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What We Do

The Francis Family Liver Clinic is an integrated clinic located at the Toronto General Hospital. We are the clinical component of the Toronto Centre for Liver Disease (TCLD), named in 2016 because it encompasses areas of research, education, training, and a world-renowned liver transplantation program in a single healthcare facility. The TCLD is one of the largest liver units in North America.

We help patients with all types of liver diseases, especially hepatitis B, hepatitis C, fatty liver and autoimmune liver disease. At least half of our patient population has advanced liver disease requiring complex care and long-term follow-up. Every member of our team is highly trained, motivated, and dedicated to helping our patients to understand their liver conditions and to take care of their liver health. As we are a teaching hospital, patients may be seen by a nurse practitioner, fellow, medical resident or medical student, but all cases are reviewed by a staff hepatologist (liver doctor).

For Our Patients


For Health Care Providers
Use our fibrosis calculator​ as a tool to help you care for your patients.

We offer a wide variety of services:

  • Disease-specific clinics for:
    • Hepatitis B
    • Fatty liver
    • Autoimmune liver disease
    • Liver cancer
    • Palliative Care
  • Post-discharge clinics to help people immediately after a hospital stay
  • Liver cancer screening and management
  • Social Medicine service to assist with non-medical needs that impact health
  • Cutting-edge treatment options and investigational tools
  • Clinical trials access
  • Expert nurses to manage treatment of liver disease
  • Medical day unit and clinic facilities for outpatient day procedures
  • Urgent referral capacity
  • Drug reimbursement assistance
  • Pharmacist consultation

How to Prepare

First appointments take longer than follow-up appointments. Your first appointment can take 2 hours or more. After your visit, you may go to the Blood Collection Lab for blood tests. Follow-up appointments may take up to 1 hour.

We understand that reaching us by phone can sometimes be difficult. If the phone line is busy, or the assistant is busy with other duties and unable to answer, please leave a clear message, including the following:

  • S-P-E-L-L your name​
  • Give either your hospital card number or health card number
  • Provide a call-back number
  • Leave a brief message stating the reason for your call
  • If you need to cancel or re-book an appointment, please leave a message 2 days before your appointment date. Otherwise, you will be charged an administrative fee for a missed visit.

Learn more about what you can expect when you have a clinic appointment.​​

Materials and Resources to Help You

Resources from the Patient & Family Education Program PDF Icon

* These material(s) are also available in other languages.

Visit our Health Information section and find dedicated resources to help you understand your condition. Find the information you're looking for.

Resources from the Toronto Centre for Liver Disease – Francis Family Liver Clinic

Meet Our Team
Liver Clinic Team

Our team is made up of world-class health care professionals working for patients and families. Team members include nine staff Hepatologists (liver doctors), Clinical Fellows (qualified doctors who have completed medical school and residency in specialized fields), Residents (qualified doctors undergoing specialized training in the field of liver disease), two Nurse Practitioners, two Clinic Nurses, one Social Medicine Worker, Research Nurses and Coordinators, and Administrative and Clerical Staff.

Director, TCLD: Dr. Jordan Feld

Director, Clinical Practice: Dr. Gideon Hirschfield

Director, Research: Dr. Jordan Feld

Directors, Education: Dr. Scott Fung

Director, Fellowship: Dr. Morven Cunningham

Staff Hepatologists

Dr. Morven Cunningham  

Dr. Morven Cunningham

Dr. Morven Cunningham, MBBS, MRCP (UK), PhD, is the Director of Fellowship for the Toronto Centre for Liver Disease, Francis Family Liver Clinic and specializes in viral hepatitis, MASLD and the effects of cancer or its treatment on the liver.

Admin: Wanda
Phone: 416 340 3929


Dr. Jordan Feld  

Dr. Jordan Feld

Dr. Jordan Feld, MD, MPH, FRCP (C), is the Director of Research for the Toronto Centre for Liver Disease, Francis Family Liver Clinic and specializes in Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C and Wilson's Disease.

Admin: Eliverta
Phone: 416 340 4584


Dr. Scott Fung  

Dr. Scott Fung

Dr. Scott Fung, MD, FRCPC, is the Director of Education for the Toronto Centre for Liver Disease, Francis Family Liver Clinic and specializes in Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C.

Admin: Sue
Phone: 416 340 3893


Dr. Aliya Gulamhusein  

Dr. Aliya Gulamhusein

Dr. Aliya Gulamhusein, MD, MPH, FRCPC, is a staff Hepatologist at Toronto Centre for Liver Disease, Francis Family Liver Clinic and specializes in Primary Biliary Cholangitis, Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis, Autoimmune Hepatitis and Transplant.

Admin: Andrea
Phone: 416 340 3631


Dr. Gideon Hirschfield  

Dr. Gideon Hirschfield

Dr. Gideon Hirschfield, MB BChir, PhD, FRCP (Lon), is the Director of Autoimmune Liver Disease Program at Toronto Centre for Liver Disease, Francis Family Liver Clinic and specializes in Primary Biliary Cholangitis, Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis, Autoimmune Hepatitis and Transplant. He is also the Director of Clinical Practice for Toronto Centre for Liver Disease, Francis Family Liver Clinic.

Admin: Alerta
Phone: 416 340 4548


Dr. Fernanda Onofrio  

Dr. Fernanda Onofrio

Dr. Fernanda Onofrio, MD, MSc, PhD (Brazil) is a Staff Hepatologist at Toronto Centre for Liver Disease, Francis Family Liver Clinic and specializes in the care of patients with Alcohol-related liver disease, MASLD, cirrhosis and its complications.

Admin: Jac
Phone: 416 340 3845


Dr. Keyur Patel  

Dr. Keyur Patel

Dr. Keyur Patel, MD, is a Staff Hepatologist at Toronto Centre for Liver Disease, Francis Family Liver Clinic and specializes in NASH, Liver Fibrosis, Fatty Liver and Transplant.

Admin: Wanda
Phone: 416 340 3312


Dr. Arndt Vogel  

Dr. Arndt Vogel

Dr. Arndt Vogel, MD, PhD, is the Longo Family Chair in Liver Cancer Research and specializes in Gastrointestinal and Liver Cancer, Hepatology and Endoscopy. He has Cancer Clinics at both TGH and PMH.

Admin: Melissa
Phone (Princess Margaret Cancer Centre): 416 340 2004
Phone (Toronto General Hospital): 416 340 4800 ext. 2621


Dr. David Wong  

Dr. David Wong

Dr. David K. H. Wong, MD, FRCP(C), specializes in Hepatitis B, Alpha-1-Antitrypsin and liver diseases in those living with HIV. He has been recognized by the University of Toronto, Department of Medicine in 2019 as a Master Clinician for consistently outstanding clinical performance and the highest standard of patient care.

Admin: Lucy
Phone: 416 340 3279


Dr. Florence Wong  

Dr. Florence Wong

Dr. Florence Wong, MBBSD, MD, FRACPC, FRCPC, is a Staff Hepatologist at Toronto Centre for Liver Disease, Francis Family Liver Clinic and specializes in Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, Cirrhosis and Ascites.

Admin: Roschelle
Phone: 416 340 3834


Transplant Hepatologists

Dr. Mamatha Bhat  

Dr. Mamatha Bhat

Dr. Mamatha Bhat, MD, MSc, PhD, FRCPC, is a Transplant Hepatologist for the Soham & Shaila Ajmera Family Transplant Centre and specializes in Liver Transplantation, Hepatocellular Carcinoma, Non-alcoholic Steatohepatitis, Post-transplant Diabetes and Liver Regeneration. Liver Transplant Clinic »


Dr. Leslie Lilly  

Dr. Leslie Lilly

Dr. Leslie Lilly, MD MSc, FRCPC, is the Medical Director for the Post-Transplant Clinic and Director for the Transplant Hepatology Fellowship and specializes in Liver Transplantation, Viral Hepatitis, Immunosuppression and Antiviral Medications. Liver Transplant Clinic »


Dr. Nazia Selzner-Malekkiani  

Dr. Nazia Selzner-Malekkiani

Dr. Nazia Selzner-Malekkiani, MD, PhD, is a Transplant Hepatologist for the Soham & Shaila Ajmera Family Transplant Centre and specializes in Liver Transplantation, Chronic HCV infection Post Transplant, Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury, Fatty Liver and Aging Liver. Liver Transplant Clinic »


Dr. Cynthia Tsien  

Dr. Cynthia Tsien

Dr. Cynthia Tsien, MDCM, MPH, FRCPC, is the Education Director at the Soham & Shaila Ajmera Family Transplant Centre. She specializes in the care of patients with end-stage liver disease and post-liver transplantation. Liver Transplant Clinic »


Nurse Practitioners

Elizabeth Lee  

Elizabeth Lee

Elizabeth Lee, MN, NP, CGN(C), is a Staff Nurse Practitioner at Toronto Centre for Liver Disease, Francis Family Liver Clinic and specializes in Cirrhosis, Alcohol-Associated Liver Disease.

Admin: Yvonne
Phone: 416 340 4679


Clinical Associates

Dr. Joshua Juan  

Dr. Joshua Juan

Dr. Joshua Juan, MD, CCFP (Hepatology), is a Clinical Associate at Toronto Centre for Liver Disease, Francis Family Liver Clinic and specializes in Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C and Fatty Liver.

Admin: Yvonne
Phone: 416 340 4679


 

Dr. Kristel Leung

Dr. Kristel Leung, MD, FRCPC, is a Clinical Associate at the Toronto Centre for Liver Disease, Francis Family Liver Clinic and specializes in autoimmune liver diseases and general hepatology.

Admin: Chris
Phone: 416 340 3569


Clinical Fellows

  • Dr. Ahmed Alkhaja
  • Dr. Dhari Alobaid
  • Dr. Farah Albader
  • Dr. Chinmay Bera
  • Dr. Natcha Cheewasereechon
  • Dr. Hailemichael Desalegu Mekonnen
  • Dr. Ahmed Elsheaita
  • Dr. Nashla Hamdan Perez
  • Dr. Mai Magdy Kilany
  • Dr. Maria Mikail
  • Dr. Mary Sedarous
  • Dr. Nicodemus Ong
  • Dr. Xuhui Teoh

TCLD Administrative Assistant

  • Iris Petrela

Nurse Manager of Liver Clinic

  • Ina Cherepaha-Kantorovich

Clinic Administrative Coordinator

  • Keanna Browne

FibroScan Technician

  • Jethro Mercado

Clinic Nurse

  • Sharlene Camaya
  • Yoshihiro (Leo) Yamamoto

Clerical Staff

  • Demar Andres
  • Jinny Bao
  • Rosemin Janmohamed
  • Myra Lee Marron
  • Kit Ying Ting

UHN Clinic Pharmacy

  • Eugenia Chan – Pharmacy Manager, MLOA
  • Rebecca Lui – Medication Reimbursement Specialist
  • Celine Yu – Medication Reimbursement Specialist

Research

Learn More About Our Research

At the Toronto Centre for Liver Disease, we have expertise in both basic science and clinical research. Research has always been a cornerstone of our work. Our goal is to learn more about liver diseases both in the lab and from clinical studies so that we can help improve the lives of patients with liver disease. Our research is made possible through grant funding but is often supported through generous donations from individuals who are seen at the clinic.


Our team is made up of world-class health care professionals working for you and with you. Meet Our Research Team »

Clinical research enables us to use innovative approaches to manage our patients with different types of liver disease. We study new investigational drugs and tools to find safer and more effective treatments for patients with liver disease. We also design clinical studies to better understand the effects of liver disease on people. We have numerous ongoing treatment trials on hepatitis B, C, autoimmune hepatitis, fatty liver, liver cancer, liver fibrosis and portal hypertension as well as some rarer liver diseases.

Clinical trials are key for advancing medical knowledge and patient care. As an internationally recognized liver center, we collaborate with leading health care institutions around the world (e.g., National Institutes of Health) as well as industry partners, in developing innovative treatment and care strategies for our patients.

If you are interested to learn more about your eligibility for enrolment in clinical trials, please talk to your doctor. If you would like to find out more about ways to support our program, please ask our team members.​

Latest News & Events

Hepatology Update

History

The UHN annual Hepatology Update, organized by the Toronto Centre for Liver Disease, dates back to 1986, and it was initiated by Dr. Jenny Heathcote.

As a leading institution in hepatology education, this annual educational event aims to provide the latest insights into best practices and inform the liver community of ongoing research projects in the field of liver disease.

Hepatology Update is a two-day event. Day one is the Sheila Sherlock Liver Research Day, in addition to the Nurse and Allied Health Update which focuses on the learning needs of hepatology nurses and allied health care providers. Day two is the Hepatology Update component that delivers state-of-the-art lectures as well as multi-disciplinary case presentations for discussion of best care and practices.

Hepatology Update, renamed to Jenny Heathcote Hepatology Update, in 2016 to honour Dr. Heathcote upon her retirement. Continuing the tradition, we each year invite a distinguished speaker to join the esteemed list of hepatologists contributing to this exciting Hepatology Update event.

The event welcomes participation from hepatologists, gastroenterologists, general practitioners, nurses, allied healthcare professionals and industry representatives.

Past Distinguished Invited Speakers

Sheila Sherlock Liver Research Day and Hepatology Update Distinguished Speakers

  • 1986 – Dame Sheila Sherlock
  • 1987 – E.A. Jones
  • 1988 – Howard Thomas
  • 1989 – Anthony Tavill
  • 1990 – David Van Thiel
  • 1991 – John Gollan
  • 1992 – Bruce Scharschmidt
  • 1993 – Frank Chisari
  • 1994 – M. James Phillips
  • 1995 – Irwin Arias
  • 1996 – Teresa Wright
  • 1997 – Michael Huet
  • 1998 – T. Jake Liang
  • 1999 – Thomas Boyer
  • 2000 – Bruce Bacon
  • 2001 – David Adams
  • 2002 – N. M. Bass
  • 2003 – Andreas Blei
  • 2004 – Elwyn Elias
  • 2005 – Anna Lok
  • 2006 – Chris Day
  • 2007 – Anna Mae Diehl
  • 2008 – Kyong-Mi Chang
  • 2009 – W. Ray Kim
  • 2010 – Paul Adams
  • 2011 – William Lee
  • 2012 – Harry Janssen
  • 2013 – Michael Fried
  • 2014 – Arun Sanyal
  • 2015 – Michael Manns
  • 2016 – Harvey Alter
  • 2017 – Mark Thursz
  • 2018 – Kris Kowdley
  • 2019 – Julie Heimbach
  • 2022 – Barbara Rehermann
  • 2023 – Patrick Kamath
  • 2024 – Dr. Guadalupe Garcia-Tsao

2025 Conferences

January 23-25, 2025 | EASL SLD Summit 2025 | Estoril, Portugal and online
Website: https://easl.eu/event/easl-sld-summit-2025/


February 20-22, 2025 | EASL Liver Cancer Summit | Paris, France and online
Registration Now Open: https://easl.eu/event/liver-cancer-summit-2025/


February 27, 2025 - March 1, 2025 | Emerging Topic Conference 2025: MASLD, MetALD and ALD: Challenges and Opportunities | Las Vegas, Nevada
Website: https://www.aasld.org/events-and-webinars


February 28 – March 2, 2025 | Joint CDDW™-CLM Conference 2025 | Quebec City, Quebec
Website: https://cddw-clm.ca/registration/
Key Dates:

  • Standard Fee – December 19, 2024 to February 18, 2025
  • Onsite Fee – February 19 to March 2, 2025

March 18-21, 2025 | Global Hepatitis Summit | Los Angeles, California
Website: https://global-hepatitis.com/
Key Dates:

  • Early Fee – January 15, 2025
  • Special and Late Abstract Submission – January 10 to February 7, 2025

May 3-4, 2025 | Basic Science Emerging Topic Conference: Inflamed Passions of the Liver: A Journey to Clinical, Translational and Basic Liver Immunology | San Diego, California
Website: https://www.aasld.org/events-and-webinars


May 3-6, 2025 | Digestive Disease Week® 2025 | San Diego, California
Registration Now Open: https://ddw.org/register/registration/


May 7-10, 2025 | EASL Congress | Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Website: https://www.easlcongress.eu/2025-registration/
Key Dates:

  • Standard Fee – Until May 6, 2025
  • Last-Minute Fee – May 7-10, 2025

September 12 & 13, 2025 | 11th International Viral Hepatitis Elimination Meeting (IVHEM) | Seoul, South Korea
Website: https://academicmedicaleducation.com/meeting/11th-international-viral-hepatitis-elimination-meeting-ivhem-2025
Key Dates:

  • Abstract Submission Deadline – May 30, 2025
  • Standard Fee – Until August 15, 2025
  • Late Fee – After August 16, 2025

September 24, 2025 2025 | NPAO Annual Conference | Toronto, Ontario
Registration Now Open: https://npcentral.npao.org/events/event-description?CalendarEventKey=0b7d310d-074a-4583-b75f-01921f52ffbd&Home=%2fevents%2fcalendar


October 14-17, 2025 | INHSU 2025 Hepatitic C Intervention Symposium | Cape Town, South Africa
Website: https://inhsu.org/inhsu-2025/
Key Dates:

  • Abstract submission is now open until March 2, 2025
  • Scholarship application is now open until March 2, 2025

November 7-11, 2025 | 2025 Liver Meeting | Washington, DC
Website:https://www.aasld.org/the-liver-meeting
Key Dates:

  • Call for abstracts opens on March 14, 2025​

Our Fellowship Opportunities

Hepatology Fellowship Opportunity

The Toronto Center for Liver Diseases at University Health Network Toronto invites applications for a one-year Clinical Hepatology Fellowship. The program consists of comprehensive clinical training in both inpatient and outpatient General Hepatology. Fellows also participate in weekly lectures, meetings, and conferences, and are involved in a variety of clinical and research activities which are tailored to their specific interests. Our ambulatory Liver Diseases Clinic is one of the largest in North America with 19,000 patient visits annually, and our clinic environment incorporates patient care with clinical and translational research activities. Our clinical Hepatologists all have extensive subspecialty practices in viral hepatitis, NAFLD, cholestatic liver disease, autoimmune hepatitis, and hepatocellular carcinoma. The program is well suited for Gastroenterology fellows seeking staff positions in Clinical Hepatology, Internal Medicine residents before continuing subspecialty training in Gastroenterology, or subspecialists with an interest in gaining further clinical experience in Hepatology.

Candidates should have completed GI/Hepatology training although we will consider applicants who have completed General Medicine residency training (or equivalent). Evidence of research or other scholarly activity in Hepatology is desirable. Toronto is Canada's largest city, the fourth largest in North America, and cosmopolitan home to a diverse population of 2.8 million people. It is a global centre for business, finance, arts, and culture, and is consistently ranked one of the world's most livable cities.

For further information, please email our Fellowship Director Dr. Morven Cunningham.


International Hepatology Elective Program

This Special International Hepatology Program offers students an opportunity to undertake clinical electives in the Francis Family Liver Clinic within the Toronto Centre for Liver Disease (TCLD).

Please note, due to the COVID-19 pandemic the University of Toronto, Faculty of Medicine has taken the difficult decision to suspend all international elective programs at least until March 2022. We thank you for your interest and look forward to accepting new students once permitted.
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