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2025 American Liver Foundation Poster Competition Winners

The American Liver Foundation (ALF) has officially announced the winners of its 2025 Liver Health Poster Competition, recognizing the creative efforts of early-career healthcare professionals dedicated to liver health education. This event underscores the importance of understanding liver diseases, which affect approximately 100 million people in the United States alone. The competition encourages participants to transform intricate medical concepts into engaging visuals and videos that are approachable for the general public.

Lorraine Stiehl, the CEO of ALF, expressed her excitement about the winners, stating, "Congratulations to all of the winners this year who have successfully shared their expertise and tackled addressing complicated medical information in a creative way." Stiehl, who also serves as a caregiver to a liver transplant recipient, highlighted the need for public education on the evolving research and treatment options available for liver diseases.

The competition featured multiple categories, including liver wellness, symptoms and complications of liver disease, the caregiver's role, patient inquiries, co-morbidities associated with liver diseases, and ongoing research. Participants were evaluated on their ability to communicate complex medical information succinctly while maintaining an engaging presentation style.

Category Winners

The following are the standout winners from this year’s competition:

• - Cameron Adams, MD, PhD, from New York University (NYU), celebrated for his insights on liver wellness. His work was mentored by Bilal Asif, MD from NYU Langone Health.
• - Ahmad Afzal, MD, along with team members Abdul Basit Afzal, MBBS, Nandini Ray, MD, and Dayoung Kelly Jeon, MD, from Houston Methodist Hospital, for their compelling presentation addressing patient queries. They were guided by Sudha Kodali, MD.
• - Sarah Householder, MD, from Yale-New Haven Hospital, recognized for emphasizing the significant role caregivers play in patient recovery. Her mentor is Vandana Khungar, MD, MSc.
• - A team from Houston Methodist Hospital, comprising Nandini Ray, Dayoung Kelly Jeon, Ahman Afzal, Hannah O'Neill, and Apaar Dadlani, honored for their dedication to enhancing understanding of liver disease symptoms.
• - Divya Roy, DO, also from NYU Langone Health, for her informative presentation that focused on critical liver disease research.
• - Emma Schnittka, MD, from Loyola University Medical Center, acknowledged for highlighting co-morbidities of liver disease.

Additionally, the People's Choice Award—determined by public voting—was awarded to Brianna Hamilton, MD, and Hannah O’Neal, MD, from Houston Methodist Hospital. Their project titled "Racial Disparities in Chronic Liver Disease: Bridging the Gap with New Research" showcased pressing issues in healthcare accessibility and equity.

Patty Medina, MPH, a dedicated volunteer and fierce advocate for liver health, noted the honor it was to evaluate the diverse entries. She stated, "I was inspired by the creativity and thoughtfulness of each submission. It's meaningful to see emerging professionals not only identifying critical gaps in transplant hepatology but also offering insightful, research-driven solutions through their posters and videos."

The 2025 Poster Competition has once again illustrated the vital role of art and communication in medicine, allowing new healthcare professionals to hone their skills in a meaningful context. Sudha Kodali, MD, expressed her own joy in mentoring, stating, "Competitions like this are great opportunities for both mentors and mentees because continued professional development will ultimately help us to become even better doctors for our future patients."

To view the winners and all submissions from the 2025 Liver Health Poster Competition, visit alfevents.org/poster-competition. Medical professionals interested in contributing to ALF’s mission can explore opportunities at liverfoundation.org/medical-professionals.

About the American Liver Foundation

The American Liver Foundation (ALF) is a nationwide community that comprises patients, caregivers, and medical professionals aiming to improve liver health. Its initiatives focus on advocacy, research funding, and public education about liver wellness and disease prevention, striving to support the 100 million Americans impacted by liver disease. For further information, visit liverfoundation.org or call 1-800-GO-LIVER (800-465-4837).