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News Fatty Liver Foundation Launches Groundbreaking Patient Advocacy Fellowship Honoring Dr. Stephen A. Harrison Fatty Liver Foundation Announces Inaugural Cohort of the Dr. Stephen A. Harrison Patient Advocacy Fellowship Fatty Liver Foundation to Introduce Dr. Stephen A. Harrison Patient Advocacy Fellowship at Liver Forum 19 in Paris, France The Dr. Stephen A. Harrison Patient Advocacy Fellowship Program on Surfing the MASH Tsunami Harrison Fellows Convene at AASLD’s The Liver Meeting® 2025 Harrison Fellows Engage at 10th Annual MASH-TAG Conference
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Mentors
Mentors & Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs)
The Dr. Stephen A. Harrison Patient Advocacy Fellowship Program brings together a diverse network of patient advocates, experienced mentors, and leading experts in MASH and steatotic liver disease research. Fellows will receive personalized guidance, educational support, and networking opportunities from renowned clinicians, researchers, and policy leaders who are committed to advancing patient-centered solutions in liver disease care.
This section highlights the mentors, and KOLs who play an integral role in shaping the program’s impact.
KOLs supporting this fellowship are internationally recognized experts in MASH, regulatory science, clinical research, and drug development. They bring extensive experience in basic and clinical hepatology research, shaping treatment strategies, clinical trial designs, and patient engagement initiatives.
While these KOLs will not be directly developing the curriculum, their expertise will help shape the fellowship’s educational framework to ensure that patient advocates gain a strong foundation in research literacy, clinical trials, and regulatory processes.
The following esteemed experts have committed to supporting the program’s vision:
- Dr. Naim Alkhouri – A leading hepatologist and researcher specializing in steatotic liver diseases, non-invasive diagnostics, and clinical trial design.
- Dr. Meena B. Bansal – A respected clinician-scientist with a focus on fibrosis progression in liver disease, patient care integration, and translational research.
- Gina Bartes – A patient advocacy leader at the Global Liver Institute, advancing global collaboration and innovation in liver health.
- Dr. Michael P. Cooreman – A gastroenterologist-hepatologist with a strong academic and clinical foundation, combining medical expertise with extensive Research and Development as well as leadership experience in the biopharmaceutical industry.
- Jenn Leigh Jones - A visionary patient advocate and nonprofit leader who supports individuals with alcohol-related liver disease in finding their healing and recovery pathways.
- Dr. Tania Kamphaus spearheads Patient Engagement at the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health (FNIH), where she develops best practices for meaningful patient involvement and oversees programs across metabolic disorders, women’s health, and inflammation and immunity. She leads multi-stakeholder public-private partnerships and supports initiatives including biomarker qualification in liver and reproductive health. A preeclampsia survivor, she brings lived experience alongside her scientific training in molecular genetics.
- Dr. Fasiha Kanwal – Nancy Chang Endowed Professor of Medicine and Director of the Institute for Clinical and Translational Research at Baylor College of Medicine, internationally recognized for hepatocellular carcinoma risk research, quality-of-care improvement, and translational science.
- Dr. George A. Makar – A distinguished hepatologist with expertise in clinical hepatology, regulatory science, and patient-centered therapeutic strategies.
- Dr. Veronica Miller – A prominent expert in regulatory science and public health policy, with a focus on accelerating therapeutic development through multi-stakeholder collaboration.
- Dr. Mazen Noureddin – An internationally recognized authority in MASH therapeutics, non-invasive diagnostics, and clinical trial endpoints.
- Dr. Maru Rinella – A pioneering leader in MASH clinical care, metabolic liver disease research, and multidisciplinary patient engagement.
These renowned experts will serve as key resources, helping to guide fellows’ understanding of the latest research developments, policy considerations, and advocacy strategies to improve patient outcomes in liver disease.
Selection Committee Members
Selection Committee members not only help evaluate applicants but also serve as advisors to the Fellowship. Their expertise and guidance support the professional growth and development of the fellows' advocacy skills. Drawing on their frontline advisory experience, they also help shape the program’s direction and priorities.