About the institute

Our vision is to be the leading global center for liver learning and liver-related health care

“The vision is really to transform the lives of people with liver disease through innovation and by training of the next generation of investigators.”

Arun Sanyal, M.D.
Institute Director

In December 2021, Virginia Commonwealth University announced its plan to establish an institute for liver disease and metabolic health under the leadership of Arun Sanyal, M.D. Two months later during the State of the University address, VCU President Michael Rao announced that the institute received a gift of $104 million — the largest in university history. 

R. Todd Stravitz, M.D., a hepatologist in VCU’s Department of Internal Medicine and former medical director of liver transplant at VCU Medical Center, made arrangements for VCU to receive the gift from his family’s foundation, the Barbara Brunckhorst Foundation. In addition to being the largest gift ever to VCU, it is the largest publicly shared gift for liver research in U.S. history.

Dr. Sanyal and Dr. Stravitz have worked together in the Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition at VCU School of Medicine for more than 30 years, leading an extraordinary team of physicians, nurses, research coordinators and administrators. The institute will continue building on this long legacy of excellence to become a global leader in liver-related research and education, metabolically driven disorders and the care for patients with these conditions.

Our vision

To be the leading global center for liver learning and liver-related health care

Our mission

To promote liver learning and translation of scientific discovery to improve liver-related health by radical innovation and integration of education, research, technology and clinical care

Our Team

Institute Leadership

Arun J. Sanyal, M.D.

Arun J. Sanyal, M.D.

Arun J. Sanyal, M.D.

Arun J. Sanyal, M.D.

Department of Internal Medicine

Professor, Department of Internal Medicine
Director, Stravitz-Sanyal Institute for Liver Disease and Metabolic Health

Clinical Expertise: Non-alcoholic liver disease | Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis | Alcoholic hepatitis | Complications of cirrhosis | End-stage liver disease | Hepato-renal syndrome

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Transplant Hepatology

R. Todd Stravitz, M.D.

R. Todd Stravitz, M.D.

R. Todd Stravitz, M.D.

R. Todd Stravitz, M.D.

Department of Internal Medicine

Associate Professor (Retired), Department of Internal Medicine
Medical Director, Liver Transplant (Retired)

Clinical Expertise: Acute liver disease | End-stage liver disease

Richard K. Sterling, M.D.

Richard K. Sterling, M.D.

Richard K. Sterling, M.D.

Richard K. Sterling, M.D.

Department of Internal Medicine

Professor, Department of Internal Medicine
Medical Director, HIV-Liver Disease Service

Clinical Expertise: HIV-liver disease | Viral hepatitis | Hepatocellular carcinoma | End-stage liver disease

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Joel Wedd, M.D.

Joel Wedd, M.D.

Joel Wedd, M.D.

Joel Wedd, M.D.

Institute for Liver Disease & Metabolic Health

Medical Director, Liver Transplant

Clinical Expertise: End-stage liver disease | Hepatocellular carcinoma

Scott C. Matherly, M.D.

Scott C. Matherly, M.D.

Scott C. Matherly, M.D.

Scott C. Matherly, M.D.

Department of Internal Medicine

Associate Professor, Department of Internal Medicine
Medical Director, Digestive Health Service

Clinical Expertise: End-stage liver disease | Hepatocellular carcinoma

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Hannah M. Lee, M.D.

Hannah M. Lee, M.D.

Hannah M. Lee, M.D.

Hannah M. Lee, M.D.

Department of Internal Medicine

Assistant Professor, Department of Internal Medicine
Co-Director, Liver Tumor Program

Clinical Expertise: Hepatocellular carcinoma | Hepatitis B | End-stage liver disease

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Mohammad S. Siddiqui, M.D.

Mohammad S. Siddiqui, M.D.

Mohammad S. Siddiqui, M.D.

Mohammad S. Siddiqui, M.D.

Department of Internal Medicine

Associate Professor, Department of Internal Medicine
Gastroenterologist/Hepatologist

Clinical Expertise: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease | Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis | Complications of cirrhosis | End-stage liver disease | Post-transplant liver disease | Metabolic syndrome

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Amon Asgharpour, M.D.

Amon Asgharpour, M.D.

Amon Asgharpour, M.D.

Amon Asgharpour, M.D.

Department of Internal Medicine

Gastroenterologist/Hepatologist

Clinical Expertise: Non-alcoholic liver disease

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Velimir A. Luketic, M.D.

Velimir A. Luketic, M.D.

Velimir A. Luketic, M.D.

Velimir A. Luketic, M.D.

Department of Internal Medicine

Professor, Department of Internal Medicine
Gastroenterologist/Hepatologist

Clinical Expertise: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease | Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis | Alcoholic hepatitis | Complications of cirrhosis | Cholestatic liver diseases | IgG4-associated cholangitis | Autoimmune liver diseases

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Vaishali B. Patel, M.D.

Vaishali B. Patel, M.D.

Vaishali B. Patel, M.D.

Vaishali B. Patel, M.D.

Department of Internal Medicine

Assistant Clinical Professor, Department of Internal Medicine
Gastroenterologist/Hepatologist

Clinical Expertise: Cirrhosis | Hepatitis | Liver transplantation

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Jasmohan S. Bajaj, M.D.

Jasmohan S. Bajaj, M.D.

Jasmohan S. Bajaj, M.D.

Jasmohan S. Bajaj, M.D.

Department of Internal Medicine

Professor, Department of Internal Medicine
Gastroenterologist/Hepatologist

Clinical Expertise: End-stage liver disease | Complications of cirrhosis | Post-transplant liver disease

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Transplant Surgery

David A Bruno, M.D.

David A Bruno, M.D.

David A Bruno, M.D.

David A Bruno, M.D.

Department of Surgery

Associate Professor

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Adrian Cotterell, M.D.

Adrian Cotterell, M.D.

Adrian Cotterell, M.D.

Adrian Cotterell, M.D.

Department of Surgery

Professor

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Daisuke Imai, M.D., Ph.D.

Daisuke Imai, M.D., Ph.D.

Daisuke Imai, M.D., Ph.D.

Daisuke Imai, M.D., Ph.D.

Department of Surgery

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Aamir Khan, MBBS

Aamir Khan, MBBS

Aamir Khan, MBBS

Aamir Khan, MBBS

Department of Surgery

Assistant Professor

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Vinay Kumaran, M.D.

Vinay Kumaran, M.D.

Vinay Kumaran, M.D.

Vinay Kumaran, M.D.

Department of Surgery

Professor, Department of Surgery
Surgical Director, Living Donor Transplantation

Clinical Expertise: Hepatobiliary cancer | Hepatobiliary transplant

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 Seung Duk Lee, M.D., Ph.D.

Seung Duk Lee, M.D., Ph.D.

 Seung Duk Lee, M.D., Ph.D.

Seung Duk Lee, M.D., Ph.D.

Department of Surgery

Assistant Professor

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Marlon F. Levy, M.D.

Marlon F. Levy, M.D.

Marlon F. Levy, M.D.

Marlon F. Levy, M.D.

Department of Surgery

Professor, Department of Surgery
Chair, Division of Transplant Surgery
Director, VCU Hume-Lee Transplant Center

Clinical Expertise: Transplant surgery | Pediatric transplant surgery

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Amit Sharma, M.D.

Amit Sharma, M.D.

Amit Sharma, M.D.

Amit Sharma, M.D.

Department of Surgery

Associate Professor, Department of Surgery
Surgical Director, Hepatobiliary Services

Clinical Expertise: Transplant surgery

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General Hepatology Advanced Practice Nurses

Shawn W. Lewis, AGPCNP

Shawn W. Lewis, AGPCNP

Shawn W. Lewis, AGPCNP

Shawn W. Lewis, AGPCNP

Institute for Liver Disease and Metabolic Health

Nurse Practitioner

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Reena Cherian, FNP

Reena Cherian, FNP

Reena Cherian, FNP

Reena Cherian, FNP

Institute for Liver Disease & Metabolic Health

Nurse Practitioner

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Gillian Hepburn, PA

Gillian Hepburn, PA

Gillian Hepburn, PA

Gillian Hepburn, PA

Institute for Liver Disease & Metabolic Health

Physician Assistant

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