This session is co-presented by the Ajmera Transplant Centre at UHN and the Canadian Liver Foundation. It is part of quarterly patient education series is moderated by Anisha Vijh, a registered dietitian and the Health Promotion Program Coordinator with the Canadian Liver Foundation and live-streamed on Facebook Live.
About the Speakers
Dr. Katherine J. P. Schwenger, Ph.D., RD is a Scientific Associate II at Toronto General Hospital. She completed her dietetic training at the University of Guelph and Ph.D. at the Institute of Medical Science at the University of Toronto. Dr. Schwenger’s research focus is on nutrition and gastrointestinal disorders. She is conducting several studies funded by peer-reviewed agencies on patients requiring nutrition support, people with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), and patients with morbid obesity undergoing bariatric surgery. Currently, Dr Schwenger is looking at the association between the intestinal microbiome and obesity/metabolic syndrome which includes assessing the effect of fecal microbiota transplants on the outcomes of these patients. Dr. Schwenger’s current interest is learning more about how to use artificial intelligence and machine learning to analyze clinical datasets including intestinal microbiome, fecal and blood metabolites and gene expression, etc.
Maria Morais is a registered nurse and liver transplant recipient. Maria was diagnosed with primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) in 2019. She received a living donor transplant in 2021 thanks to her close friend, Loralie.
Anisha Vijh is a registered dietitian and the health promotion program coordinator with the Canadian Liver Foundation. She works with her team to run education and support programs for those living with liver disease and their loved ones, and advocate for increased treatment, support, and education for people with various liver diseases. Anisha is a foodie, and loves trying new liver-friendly recipes at the Canadian Liver Foundation