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Calgary Liver Unit 6th Biennial TAILOR 2026 Meeting

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Cal Wenzel Family Foundation Chair in Hepatology - Translational Approaches to Inflammatory Liver Injury and Repair Meeting (TAILOR)

September 11 - 13, 2026
Banff Centre in Banff, Alberta

Immune-mediated inflammatory liver injury is the common pathway of liver damage occurring in most liver diseases, including viral hepatitis, toxic liver damage, autoimmune liver disease, alcoholic hepatitis, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. All inflammation-associated liver injuries are associated with well-developed and coordinated repair processes, which can lead either to recovery or liver scarring (fibrosis). 

Understanding the fundamental mechanisms involved in liver injury and repair, and defining how these directly impact patients, will allow us to develop much needed treatments for chronic liver disease. 

Therefore, to examine bench to bedside approaches to inflammatory liver injury and repair we have put together an outstanding scientific program and assembled leading international authorities in the field. During this meeting liver injury and repair, from basic mechanisms through to pathophysiology and therapy, will be addressed. 

An important element of the meeting will be discussions and interactions between participants and speakers which we hope will lead to collaborations and the dissemination of ideas and knowledge.

Hotel and Banff Information

Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity

107 Tunnel Mountain Drive
Banff, Alberta
T1L 1H5

P: 403-762-6446 | Toll Free: 1-877-760-4595 (Canada & USA)

Reservations |  Directions | Banff Centre Campus Map | Activities | Restaurants

Step by Step Directions

International Airport to Banff takes approximately 90 minutes.

  1. Depart airport and take Deerfoot Trail North Highway 2.  
  2. In four km, take the exit for Stoney Trail NW heading West. Signs indicate it heads towards Banff and Highway 1. 
  3. Drive approximately 23 km and take the exit for Trans-Canada Highway 1 West (Banff).
  4. Continue West approximately 90 km on the Trans-Canada Highway 1 to the Banff National Park gates.
  5. Once through the park gates, continue 12 km to the first exit to the town of Banff.
  1. Travel approximately 135 km westbound on the Trans-Canada Highway 1 from Calgary, take the first exit to Banff.  
  2. At the base of the ramp turn left and follow the road though town to Buffalo Street (5th traffic light). 
  3. Turn left on Buffalo, drive up the hill to The Banff Centre.
  4. Turn left and follow the signs to reception in the Professional Development Centre

Parking

Long-term parking is available in two locations on campus: the underground parkade on the north side of campus and the visitor parking lot on the south end of campus.

Short term parking is available throughout campus, as noted on the campus map. Check-in is at the Professional Development Centre. Campus directory maps are located at the two entrances.

  1. Follow the parking signs to the parkade located below the Music & Sound Building.
  2. Eric Harvie Theatre, Margaret Greenham Theatre, and The Club are adjacent to the parkade.

Program Planning Committee

Dr. Mark SwainHepatologist, University of Calgary, Liver Unit  
Professor of Medicine		swain@ucalgary.ca  
403-592-5010
Dr. Abdel-Aziz ShaheenGastroenterologist, University of Calgary, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology  
Associate Professor of Medicine		aashahee@ucalgary.ca  
403-592-5034
Dr. Henry NguyenHepatologist, University of Calgary, Liver Unit  
Assistant Professor of Medicine		hhnguye@ucalgary.ca  
403-220-3823
Dr. Mayur BrahmaniaHepatologist, University of Calgary, Liver Unit  
Clinical Associate Professor of Medicine		mayur.brahmania@ucalgary.ca  
403-220-8457
Dr. Carla CoffinHepatologist, University of Calgary, Liver Unit  
Professor of Medicine		cscoffin@ucalgary.ca  
403-592-5049
Oksana KuzhelConference Coordinatorokuzhel@ucalgary.ca  
403-592-5049

Meeting Agenda

Friday Sept 11 
Kinnear Centre KC 300 Galleria North              		 
6:00 – 7:00 pmRegistration
7:00 – 9:00 pm

Welcome (Dr. Mark Swain), Dinner and Keynote Talk (KC 301)

Keynote Speaker: Prof John Dillon (Professor of Hepatology and Gastroenterology, Division of Respiratory Medicine and Gastroenterology, University of Dundee, Scotland)  
“Implementing effective strategies to find people with liver disease at a population level”

Saturday Sept 12
Registration at KC 300 Galleria North		 
7:00 – 9:30 amBreakfast at KC 301
8:00 – 9:20 am

Sessions at KC 303 - Translational Approaches to PBC to Improve Disease Understanding and Treatments (Moderator: Dr. Laura Stinton)

Dr. Andy Mason (University of Edmonton)
“Applying Machine Learning Methods to Better Define PBC Patient Phenotypes”
Dr. Mark Swain (University of Calgary) 
“Translational Approaches to Understanding and Treating Symptoms in PBC”
Dr. Aziz Shaheen (University of Calgary) 
“Development of a Population Level PBC Patient Registry in Alberta”
Dr. Aldo Montano-Loza (University of Edmonton) 
“NIT’s in PBC and their Role in Second Line Therapy”
9:20 - 9:30 amCoffee Break
9:30 - 10:50 am

Sessions at KC 303 - Changing Landscape for Treatment of Viral Hepatitis (Moderator: Dr. Alex Aspinall)

Dr. Rachel Talavlikar (Calgary Refugee Clinic)  
“Development and Implementation of a Hepatitis B Pathway in Clinical Care to Optimize Patient Care”
Dr. Adam Gehring (UHN Research) 
“HBV Cure – What We are Learning from the CIHR HBV Team Grant”
Dr. Bryce Tkachuk (USC - University of Calgary) 
“Hepatitis Delta: Using Administrative Data to Better Understand Prevalence and Outcomes in Alberta”
Dr. Carla Coffin (University of Calgary) 
“What We Need to Know About Hepatitis B Cure”
10:50 - 11:00 amCoffee Break
11:00 am - Noon

Sessions at KC 303 - Hot Topics in Hepatology (Moderator: Dr. Peter Wang)

Dr. Rahima Bhanji (University of Edmonton) 
“Outcomes Following Liver Transplantation for Alcoholic Hepatitis”
Dr. Stephen Congly (University of Calgary) 
“Embracing Triage-Linked Data to Improve Hepatology Wait Times”
Dr. Carlos Moctezuma Velazquez (University of Edmonton) 
“Why HCC Outcomes Lag Behind Therapeutic Advances: Lessons from a Tumor Board Review”
Dr Jenny Godley (University of Calgary)
“Using Social Network Analysis to better Understand HBV in Newcomer Population”
Noon - 1 pmLunch at KC 301
1:00 - 2:30 pm

Sessions at KC 303 - Challenges and Advances in MASLD (Moderator: Dr. Saumya Jayakumar)

Dr. Henry Nguyen (University of Calgary) 
“Applying Spatial Transcriptomics to Better Understand Disease Heterogeneity in MASLD”
Drs. Mark Swain and Aziz Shaheen (University of Calgary) 
“What Have we Learned after 10 Years of the Calgary MASLD Pathway?”
Dr. Juan Abraldes (University of Edmonton) 
“Tailoring Current MASLD Pathways to Facilitate Case Finding in Primary Care”
Dr. Rohit Loomba (UC San Diego Health)
“Optimizing Care in MASLD: What’s Next?”
2:30 - 5:00 pmFree Time
5:00 - 6:00 pmPoster Display at KC 303
6:00 - 9:00 pmGroup Dinner at KC 301
Sunday Sept. 13 
7:00 - 9:30 amBreakfast at KC 301
8:30 - 9:50 am

Sessions at KC 303 - Newer Strategies to Optimize Patient Engagement in Care (Moderator: Dr. Kelly Burak)

Dr. Mayur Brahmania (University of Calgary)
"Using Administrative Data to find Untreated HCV Patients and Link Them to Care: The Alberta Experience"
Dr. Amit Singal (UT Southwestern, USA)
"Employing AI to Optimize HCC Screening"
Dr. Puneeta Tandon (University of Edmonton)
"Empowering Patients with Liver Disease to Maintain Their Quality of Life"
Dr. Turin Chaudhury (University of Calgary)
"Advancing Community-Based Initiatives to Enhance Liver Health Awareness and Improve Outcomes"
9:50 - 10:00 amCoffee Break
10:00 - 11:00 am

Sessions at KC 303 - Using New Technologies to Improve Patient Experiences and Clinical Outcomes (Moderator: Dr. Mark Swain)

Michael Betel (Fatty Liver Alliance)
"What Patient Technologies can Help Patients Manage their Liver Disease?"
Dr. Jason Wong (University of Calgary)
"New Developments for Helping Liver Disease Patients using Interventional Radiology Approaches"
Dr. Rachid Mohamed (University of Calgary)
"Endo-Hepatology: The New Frontier?"
11:00 - NoonGroup Discussion at KC 303 -  Pushing the Liver Disease Research Envelope Forward in Alberta Before the Next TAILOR Meeting in 2028
 
NoonClosing Remarks and Departures