Academic Liver Debates
Northeast Ohio Academic Liver Debates 2023
The Northeast Ohio community hosted debates in 2018 and 2019. Due to COVID-19 and the Delta Variance, there was no debate in 2020 nor 2021. We were excited to have the debates return last December 2022 as Northeast Ohio – Academic Liver Debates, a program of the Northeast Ohio Liver Alliance.
This year’s Northeast Ohio Academic Liver Debates builds off the success of previous debates. Debate teams will be assigned topics, work with mentors, and be judged by a panel of physicians. The 2023 moderator will be Robert Brown Jr. M.D., M.P.H.; Chief, Division of Gastroenterology & Hepatology; Editor-in-Chief, Liver Transplantation; Weill Cornell Medicine.
This program is offered free of charge to attend with a suggested Donation of $25
Date: Wednesday, October 11, 2023Time: 5:30pm-9pmLocation: Intercontinental Hotels Cleveland, 9801 Carnegie Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio 44106-2100Cost: Free to attend with a suggested Donation of $25
MODERATOR
Robert Brown Jr. M.D., M.P.H.
Chief, Division of Gastroenterology & Hepatology; Editor-in-Chief, Liver Transplantation; Weill Cornell Medicine
TOPICS & TEAMS
Debate #1: The use of immunotherapy for recurrent HCC post-liver transplant.
 | Pro: Immunotherapy therapy is the best option for this patient now.Mentor: Dr. Dilip MoonkaFellows: Dr. Poornima Oruganti and Dr. Kevin Harris |
 | Con: Immunotherapy therapy should NOT be used in this patient nowMentor: Dr. Christina C. LindenmeyerFellows: Dr. Wael Mohamed and Dr. Jeff Schwartz |
Debate #2: The need for liver biopsy in NASH/MASH/SLD/MASLD study patients.
 | Pro: Liver biopsy should continue to be required for entry into studies on NAFLD drugs.Mentor: Dr. Naemat SandhuFellows: Dr. Sofi Damjanovska and Dr. Jared Travers |
 | Con: Liver biopsy should NOT be required for entry into such studies, and instead, non-invasive markers of fibrosis and inflammation and steatosis should be considered adequate for subjects entering these studies.Mentor: Dr. Bolin NiuFellows: Dr. Sara Kamionkowski and Dr. Andrew Ford |
JUDGES
Dr. Robert Brown
Dr. Mousab Tabbaa
Dr. Fady Haddad
Dr. Farid NaffahDr. Priyanka Patel
Date: Wednesday, October 11, 2023Time: Registration and Reception is 5:30pm-6:30pm; Dinner and Debates 6:30pm-9:00pmLocation: Intercontinental Hotels Cleveland, 9801 Carnegie Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio 44106-2100Cost: Free to attend with a suggested Donation of $25
Topics
- Debate #1: The use of immunotherapy for recurrent HCC post-liver transplant.
- Pro: Immunotherapy therapy is the best option for this patient now.
- Con: Immunotherapy therapy should NOT be used in this patient now.
- Debate #2: The need for liver biopsy in NASH/MASH/SLD/MASLD study patients
- Pro: Liver biopsy should continue to be required for entry into studies on NAFLD drugs.
- Con: Liver biopsy should NOT be required for entry into such studies, and instead, non-invasive markers of fibrosis and inflammation and steatosis should be considered adequate for subjects entering these studies.
2022 Highlights
2022 Debaters, Mentors, Moderator and Judges
2022 Debate Topics and Winners
Debate #1: IR therapy vs. Systemic therapy for multifocal HCC confined to the liver
University Hospitals – 1st Place
Debated the Pro Position: Patient should be referred to interventional radiology (IR) for therapy such as chemoembolization or Y 90 radiotherapy.
Picture (L to R): Dr. Dayyan Mohammed Adoor (Fellow), Seth Sclair, MD (Mentor) and Dr. Fangyuan Jin-Dominguez (Fellow)
Henry Ford Health – 2nd Place
Debated the Con Position: Patient should be referred to medical oncology for systemic therapy such as atezolizumab/bevacizumab.
Picture (L to R): Dr. Deepak Venkat (Mentor), Dr. Kevin Harris (Fellow), Dr. Yasmine Hussein Agha (Fellow) and Dr. Reena Salgia (Mentor)
Debate #2: TIPS for variceal bleeding
Cleveland Clinic – 1st Place
Debated the Con Position: Patient should undergo endoscopic variceal band ligation until obliteration and non-selective beta-blocker for secondary variceal bleeding prophylaxis.
Picture (L to R): Dr. Indira Bhavsar-Burke (Fellow), Christina Lindenmeyer, MD (Mentor) and Dr. Mahnur Haider (Fellow)
MetroHealth – 2nd Place
Debated the Pro Position: He should undergo TIPS now for secondary variceal bleeding prophylaxis.
Picture (L to R): Dr. Nahel Tunio (Fellow), Dr. Bolin Niu (Mentor) and Dr. Shaman Dalal (Fellow)
