Yale School of Medicine's Dr. Gerald I. Shulman Named 2025 Recipient of American Liver Foundation's Distinguished Scientific Achievement Award

Internationally renowned physician-scientist to be honored for transformative contributions to liver research

FAIRFIELD, N.J., Sept. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- American Liver Foundation (ALF) is proud to announce that Gerald I. Shulman, MD, PhD, is the recipient of its 2025 Distinguished Scientific Achievement Award (DSAA). Dr. Shulman is the George R. Cowgill Professor of Medicine and Cellular & Molecular Physiology at Yale School of Medicine, and Co-Director of the Yale Diabetes Research Center. ALF will present its prestigious DSAA award to Dr. Shulman during a reception held in his honor on Monday, Nov. 10 at the annual liver meeting held by the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD).

"We are so honored to recognize Dr. Shulman for his cutting-edge research in the areas of liver disease and diabetes that furthered our understanding of the role insulin resistance plays in liver disease and how liver fat leads to metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD)," said Lorraine Stiehl, CEO, American Liver Foundation. "His unwavering commitment to scientific excellence makes this the first time in ALF history that the DSAA award will be given to an endocrinologist and physician-scientist. We hope his innovative research inspires the next generation of hepatologists and endocrinologists to work together to find new solutions and innovations for the 100 million people affected by liver disease and the 38 million people living with diabetes."

With 38 years of groundbreaking research on diabetes, lipid metabolism and liver disease, Dr. Shulman's team discovered how "hidden fat" in the wrong places (like muscle and liver cells) disrupts insulin signaling and contributes to the development of type 2 diabetes as well as liver disease. This exciting research illustrates that where fat is stored is more important than total body fat and also explains how liver fat leads to disease. As a leading physician-scientist, Dr. Shulman's discoveries have reshaped the landscape of hepatology, earning him international acclaim and deep respect among his peers.

The Distinguished Scientific Achievement Award is presented annually to a basic researcher or physician scientist with a longstanding commitment to scientific discovery who has made major contributions to basic liver research or its application in the prevention, diagnosis, or treatment of liver disease. The 2024 recipient of the Distinguished Scientific Achievement Award was Dr. Jacquelyn J. Maher of University of California, San Francisco. 

"It's a tremendous honor to be recognized by the American Liver Foundation, and to receive their prestigious 2025 DSAA award," said Dr. Shulman. "Given our new understanding of the molecular basis of insulin resistance and the new drugs targeting this mechanism, I'm very optimistic about the future of treating insulin resistance and MASLD to promote cardiometabolic health and I'm deeply honor that this important research is being recognized by the ALF."

Dr. Shulman received his medical degree and PhD from Wayne State University School of Medicine and completed his residency at Duke University Medical Center. He also had a research fellowship at Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School. Dr. Shulman has authored and co-authored over 550 peer-reviewed publications. He has trained more than 130 postdoctoral fellows and graduate students and many of them now direct their own independent laboratories around the world.

In addition to the prestigious DSAA Award, American Liver Foundation also offers a research awards program in four categories, Liver Scholar Award, Postdoctoral Research Fellowship Award, Pilot Award, and Travel Award to provide the necessary funding to help advance research in liver biology and disease. Since 1980, ALF's research awards program has provided more than $29 million in research funding. Over 900 qualified scientists and physicians have pursued research careers in liver biology, disease and treatment because they received these grants early in their careers. Learn more at Research Awards Program - American Liver Foundation

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. For more information visit WWW.LIVERFOUNDATION.ORG or call: 1 800 GO LIVER (800-465-4837).

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SOURCE American Liver Foundation