liver Injury   

>> Immune Phenotype of Liver Fibrosis and Cirrhosis   

>> Immunologic Features of Autoimmune Liver Diseases   

>> Immune Environment in Met-ALD and MASH  

>> Role of Immune Cells in Cholangiopathies   

>> Tumor Immune Microenvironments in HCC  
 

This ETC is also designed to fuel conversations and discussions for future progress, curated to strengthen networking relationships among attendees. 
 

Note: Attendees must begin registration through the DDW portal. After completing the initial steps, there will be a callout for "Registration Options" and choose AASLD's Basic Science Emerging Topic Conference. 

Add the ETC Course Now!

When & Where

Date: Saturday, May 3, 8:00 am - Sunday, May 4, 5:00 pm (EDT)
Location: San Diego, CA
Program Chairs: Enis Kostallari, MS, PhD | Matthew Burchill, PhD | Bernd Schnabl, MD, FAASLD
Continuing Education Credits: Continuing Medical Education (CME): 13.50 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™

Meet the Program Chairs

View the Program

Session 1: Immune Phenotype of Liver Fibrosis and Cirrhosis

Moderators: Matthew Burchill, PhD (University of Colorado-Anschutz) and Bernd Schnabl, MD, FAASLD (University of California, San Diego)

  • Clinical Features of Immune Mediated Fibrosis
    Scott Friedman, MD, FAASLD  (Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai (ISMMS))
  • Immune Regulation of Liver Fibrosis
    Prakash Ramachandran, MBChB PhD BSc(Hons)
  • Pro-inflammatory Extracellular Signals During Fibrosis
    Enis Kostallari, MS, PhD (Mayo Clinic Rochester)
  • Innate Immune Response during MASH Fibrosis
    Bishuang Cai, PhD (Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai)
  • Panel Discussion/ Q&A
Session 2: Role of Immune Cells in Cholangiopathies         

Moderators: Cara Mack, MD, FAASLD (Medical College of Wisconsin)  and Lily Dara, MD (University of Southern California)

  • Clinical Features of Immune-Mediated Cholangiopathies
    Alexander Miethke, MD (Cincinnati Children's Hospital)
  • Beta-catenin Axis in the Immune Response During Cholangiopathies
    Kari Nejak-Bowen, MBA, PhD (University of Montreal)
  • Microbiome Driven Immune Pathology in Cystic Fibrosis-related Liver Disease
    Romina Fiorotto, PhD (Yale University)
  • Innate Immune Response during Cholangiopathies
    TBD
  • Panel Discussion/ Q&A
Session 3: New Insights into the Immune Environment of Met-ALD   

Moderators: Xavier Revelo, PhD (University of Minnesota) and Matthias Pinter, PhD (Medical University of Vienna)

  • Clinical Features of Immune Mediated Met-ALD
    Gyongyi Szabo (Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School )
  • Complement-Mediated Innate Immune Response During ALD
    Rebecca L McCullough (University of Colorado - Anschutz)
  • Adaptive Immunity  in Met-ALD
    Mengfei Liu, MD (Yale University)
  • Immune Response during ALD
    Laura Nagy, PhD, FAASLD (Cleveland Clinic Foundation)
  • Panel Discussion/ Q&A
Session 4: New Insights into the Immune Environment of MASH 

Moderators: Shilpa Grover , MD, MPH (Brigham and Women's Hospital) and Josh Levitsky, MS, MD, FAASLD (Northwestern Memorial Hospital)

  • Therapeutic Modulation of the Liver Immune Microenvironment  MASH
    Anna Mae Diehl, MD, FAASLD (Duke University)
  • The Emerging Role of B cells in the Pathogenesis of MASH
    Xavier Revelo, PhD (University of Minnesota)
  • CD4+ T Cells Drive  MASH progression
    Petra Hirsova, PharmD, PhD (Mayo Clinic Rochester)
  • Multimodal Profiling of Inflammatory and Immune Cells during MASH
    William Alazawi, PhD, FRCP
  • Panel Discussion/ Q&A

Session 5:  Immunologic Features of Autoimmune Liver Diseases

Moderators: Kari Nejak-Bowen, MBA, PhD (University of Montreal)  and Prakash Ramachandran, MBChB PhD BSc(Hons)

  • Clinical Features of Adult Autoimmune Hepatitis
    Josh Levitsky, MS, MD, FAASLD (Northwestern Memorial Hospital)
  • T cell Activation and Clonal Expansion in Autoimmune Hepatitis
    Matthew Burchill, PhD (University of Colorado - Anschutz)
  • Immunobiology of Autoimmune Hepatitis in Children
    Cara Mack, MD, FAASLD (Medical College of Wisconsin)
  • Young investigator - abstract presentation
  • Panel Discussion/ Q&A
Session 6:  Navigating the Tumor Immune Microenvironment in HCC

Moderators: Enis Kostallari, PhD, MS (Mayo Clinic Rochester) and Scott Friedman , MD, FAASLD (Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai)

  • Insights from spatial transcriptomics for the treatment of HCC
    Luciane T. Kagohara (Johns Hopkins)
  • MASH Limits Anti-Tumour Surveillance in Immunotherapy-Treated HCC
    Mathias Heikenwalder (German Cancer Research Center)
  • Immune Regulation of Fibrosis
    Sumera Ilyas, MD (Mayo Clinic Rochester)
  • Immune Landscape of Cholangiocarcinoma
    Yury Popov, MD, PhD (BIDMC Harvard Medical School)
  • Panel Discussion/ Q&A
Session 7:  Checkpoint Inhibition Mediated Liver Injury   

Moderators: Steve Weinmann MD, PhD, FAASLD (University of Kansas Medical Center)

  • Safety and Efficacy of Immunotherapies for HCC
     Matthias Pinter, PhD (Medical University of Vienna)
  • Clinical Pattern of Checkpoint Inhibitor Induced Liver Injury
    Shilpa Grover, MBBS, MPH (Brigham and Women's Hospital)
  • Innate and adaptive immune activation in Checkpoint mediated liver injury
    Lily Dara, MD (University of Southern California)
  • Check-point Inhibitors as Efficient Immunotherapies
    Ignacio Melero, MD, PhD
  • Panel Discussion/ Q&A

>> Cutting-edge knowledge on clinical implications of the immune response during liver disease

>> Translational insights into liver disease treatment, including immune checkpoint inhibitors

>> Comprehensive understanding of the adaptive and innate immune cell biology during liver injury

>> Emerging international research on Met-ALD, MASH, fibrosis and cirrhosis, liver cancer, cholangiopathies, and autoimmune liver disease

>> Meaningful dialogue and idea exchange with take-home new perspectives

>> Supportive atmosphere of young investigators 

>> Interactive sessions and possibility to network

Registration Pricing

Regular Rate $190
Trainee Rate $100

Continuing Education

Continuing Medical Education (CME)

Accreditation Statement: The American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD) is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

Designation Statement: AASLD designates this live activity for a maximum of 13.50 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

CME Credits

Physicians seeking AMA PRA Category 1 CME Credits™ for this live activity must complete the meeting evaluation for DDW 2025. A link to the CME evaluation will be emailed to attendees after the course.