Bacterial infections are common in patients with advanced cirrhosis — partly related to altered microbiota, partly related to increased bacterial translocation across the gut wall and partly related to compromised immune function of these patients. When bacterial infection occurs, the heightened inflammatory reaction that follows predisposes these patients to altered hemodynamics and direct tissue damage. Therefore, these patients are prone to develop organ failure and ACLF when bacterial infection occurs.

This program will detail recent advances in the understanding of genetic and epigenetic alterations that influence NAFLD and its progression. It will emphasize their impact on the natural history of NAFLD and variability in clinical outcomes. Details on how patient based epigenetic association studies have led to novel insights into disease pathogenesis will be outlined with an emphasis on how this may translate to new therapeutics.

The hemodynamic changes in Fontan circulation (the palliative intervention in single ventricle physiology) confer risk of liver complications, particularly congestive hepatopathy. This program will include descriptions of the hepatopathy, the pathobiology of Fontan associated liver fibrosis, available diagnostic tools including imaging techniques and transplant-related medical decision making in the context of a failing Fontan.Veena Venkat Angela Lorts Elizabeth Rand Jonathan Dillman Vijay Shah John Magee

This program presents an update on the current state of knowledge about autoimmune hepatitis and identify the gaps in knowledge related to the immunologic, environmental, and genetic factors underlying AIH. The program will also review clinical management, identify unmet needs, and discuss barriers along the path toward development of new therapies for AIH.Christopher L. Bowlus (Moderator) Dr. Christopher Bowlus obtained his medical degree at St. Louis University and completed his postgraduate training at University of California Davis and Yale University. Dr.

This workshop will look at various training pathways for a career in hepatology. It will also describe various career opportunities in research, practice, education and industry, providing an overview of the rewards and challenges for each of these, and identify sources for research funding for fellows and junior faculty members.Oren K. Fix Dr. Oren Fix is the Medical Director of the Liver Transplant Program at Swedish Medical Center in Seattle, Washington, Clinical Associate Professor at the Washington State University Elson S.

This program covers the key components that support efforts to define a program toward eradication of HCV in the U.S.  The program is centered around modeling, engagement of individuals difficult to link to care and screening efforts.  Access to care and the role of advocacy is instrumental and approaches toward successful advocacy will also be discussed.John W. Ward John W. Ward, MD created and directs the Coalition for Global Hepatitis Elimination of the Task Force for Global Health.

Precision medicine has the potential to completely revolutionize health care research and treatment – allowing doctors and researchers to more accurately predict which treatment and prevention strategies for a particular disease will work in individual patients or groups of patients vs. a one-size-fits all paradigm.

This program will focus on liver injury due to herbal and dietary supplements. The program will begin with a description of a realworld case of liver injury due to OxyElite Pro, which highlights the challenges faced by diagnosticians and researchers in establishing causation for hepatotoxicity due to herbal and dietary supplements. The program will also review the role of the FDA, CDC and chemists, including scientists with the National Center for Natural Products Research, at the University of Mississippi, who perform product chemical analyses.Victor J. Navarro Victor J.

Haoyu Sun, Qiang Huang, Mei Huang, Hao Wen, Renyong Lin, Meijuan Zheng, Kun Qu, Kun Li, Haiming Wei, Weihua Xiao, Rui Sun, Zhigang Tian, Cheng Sun – 8 November 2018 – Immune checkpoint blockade has become a promising therapeutic approach to reverse immune cell exhaustion. Coinhibitory CD96 and T‐cell immunoglobulin and ITIM domain (TIGIT), together with costimulatory CD226, bind to common ligand CD155. The balancing between three receptors fine‐tunes immune responses against tumors.

8 November 2018