Liver Talks: The Liver Fellow Network Podcast

In this episode, we speak with Mohammed "Zeeshan" Akhtar, MD, PhD, a liver transplant and hepatopancreaticobiliary (HPB) surgeon at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York, about his work in machine perfusion. We discuss how this technology is reshaping organ access, expanding the donor pool, and changing how transplant programs think about graft preservation. Join us for the only conversation about machines you've had recently that isn't about AI.

In this episode, we speak with Mohammed "Zeeshan" Akhtar, MD, PhD, a liver transplant and hepatopancreaticobiliary (HPB) surgeon at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York, about his work in machine perfusion. We discuss how this technology is reshaping organ access, expanding the donor pool, and changing how transplant programs think about graft preservation. Join us for the only conversation about machines you've had recently that isn't about AI.

What’s new in the world of portal hypertension? In this episode, we speak with Dr. Patrick Northup, Professor of Medicine and Medical Director of Liver Transplantation at NYU Langone Health, about his career in hepatology and his expertise in vascular liver disease. We then dive into major updates from the most recent Baveno consensus meeting, exploring how the field is evolving from noninvasive risk stratification to modern approaches to NSBBs, endoscopic screening, and TIPS. Hosts: Vlad Fomin Dilara Hatipoglu Adam Winters Alex Vogel Edited By: Taylor Gouterman

Join us for a deep dive into hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) therapy with leaders in the field: Dr. Parissa Tabrizian and Dr. Ju Dong Yang. In this episode, we break down the modern management of HCC across disease stages, from surgical resection and locoregional therapies to systemic and immunotherapy options. Our guests walk us through real-world clinical decision-making and the nuances of multidisciplinary care in an increasingly complex treatment landscape. We also feature a special segment at the end with Dr. Allie Cao who is the trainee lead for the HCC Special Interest Group (SIG). Hosts: Vlad Fomin Dilara Hatipoglu Adam Winters Alex Vogel Edited By: Taylor Gouterman

Our first surgeon guest is here! Dr. Juan Rocca from Weill Cornell Medical Center joins us to break down living donor liver transplantation — from patient selection and surgical decision-making to the history of living donation. Plus, we can’t resist a little liver anatomy talk (yes, we have favorite segments).

Join us as we dive deep into Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease (MASLD) with a true titan in the field: Dr. Mazen Noureddin. Dr. Noureddin joins us from the Houston Research Institute and Houston Methodist Hospital to break down the complexities of MASLD diagnosis and the modern care pathways that are redefining hepatology. We explore the current state of pharmacologic management and insights into the Phase 2 clinical trial of Efruxifermin (and learn to pronounce it!). We have a special guest segment with Maria Mironova, the MASLD Special Interest Group (SIG) leader at AASLD, who shares how the SIG is shaping the future of liver research and education.

Join us for a unique recording from the live podcast at AASLD 2025! In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Kaplan (University of Pennsylvania) and Dr. Fortune (Miami Transplant Institute) to break down a challenging case. Hear how these leaders in portal hypertension think through diagnosis, management, and the nuances of portal hypertension. Hosts: Vlad Fomin Dilara Hatipoglu Adam Winters Alex Vogel Guests: David E. Kaplan Brett E. Fortune Edited By: Taylor Gouterman

Join us for an in-depth discussion on Acute-on-Chronic Liver Failure (ACLF) with Dr. Christina Lindenmeyer, board-certified transplant hepatologist at the Cleveland Clinic and founder of their groundbreaking Medical Intensive Liver Unit (MILU). Dr. Lindenmeyer, who serves as Vice Chair of the AASLD ACLF Special Interest Group, breaks down the essential definitions and diagnostic criteria of ACLF, explores evidence-based management strategies, and shares insights from her extensive research in liver failure and transplantation. We are excited to announce we have two new fellow hosts, Vlad Fomin and Dilara Hatipoglu! They are so excited to spend the year with you all learning about the liver. Listen to the end as we debut a brand new lightning round! In Liver we trust.

On this episode of Liver Talks, Gideon Hirschfield, the Lily and Terry Horner Chair in Autoimmune Liver Disease Research and Professor at the University of Toronto, comes on to talk about the latest advances in primary biliary cholangitis. Also, we bid Patrick Lee adieu and set the stage for new fellow leads! Hosts: Patrick Lee Adam Winters Alex Vogel Guests: Gideon Hirschfield Edited by: Taylor Gouterman

Enjoy a fantastic talk with the master of portal hypertension, Guadalupe Garcia-Tsao. Perfect for listening whilst in transit to or from San Diego for AASLD! We are looking for interested trainees to take the reins of fellow lead for Liver Talks next academic year (2025-2026). Feel free to e-mail liverfellownetwork@gmail.com if you are interested in learning more. Hosts: Patrick Lee Adam Winters Alex Vogel @AlexSVogel Guests: Guadalupe Garcia-Tsao @ ggarciatsao Edited by: Taylor Gouterman Music Credits: “Tropkicks”, Broke for Free “Something Elated”, Broke for Free “Take Me Higher”, Jahzzar “RSPN,” Blank & Kytt All music furnished by ⁠https://freemusicarchive.org/⁠ under Creative Commons licensing. ⁠http://brokeforfree.com/⁠ ⁠https://jahzzar.bandcamp.com/⁠ ⁠https://blankkytt.bandcamp.com⁠

Big time guest alert! Dr. Michael Lucey joins us to talk about all things ALD - including early LT and whether or not he uses steroids or steroids + NAC for severe AH. Which is it? You'll have to listen! Hosts: Patrick Lee Adam Winters @adam_c_winters Alex Vogel @AlexSVogel Guests: Michael Lucey Robert Wilechansky @WilechanskyMD Edited by: Taylor Gouterman Music Credits: “Tropkicks”, Broke for Free “Something Elated”, Broke for Free “Take Me Higher”, Jahzzar “RSPN,” Blank & Kytt All music furnished by https://freemusicarchive.org/ under Creative Commons licensing. http://brokeforfree.com/ https://jahzzar.bandcamp.com/ https://blankkytt.bandcamp.com

After a respite, Liver Talks is back with a very special guest. We talk to Norah Terrault, Chief of Gastroenterology and Hepatology at Keck Medical Center of USC, about her career, the MASLD nomenclature change, and her work with AASLD. Then, Rob Wilechansky is back to walk us through the latest and greatest published in Hepatology. Hosts: Patrick Lee Adam Winters @adam_c_winters Alex Vogel @AlexSVogel Guests: Norah Terrault @norahterrault Robert Wilechansky @WilechanskyMD Edited by: Taylor Gouterman Music Credits: “Tropkicks”, Broke for Free “Something Elated”, Broke for Free “Take Me Higher”, Jahzzar “RSPN,” Blank & Kytt All music furnished by https://freemusicarchive.org/ under Creative Commons licensing. http://brokeforfree.com/ https://jahzzar.bandcamp.com/ https://blankkytt.bandcamp.com/

Adam and Alex start by introducing the new fellow lead for Liver Talks, Patrick Lee - a GI fellow at USC. The bulk of the episode is spent discussing a recent paper Adam published about finding your first hepatology job after fellowship. They discuss when and how to apply, what to prioritize, and negotiation tactics. Finally, Rob Wilechansky drops by to discuss a PBC clinical trial recently published in Hepatology. Jobs Paper: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37309214/ PBC Trial: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10344437/ Hosts: Patrick Lee Adam Winters @adam_c_winters Alex Vogel @AlexSVogel Guests: Robert Wilechansky @WilechanskyMD Edited by: Taylor Gouterman Music Credits: “Tropkicks”, Broke for Free “Something Elated”, Broke for Free “Take Me Higher”, Jahzzar “RSPN,” Blank & Kytt All music furnished by https://freemusicarchive.org/ under Creative Commons licensing. http://brokeforfree.com/ https://jahzzar.bandcamp.com/ https://blankkytt.bandcamp.com/

On this episode of Liver Talks, Alex and Adam are joined by Amit Singal, HCC expert and Chief of Hepatology at UT Southwestern, for a fascinating conversation about the latest and greatest in HCC. Then, a new segment is born featuring Rob Wilechansky, a transplant hepatology fellow at MGH and Hepatology's editorial fellow, in which they discuss an exciting new article from a recent issue of the journal. AASLD HCC Guideline: https://journals.lww.com/hep/fulltext/9900/aasld_practice_guidance_on_prevention,_diagnosis,.441.aspx Tropifexor plus cenicriviroc combination versus monotherapy in non-alcoholic steatohepatitis: Results from the Phase 2b TANDEM study: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37162151/ Hosts Adam Winters @adam_c_winters Alex Vogel @AlexSVogel Guests: Amit Singal @docamitgs Robert Wilechansky @WilechanskyMD Edited by: Taylor Gouterman Music Credits: “Tropkicks”, Broke for Free “Something Elated”, Broke for Free “Take Me Higher”, Jahzzar “RSPN,” Blank & Kytt All music furnished by https://freemusicarchive.org/ under Creative Commons licensing. http://brokeforfree.com/ https://jahzzar.bandcamp.com/ https://blankkytt.bandcamp.com/

Alex and Adam are thrilled to host Liver Talks' first time return guest, Dr. Patty Pringle Bloom from the University of Michigan, to talk all about the microbiome and its relationship to liver disease, the International Society for Hepatic Encephalopathy and Nitrogen Metabolism, "lunatic asylums" in Germany and much more! ISHEN: https://www.ishen.org/ Dr. Bloom's work (a curated selection): FMT in HE: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35384391/ Post-transplant ascites: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37219847/ Hosts Adam Winters @adam_c_winters Alex Vogel @AlexSVogel Guest: Patty Pringle Bloom @BloomPringle Edited by: Taylor Gouterman Music Credits: “Tropkicks”, Broke for Free “Something Elated”, Broke for Free “Take Me Higher”, Jahzzar “RSPN,” Blank & Kytt All music furnished by https://freemusicarchive.org/ under Creative Commons licensing. http://brokeforfree.com/ https://jahzzar.bandcamp.com/ https://blankkytt.bandcamp.com/

There are new NASH Guidelines and we're gonna talk about them. Who better to chat with than lead author Dr. Mary Rinella? Probably nobody! But first, the precarities of being an NY Jets fan (sorry) and a heads up about the Liver Meeting abstract deadline. AASLD NASH Guidelines: https://journals.lww.com/hep/Fulltext/2023/05000/AASLD_Practice_Guidance_on_the_clinical_assessment.31.aspx Hosts Adam Winters @adam_c_winters Alex Vogel @AlexSVogel Guests: Mary Rinella @marurinella Edited by: Taylor Gouterman Music Credits: “Tropkicks”, Broke for Free “Something Elated”, Broke for Free “Take Me Higher”, Jahzzar “RSPN,” Blank & Kytt All music furnished by https://freemusicarchive.org/ under Creative Commons licensing. http://brokeforfree.com/ https://jahzzar.bandcamp.com/ https://blankkytt.bandcamp.com/

On this episode of Liver Talks, Adam and Alex welcome their very good friend Dr. Ani Kardashian from the Keck School of Medicine at USC's Division of Gastroenterology and Liver Disease (3:40). She discusses her work focusing on the effect of food insecurity in patients with chronic liver disease, as well as her interest in disparities research. It's a fascinating conversation that has profound implications on clinical practice. The episode ends with a review of some simple screening tools to help identify patients at risk of food insecurity (41:24) Work Referenced in the Episode Dr. Kardashian's work on food insecurity https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36173037/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34958747/ Dr. Kardashian's encompassing review on disparities in liver disease https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35993341/ Hosts Adam Winters @adam_c_winters Alex Vogel @AlexSVogel Guests: Ani Kardashian @AniKardashianMD Music Credits: “Tropkicks”, Broke for Free “Something Elated”, Broke for Free “Take Me Higher”, Jahzzar “RSPN,” Blank & Kytt All music furnished by https://freemusicarchive.org/ under Creative Commons licensing. http://brokeforfree.com/ https://jahzzar.bandcamp.com/ https://blankkytt.bandcamp.com/

Adam and Alex catch up with outgoing AASLD president Dr. Laurie DeLeve just prior to the very peaceful transition of power (5:03). They discuss her initiatives for the society over the past year, her interest in mentorship, and if a shared language can be found between basic scientists and clinicians. Plus a new and exciting answer for favorite liver cell! Our hosts wrap the episode celebrating Alex passing his GI boards and review their respective study strategies (33:50). Hosts: Adam Winters @adam_c_winters Alex Vogel @AlexSVogel Guests: Laurie DeLeve Music Credits: “Tropkicks”, Broke for Free “Something Elated”, Broke for Free “Take Me Higher”, Jahzzar “RSPN,” Blank & Kytt All music furnished by https://freemusicarchive.org/ under Creative Commons licensing. http://brokeforfree.com/ https://jahzzar.bandcamp.com/ https://blankkytt.bandcamp.com/

We are joined by Dr. Patty Pringle Bloom and Dr. Parita Patel for a very, very special (and fun) episode of Liver Talks. We talk about the first job search timeline, contracts, lawyers, asking for protected time, getting the tea on the prospective work place--all from the perspective of a clinician, clinician-educator and clinician-researcher. We laughed, we tried to keep Alex--currently undergoing the job search process--from crying and we talked about Love is Blind. Hosts: Adam Winters @adam_c_winters Alex Vogel @AlexSVogel Guests: Patty Pringle Bloom @bloompringle Parita Patel @ParitaPatelMD Music Credits: “Tropkicks”, Broke for Free “Something Elated”, Broke for Free “Take Me Higher”, Jahzzar “RSPN,” Blank & Kytt All music furnished by https://freemusicarchive.org/ under Creative Commons licensing. http://brokeforfree.com/ https://jahzzar.bandcamp.com/ https://blankkytt.bandcamp.com/

In this episode, Alex and Adam talk with Dr. Sonali Paul of the University of Chicago about the challenges and disparities faced by LGBTQI+ patients and providers. They delve into the dearth of training that surrounds caring for this population, why GI in particular may be missing the mark, and interventions and initiatives that are available to trainees seeking to combat these issues. Articles by Dr. Paul: Overcoming the Challenges and Mitigating the Disparities in Our LGBTQI+ Patients Embracing many rainbows: the realities of being a gay physician, mother and patient Join the LFN Workroom: https://liverfellow.org/post/the-workroom Hosts: Adam Winters @adam_c_winters Alex Vogel @AlexSVogel Guest: Sonali Paul @spaulliver Music Credits: “Tropkicks”, Broke for Free “Something Elated”, Broke for Free “Take Me Higher”, Jahzzar “RSPN,” Blank & Kytt All music furnished by https://freemusicarchive.org/ under Creative Commons licensing. http://brokeforfree.com/ https://jahzzar.bandcamp.com/ https://blankkytt.bandcamp.com/