Looking Back and Looking Forward in Liver Health with Harvey J. Altar, 2020 Nobel Laureate

(Washington, DC – June 14, 2022) – The Embassy of Italy, in collaboration with Global Liver Institute (GLI), will host an event on June 14 entitled “From Progress in the Control of Viral Hepatitis to the Rising Epidemic of NASH” for the occasion of International NASH Day, a liver health awareness campaign led annually by GLI in June. The event will feature a scientific presentation highlighting the bilateral efforts to improve liver health in Italy and the United States, with a robust lineup of speakers.

Since the liver performs over 100 functions in the body, liver health is foundational to whole-person well-being. Hepatitis, or inflammation of the liver, is often caused by viral infection. The important discovery of hepatitis C virus by Dr. Alter and his colleagues paved the way for blood tests that have since saved millions of lives. Today, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and its more advanced form, nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) have grown to epidemic proportions with modern lifestyles and present a significant burden to patients, clinicians, and the broader healthcare system.

Opening Remarks:

• H.E. Mariangela Zappia, Ambassador of Italy to the United States
• Michael F. Iademarco, MD, MPH, Rear Admiral and Assistant Surgeon General in the U. S. Public Health Service and as the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Science and Medicine (DAS-S & M) in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Health
• Carolyn Wester, MD, MPH, Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Division of Viral Hepatitis

Presentation:

Moderator:

• Michael Lederman, MD, Professor Emeritus, Department of Medicine and Pathology, Case Western Reserve School of Medicine Cleveland Medical Center, Editor-in-Chief Pathogens and Immunity

Speakers:

• Harvey J. Alter, MD, 2020 Nobel laureate in Physiology or Medicine for discovery of the hepatitis C virus
• Patrizia Farci, MD, chief of the Hepatic Pathogenesis Section of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases at the National Institutes of Health

Closing Remarks:

• Donna R. Cryer, JD, founder, president, and CEO of Global Liver Institute

The event will be held at 10:00 am EST on June 14, 2022 at the auditorium of the Embassy of Italy, to be followed by a networking lunch.

Get Involved

International NASH Day is held annually on the second Thursday in June. For additional information, visit the International NASH Day website.

Please direct any additional questions to NASHDay@globalliver.org.

International NASH Day and its logo are registered trademarks of Global Liver Institute.

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About Global Liver Institute 

Global Liver Institute (GLI) is a patient-driven 501(c)3 nonprofit organization headquartered in Washington, DC, with offices in the EU and UK, founded in the belief that liver health must take its place on the global public health agenda commensurate with the prevalence and impact of liver disease and the importance of liver health to well-being. GLI promotes innovation, encourages collaboration, and supports the scaling of optimal approaches to improve research, care, and policy. By bringing together more than 200 community-based, national, and international organizations across its Councils, Campaigns, and events, GLI equips advocates to identify and solve the problems that matter to liver patients. Follow GLI on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube. GLI is the global host of International NASH Day, held annually on the second Thursday in June.