Annual Memorial Lecture Series


The Dr. Michael A. Gerber Lecture Series was established to honor the memory of Dr. Michael A. Gerber.  From 1987—1997, Dr. Gerber was the Chairman of the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at Tulane University Health Sciences Center (TUHSC).


Internationally renowned as an academic pathologist and brilliant hepatic pathologist, Dr. Gerber had a passion for basic science research, organizing the first “Tulane Basic Science Research Day” in 1988. Under his continued leadership, the event evolved into a forum of stimulating ideas and remains a showcase for the work being carried out at TUHSC. Part of his

remarkable legacy was the establishment of the Molecular and Cellular Biology Graduate program; writing over 230 peer reviewed articles and book chapters; his internationally renowned, groundbreaking work on the pathobiology of Hepatitis B and C Viruses, and hepatocellular carcinoma.


Dr. Michael Gerber, native of Kassel, West Germany, achieved his M.D. from the University of Mainz, West Germany, and spent his internship at Rutgers University in New Jersey. Under the tutelage of renowned hepatopathologist, Hans Popper of Mount Sinai Hospital in New York, he quickly rose through the ranks of academia to become full professor at Mount Sinai in 1980.

Educator, scientist, and mentor aside, Dr. Gerber was also a genuinely fine and considerate person.


2023: "Small Bugs, Big Changes: A Microbiota-Centered View of Liver Disease" by Bernd Georg Schnabl, M.D. AGAF, FAASLD, Professor of Medicine, University of San Diego, Division of Gastroenterology


2022: "Mechanisms and Treatment of Radiotherapy Induced Side Effects" by Ding Xue, PH.D. Professor of Molecular Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder


2021: "Liver Fibrosis in NASH" by David Brenner, M.D., University of California at San Diego.

 

2019: "Transforming the Treatment Landscape for Hepatic Fibrosis and NASH - Principles and Progress," by Scott L. Friedman, MD, Dean for Therapeutic Discovery, Fishberg Professor of Medicine, Professor of Pharmacologic Sciences, Chief, Division of Liver Diseases, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.


2018: “The Epidemic of Hepatocellular Carcinoma,” presented by Hashem B. El-Serag, M.D., MPH, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX.


2017: “Modeling Human HCC in Mice: Biological and Therapeutic Implications” by Satdarshan S. Mongo, M.D., University of Pittsburgh Medical Center


2016: "Autophagy—Eating Your Way Out of Non-alcholoic Fatty Liver Disease" by Mark Czaja, M.D., Emory University School of Medicine


2015: “Prevention of Hepatocellular Carcinoma.” by Adrian Di Bisceglie, St. Louis University School of Medicine


2014: “Cell Therapy for Liver Diseases” by Markus Grompe, M.D., Oregon Health and Science University


2013: “Emerging Therapeutic Concepts for Cholangiocarcinoma” by Gregory Gores, M.D., Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Minnesota


2012: “Modeling Cholangiocarcinoma Progression: Do Cancer-Associated Myofibroblasts Matter?” by Alphonse E. Sirica, Ph.D., Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine


2011: “Liver Regeneration,” by George K. Michalopoulos, M.D., Ph.D., University of Pittsburgh Medical Center


2010: “Human Liver Allograft Without Immunosuppression: How Did

We Get There and Where are We Going?” by A.J. Demetris, M.D., University

of Pittsburgh Medical Center


2009: “Molecular Prognosis of Hepatocellular Carcinoma,” by Myron Schwartz, M.D., Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York


2008: “Genomics of Human Liver Cancer,” by Snorri Thorgeirsson, M.D. Center for Cancer Research, NIH


2007: “ThIl-17 Cells: Role in Mucosal Host Defense, by Jay Kolls, M.D., Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh


2004: “ Global Analysis of Genomes and Proteomes,” by Michael F. Snyder, Ph.D., Yale University


2003: “Airway Smooth Muscle Function in Health and Disease,” by Reynold A. Pannettieri, Jr., M.D., University of Pennsylvania Medical Center


2002: “Etiology and Pathogenic Mechanisms of Age-Related Neurodegeneration: Lessons from the Western Pacific,” by Daniel E. Perl, M.D., Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York


2001: “Beyond Genomics to Tissue Proteomics,” by Lance Liotta, M.D., Ph.D., National Cancer Institute, NIH


2000: “How Cells Secrete: From the Liver to the Lung,” by Kenneth B. Adler, Ph.D., North Carolina University


1999: “Gene Therapy for Cancer,” by Savio L.C. Woo, Ph.D., Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York


1998: “Mechanisms of Liver Regeneration and Apoptosis,” by Nelson Fausto, M.D., University of Washington