Yasuko Iwakiri, PhD (Yale University): “The Liver Lymphatic System: From Homeostasis to Pathology”
January 23, 2026
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Location
Moss Auditorium, 1020 COMRB
Calendar
Download iCal FileHost: Jan Kitajewski, PhD
Dr. Yasuko Iwakiri is a Professor of Medicine at Yale School of Medicine, specializing in liver fibrosis, cirrhosis, and portal
hypertension, with a focus on the vascular system, including lymphatics and liver endothelial cells. Her research also investigates endothelial-immune cell interactions, particularly macrophages, in alcohol-associated liver disease. She currently serves as an Associate Editor for the Journal of Hepatology and has previously held editorial roles with Hepatology and Hepatology Communications. She has served on the editorial boards of Hepatology, Journal of Hepatology, and JHEP Reports, and reviews grants for NIH (NIDDK, NIAAA), and international agencies. Over her 18-year independent career, she has mentored nearly 70 trainees.
This seminar will discuss the coordinated roles of the blood and lymphatic vascular systems in maintaining hepatic homeostasis and in shaping liver disease. It will highlight emerging and understudied functions of the liver lymphatic system in regulating tissue fluid balance, immune cell trafficking, and inflammatory resolution. Particular emphasis will be placed on how lymphatic dysfunction contributes to chronic liver diseases, including fibrosis and cholestatic liver disease, as well as recent experimental evidence showing that enhancing lymphatic function can reduce inflammation and slow disease progression.
Date posted
Sep 12, 2025
Date updated
Jan 13, 2026
Speakers
