From November 10th to 14th, the grand finale of the international hepatology scene, the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD) Annual Meeting 2023, unfolded in Boston, USA. AASLD, in its annual tradition, awarded the “Outstanding Awards” during the conference to honor peers who have made significant strides in the field of hepatology. The recipients of the coveted 2023 “Outstanding Awards” were announced on the conference’s inaugural day (local time, November 10th).
I. Outstanding Achievement Award
The “AASLD Outstanding Achievement Award” is bestowed upon individuals to recognize their enduring scientific contributions to the field of liver disease and the scientific foundation of hepatology. This award celebrates sustained contributions rather than a singular discovery or specific monumental achievement.
2023 Awardee:
Dr. Wong obtained her MBBS degree from the University of Melbourne in Australia, completing gastroenterology training there. She earned her Ph.D. from Monash University in Australia and further pursued ascites research training in Canada under the guidance of Dr. Laurence Blendis. Progressing academically, she held positions as an assistant professor, associate professor, and full professor at the University of Toronto. During this tenure, she focused on researching renal dysfunction in decompensated cirrhosis, eventually concentrating on the pathophysiology of hepatorenal syndrome. She actively participated in the International Ascites Club, the North American Consortium for the Study of End-Stage Liver Disease, and the AASLD Acute-on-Chronic Liver Failure Special Interest Group (ACLF SIG). Due to her outstanding achievements in liver research, she was honored with the Gold Medal by the Canadian Liver Research Society.
II. Outstanding Clinical Educator/Mentor Award
The “AASLD Outstanding Clinical Educator/Mentor Award” typically recognizes individuals for their sustained service to AASLD or the hepatology community, acknowledging the skills of outstanding clinical physicians and educators who have made significant contributions to hepatology over the long term.
2023 Awardee:
Dr. Rand, an alumna of the University of Chicago for both undergraduate and medical studies, completed her pediatric residency at Johns Hopkins Hospital. After returning to the University of Chicago for gastroenterology, she received a research scholarship. Joining the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia in 1993, she served as a researcher, clinician, and educator. From 2000 to 2021, she directed the Gastroenterology Research Fellowship Program and later served as the director of the Advanced Hepatology Research Fellowship Program. She has delivered lectures at national conferences, single-topic meetings, and graduate courses, participated in various societies, and served as the associate editor of the Clinical Liver Disease (CLD) journal. Throughout her career, she greatly benefited from mentors, especially Dr. Peter Whitington, an eminent figure in pediatric hepatology. Her efforts are supported by her husband, Spencer Rand, and children, Eleanor and Isaac. Educating patients, families, and learners has always been her passion, hoping to inspire their understanding as others have inspired her.
III. Outstanding Service Award
The “AASLD Outstanding Service Award” is usually presented to individuals in recognition of their sustained service to AASLD or the hepatology community. This award acknowledges services provided to researchers and clinical doctors far beyond what many members of the AASLD Council and committees offer.
2023 Awardee:
Dr. Rakela is a professor of medicine at the Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine and an honorary consultant in the Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology at Mayo Clinic in Arizona. He received hepatology training at the University of Southern California Medical Center and practiced there. He later held academic positions at the Rochester Mayo Clinic and the University of Pittsburgh. During his time in Arizona, Dr. Rakela served as the Chair of the Department of Internal Medicine. He has served on multiple committees at AASLD, including as chair, and as associate editor of the Liver Transplantation journal. He has published 315 articles and served on various editorial boards. His research is funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), industry, and private foundations. Currently, he collaborates with researchers from the Acute Liver Failure Study Group (ALFSG) and the Biostatistics and Bioinformatics Branch of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to study the genomics of acute liver failure.
IV. Outstanding Advocacy Service Award
The “AASLD Outstanding Advocacy Service Award” is usually presented to advocacy organizations or individuals who have provided sustained services to the hepatology community. This award recognizes the winner’s long-term efforts to raise awareness, garner public and federal legislative support, promote liver health, and provide high-quality patient care for the hepatology community.
2023 Awardee:
Dr. Samuel So graduated from the University of Hong Kong Medical School and is the Lui Hac Minh Professor of Surgery at Stanford University in the United States. In 1996, he founded the Stanford Asian Liver Center, aiming to eliminate the harm of hepatitis B globally and reduce the burden of liver cancer by addressing knowledge, research, and health policy gaps. To raise awareness of HBV, he initiated the Jade Ribbon Campaign in 2000, co-founded the San Francisco Hep B Free movement, and inspired young people to form high school and college HBV groups. He advocated for addressing viral hepatitis issues in the United States, leading to the 2010 report from the Institute of Medicine (IOM) on hepatitis and liver cancer, forming the framework for the first national viral hepatitis strategic plan. He is the designer and subject matter expert of recent legislation, making California the first state to mandate primary healthcare institutions to provide screening and treatment services for hepatitis B and C according to AASLD guidelines. In 2014, Dr. So was recognized by the White House for his national leadership in preventing and treating viral hepatitis, changing global public health policies related to hepatitis B, and receiving the 2010 CDC/ATSDR Honor Award for mobilizing personnel and resources.
