Scientific Program

Day 1: September 2nd (Thursday) 2021

8:55-9:00Opening Remark
Dr. Norifumi Kawada (President of APASL STC Osaka)
9:00-10:40Session 1: Immunology, Inflammation and Regeneration in Hepato-Biliary Diseases
Dr. Robert F. Schwabe (USA) / Dr. Tawesak Tanwandee (Thailand)
09:00-09:20 S1-1 “Role of Hepatic Stellate Cells in Liver Cancer”
Dr. Robert F Schwabe (USA)
09:20-09:40 S1-2 “Multiomics Profiling Identifies the Pro-tumoral Immune Networks in the Steatotic Tumor Microenvironment in Non-viral Hepatocellular Carcinoma”
Dr. Tetsuo Takehara (Japan)
09:40-10:00 S1-3 “Inflammasome Modulation to Treat NASH & Liver Fibrosis”
Dr. Ariel Feldstein (USA)
10:00-10:05 S1-4 “Toll-like Receptor (TLR)-3 and TLR-9 Genes Polymorphism with Hepatitis C Virus Specific Cell Immunity Outcomes in Egyptian Health-care Workers”
Dr. Mohamed Abdel-Samiee (Egypt)Selected Paper #10061
10:05-10:10 S1-5 “The New Immunological Strategy of HCC Prevention to Suppress MICA” Shedding
Dr. Jun Arai (Japan)Selected Paper #10060
10:10-10:40 Discussion Time

10:50-12:30Session 2: Molecular Basis of Hepatitis B/C Virus Infection and Therapy
Dr. Jin Mo Yang (Korea) / Dr. A. Kadir Dokmeci (Turkey)
10:50-11:10 S2-1 “Being Involved in Molecular Biology for 40 Years; COVID-19 and HCC”
Dr. Masao Omata (Japan)
11:10-11:30 S2-2 “Viral Quasispecies Diversity and the Outcomes of Chronic Hepatitis B”
Dr. Jia-Horng Kao (Taiwan)
11:30-11:50 S2-3 “Development of New Therapies for CHB-2021 and Beyond”
Dr. George Lau (Hong Kong)
11:50-11:55 S2-4 “A Robust Cell Culture System for Anti-hepatitis B Virus Drug Study via Epigenetic Reprogramming”
Dr. Luc Gailhouste (Japan)Selected Paper #10022
11:55-12:00 S2-5 “Zinc Chloride Enhances dsRNA-induced beta-interferon Promoter Activity through the Inhibition of Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinase 3 Expression”
Dr. Tatsuo Kanda (Japan)Selected Paper #10064
12:00-12:30 Discussion Time

12:40-13:40Luncheon Seminar 1 (Sponsored by Eisai Co. Ltd. / MSD K.K.)
Junji Furuse (Japan)
12:40-13:10 “Consideration of the Decision Process of Treatment in Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma”
Dr. Sadahisa Ogasawara (Japan)
13:10-13:40 “Clinical Outcome of Lenvatinib Therapy in Japanese Patients with Unresectable HCC”
Dr. Kaoru Tsuchiya (Japan)

13:50-14:20Meet the Expert 1
    “Acute on Chronic Liver Failure”
    Dr. Shiv K Sarin (India)

14:30-15:00Meet the Expert 2
    “COVID-19 Vaccination in Chronic Liver Diseases”
    Dr. Xiaolong Qi (China)

15:10-16:50Session 3: Genetic and Epigenetic Regulation of Liver Diseases
Dr. Tetsuo Takehara (Japan) / Dr. Derek A. Mann (UK)
15:10-15:30 S3-1 “Genomic Landscape of Hepatocarcinogenesis”
Dr. Tatsuhiro Shibata (Japan)
15:30-15:50 S3-2 “Epigenetic Changes Caused by Hepatitis C Virus Infection Persist Even after Viral Eradication and Pose a Risk of Hepatocellular Carcinoma”
Dr. Kazuaki Chayama (Japan)
15:50-16:10 S3-3 “Epigenetic Control of Hepatic Stellate Cell Activation and Liver Fibrosis”
Dr. Derek A Mann (UK)
16:10-16:15 S3-4 “COLCA1 and COLCA2, the Effector Genes Driven by rs1944919 in Primary Biliary Cholangitis (PBC) Susceptibility Locus Chromosome 11q23.1 in the Japanese Population”
Dr. Yuki Hitomi (Japan)Selected Paper #10002
16:15-16:20 S3-5 “Palmitate Disrupts the Circadian Rhythm of Mitochondrial Sirtuins in Non-neoplastic Hepatocytes (PH5CH8), While it Restores the Rhythm in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cell Line (HepG2)”
Dr. Savera Aggarwal (India)Selected Paper #10062
16:20-16:50 Discussion Time

15:10-16:50Session 3: Genetic and Epigenetic Regulation of Liver Diseases
Dr. Tetsuo Takehara (Japan) / Dr. Derek A. Mann (UK)
15:10-15:30 S3-1 “Genomic Landscape of Hepatocarcinogenesis”
Dr. Tatsuhiro Shibata (Japan)
15:30-15:50 S3-2 “Epigenetic Changes Caused by Hepatitis C Virus Infection Persist Even after Viral Eradication and Pose a Risk of Hepatocellular Carcinoma”
Dr. Kazuaki Chayama (Japan)
15:50-16:10 S3-3 “Epigenetic Control of Hepatic Stellate Cell Activation and Liver Fibrosis”
Dr. Derek A Mann (UK)
16:10-16:15 S3-4 “COLCA1 and COLCA2, the Effector Genes Driven by rs1944919 in Primary Biliary Cholangitis (PBC) Susceptibility Locus Chromosome 11q23.1 in the Japanese Population”
Dr. Yuki Hitomi (Japan)Selected Paper #10002
16:15-16:20 S3-5 “Palmitate Disrupts the Circadian Rhythm of Mitochondrial Sirtuins in Non-neoplastic Hepatocytes (PH5CH8), While it Restores the Rhythm in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cell Line (HepG2)”
Dr. Savera Aggarwal (India)Selected Paper #10062
16:20-16:50 Discussion Time

17:00-18:40Session 4: Molecular Basis of Liver Fibrosis and Cirrhosis Therapy
Dr. Jordi Gracia-Sancho (Spain) / Dr. Xiaolong Qi (China) / Dr. Kazuo Ikeda (Japan)
17:00-17:20 S4-1 “Treatment Strategy for Liver Fibrosis Based on Deactivation of Fibrogenic Hepatic Stellate Cells”
Dr. Yutaka Inagaki (Japan)
17:20-17:40 S4-2 “Molecular Basis of Portal Hypertension Therapy”
Dr. Jordi Gracia-Sancho (Spain)
17:40-18:00 S4-3 “The Role of Human Extracellular Matrix in Driving Tissue Fibrosis and Cirrhosis”
Dr. Giuseppe Mazza (UK)
18:00-18:05 S4-4 “Behavior of Reactive Cholangiocytes in the Tissue Repair Stage from Chronic Liver Injury”
Dr. Yasuhiro Nakano (Japan)Selected Paper #10029
18:05-18:10 S4-5 “Capacity of Extracellular Globins in Suppression of Collagen Production from Activated Hepatic Stellate Cells via Scavenging ROS and Promoting MMP-1 Secretion”
Dr. Vu Ngoc Hieu (Japan)Selected Paper #10037
18:10-18:40 Discussion Time

18:50-19:50Evening Seminar 1:Sponsored by Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.
Dr. Kiyoshi Hasegawa (Japan)
    “A New Era of Cancer Immunotherapy in Hepatocellular Carcinoma”
    Dr. Masatoshi Kudo (Japan)

Day 2: September 3rd (Friday) 2021

8:00-9:00Morning Seminar: Sponsored by Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.
Dr. Hitoshi Yoshiji (Japan)
    “Management of Liver Cirrhosis: Summary of JSGE & JSH Evidence-based Clinical Practice Guidelines for Liver Cirrhosis 2020”
    Dr. Naoya kato (Japan)

9:10-11:10Session 5: Molecular Basis of Alcoholic and Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis and Therapy
Dr. Gyongi Szabo (USA) / Dr. Ekihiro Seki (USA) / Dr. Kenichi Ikejima (Japan)
9:10-9:30 S5-1 “Inflammasome Activation and microRNAs are Molecular Drivers and Therapeutic Targets in Steatohepatitis”
Dr. Gyongi Szabo (USA)
9:30-9:50 S5-2 “Treatment Targets for Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis”
Dr. Vincent Wong (Hong Kong)
9:50-10:10 S5-3 “New Therapeutic Strategy for Alcoholic Liver Disease: Role of TLR7 and IL- 22”
Dr. Ekihiro Seki (USA)
10:10-10:30 S5-4 “Molecular Basis of Alcoholic and Metabolic Steatohepatitis and Therapy”
Dr. Jacob George (Australia)
10:30-10:35 S5-5 “Possible Repurposing of the Analgesic Neurotropin for NAFLD/NASH Treatment”
Dr. Takashi Tsuchiya (USA)Selected Paper #10014
10:35-10:40 S5-6 “Gut-liver Axis-mediated Mechanism of NASH-associated Hepatocellular Carcinoma Progression”
Dr. Ryota Yamagishi (Japan)Selected Paper #10042
10:40-11:10 Discussion Time

11:20-13:00Session 6: Use of Pluripotent Stem Cells and Reprogrammed Cells for Therapy
Dr. Atsushi Miyajima (Japan) / Dr. Diana A. Payawal (Philippines)
11:20-11:40 S6-1 “Generation of Quiescent Hepatic Stellate Cells from Human iPSCs and Development of Anti-fibrotic Drugs”
Dr. Atsushi Miyajima (Japan)
11:40-12:00 S6-2 “Cell Identity Conversion and Liver Regeneration”
Dr. Lijian Hui (China)
12:00-12:20 S6-3 “Generation of Human Liver using iPS Cells for Regenerative Therapies”
Dr. Hideki Taniguchi (Japan)
12:20-12:25 S6-4 “The Therapeutic Effect of Human Placenta Mesenchymal Stem Cell- Derived Exosomes on Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis”
Dr. Wenyi Chen (China)Selected Paper #10063
12:25-12:30 S6-5 “Kruppel-like Factor 15 Induces the Development of Mature-type Hepatocytes from Progenitor Cells”
Dr. Kota Tsuruya (Japan)Selected Paper #10044
12:30-13:00 Discussion Time

13:10-14:10Luncheon Seminar 2: Sponsored by AbbVie GK
Tatehiro Kagawa (Japan)
13:10-13:40 “Clinical Outcome of Antiviral Therapy in Patients with Hepatitis C Virus Infection”
Dr. Toshifumi Tada (Japan)
13:40-14:10 “Hepatocellular Carcinoma Developing after the Eradication of Hepatitis C Virus: Surveillance, Characteristics, and Prognosis”
Dr. Hidenori Toyoda (Japan)

14:20-16:20Session 7: Gut-Liver-Brain Axis in Hepatic Pathophysiology and Clinical Medicine
Dr. Shiv K Sarin (India) / Dr. Tatiana Kisseleva (USA)
14:20-14:40 S7-1 “IL-17 Signaling in Steatotic Hepatocytes Promotes Alcoholic Liver Disease- induced Hepatocellular Carcinoma”
Dr. Tatiana Kisseleva (USA)
14:40-15:00 S7-2 “Gut Microbiota and Autoimmune Diseases – Type 1 Diabetes and Multiple Sclerosis –”
Dr. Hiroshi Ohno (Japan)
15:00-15:20 S7-3 “The Liver-brain-gut Neural Reflex Maintains the Niche of Gut Regulatory T Cells”
Dr. Takanori Kanai (Japan)
15:20-15:40 S7-4 “High-throughput Screening of New Compounds that Remove Senescent Cell Toward Prevention of HCC Development”
Dr. Eiji Hara (Japan)
15:40-15:45 S7-5 “Nimbolide Restores Gut Dysbiosis and Prevents Bacterial Translocation by Improving Tight Junction Proteins Expression in an Experimental Hepatocarcinogenesis”
Dr. Balasubramaniyan Vairappan (India)Selected Paper #10050
15:45-15:50 S7-6 “Dysbiosis of the Gut Microbiota Associated with Plasma Levels of IFN- &gamma and Viral Load in Patients with Acute Hepatitis E Infection”
Dr. Jian Wu (China)Selected Paper #10054
15:50-16:20 Discussion Time

16:30-18:30Session 8: Diagnosis and Therapy on Hepatic and Biliary Cancer
Dr. Masao Omata (Japan) / Dr. Jia-Horng Kao (Taiwan)
16:30-16:50 S8-1 “Whole Genomics and Precision Oncology for Hepato-Biliary Cancer”
Dr. Hidewaki Nakagawa (Japan)
16:50-17:10 S8-2 “Biomarkers in the Treatment of Liver Cancer”
Dr. Naoya Kato (Japan)
17:10-17:30 S8-3 “Nobel Treatment Strategy for Intermediate-stage Hepatocellular Carcinoma”
Dr. Masatoshi Kudo (Japan)
17:30-17:50 S8-4 “HCC Surveillance in Patients with Pharmacologically Treated Viral Hepatitis”
Dr. Massimo Colombo (Italy)
17:50-17:55 S8-5 “Analysis of Tumor Microenvironment in Patients with Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma Eligible for Systemic Therapy”
Dr. Hiroaki Kanzaki (Japan)Selected Paper #10008
17:55-18:00 S8-6 “Soluble PD-1 as a Potential Biomarker for Predicting Response to the Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor in HCC Patients”
Dr. Yutaka Yasui (Japan)Selected Paper #10027
18:00-18:30 Discussion Time

18:40-19:40Evening Seminar 2: Sponsored by Gilead Sciences K.K.
Dr. Yasuhito Tanaka (Japan)
    “Novel Agents for HBV Therapy”
    Dr. Man-Fung Yuen (Hong Kong, China)

19:40-19:50Closing Remark
Dr. Norifumi Kawada (President of APASL STC Osaka)

Poster Session Program

P-01 #10028 “Combination Therapy of Juzentaihoto and Mesenchymal Stem Cells Attenuates Liver Damage and Regresses Fibrosis in Mice”
Dr. Takahiro Iwasawa (Japan)
P-02 #10057 “The Anti-fibrotic Effect of ex vivo Expanded CD34+Cell Transplantation in a Mouse Model of NASH”
Dr. Atsutaka Masuda (Japan)
P-03 #10056 “Cell Membrane-mediated Direct Crosstalks between Hepatocytes and HSCs”
Dr. Kirara Inoue (Japan)
P-04 #10009 “Bioinformatics Study of Genes E1 and E2 from Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) with Genotypes 1, 2, 3 and 6 as Vaccine Candidates for Virus-like Particles (VLPs)”
Dr. Rifaldy Fajar (Indonesia)
P-05 #10052 “Improvement of Liver Fibrosis in Patients Achieving a Sustained Virological Response to DAA Treatment for Hepatitis C”
Dr. Ayumi Sugiura (Japan)
P-07 #10048 “microRNA-6126 Reduces the Stability of NTCP Messenger RNA and Suppresses its Expression in Hepatocytes”
Dr. Koji Fujita (Japan)
P-08 #10017 “Molecular Characterization of Hepatitis B Virus in Young People of Vietnam”
Dr. Evgennia V. Lichnaia (Russia)
P-09 #10043 “Emergence of Novel Resistance-associated Substitutions against Pibrentasvir in Genotype 1b HCV-Infected Mice”
Dr. Takuro Uchida (Japan)
P-10 #10023 “B-cell Activating Factor Promotes Lipid Synthesis in Murine Hepatocytes”
Dr. Masanori Abe (Japan)
P-11 #10026 “Development of Human Hepatic Stellate Cell Activation/Deactivation Culture Condition Aiming the Liver Fibrosis Evaluation”
Dr. Seiichi Ishida (Japan)
P-12 #10025 “Ezetimibe Suppresses the Progression of NASH and NASH-associated HCC”
Dr. Kouichi Miura (Japan)
P-13 #10038 “Analysis of Liver Fibrosis Progression, Lipid Profile, and Atherosclerosis in NAFLD”
Dr. Shun-ichi Wakabayashi (Japan)
P-14 #10030 “Glycine Ameliorates Steatohepatitis via Reduction of Oxidative Stress in Hepatocyte- specific PTEN-deficient Mice”
Dr. Kazuyoshi Kon (Japan)
P-15 #10015 “Synergistic Regulation of Hepatic Fsp27b Expression by HNF4α and CREBH”
Dr. Ichiro C. Kasano-Camones (Japan)
P-16 #10040 “A Novel Isolation Method of Hepatic Stellate Cells from Tumor Tissue of Obesity-associated Hepatocellular Carcinoma”
Dr. Yi Cheng (China)
P-17 #10036 “Type IV Collagen 7S is the Most Accurate test for Identifying Advanced Fibrosis in Non- Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease with Type 2 Diabetes”
Dr. Hiroshi Ishiba (Japan)
P-18 #10055 “Systemic Inflammation Predict 30-day Bacterial Infection Post-liver Transplantation”
Dr. Jiong Yu (China)
P-19 #10021 “Elevated Alpha Fetoprotein in the Absence of Hepatic Malignancy in a Patient with Acute Hepatitis”
Dr. Jacklyn M So-Cabahug (Philippines)
P-20 #10005 “Nanoparticle-mediated Delivery of 2-deoxy-D-glucose Induces Antitumor Immunity and Cytotoxicity in Liver Tumors in Mice”
Dr. Sohji Nishina (Japan)
P-21 #10033 “The Complication Rate and Clinical Significance of Extrahepatic Autoimmune Diseases (EHAIDs) in Primary Biliary Cholangitis (PBC)”
Dr. Yuki Yamashita (Japan)
P-22 #10058 “Role of CD40 in Hepatocellular Carcinoma”
Dr. Vinh Hanh Ngo (Japan)
P-23 #10049 “Changes of Soluble Immune Checkpoint Proteins following Antiviral Treatment in Chronic Hepatitis C Patients and the Roles of the CD27-CD70 Pathway in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Development”
Dr. Minh Phuong Dong (Japan)
P-24 #10012 “Case Report of Overlap Syndrome: Autoimmune Hepatitis and Primary Biliary Cholangitis, a Vietnamese Patient Diagnosing by Pathology”
Dr. Lieu Quang Dau (Viet Nam)
P-25 #10051 “Functional Analysis of Liver Cirrhosis-associated Gut Microbiota Uncovers a Unique Mechanism of Hyperammonemia in Hepatic Encephalopathy”
Dr. Tomonori Kamiya (Japan)
P-26 #10035 “Role of the FibroScan-aspartate Aminotransferase Score in Risk Stratification for a Japanese Cohort with Fatty Liver Diseases”
Dr. Hideki Fujii (Japan)
P-27 #10039 “Possible Involvement of ZNF641 with the Prognosis of Hepatocellular Carcinoma”
Dr. Hirayuki Enomoto (Japan)
P-28 #10004 “The Long Non-coding RNA of RMRP is Repressed by PERK and Induces Apoptosis in Hepatocellular Carcinoma”
Dr. Atsushi Yukimoto (Japan)
P-29 #10011 “Identifying UGT1A1 Gene Mutations in Vietnamese Patients with Gilbert Syndrome”
Dr. Lieu Quang Dau (Viet Nam)
P-30 #10020 “Validation of Platelets - Albumin - Bilirubin (PALBI) Score for Predicting Overall Survival of Hepatocellular Carcinoma at Hanoi Medical University Hospital, Vietnam”
Dr. Bich Hang Doan (Viet Nam)
P-31 #10016 “Validation of ABCR and ART for Predicting Overall Survival in Patient with Hepato-cellular Carcinoma Treated with Transarterial Chemoembolism in Hanoi Medical University Hospital, Vietnam”
Dr. Duc Minh Pham (Viet Nam)
P-32 #10024 “A Novel Anticancer Therapy with Deferoxamine and Drugs Targeting Iron-chelation- Modulated Metabolism”
Dr. Koichi Fujisawa (Japan)
P-33 #10059 “Identification of Key Modules and Hub Genes Involved in Cholangiocarcinoma Progression and Prognosis”
Dr. Qigu Yao (China)
P-34 #10031 “PD-L1 Promotes Cell Proliferation in Liver Cancer Cells”
Dr. Toshimitsu Tanaka (Japan)
P-35 #10003 “Efficacy of Zinc Acetate in HCC Cell Lines via the Induction of Apoptosis”
Dr. Takashi Himoto(Japan)
P-36 #10007 “Liver Piopsy Technique in the Era of Cancer Genomic Therapies: A Single Center Retrospective Analysis”
Dr. Naoya Kanogawa (Japan)
P-37 #10041 “Intracellular Gaps Formation of Liver Sinusoidal Endothelial Cells Facilitates Cancer Cell Engraftment in Liver”
Dr. Truong Huu Hoang (Japan)
P-38 #10045 “Role of SKI in the Suppression of Cholangiocarcinoma Cell Proliferation by Inducing G1- phase Arrest: Validation of Results from Clinical Specimens”
Dr. Etsushi Kawamura (Japan)
P-39 #10034 “The Association between Plasma Free Amino Acids and Sarcopenia in the Course of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Recurrence”
Dr. Shunichi Tsuge (Japan)
P-40 #10010 “A Survey on Approaches towards Patients with Elevated Liver Enzymes before Surgery in Different Vietnamese Hospitals”
Dr. Hang Dao (Viet Nam)

Program & Final Information