The British Association for the Study of the Liver is a multi-disciplinary society with over 1,200 members composed of interested individuals from clinical medicine, clinical and basic research and allied professions.
The British Association for the Study of the Liver aims to disseminate research findings and clinical expertise, to promote opportunities for collaboration in liver research, to provide a voice that can advise and interact with the media and advises policymakers.
The British Association for the Study of the Liver incorporates the British Liver Nurses's Association, the British Viral Hepatitis Group and the British Liver Transplant Group.
Membership covers BASL and all of its special interest groups; BLNA, BVHG and BLTG. Your Annual subscription is used to organise the Annual Meeting held each September and the subscription rate you pay is determined by your job status.
Dr Ian Rowe winner of the Andy Burroughs Young Investigator Award 2016 pictured with Chair of the BLTG Professor Darius Mirza.
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Dr Matthew Armstrong winner of the Dame Sheila Sherlock Award 2016 pictured with the BASL Secretary Dr David Patch.
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Dr Alexander Gimson winner of a BASL Distinguished Service Award in 2016 pictured with Dr David Westaby.
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Dr Roger Chapman winner of a BASL Distinguished Service Award in 2016 pictured with Dr Jane Collier.
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Dr James Dooley receiving a BASL Distinguished Service Award in 2016 from Dr David Patch
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Colleagues at the recent HCC-UK meeting that took place in March at Newcastle/Gateshead.
Find out more
Find out more about the work of our committee sub-groups and forums by clicking the logos below. These include The British Viral Hepatitis Group, British Association for the Study of the Liver Nurse Forum and the British Liver Transplant Group.
The British Viral Hepatitis aims to improve the management and study of patients with chronic viral liver disease, bringing together UK hepatologists, gastroenterologists, infectious disease physicians, virologists and interested epidemiologists.
British Liver Nurses' Association is a professional nursing organisation aiming to develop knowledge and understanding of liver disease, in order to improve the quality of patient care.
The BLTG (British Liver Transplant Group) was launched in 2014 to represent the professional interests of liver transplantation in the UK and promote strategic and academic development.
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Join BASL
BASL is a multi-disciplinary society with around 900 members composed of interested individuals from clinical medicine, clinical and basic research and allied professions. Your Annual subscription is used to organise the Annual Meeting held each September.
Members of BASL receive the following benefits:
- discounted registration rates for the annual meeting and other relevant meetings
- eligibility for the BASL Travel Awards (for members below status of Senior Lecturer or Consultant to allow presentation of high-quality UK liver research at International meetings, including the American Association for the Study of Liver Disease)
- eligibility for the prestigious Dame Sheila Sherlock Award (to an emerging researcher in the field of liver disease, for members below status of Senior Lecturer or consultant). Applications are usually submitted to the BASL Committee three months prior to the annual meeting - details are announced.
Click here to find out more about joining us.
News
The Medical Research Foundation have recently launched a funding opportunity focused on Viral Hepatitis research. This funding is aimed at Mid-Career researchers, who are making the transition to independence, and will support research that will increase the understanding of the disease mechanisms underlying viral hepatitis.
This competition is open to all UK researchers at eligible institutions (UK HEIs, Research Council research institutes, hospitals, and other independent research organisations). Applicants must hold a PhD, DPhil or MD and be in the process of, or be ready for, transition to research independence.
There is up to £1.6 million available in this competition and applicants may apply for up to £300,000 to support their research, over a maximum of a three year period.
The application process is now open and the deadline is Friday 3rd November 2017.
More information can be found on the Medical Research Foundation website > here.
We are pleased to announce the official launch of the British Liver Nurses Association (BLNA). As you may already be aware, the BLNA is the new national liver nurses group, founded following the merger of the British Liver Nurses Forum (BLNF) and the British Association for the Study of the Liver Nurses Forum (BASLNF).
After 2-3 years of collaborative working, the BLNF and BASLNF members reached a stage where their aims and objectives for liver nursing were such that it was agreed to unite so as to provide one powerful voice to raise the profile of liver nursing, across the UK.
The BLNA is a professional nursing association run by its members for its members and promises to continue to offer professional support for nurses working within all fields of liver disease. The BLNA will take forward the shared values and strengths from both BASLNF and BLNF and together with and on behalf of its members, will ensure opportunities are available to share best practice, as well as attend educational meetings, with the ultimate aim of improving standards of liver care to all people affected by liver disease.
The BLNA, also promises to continue to maintain and develop strong links with all those professional and charitable groups, locally, nationally and internationally. We look forward to working with you all, in the future.
Kind regards,
Fiona Fry and Michelle Clayton.
Co-chairs BLNA
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is looking to appoint a number of people with the necessary experience and skills to fulfill the following roles:
• Health service representative – up to 3 people
• Lay member – 2 people
The appeal panel is responsible for hearing appeals against our draft final recommendations in the technology appraisal (new drugs and other technologies used in the NHS) and highly specialised technologies (the evaluation of technologies for treating patients with very rare diseases and very complex healthcare needs) programmes.
When an appeal is submitted an appeal panel comprising five members is drawn from those appointed to hear NICE appeals.
The health service representative must hold an active registration with the appropriate professional body (including for doctors, a licence to practise).
The lay representative must be a patient or carer, or a member of an organisation that represents patients or carers.
Appointees will need to have an ability to draw out and articulate a balanced view on the issues arising from an appeal that are relevant to patients, carers and/or members of the public, and an ability to critique and weigh up competing arguments and make decisions (sometimes difficult ones) in meetings that are open to the public. Appeal panels are established infrequently and appointees may only need to sit on a panel two to three times a year.
NICE welcome applicants from all interested parties. For further information on the role and how apply please refer to the NICE website: https://www.nice.org.uk/Get-Involved/join-a-committee . Alternatively you can contact Maria Pitan, Project Manager – Corporate Office by email maria.pitan@nice.org.uk .
Deadline for applications is midnight on Monday 2 October 2017.
PSC Support and UK-PSC are inviting applications from UK-based investigators to conduct, ethically approved, biomarker based, research using serum samples collected for the UK-PSC biobank during the recent re-consenting effort. Clinical data is available and ethics exist for the successful research teams to collect further data.
Grant Amount and Scope - two grants of up to £15,000 each will be awarded.
Pilot and feasibility work to enable larger grant applications will be considered.
Your research project must address PSC Support Research Priorities and have anticipated clear patient benefit, as regards potential use of biomarkers in PSC management.
PSC Support is an NIHR non-commercial Partner. Appropriate research studies funded through 'PSC Support Research Project Grants' are now automatically eligible for NIHR Clinical Research Network (CRN) support and therefore entitled to access NHS support via the NIHR Clinical Research Network.
Applications
Applicants should send their completed PSC Support Application Form together with additional relevant study investigator CVs, ethics approval and letter of support from the relevant Head of Department to research@pscsupport.org.uk .
UK-PSC Biobank
At present we have just under 900 serum samples stored in the Cambridge Bioresource. Serum is aliquoted and just under 2/3rds of the samples come from pre-transplant patients with PSC.
Application Deadline - 31 October 2017
Expected Decision Date - 01 December 2017
For more details visit www.pscsupport.org.uk/2017ukpscfunding .
Please find below the news release that has gone out today to coincide with the publication of PHE Liver Disease Atlas.
BASL has been involved in helping put this together.
A report has just launched in Drug and Alcohol Review about ' How alcohol industry organisations mislead the public about alcohol and cancer'.
The report produced by Professor Mark Petticrew, of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, and colleagues is available to read here; Download Report London School of Hygiene.pdf
Fixed Term posts of 12 months
The National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Birmingham Biomedical Research Centre (BRC) opened on 1 April 2017 with the aim of using cutting edge experimental medicine to accelerate access to, and adoption of, drugs, devices and diagnostics tests for patients living with chronic inflammatory diseases. The NIHR Birmingham BRC brings together the expertise of University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust (UHB) and the University of Birmingham, both members of Birmingham Health Partners (BHP), and is one of 20 NHS and University partnerships across England that have been awarded funding through the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR).
We are seeking two highly motivated Clinical Research Fellows to undertake research into chronic inflammatory disease. The post-holders willbe based in the Institute of Immunology and Immunotherapy at the University of Birmingham in the Institute for Biomedical Research. One post will involve the delivery of the Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis–Inflammatory Bowel Disease research programme of the BRC, reporting to Professor Gideon Hirschfield. The second post will involve undertaking clinical trials and other studies in patients with chronic inflammatory disease including non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and autoimmune liver disease, and will report to Professor Philip Newsome.
BRIEF PERSON SPEC
We are looking for clinicians with MRCP or equivalent, a potential ability to conduct and publish their own research, strong communication skills and an ability and eagerness to work in a multi-disciplinary team. The successful candidates will have an enthusiasm to learn and will be expected to register for a higher degree.
The positions are available for 12 months with potential and expectation to extend for a higher degree and submission of a fellowship application. Salary will be at the appropriate point on the appropriate clinical scale, with placement according to qualifications and experience.
Closing date: 21st September Reference: POST NUMBERS 57808 and 57809
To apply for these jobs please visit the University of Birmingham vacancies website.
Events
For further information and to find out how to register visit the conference website by clicking > here.
Attendees Benefits:
- All attendees can avail CME credits
- Certificate Accreditation by the International Organizing Committee (IOCM)
- Abstracts will be published in conference souvenir & international journals
- 50% discounts on Registration before July 20, 2017
This meeting is free to attend for BASL / BVHG Members (a £40 refundable deposit will be taken on application)
For non-members a charge of £45 will apply.
CPD points have been applied for.
Note from the Chair
The phrase ‘world expert’ is often over-used but it is fair to say that we have two true world experts speaking at the event. Professor Nassim Kamar has led the way in our understanding of chronic hepatitis E and has published the majority of the seminal pieces of work in the field. He is going to give a state of the art lecture on the management of chronic hepatitis E. Professor Heiner Wedemeyer is a world leading expert on many aspects of viral hepatitis with his work in the field of hepatitis delta guiding the way in this area – one which I consider the final frontier in our battle against morbidity and mortality caused by the viral hepatitis. He is going to update us on management of this difficult virus. I look forward to welcoming you to what is likely to be a truly exceptional event.
Dr. Ahmed Elsharkawy
Consultant Hepatologist
Viral Hepatitis: Hepatitis D and E – Where are we at in 2017
Programme
09:30 – 09:40 Welcome and introduction: Dr Ahmed Elsharkawy
Hepatitis E
09:40 – 10:00 Introduction to Hep E virology and epidemiology – Dr Samreen Ijaz – Public Health England
10:00 – 10:20 Prevalence of Hep E in the UK and European Food Chains – Dr Stephen Wyllie - APHA
10:20 – 10:40 Epidemiology and case mix of acute and chronic Hep E in the UK – Dr Michael Anckorn - NHS Blood & Transport (NHSBT)
10:40 – 11.00 Coffee Break
11:00 – 11:20 Extrahepatic manifestations of Hepatitis E – Dr Glynn Webb – North Manchester General Hospital
11:20 – 12:05 State of the Art Lecture - Management of Hepatitis E – Dr Nassim Kamar – Toulouse University Hospital, France
12:05 - 12:15 Comfort Break
12:15 – 13:00 Symposium sponsored by AbbVie
13:00 – 14:00 Lunch
Hepatitis D
14:00 – 14:30 Hepatitis Delta – epidemiology and virology – Dr Belinda Smith - Imperial NHS Trust
14:30 – 15:15 State of the art lecture The management of Hepatitis D – Prof Heiner Wedemyer – Hannover Medical School, Germany
15:15 – 15:45 Will we ever be able to cure Hepatitis B and Hepatitis D - Dr Patrick Kennedy - St Bartholomew's Hospital, London
15:45 – 16:00 Panel discussion and conclusion – Dr Ahmed Elsharkawy - University Hospital Birmingham
Download BVHG Programme 3rd November 2017.pdf
REGISTRATION NOW OPEN - REGISTER > HERE.
Members of BASL/BVHG - Free* (a £40 refundable deposit will be taken on booking)
Non-members £45.00
*Members Refundable Deposit
For members, on completion of the booking form, a refundable deposit of £40 will be taken and will be returned to you after you have attended the event. If you do not attend the meeting and do not cancel your place within 2 weeks of the meeting, you may forfeit your deposit. Please see the cancellation policy below.
If you have any queries, please contact the Secretariat on kim@basl.org.uk or +44 (0)1543 442154.
Cancellation Policy
If you wish to cancel your attendance at this event, please contact the Secretariat no later than 14 days prior to the event. Bookings made within 14 days of the event cannot be refunded. Cancellations made outside of this time will be made at the sole discretion of BASL. If the event is free of charge to attend, cancellation as stated here may incur charges. By clicking confirm you accept these terms.
We would like to thank our sponsors for their support
Premier sponsors: Abbvie and Gilead Sciences
Key sponsor: MSD
The BASL School of Viral Hepatology is aimed at Nurses/SpRs/Doctors in Training with a NTN.
Venue: Hallam Conference Centre, 44 Hallam St, London, W1W 6JJ
Programme:-
09:30 – 09:40 Welcome and Introduction – Dr Will Gelson – Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge
09:40 – 10:00 Natural History of HBV and HDV – Dr Kate Rolfe, Virologist, Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge
10:00 – 10:20 Assessment of patients with HBV – Dr Stuart McPherson, Consultant Hepatologist, Freeman Hospital Newcastle
10:20 – 10:40 Hepatitis B treatment – Dr Patrick Kennedy, Consultant Hepatologist, Royal London
10:40 – 11:00 Coffee
11:00 – 11:15 Hepatitis D: important clinical concepts – Dr Sarah Hughes, Consultant Hepatologist, St George's Hospital London
11:20 – 11:55 Join the main BVHG meeting for the State of the Art Lecture by Dr Nassim Kama - Toulouse University Hospital, France
Continue with the main meeting programme.
The meeting is free to BASL/BVHG Members (a £40 refundable deposit will be taken on registration).
For non-members a charge of £45 will apply.
We thank our School Series sponsor for this meeting:
Premier sponsors - Norgine
Registration now open - book > here.
The Annual Scientific Meeting and AGM for the PCSG is taking place at the Royal College of General Practitioners at the beginning of November - offering interesting talks from the front-line of Gastroenterology.
The meeting, will again be accredited by the RCGP offering CPD points for attendees.
This meeting is open to healthcare professionals, including GPs, gastroenterologists, nurses, endoscopists, dietitians/nutritionists. If you are unsure whether you fall within the definition of ‘healthcare professional’, feel free to get in touch at secretariat@pcsg.org.uk .
Visit the PCSG website to find out further information and to register > click here for your free ticket now to avoid disappointment - the full programme will be available shortly.
On 15th November 2017, on the 50th anniversary of the MCA, we are holding a symposium on Alcohol and Medicine; Past, Present and Future at BMA house in London.
In keeping with our approach, we are delighted to have world class speakers covering the key areas of alcohol related harm and effective management. The opening talk will be given by MCA president Professor Sir Michael Marmot on public health and epidemiology. The Max Glatt memorial lecturer will be Professor Jonathan Shepherd who has had a ground-breaking career linking from accident and emergency departments to other sectors to prevent alcohol related harm.During the day there will talks by leaders in their fields on the liver, on medical treatments, on psychological therapies and on neuropsychiatric approaches in relation to alcohol.
A unifying and unique feature of the MCA symposium is its appeal across specialties and across disciplines, to practitioners, researchers and students. This historic symposium will be of interest to health professionals from all backgrounds who are interested in addressing alcohol related health harm.
Please find details of the programme and how to book here: Download MCA Symposium Programme booking form.pdf
The IVHEM meeting will continue as a global forum led by interdisciplinary experts seeking groundbreaking collaborations with other key initiatives for the translation and knowledge exchange of diagnostic and therapy advances of viral hepatitis. IVHEMs mission is to equip professionals in the race to eliminating viral hepatitis with the necessary toolkit for the practical application of national plans, new policies and R&D in order to achieve improvement of health on a larger scale.
To find out more visit the meeting website here > http://www.virology-education.com/event/upcoming/ivhem2017/ .
* BASL members have been offered a 25% discount - the discount code is IVHEMPARTNER.
Please note that the discount only applies to the academia fees.
The Institute of Liver Studies at King's College Hospital invites you to register for the next course highlighting new therapies and treatment options for patients with advanced liver disease including latest data from our colleagues based in USA.
The next one day course features a world-class faculty in a small group setting to discuss the latest developments and best practice in managing patients with advanced liver disease.
The meeting will take place in the heart of Central London at No.11 Cavendish Square the Home of The King's Fund.
Target audiences: the course will be of benefit for: consultants and senior trainees in Hepatology and Gastroenterology, and other specialists and allied professionals who work with these patient groups.
To view the programme and to register click > here.
The Gastroenterology and Hepatology in pregnancy conference is a one day conference taking place at the Royal College of Physicians in London on 11th December 2017.
The conference will cover both common ailments associated with pregnancy, as well as those patients with ongoing gut and liver conditions who become pregnant.
Who should attend?
- Obstetricians
- Gasterentologists
- Heptologists
- GPs
- Nurse specialists
- Specialists registrars
Early bird fees until: 30 October 2017.
Download a copy of the programme here: Download GastroenterologyandHepatologyinPregancyprogrammeDec17.pdf
Further information can be found by clicking > here.
Announcements
We are pleased to announce that the liver disease quality standard (QS152) has been published on the NICE website today.
You can view the quality standard by clicking > here.
BASL has formally supported the liver disease quality standard.
Join BASL Ward Membership Today - £100 per annum for up to 5 members per ward.
Download a flyer for your noticeboard - Download BASLNF Ward Membership Flyer May 17.pdf.
To find out how to apply click here
Click here to view the BASL Newsletter - August 2017.
Click here to view the Alcohol Health Alliance Newsletter - September 2017.
Click here to view the NICE Newsletter - September 2017.
Learning Toolkits
The BASL Nurse Toolkits were developed following conversations with nurse specialists. These and a later email survey identified training needs to help nurses meet the liver nurse competencies. To access the Learning Toolkits sign in as a BASL Member and click on Manage Account
Quick Links
BASL is connected to a number of national initiatives that you might be interested in.
