East Asia Liver AllianceCOLLABORATIVE RESEARCH
About Collaborative Research
EALA promotes collaborative research among its member societies in order to address important challenges in liver diseases through multinational cooperation.
Research Goals
The collaborative research initiative aims to:
- encourage joint research proposals among researchers from Korea, Japan, and Taiwan
- promote the exchange of expertise and scientific resources
- support impactful research outcomes in hepatology
- strengthen long-term academic partnerships across East Asia
Research Presentation and Exchange
Collaborative research activities are connected to the annual EALA Symposium, where progress and outcomes may be shared with the broader academic community.
Regional Significance
Through multinational research collaboration, EALA helps generate new scientific knowledge
and supports innovation in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of liver diseases.
East Asia Liver AllianceRESEARCH SECTION
MASLD
2026 EALAYoung Investigator Group
| Mentor (AASLD) | USA | W. Ray Kim | Mayo Clinic, USA |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mentor (KASL) | Korea | Seung Up Kim | Yonsei Univ., Korea |
| Mentor (JSH) | Japan | Takumi Kawaguchi | Kurume Univ., Japan |
| Young Investigator | Japan | Tsubasa Tsutsumi | Kurume Univ., Japan |
| Japan | Masaaki Mino | Japan Institute for Health Security, Japan | |
| Taiwan | Chia-Hung Tai | Chang Gung Univ., Taiwan | |
| Taiwan | Chun-Ming Hong | National Taiwan Univ., Taiwan | |
| Korea | Sung Won Chung | Univ. of Ulsan, Korea | |
| Korea | Dong Yun Kim | Yonsei Univ., Korea |
2025 EALAYoung 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
HCC
2026 EALAYoung Investigator Group
| Mentor (AASLD) | USA | Ju Dong Yang | Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, USA |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mentor (TASL) | Taiwan | Chung-Feng Huang | Kaohsiung Medical Univ., Taiwan |
| Young Investigator | Japan | Hiroki Inada | Kumamoto Univ., Japan |
| Japan | Masayuki Ueno | Kurashiki Chuo Hospital, Japan | |
| Taiwan | Wei Teng | Chang Gung Univ., Taiwan | |
| Taiwan | Pei-Chang Lee | Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taiwan | |
| Korea | Heechul Nam | The Catholic Univ. of Korea, Korea | |
| Korea | Myung Ji Goh | Sungkyunkwan Univ., Korea |
2025 EALAYoung 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
VIRAL HEPATITIS
2026 EALAYoung Investigator Group
| Mentor (KASL) | Korea | Jeong Won Jang | The Catholic Univ. of Korea, Korea |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mentor (JSH) | Japan | Tatsuya Kanto | Japan Institute for Health Security, Japan |
| Mentor (TASL) | Taiwan | Wen-Juei Jeng | Chang Gung Univ., Taiwan |
| Young Investigator | Japan | Kazuhiro Murai | The Univ. of Osaka, Japan |
| Taiwan | Yu Ping Chang | National Taiwan Univ., Taiwan | |
| Taiwan | Yi-Chung Hsieh | Chang Gung Univ., Taiwan | |
| Korea | Hee Sun Cho | The Catholic Univ. of Korea, Korea | |
| Korea | Sung Hwan Yoo | Yonsei Univ., Korea | |
| Korea | Yeowool Kang | Dong-A Univ., Korea |
2025 EALAYoung 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
CIRRHOSIS
2026 EALAYoung Investigator Group
| Mentor (AASLD) | USA | Willscott Naugler | Oregon Health & Science Univ., USA |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mentor (KASL) | Korea | Sang Gyune Kim | Soonchunhyang Univ., Korea |
| Young Investigator | Japan | Shinya Yokoyama | Nagoya Univ., Japan |
| Japan | Masaaki Hirata | Kyoto Univ., Japan | |
| Taiwan | Shu-Chi Wang | Kaohsiung Medical Univ., Taiwan | |
| Korea | Seul Ki Han | Yonsei Univ. Wonju, Korea | |
| Korea | Se Young Jang | Kyungpook National Univ., Korea | |
| Korea | Moon Hyung Lee | Kyung Hee Univ., Korea |
2025 EALAYoung 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
