East Asia Liver Alliance

RISING STAR BOOTCAMP

East Asia Liver AllianceRISING STAR BOOTCAMP

The Rising Star Bootcamp is an educational initiative of EALA designed to support early-career investigators in hepatology. The program provides opportunities for young researchers from Korea, Japan, and Taiwan to connect, learn, and develop future collaborative relationships.

2026 EALA Investigator Group

Title of Group Research: Build a Harmonized Korea–Taiwan–Japan Retrospective Cohort of Lean MASLD to Derive and Externally Validate Predictors of Liver-Related Events, HCC, Cardiovascular Events, Extrahepatic Malignancy, and Mortality—Moving Risk Stratification beyond BMI toward Fibrosis and Body Composition

Mentors

W. Ray Kim
MENTOR · AASLD
W. Ray Kim

Mayo Clinic, USA

Seung Up Kim
MENTOR · KASL
Seung Up Kim

Yonsei Univ., Korea

Takumi Kawaguchi
MENTOR · JSH
Takumi Kawaguchi

Kurume Univ., Japan

Young Investigators

Tsubasa Tsutsumi
JAPAN
Tsubasa Tsutsumi

Kurume Univ., Japan

Masaaki Mino
JAPAN
Masaaki Mino

Japan Institute for Health Security, Japan

Chia-Hung Tai
TAIWAN
Chia-Hung Tai

Chang Gung Univ., Taiwan

Chun-Ming Hong
TAIWAN
Chun-Ming Hong

National Taiwan Univ., Taiwan

Sung Won Chung
KOREA
Sung Won Chung

Univ. of Ulsan, Korea

Dong Yun Kim
KOREA
Dong Yun Kim

Yonsei Univ., Korea

2025 EALA Investigator Group

Title of Group Research: Towards an Asian-Specific Definition of MetALD: Validation, Criteria Development, and Clinical Implications

Mentors

Jee-Fu HuangKaohsiung Medical Univ., Taiwan

Takumi KawaguchiKurume Univ., Japan

Young Investigators

Shang-Chin HuangNational Taiwan Univ., Taiwan

Kai-Chi ChangNational Taiwan Univ., Taiwan

Shih-Chieh ChienNational Cheng Kung Univ., Taiwan

Norihiro ImaiNagoya Univ., Japan

Han Ah LeeChung-Ang Univ., Korea

Young-Sun LeeKorea Univ., Korea

2026 EALA Investigator Group

Title of Group Research: Optimal Duration and Predictors of Relapse for Maintenance Immunotherapy in Unresectable Hepatocellular Carcinoma Achieving Complete Response: The EALA Cohort Study

Mentors

Ju Dong Yang
MENTOR · AASLD
Ju Dong Yang

Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, USA

Chung-Feng Huang
MENTOR · TASL
Chung-Feng Huang

Kaohsiung Medical Univ., Taiwan

Young Investigators

Hiroki Inada
JAPAN
Hiroki Inada

Kumamoto Univ., Japan

Masayuki Ueno
JAPAN
Masayuki Ueno

Kurashiki Central Hospital, Japan

Wei Teng
TAIWAN
Wei Teng

Chang Gung Univ., Taiwan

Pei-Chang Lee
TAIWAN
Pei-Chang Lee

Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taiwan

Heechul Nam
KOREA
Heechul Nam

The Catholic Univ. of Korea, Korea

Myung Ji Goh
KOREA
Myung Ji Goh

Sungkyunkwan Univ., Korea

2025 EALA Investigator Group

Title of Group Research: Real-World Comparative Study of Atezolizumab/Bevacizumab versus Durvalumab/Tremelimumab as First-Line Therapy in Unresectable HCC: An East-Asia Liver Alliance Cohort Analysis

Mentors

Yi-Hsiang HuangTaipei Veterans General Hospital, Taiwan

Do Young KimYonsei Univ., Korea

Young Investigators

Hung-Wei WangChina Medical Univ., Taiwan

Shu-Hsien LinChia-Yi Christian Hospital, Taiwan

Keisuke KorokiChiba Univ., Japan

Tomoaki YohKyoto Univ., Japan

Soon Kyu LeeThe Catholic Univ. of Korea, Korea

Yeonjung HaCHA Univ., Korea

2026 EALA Investigator Group

Title of Group Research: Impact of Glycemic Control on Liver-Related Outcomes in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes and HBV-Related Compensated Cirrhosis Receiving Nucleos(t)ide Analogue Therapy

Mentors

Jeong Won Jang
MENTOR · KASL
Jeong Won Jang

The Catholic Univ. of Korea, Korea

Tatsuya Kanto
MENTOR · JSH
Tatsuya Kanto

Japan Institute for Health Security, Japan

Wen-Juei Jeng
MENTOR · TASL
Wen-Juei Jeng

Chang Gung Univ., Taiwan

Young Investigators

Kazuhiro Murai
JAPAN
Kazuhiro Murai

The Univ. of Osaka, Japan

Yu-Ping Chang
TAIWAN
Yu-Ping Chang

National Taiwan Univ., Taiwan

Yi-Chung Hsieh
TAIWAN
Yi-Chung Hsieh

Chang Gung Univ., Taiwan

Hee Sun Cho
KOREA
Hee Sun Cho

The Catholic Univ. of Korea, Korea

Sung Hwan Yoo
KOREA
Sung Hwan Yoo

Yonsei Univ., Korea

Yeowool Kang
KOREA
Yeowool Kang

Dong-A Univ., Korea

2025 EALA Investigator Group

Title of Group Research: Development of an HCC Prediction Model for Non-Cirrhotic Patients with DAA-SVR -International Joint Research Project with EALA

Mentors

Wen-Juei JengChang Gung Univ., Taiwan

Tatsuya KantoJapan Institute for Health Security, Japan

Young Investigators

Yen-Chun LiuChang Gung Univ., Taiwan

Hsin-Ju TsaiTaichung Veterans General Hospital, Taiwan

Yuki TahataThe Univ. of Osaka, Japan

Kazuya OkushinThe Univ. of Tokyo, Japan

Jeong-Ju YooSoonchunhyang Univ., Korea

Won-Mook ChoiUniv. of Ulsan, Korea

2026 EALA Investigator Group

Title of Group Research: In East Asian Patients with Decompensated Cirrhosis, What Percentage Will Recompensate According to the Baveno Criteria after 12 Months of Etiology-Specific Treatment?

Mentors

Willscott Naugler
MENTOR · AASLD
Willscott Naugler

Oregon Health & Science Univ., USA

Sang Gyune Kim
MENTOR · KASL
Sang Gyune Kim

Soonchunhyang Univ., Korea

Young Investigators

Shinya Yokoyama
JAPAN
Shinya Yokoyama

Nagoya Univ., Japan

Masaaki Hirata
JAPAN
Masaaki Hirata

Kyoto Univ., Japan

Shu-Chi Wang
TAIWAN
Shu-Chi Wang

Kaohsiung Medical Univ., Taiwan

Seul Ki Han
KOREA
Seul Ki Han

Yonsei Univ. Wonju, Korea

Se Young Jang
KOREA
Se Young Jang

Kyungpook National Univ., Korea

Moonhyung Lee
KOREA
Moonhyung Lee

Kyung Hee Univ., Korea

2025 EALA Investigator Group

Title of Group Research: Current Management and Perspectives on Sarcopenia in Cirrhosis across the East Asia Liver Alliance

Mentors

Kuei-Chuan LeeTaipei Veterans General Hospital, Taiwan

Moon Young KimYonsei Univ. Wonju, Korea

Young Investigators

Tyng-Yuan JangKaohsiung Medical Univ., Taiwan

Yun-Cheng HsiehTaipei Veterans General Hospital, Taiwan

Yu-Ju WeiKaohsiung Medical Univ., Taiwan

Takao MiwaGifu Univ., Japan

Soon Sun KimAjou Univ., Korea

Program Objectives

Built for your growth, designed for your future

  • 1

    Develop emerging investigators

    Structured mentorship from leading hepatologists across East Asia, tailored to early-career researchers.

  • 2

    Build your East Asian network

    Meet peers and faculty from KASL, JSH, and TASL — connections that go beyond the event and into real research partnerships.

  • 3

    Foster collaborative research

    Work in small, cross-country groups to develop ideas that have real potential for multi-center studies.

  • 4

    Shape the next generation

    Help build a new generation of regional leaders in hepatology — and be part of that story from day one.

Educational Impact

More than a meeting — a career milestone

WHY IT MATTERS

By bringing together promising young researchers from KASL, JSH, and TASL, the Bootcamp strengthens regional academic exchange and contributes to the long-term development of hepatology research in East Asia.

Past participants have gone on to co-author multi-center studies, build lasting faculty relationships, and take leadership roles in their national hepatology societies.

WHAT YOU'LL GET

  • Small-group workshops

    Topic sessions on MASLD, HCC, viral hepatitis, and cirrhosis — deep dives, not lectures

  • Presentation & writing skills

    Hands-on sessions on how to present your research and write for top hepatology journals

  • Faculty mentoring

    Work directly with leading professors to shape your research direction and get practical guidance

  • A real East Asian network

    Peer connections across Korea, Japan, and Taiwan that translate into future collaborations and multi-center studies