ALF Celebrates Five Decades of Impact at 50th Anniversary National Legacy Gala
Honoring the Achievements of UPMC, AstraZeneca, Dr. Arun Sanyal and NOVO for transformative contributions to the liver community
FAIRFIELD, N.J., Oct. 14, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- American Liver Foundation (ALF) will commemorate five decades of service to patients and families as well as medical professionals and leading organizations at its 50th Anniversary National Legacy Gala on Wednesday, Oct. 28, at Gotham Hall in New York City. ALF will celebrate its legacy through tributes to multiple awardees – UPMC (Transplant Legacy Award), AstraZeneca (Patient Impact Award), Arun Sanyal, MD, of Virginia Commonwealth University (Leadership Award), and NOVO (Leadership Innovation Award). In addition, ALF will present its Leadership Award for Public Service to Frank A. Anania, MD, of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Jay H. Hoofnagle, MD, of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK). Finally, ALF will award its Distinguished Scientific Achievement Award (DSAA) to Director and Professor Michael Karin, PhD, of the Center for Metabolic and Liver Diseases at Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute. Each recipient represents a shared commitment to better the lives of liver patients and highlights ALF's past, present and future accomplishments on behalf of the 100 million Americans living with some form of liver disease.
"As American Liver Foundation celebrates 50 years of impact, our 2026 honorees embody the progress that is possible when clinical excellence, patient-centered partnerships, scientific leadership and bold innovation come together," said Lorraine Stiehl, CEO of American Liver Foundation and a caregiver for a transplant recipient. "All of our awardees have each helped move the liver community forward in meaningful ways, and we are proud to recognize their achievements as we honor the past, celebrate the present, and look toward the future's next 50 years to create a world free from liver disease."
The 2026 Award Recipients include:
With nearly 30 years of demonstrated commitment to a shared mission of offering hope and healing to liver patients, UPMC continues to demonstrate both exemplary leadership and continued generosity to ALF initiatives. Having performed more than 20,000 adult and pediatric organ transplant procedures, UPMC continues to advance lifesaving care for patients facing the most complex liver diseases. As the nation's leading transplant center conducting the highest number of living donor liver transplants in the United States, UMPC has given thousands of patients a second chance at life. Beyond its clinical excellence, UMPC's longstanding support of ALF has helped drive critical patient education, advocacy, research, and support services to many liver patients. UPMC's unwavering commitment to advancing liver health for generations to come is a legacy worth celebrating.
Patient Impact Award, AstraZeneca
AstraZeneca will be recognized for its patient-centered efforts to help transform liver disease and liver cancer care through science, partnerships, advocacy and groundbreaking advances in medicine. AstraZeneca's therapies have addressed some of the world's most complex health challenges while reaching millions of patients in more than 125 countries. As a global, science-led biopharmaceutical company, AstraZeneca is dedicated to the discovery, development, and commercialization of innovative prescription medicines across Oncology, Rare Diseases, Cardiovascular, Renal & Metabolism, and Respiratory & Immunology. A founding partner of ALF's transformative Think Liver Think Life public health campaign, the company has played an important role in expanding screening, education, and support resources in diverse communities across the country. Its continuing research and collaboration across stomach and gut cancer care reflects a commitment to addressing unmet needs and improving patient's experiences.
Leadership Award, Dr. Arun Sanyal
Arun J. Sanyal, MD, is one of the world's leading experts in liver disease research and has helped shaped the global approach to understanding and treating metabolic dysfunction associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) and metabolic dysfunction associated steatohepatitis (MASH). Dr. Sanyal is the Professor Director, Stravitz-Sanyal Institute for Liver Disease and Metabolic Health School of Medicine Internal Medicine at Virginia Commonwealth University. Through internationally recognized research, multidisciplinary collaboration and the development of new therapeutics, Dr. Sanyal has advanced the field and created new possibilities for liver patients and their families. As a pioneering innovator and industry thought leader, he has authored more than 450 scientific publications in leading peer-reviewed journals such as, The New England Journal of Medicine, The Lancet, Nature Medicine, and Gastroenterology. His contributions to science, mentorship, and patient care have been widely recognized throughout the country.
Leadership Innovation Award, NOVO
For over a century, NOVO has specialized in discovering, developing and delivering protein and peptide-based treatments for serious chronic diseases, primarily diabetes and metabolic care, and is being honored for its innovation in metabolic health and liver disease. Building upon decades of expertise in diabetes and obesity, the organization is advancing research in metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH), a serious and often silent form of liver disease for which more treatment options are needed. Its scientific programs, educational resources and commitment to translating research into real-world care reflect the forward-looking leadership the award celebrates.
Additionally, the 2026 ALF Leadership Award for Public Service will be presented to Director of the Division of Hepatology and Nutrition at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Frank A. Anania, MD, FAASLD, who oversees the safety, efficacy, and regulatory review of clinical trials and novel drug pipelines. For the past eight years, his work has been crucial for nonviral liver diseases, including MASH and primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC). Jay H. Hoofnagle, MD, FAASLD, Former Director of the Liver Diseases Research Branch of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease (NIDDK), will also receive this award that evening. Although he retired this year, his career spans more than 50 years in liver disease research. Dr. Hoofnagle wrote the first National Institutes of Health (NIH) Action Plan for Liver Disease Research that served as guidance and structure for NIH funding.
ALF will also present Director and Professor Michael Karin, PhD., of the Center for Metabolic and Liver Diseases at Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute with the foundation's 2026 Distinguished Scientific Achievement Award at a VIP reception preceding the Gala. Dr. Karin is internationally renowned for many career achievements but proving the molecular link between chronic inflammation and cancer is his most notable discovery.
The evening will also feature ALF's LIVEr Champion Tommy Nolan who lived with liver disease for years while being a U.S. Navy veteran serving from 1978 to 1982 and a NYPD sergeant from 1988 to 2006. During retirement, Tommy began playing with the renown NYPD Pipes and Drums and was completely unaware of a serious liver disease progressing silently. After a routine doctor's appointment revealed elevated liver enzymes, he was diagnosis with primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC), a rare autoimmune liver disease with no cure that had progressed to liver cirrhosis. In 2023, he had a complex liver transplant that saved his life. Through it all, Tommy remained focused on healing and is grateful for the second chance at life he's been given.
ALF extends its deepest gratitude to the 2026 National Legacy Gala Chair, Samantha Kellner, whose personal connection to ALF's mission was shaped by the birth of her second child Raphael, diagnosed with a rare liver disease called biliary atresia as an infant and given a lifesaving transplant within eight weeks of his birth. Inspired by their family's journey, Samantha and her family launched the Kellner Pediatric Liver Foundation (KPLF) and celebrated their 20th Anniversary as dedicated advocates for children and families affected by liver disease.
Doors for the National Legacy Gala open at 6 p.m. and the program begins at 6:50 p.m. with a cocktail reception. The evening includes a unique silent auction, a three-course plated dinner, an exciting live auction, and a memorable awards ceremony. Funds raised through the 50th Anniversary National Legacy Gala benefit the 100 million Americans affected by liver disease through resources, education and support services and to help advance research and our patient advocacy efforts on Capitol Hill.
Learn more about the Gala at alfgala.org and purchase sponsorships or tickets. You can also participate in ALF's silent auction, which is available for pre-event and remote bidding; items include cruises, stays to locations around the world, fun leisure-time experiences, city winery excursions in New York and high-end gifts and accessories. Check back frequently as new items are added daily. View the free live stream and register for GiveSmart at LegacyGala26.givesmart.com.
About the American Liver Foundation
American Liver Foundation (ALF) is a national community of patients, caregivers and medical professionals dedicated to helping people improve their liver health. Providing guidance and life-saving resources, we are a beacon for the 100 million Americans affected by liver disease. We advocate for patients and families, fund medical research, and educate the public about liver wellness and disease prevention. We bring people together through our educational programs and events and create a network of support that lasts a lifetime. ALF is the largest organization focused on all liver diseases and the trusted voice for patients and families living with liver disease. Celebrating 50 years of impact, leading the next 50 years forward. For more information, please visit www.liverfoundation.org or call: 1.800.GO.LIVER (800-465-4837).
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SOURCE American Liver Foundation
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