The Asian Liver Center
The Asian Liver Center at Stanford University is the first non-profit organization in the United States that addresses the high incidence of hepatitis B and liver cancer in Asians and Asian Americans. Founded in 1996, the center uses a three-pronged approach towards fighting hepatitis B through outreach & education, advocacy, and research. Specifically, the Asian Liver Center spearheads educational outreach and advocacy efforts in the areas of hepatitis B and liver cancer prevention and treatment, serves as a resource for both the general public and health practitioners, and implements clinical and research programs. We hope you will use this website as a resource to learn about hepatitis B and liver cancer and current treatment options.Donations
The Asian Liver Center at Stanford University is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization funded by private donations and grants. Gifts to support the center accelerate our efforts in community education, research to find new treatments, methods of prevention, and perhaps someday, a cure for liver disease and cancer. Donations are used to support our three programs: Outreach and Education, Research, and Adopt-an-Intern. Click here to make a donation. You can make a difference.
Outreach and Education
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The key to winning the fight against hepatitis B and liver cancer is prevention, and prevention begins with outreach and education. Since its founding in 1996, the Asian Liver Center has been dedicated to serving the Asian community through a variety of outreach and education programs. A HBV vaccine is readily available, offering full protection from hepatitis B, but many API are not vaccinated simply because they are not aware of the problem and its prevalence in their community. The Asian Liver Center regularly participates in community events throughout the Bay Area, providing screenings and low-cost vaccinations, hosting educational booths and games, speaking to health care providers and developing workshops to spread awareness about hepatitis B and liver cancer. The outreach section of our site gives details about our screenings, conferences, community events, advocacy efforts, partnerships, ongoing projects, and contests. The education section of our site includes detailed information about hepatitis B, liver cancer, vaccination and blood tests as well as patient testimonials and resources for health care providers. |
Advocacy
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In order to successfully eradicate hepatitis B, we must unite together and speak out against this silent killer. The ALC works on the local, statewide, national and international levels to promote hepatitis B and liver cancer awareness and to support the expansion of the Jade Ribbon Campaign. In California, the Asian Liver Center is working with Assemblywoman Fiona Ma to pass Assembly Bill 158, which will provide care for all uninsured and under-insured people who are chronically infected with hepatitis B, with no raise in taxes. Nationally, the Asian Liver Center worked with Congressman Mike Honda co-sponsored a bill early in 2006 to designate the first National Hepatitis B Awareness Week in May 2006. In April 2004, the Jade Ribbon Campaign was launched by the ALC in China in partnership with the China Foundation for Hepatitis Prevention and Control at the China National Hepatitis Conference. The Asian Liver Center continues to advocate for laws that prevent hepatitis B discrimination, strategies to provide access to affordable screenings, vaccinations and treatment, and partnerships to unite together against HBV and liver cancer. |
Research
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The Asian Liver Center conducts translational research by which our scientific research is translated into practical applications to improve human health. Research in liver cancer has generally received low priority for federal funding in this country, contributing to the current lack of effective treatment for chronically infected individuals. We are committed to finding novel approaches to increase the efficacy of diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment through the development of a comprehensive liver cancer research program with an emphasis on liver cancer genomics, biomarkers, molecular targets, and investigational anti-tumor agents. The ALC is currently working on a perinatal hepatitis B prevention initiative to design and implement strategies to prevent mother-to-child transmission of hepatitis B in Alameda and Santa Clara counties, where the combined population of about 3.2 million experiences some of the highest rates of chronic HBV and liver cancer in the US. We are dedicated to our clinical research and community research programs to ensure patients receive the most effective treatment and that our outreach efforts make the largest possible impact for a healthier community. Through our multi-faceted translational research, we hope to change national policies and the attitudes of healthcare providers towards HBV and liver cancer prevention through sound, evidence-based information from vigorous lab, clinical and community-based research studies. |
Last Updated: November 12, 2009
