New Editor-in-Chief for EASL’s Journal of Hepatology: Vlad Ratziu

The European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL) is proud to announce the appointment of Prof. Vlad Ratziu as the new Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Hepatology, the premier publication in the field of liver research. This prestigious appointment was confirmed by the EASL Governing Board during their general assembly in June 2024.

Prof. Ratziu holds a professorship at Sorbonne University. His clinical work is based at Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, and he conducts research at the Institute for Cardiometabolism and Nutrition (ICAN) in Paris, France. He brings a wealth of experience and expertise to the Journal of Hepatology, having been part of its editorial team over the past decade as an Associate Editor then Co-Editor.

Prof. Ratziu’s medical education was completed at Paris V, René Descartes University, followed by a two-year postdoctoral fellowship at the Liver Center at the University of California, San Francisco. He earned his doctoral degree from Paris VII Diderot University for his research on the pathophysiology of viral and metabolic liver fibrosis.

With a remarkable research portfolio, Prof. Ratziu’s primary focus areas include metabolic-associated steatotic liver disease, liver fibrosis mechanisms and risk factors in viral and metabolic diseases, and treatments for metabolic steatohepatitis. He has coordinated and participated in numerous therapeutic trials in MASH and has been involved in several European-financed consortia under the FP7, Horizon 2020, and Innovative Medicines Initiative 2 programs. Additionally, he is a founder and organising committee member of the NASH–TAG meetings and has published over 400 articles in top-tier specialty journals, with an H-index of 96.

Prof. Ratziu will lead a senior editorial team comprising renowned leaders in hepatology: Frank Tacke, Annalisa Berzigotti, Tom H. Karlsen, Lorenza Rimassa, Heiner Wedemeyer, and Philip N. Newsome. This team is expected to further enhance the Journal’s impact and reach in the global scientific community.

Commenting on his vision for the future of the Journal, Prof. Ratziu said: “As we celebrate the 40^th anniversary of the Journal, we are honored and humbled, to build on the legacy of illustrious predecessors such as Sheila Sherlock and Jean-Pierre Benhamou, along with their successors at the helm of the Journal. With the ultimate aim to serve academic research, we will strive to select, improve upon and disseminate the most inspiring and innovative advances in all fields of hepatobiliary diseases. While promoting cutting-edge research, we will work in synergy with EASL to enrich our educational mission for clinicians and scientists, and keep the Journal’s pages open to contributors from all parts of the world who wish to engage in a healthy and vibrant scientific debate.”

EASL is confident that under Prof. Ratziu’s leadership, the Journal of Hepatology will continue to advance its mission of disseminating cutting-edge research and fostering innovation in hepatology. We extend our heartfelt congratulations to Prof. Ratziu and look forward to the continued success and growth of the journal.

The Journal of Hepatology is a monthly, English language, peer-reviewed journal. First published in 1985 as the official journal of EASL, it provides an international forum for the publication of original articles, reviews and letters to the Editor describing basic laboratory, translational, and clinical investigations in hepatology. All articles undergo a rigorous peer review and are selected based on the originality of the findings, the superior quality of the work described, and the clarity of presentation.

This year the Journal of Hepatology achieved exceptional results with a 2023 impact factor of 26.8, solidifying its status as the premier hepatology-only journal.