The Doylestown Hepatitis B Foundation announced last night that T. Jake Liang, MD, a distinguished researcher at the National Institutes of Health and a globally recognized expert on liver diseases, has been selected as the 2024 Baruch S. Blumberg Award recipient.
Chari A. Cohen, Ph.D., M.P.H., president of the Hepatitis B Foundation, said, “Dr. Liang has made tremendous contributions to the advancement of basic science and the clinical care of patients with chronic hepatitis B for decades, and society is deeply grateful for this. Thank you.” “Jack is not only an accomplished scientist, but also a highly regarded thought leader who has made a huge impact in all aspects of our field.”
Dr. Timothy M. Block, co-founder and past president of the Hepatitis B Foundation, said: “As a scientist and clinician for more than two decades, Liang has been at the forefront of nearly every major initiative in the care of patients with hepatitis B and hepatitis D. The forefront of progress. His early work on the molecular biology of hepatitis B virus described the unique way viral RNA is processed; his clinical work helped advance the development of new drugs. “
At the National Institutes of Health, Dr. Liang serves as Chief of the Division of Hepatology and Chief of the Section of Hepatology and Virology and Clinical Research at the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK).
“I am indeed delighted and honored to receive this prestigious award from the Hepatitis B Foundation, which has been a staunch and tireless advocate for advancing the science and medicine of hepatitis B research and improving The health of people affected by the infection,” said Dr. Liang. “Being recognized by such a well-respected organization is truly the pinnacle of my career.”
Hepatitis B (HBV) and hepatitis C (HCV) infection affect more than 10% of the world’s population. They are the most common cause of liver disease, including liver cancer, the fourth leading cause of cancer death.
Dr Liang said in his study: “Our first approach was to understand how interferons (proteins released in response to viruses) and other antiviral drugs work in hepatitis virus infection. We explored explanations for why some patients respond to Biological reasons for failure to respond to treatment. Our second approach is to apply molecular, biochemical, and functional genomic tools to identify and characterize interactions between viruses, viral gene products, and hosts. Third, we are interested in constructing and improving Existing models to develop and evaluate new vaccines and antiviral drugs.”
Dr. Liang received his bachelor’s degree from Harvard University in 1980 and his medical degree from Harvard Medical School in 1984. Completed residencies at New York University and Bellevue Hospital in 1987, and fellowships in gastroenterology and hepatology at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard University. He attended medical school from 1987 to 1990.
Dr. Liang is an elected member of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases, and the American Gastroenterological Association. He is a member of the American Society for Microbiology, the National Academy of Medicine, the American College of Physicians, and the American Society for Clinical Investigation.
The Baruch S. Bloomberg Award is the Hepatitis B Foundation’s highest honor. It is named after Baruch S. Blumberg, MD, PhD, winner of the 1976 Nobel Prize in Medicine or Physiology for his discovery of the hepatitis B virus. He was instrumental in the founding of the Foundation, served on our Scientific and Medical Advisory Committees, and was a Distinguished Scholar at the Foundation from 1992 until his death in 2011. In his honor, the foundation’s research arm was renamed the Baruch S. Blumberg Institute. A committee of former Bloomberg Prize winners selects a new winner each year.
The Bloomberg Award will be presented to Dr Leong at the 2024 Hepatitis B Foundation Gala on 5 April at The Warrington.