Recipients of American Liver Foundation's Pilot Research Awards offer Groundbreaking Possibilities

FAIRFIELD, N.J., Nov. 5, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- American Liver Foundation (ALF) is thrilled to announce the recipients of its  2026 Pilot Research Awards to support 14 early-career investigators who are providing cutting-edge research in basic, translational and clinical projects. The establishment of the prestigious Pilot Awards exemplifies ALF's continued commitment to fund groundbreaking, innovative research that could ultimately lead to therapeutic advances that help us better understand the biology of the liver while also addressing challenges of liver transplantation due to a severe shortage of organs. These exceptional research projects have the potential to significantly advance innovative treatment options that offer solutions for the 100 million Americans affected by some form of liver disease.

ALF's Pilot Awards will help fund 14 early-career scientists' highly innovative projects that seek to address important questions related to the following: Liver transplantation (spanning clinical to experimental research approaches), stem cells, liver regeneration, advanced in vitro human models, and gene/cell-based therapies. All of these junior faculty pilot research projects by recipients of ALF's Pilot Award have the potential to advance the hepatology field. Each recipient will receive $50,000 in funding for one year. The goal of this award is to provide funding during the pilot phase of research projects that are focused on new areas of investigation, innovative ideas or "high-risk, high reward" projects with the potential to generate breakthrough findings.

"It's extremely important that ALF funds advanced research projects encompassing a broad range of cutting-edge interventions that help treat, repair or replace the liver in patients with end-stage or complex hepatic conditions," said David Frank, Chair of ALF's Board of Directors. "The important findings in these research funded projects can result in obtaining key preliminary data, which enables early career recipients to successfully compete for research awards from the National Institute of Health (NIH) and other national sources to support larger studies in these innovative research areas."

Recipients of the 2026 Pilot Research Awards include:

• Lay Teng Ang, PhD, Leland Stanford Junior University, for her basic research in Engineering Mature Hepatocytes from Human Pluripotent Stem Cells for Liver Regeneration.
• Yuki Bekki, MD, PhD, University of Rochester Medical Center, for his translational research regarding Precision Biomarkers for Liver Transplant Selection and Outcomes in Unresectable Colorectal Liver Metastases.
• Shijun Deng, PhD, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, for his basic research in Defining Lipoprotein Endpoints of AAV-NFE2L1 Gene Therapy for MASH-Associated Atherogenic Dyslipidemia.
• Ben Dulken, MD, PhD, University of Washington, for his translational research on Spatial Analysis of the Rejection Microenvironment and Identification of Novel Tissue Markers for Rejection.
  
  
• Jason Eng, MD, PhD, Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, for his translational research on Targeting CD38 to Enhance Liver Regeneration.
• Xiaodong Ge, MD, PhD, University of Illinois Chicago, for his basic research on the Role of SPP1 in the Pathogenesis of PSC.
• Leigh Goedeke, BS, PhD, Icahn School of Medicine Mount Sinai, for her basic research on Targeting hepatocyte-macrophage crosstalk to treat chronic liver disease.
• Chris Hsiung, MD, PhD, University of California, San Francisco, for his basic research on the Discovery of pro-fibrogenic enhancers in hepatic stellate cells using high-throughput combinatorial CRISPR perturbations.
• Jain Jeong, PhD, Yale University, for his basic research on the Hepatic Lymphatic Vessels in Liver Regeneration: Mechanisms and Therapeutic Potential.
• Duc-Huy Nguyen, PhD, University of Wisconsin, for his basic research on A Human Liver-on-a-Chip Platform to Decode Liver Sinusoidal Endothelial Cell Identity.
• Tianliang Sun, PhD, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, for his basic research on Injury and Recovery Associated Cholangiocyte States: Lineage Origins, Fate Transitions, and Functional Roles in Chronic Liver Disease.
• Shuang (Sammi) Wang, PhD, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, for her basic research on Restoring Midzonal Hepatocyte Identity to Improve Regenerative Capacity in Chronic Liver Disease.
  
  
• Xiaobo Wang, PhD, Columbia University Irving Medical Center for his translational research on Deciphering Hepatocyte–Macrophage–Stellate Cell Crosstalk in MASH Fibrosis Using Human Organoids and iPSCs.
• Yankai Wen, PhD, The University of Texas Health Science Center, for his basic research on The role of macrophage-derived hypoxia-inducible factor 2 alpha in liver regeneration.

"The main goal of ALF Pilot Awards this year is to address key outstanding questions that have the potential to generate significant findings in research areas with fundamental knowledge gaps such as liver regeneration and stem cells, and to lead to therapeutic advances in liver transplantation and cell therapy," said Helene Jordan, PhD, National Senior Director, Research Program Management, ALF. "This highly innovative research helps us find new and emerging strategies to tackle the severe shortage of available liver organs, which is extremely important because liver disease is a public health crisis impacting far too many people."

Since 1980, ALF's research awards program has provided more than $30 million in research funding. More than 935 qualified scientists and physicians have pursued research careers in liver biology, disease and treatment because they received these grants early in their careers.

To learn more about ALF's research award program, please visit liverfoundation.org/research. Join the mailing list to receive updates on ALF Research Awards.

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).

SOURCE American Liver Foundation