The American Liver Foundation (ALF) announced 10 new liver disease research awards that will fund early-career scientists.

The Liver Scholar Awards encourage early-career researchers to pursue careers in liver biology, disease and treatment. After a pause in funding during the COVID-19 pandemic, ALF leaders relaunched the program last year and last week announced the winners of the 2023 research awards, ALF CEO Lorraine Stiehl said in an ALF news release.

“Funding research today helps fuel tomorrow’s cures,” Stiehl said.

More than 100 million people in the United States have some form of liver disease, according to the ALF. If left untreated, liver disease can progress to liver failure and liver cancer.

The research awards, which total $850,000 over a three-year period, will cover topics such as lipid metabolism, genetics, biomarkers and more. Recipients will address important questions regarding pediatric liver disease, liver cancer, rare liver disease, fibrosis/cirrhosis, alcohol-associated liver disease and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD, formerly known as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease).

Grant applications were reviewed by Helene Jordan, PhD, ALF national director of research program management; a Grants Review Committee; 36 other medical professionals and research scientists; and a liver patients group also reviewed grant applications.

“These grants will go a long way to help provide insight to some of the most critical issues in liver disease today, and we congratulate all of the winners,” said ALF board chair Emmanuel Thomas, MD, PhD. 

The ALF is the nation’s largest nonprofit dedicated solely to promoting liver health and disease prevention. Since its inception in 1979, ALF’s research awards program has provided more than $28 million in funding to more than 870,” board chair of ALF Emmanuel Thomas, MD, PhD, FAASLD, said. qualified scientists and physicians.

To view the full list of 2023 Liver Scholar Award winners, click here.