Averell H. Sherker, M.D., FRCPC
- Program Director: Division of Digestive Diseases & Nutrition
- Adjunct Investigator: Clinical Research Section, Liver Diseases Branch
Responsibilities & Activities
I serve as scientific advisor on research activities relating to viral hepatitis and liver diseases. As such, I provide scientific guidance to the DDN as it focuses and accelerates research on liver disease at the NIDDK. My work also helps the Division coordinate and stimulate liver-related research across the National Institutes of Health and within other federal agencies. I provide advice to the Division as it supports research to develop practical, safe, and effective means to prevent, treat, and control the five forms of viral hepatitis. I also provide scientific guidance on basic and clinical liver research as well as the epidemiology of liver disease. My portfolio includes networks studying acute liver failure in adults and children, childhood liver disease, living-donor liver transplantation, hepatitis B, fatty liver disease, pediatric liver transplantation, drug-induced liver injury, and porphyria. I also oversee a portfolio of grants in autoimmune liver disease, liver transplantation, liver cancer, and cholestasis and biliary disease. Liver disease is an important cause of illness and death in the United States. Medical research on liver disease is critically important to reduce the impact of liver disease on human health.
Research Programs
Genetic Metabolic Disease
Basic and clinical studies on the pathophysiology and treatment of inborn errors of metabolism and rare genetic metabolic diseases.
Liver Clinical Research & Epidemiology
Patient-oriented clinical research and epidemiological research in hepatotoxicity due to drugs and dietary supplements.
Translational & Basic Liver Disease Research
Translational and basic research on liver physiology and pathophysiology and liver diseases.
Committees & Working Groups
- Trans-NIH Working Group for Extramural Undiagnosed Disease Program Steering Committee, Member
- Trans-NIH Primary Mitochondrial Disease Working Group, Member
- Trans-NIH Committee on Viral Hepatitis, Member
Select Experience
Director, Center for Liver Diseases, Associate Professor of Clinical Medicine, Washington Hospital Center, Georgetown University, 2001-2010
Director, Liver Research, Associate Professor, SMBD-Jewish General Hospital, McGill University, Canada, 1993-2001
Postdoctoral Fellow, Stanford University, 1989-1993
Residency/Fellowship, University of Toronto Teaching Hospitals, Canada, 1982-1989
M.D., Queen’s University, Canada, 1982