SAN ANTONIO, /PRNewswire/ — The Texas Liver Institute announced that Dr. Naim Alkhouri has joined the staff as their Director of the Metabolic Center and will have a leadership role in the Pediatric Liver Disease Program at University Hospital and UT Health. Dr. Alkhouri is well-known globally for his expertise in pediatric and adult fatty liver disease.
Dr. Alkhouri joins TLI and UT Health from the Cleveland Clinic, where he was recognized as one of the top hepatologists in the mid-West. He has published extensively in the field of metabolic liver disorders and has presented his work at conferences such as the American Association of Liver Disease and Digestive Disease Week.
The Texas Liver Institute is a leader in clinical liver research, with contributions that have changed the way liver disease is treated today. Active research in adult fatty liver disease, cirrhosis and liver cancer are the prime focus of the Institute’s faculty and staff. Adult fatty liver disease afflicts roughly 30% of the Texas population, and is a leading cause of cirrhosis in the United States.
Because of fatty liver disease’s status as a growing epidemic in children, affecting up to 10% of children in the United states, Dr. Alkhouri’s addition to the Texas Liver Institute will make family care a new priority for the clinic. As part of Dr. Alkhouri’s tremendous contributions to family liver care, children will receive a comprehensive consultation, lab work to evaluate viral, genetic and metabolic disorders, nutrition counseling, same-day access to to Fibroscan liver stiffness assessment, and increased access to cutting edge clinical research trials.
“I am thrilled to be joining this incredible team in providing the best liver care Texas has to offer,” says Dr. Alkhouri. “I am hopeful that our research will lead to important advances in children afflicted with liver disease. There is much work to be done for this growing epidemic of childhood obesity and metabolic disorders, and I am excited to have the necessary resources and collaboration to help solve these important problems.”
Dr. Fred Poordad, VP of Academic and Clinical Affairs at the Texas Liver Institute, adds, “Dr. Alkhouri is one of very few pediatric and adult fatty liver experts in the world, and having him join the Texas Liver Institute, UT Health and University Health Systems is a fantastic addition to all of the medical talent in San Antonio. This is exciting news for children afflicted with liver disorders and parents should feel assured that the Texas Liver Institute mission of advancing liver health through scientific advancements now applies to both children and adults.”
ABOUT TEXAS LIVER INSTITUTE
The Texas Liver Institute (TLI) is a one-of-a-kind facility, and one of the very few dedicated and freestanding clinical care and research facilities in the world. The most advanced research in viral hepatitis, fatty liver disorders, liver cancer and cirrhosis is being conducted in this facility, which has been recognized internationally for its contributions to the field of liver diseases.
The Texas Liver Institute continues to push the boundaries of new discoveries, deliver excellent health care in a compassionate and comfortable setting, and advance the field of liver disease into the future through research and education.
ABOUT DR. NAIM ALKHOURI
Naim Alkhouri, M.D., was most recently Assistant Professor of Medicine at the Cleveland Clinic Digestive Disease Institute and Director of the Metabolic Liver Disease Clinic. Dr. Alkhouri has been published in over 100 publications and presents his work at both national and international medical conferences.
Among many research awards, Dr. Alkhouri received the American College of Gastroenterology Junior Faculty Development Award to study the analysis of breath volatile organic compounds to diagnose nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Dr. Alkhouri’s specialty interests include nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, viral hepatitis, autoimmune hepatitis, alpha 1 antitrypsin deficiency, and liver transplantation.
Source: Texas Liver Institute Welcomes Dr. Naim Alkhouri as Director of the Metabolic Center
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