Dr. Guadalupe Garcia-Tsao, Dedicated to Liver Patients
ALF Celebrates National Hispanic Heritage Month
Meet leading physician, researcher and passionate advocate Guadalupe “Lupe” Garcia-Tsao, MD, FRCP. Dr. Garcia-Tsao is Professor of Medicine at Yale University School of Medicine and Chief of Digestive Diseases at the VA-Connecticut Healthcare System.
Dr. Garcia-Tsao attended Medical School at the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México in Mexico City, Mexico. In 1985, she immigrated to the United States to complete her fellowship at the Yale University School of Medicine and the VA-Connecticut Healthcare System. Dr. Garcia-Tsao said, “I’ve had an interest in hepatology ever since I began medical school in Mexico and when I did my internal medicine residency, I sought out hepatology mentors who were involved in research.”
Here in the United States, Dr. Garcia-Tsao focused her research efforts on the study of cirrhosis and its complications, mainly due to portal hypertension (variceal hemorrhage and ascites). She said, “My research, and that of others, has led to improvements in the management of patients with cirrhosis – it has helped define the progression of cirrhosis, identify patients who are more at risk for developing complications and has ultimately led to better treatments and therapies. All of which has led to improving patient survival rates.”
Did you know?
- Hispanic/Latino people are more at risk for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), newly renamed metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease or MASLD.
- Hispanic/Latino men have the highest incidence rates of liver cancer.
Dr. Garcia-Tsao has been dedicated to liver patients and cutting-edge research for the last 37 years. In addition, she is an avid supporter of American Liver Foundation (ALF) and has held various educational programs for medical professionals on her research findings, new therapies and treatments. She is also the winner of ALF’s 2021 Distinguished Scientific Achievement Award (DSAA), a prestigious award given annually to a scientist who has made a major contribution to liver disease research in basic science or towards the prevention, treatment or cure of liver disease, for her scientific achievements in cirrhosis, portal hypertension and related complications.
When she is not working on her research, attending to patients or teaching across the world, you can find Dr. Garcia-Tsao enjoying a bite to eat with friends, walking along the beach or curling up to watch a good movie.
September 15th to October 15th is Hispanic Heritage Month. For more information about liver disease and how it affects Hispanic/Latino communities, visit our website.
Last updated on January 16th, 2024 at 04:23 pm