Welcoming Dr. Tyrrell to the Board!
We're honored to welcome Dr. D. Lorne Tyrrell, Distinguished University Professor at the University of Alberta and Founding Director of the Li Ka Shing Institute of Virology, to our LHI's Board of Directors. His appreciation of and sincere interest for liver health education will be instrumental in furthering our organization's mission to promote primary prevention of the numerous liver related diseases.
D. Lorne Tyrrell, MD, PhD
Distinguished Professor and Founding Director of Li Ka Shing Institute of Virology
More on Dr. Tyrrell . . .
Dr. D. Lorne Tyrrell, AOE, MD, PhD, FRCPC, FRSC, FCAHS, is a Distinguished University Professor at the University of Alberta. He is also the Founding Director of the Li Ka Shing Institute of Virology. Beginning in 1986, he has focused his research on viral hepatitis. His work on the development of antiviral therapy for chronic hepatitis B was supported by Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and Glaxo Canada. It resulted in the licensing of the first oral antiviral agent to treat chronic hepatitis B infection - lamivudine - in 1998. Today, lamivudine is licensed in over 200 countries worldwide for the treatment of hepatitis B virus (HBV). He was also a cofounder, along with Drs. Norman Kneteman and David Mercer, of a biotech company - KMT Hepatech Inc. based on the first non-primate animal model for hepatitis C virus (HCV). Dr. Tyrrell was the Dean of the Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry at the University of Alberta from 1994–2004. In this capacity, Health Sciences at UofA flourished with major capital developments, including the Katz Group – Rexall Centre for Pharmacy and Health Research and the Li Ka Shing Centre for Health Research Innovation. Since leaving the Deanship in 2004, Dr. Tyrrell has taken on a number of important board positions in healthcare in Alberta and Canada. These include the Chair of the Board of the Institute of Health Economics, Chair of the Gairdner Foundation Board, and member of the Research Advisory Council for the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research. He also has been appointed to the Science Advisory Board to Health Canada.
Promoting liver health education. Our Passion is Prevention.
The Facts
Approximately half a billion individuals around the world are living with a liver disease.
Viral hepatitis, a silent epidemic, claims 1.4 million lives annually - making it comparable to HIV, tuberculosis, and malaria.
Many chronic liver related diseases including hepatitis, obesity, fatty liver, diabetes, high cholesterol, and drug & alcohol abuse are preventable.
LHI's Strategy
Preventing disease, promoting screenings, and improving patient adherence to treatment regimen
depends on an understanding of the importance
of the liver.
Liver health education is the critical rationale, for motivating individuals to adopt healthy lifestyles, and
avoid risk behaviors.
LHI works to promote liver health education by
creating educational materials, collaborating with organizations, and influencing health policy.
Meet Your
Liver
What does your liver
do for you?
New! Your Liver, Your Life, Your Choice Poster
Take a look at our newest poster, with life saving liver health messages.
5 Things You (Probably) Didn't Know About Your Liver
Do you know what your liver does for you? You might be surprised at how important it is to your health, and life itself.
Mirror Mirror On The Wall. Your Body's Early Warning System.
Your liver is a non-complainer so you likely won't feel pain if it's in trouble. But one look in the mirror can give you some early warning signs.
Scott Friedman, MD
Chief, Division of Liver Diseases
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
"The liver plays a vital, life-saving role in keeping our systems healthy throughout our bodies. Often taken for granted, this amazing organ filters our blood and removes toxic waste products, produces proteins that support our cells, fights infection, and helps digest our food to bring nutrition to our tissues. Protecting this precious and magical organ must be a top priority to spare millions the heartache and suffering that comes with failure of the liver to do its job. "
Kathleen Schwarz, MD
Professor of Pediatrics
Rady’s Children’s Hospital, San Diego
"Kids can do so much to protect their liver, a vital organ without which one cannot live. However in order for them to be proactive we owe it to them to educate them about how to keep that wonderful liver of theirs healthy. They need to know that being overweight can lead to serious liver damage and so can viruses like hepatitis B and C which are often acquired through injection drug use. Education is the key!"
David Pound, MD
President of Indianapolis Gastroenterology Research Foundation
"Despite advances in the treatment of hepatitis
C and B . . . there is still a desperate need to increase the understanding of liver wellness and disease prevention in the American public. By the time I meet many patients, their liver disease has silently advanced to irreversible damage."
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