Steven-Huy Han, MD

Key investigator

  • Steven-Huy B. Han, MD, AGAF, FAASLD

Research interests

  • Hepatitis B
  • Hepatocellular carcinoma
  • Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

Current research projects

  • NIH / NCI U01CA230705 - Principal Investigator
    Establishment of a multi-center consortium (Translational Research in Early Detection of Liver Cancer: Translational Research Centers (TRC) to develop an effective and affordable blood-based method for the early detection of liver cancer by focusing on circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) in the blood. ctDNA carries cancer-specific genetic and epigenetic aberrations, which enable a noninvasive ‘liquid biopsy' for cancer diagnosis.
  • NIDDK U01 DK082927-01 - Principal Investigator
    Establishment of a multi-center consortium in the NIH Hepatitis B Clinical Network to develop a national hepatitis B database and serum/tissue repository and long-term treatment trial.
  • NIAID/ACTG A-5368 - Co-Investigator
    A:5368- Safety and Immunotherapeutic Activity of Cemiplimab in Participants with HBV on Suppressive Antiviral Therapy: A Phase I/II Ascending Multiple Dose Study. (Debika Bhattacharya, MD, University of California, Los Angeles – Principal Investigator).
  • NIDDK R01-DK58309 - Co-Investigator
    A multi-center NIH-funded trial to study acute liver failure including acute liver injury.
  • NIDDK (R01 DK57577) - Co-Investigator
    A multi-center NIH-funded trial to study the efficacy of Lamivudine and hepatitis B immune globulin (HBIG) to prevent recurrent hepatitis B after orthotopic liver transplantation.
  • NIDDK (FD-R-001661-01) - Co-Investigator
    A multi-center NIH-funded trial to study the efficacy of N-Acetylcysteine given intravenously in the treatment of patients with fulminant liver failure not caused by acetaminophen.
  • NIMH (MH58283) - Co-Investigator
    A prospective trial to study magnetic resonance imaging and spectroscopy in the diagnosis and assessment of subclinical hepatic encephalopathy.

Funding and support

  • Philanthropic donations
  • Industry-sponsored grants
  • National Institutes of Health (NIH) grants

News

Steven-Huy B. Han, MD, and colleagues receive $9.1 million in grant funding from NCI to improve early detection methods for cancer (2023)

Dr. Han, Philip L. Palumbo Chair in Clinical Hepatology, and researchers from the UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center have received two grants totaling $9.1 million from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) to advance liquid biopsy technologies for the early detection of cancer, which can significantly improve treatment outcomes and reduce the number of deaths caused by the disease. These grants are an existing U01 renewed for five years and a new U01 for the Liquid Biopsy Consortium. UCLA GI members of The Liquid Biospy Consortium include Jihane N. Benhammou, MD, PhD, assistant clinical professor of medicine; Sammy Saab, MD, MPH, professor of medicine and surgery; Akshay Shetty, MD, health sciences assistant clinical professor of medicine and surgery; and Jasleen Singh, MD, health sciences clinical instructor of medicine and surgery. Read more 

Publications (peer-reviewed) - Full list on PubMed

  1. Xu HY, Yang JO, Chen PH and Han SB. Bulevirtide and emerging drugs for the treatment of hepatitis D. Expert Opinion on Biological Therapy. 17 Oct 2023
  2. Yuen MF, Agarwal K, Ma X, Nguyen TT, Schiff ER, Hann DL, Dieterich DT, Nahass RG, Park JS, Chan S, Han SB, Gane EJ, Bennett M, Alves K, Evanchik M, Yan R, Huang Q, Loptain U, Colonno R, Ma J, Knox SJ, Stamm LM, Bonacini M, Jacobson IM, Ayoub WS, Ravendhran N, Ramji A, Kwo PY, Elkhashab M, Hassanein T, Bae HS, Lalezari JP, Fung SK, Sulkowski MS. Efficacy and safety of vebicorvir adminstered in virologically-suppressed patients with chronic hepatitis B virus infection. J Hepatol. 2022 Apr 20:S0168-8278(22)00238-0. doi: 10.1016/j.jhep.2022.04.005
  3. Phan J, Ng V, Sheinbaum A, French S, Choi G, El Kabany M, Durazo F, Saab S, Tong M, Busuttil R, Han SH. Hyperlipidemia and Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis Predispose to Hepatocellular Carcinoma Development Without Cirrhosis. J Clin Gastroenterol 2018 Jun 16. PMID: 29912756
  4. Tong M, Pan C, Han SH, Lu D, Raman S, Hu K-Q, Lim J, Hann H-W, Min A. An Expert Consensus for the Management of Chronic Hepatitis B in Asian Americans. Aliment Pharmacol Ther 2018 Apr;47(8):1181-1200. PMID: 29479728
  5. Ghany MG, Perrillo R, Li R, Belle SH, Janssen HL, Terrault NA, Shuhart MC, Lau DT, Kim WR, Fried MW, Sterling RK, Di Bisceglie AM, Han SH, Ganova-Raeva LM, Chang KM, Lok AS. Characteristics of Adults in the Hepatitis B Research Network in North America Reflect Their Country of Origin and Hepatitis B Virus Genotype. Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol 2015 Jan; 13(1): 183-92
  6. Han SH, Jing W, Mena E, Li M, Pinsky B, Tang H, Hebden T, Juday T. Adherence, persistence, healthcare utilization, and cost benefits of guideline-recommended hepatitis B pharmacotherapy. J Med Econ 2012; 15(6): 1159-66
  7. Paul N, Han SH. Combination Therapy for Chronic Hepatitis B: Current Indications. Curr Hepat Rep 2011Jun; 10(2): 98-105
  8. Han SH, Reddy KR, Keeffe EB, Soldevila-Pico C, Gish R, Chung RT, Degertekin B, Lok A. Clinical Outcomes of Liver Transplantation for HBV-Related Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Data from the NIH HBV-OLT Study. Clin Transplant 2011 Mar-Apr; 25(2): E152-62
  9. Han SH, Durazo F, Saab S, Tong MJ. A Proposed, Evidence-Based Approach to the Treatment of Chronic Hepatitis B. J Clin Gastroenterol 2011 Mar; 45(3): 259-66
  10. Wang HS, Han SH. Management of Hepatitis B in Special Patient Populations. Clin Liver Dis 2010 Aug; 14(3): 505-20
  11. Khungar V, Han SH. A Systematic Review of Side Effects of Nucleoside and Nucleotide Drugs Used for Treatment of Chronic Hepatitis B. Curr Hepat Rep 2010 May; 9(2): 75-90
  12. Degertekin B, Han SH, Keeffe EB, Schiff ER, Luketic VA, Brown Jr RS, Emre S, Soldevila-Pico C, Reddy KR, Ishitani MB, Tran TT, Pruett TL, Lok AS; the NIH HBV-OLT Study Group. Impact of Virologic Breakthrough and HBIG Regimen on Hepatitis B Recurrence After Liver Transplantation. Am J Transplant 2010 Aug; 10(8): 1823-3
  13. Bzowej N, Han SH, Degertekin B, Keeffe EB, Emre S, Brown R, Reddy R, Lok AS; National Institutes of Health Hepatitis B Virus Orthotopic Liver Transplantation Study Group. Liver transplantation outcomes among Caucasians, Asian Americans, and African Americans with hepatitis B. Liver Transpl 2009 Sep; 15(9):1010-20
  14. Keeffe EB, Dieterich DT, Han SH, Jacobson IM, Martin P, Schiff ER, Tobias H. A Treatment Algorithm for the Management of Chronic Hepatitis B Virus Infection in the United States: 2008 Update. Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol 2008
  15. Osborn MK, Han SH, Regev A, Bzowej NH, Ishitani MB, Tran TT, Lok AS: NIH HBV-OLT Study Group. Outcomes of Patients With Hepatitis B Who Developed Antiviral Resistance While on the Liver Transplant Waiting List.  Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol 2007; 5(12): 1454-61
  16. Kanwal F, Chen D, Ting L, Gornbein J, Durazo F, Saab S, Farmer DG, Ghobrial RM, Busuttil RW, Han SH. A Model to Predict the Development of Mental Status Changes of Unclear Cause After Liver Transplantation.  Liver Transplantation 2003; 9(12): 1312-9
  17. Han SH, Martin P, Edelstein M, Hu R, Kunder G, Holt C, Saab S, Durazo F, Goldstein L, Farmer DG, Ghobrial RM, Busuttil RW. Conversion from Intravenous To Intramuscular Hepatitis B Immune Globulin In Combination With Lamivudine Is Safe and Cost-Effective In Patients Receiving Long-Term Prophylaxis To Prevent Hepatitis B Recurrence Post-Liver Transplant. Liver Transplantation 2003; 9(2): 182-7
  18. Han SH, Ofman J, Holt C, King K, Kunder G, Chen P, Dawson S, Goldstein L, Yersiz H, Farmer DG, Ghobrial RM, Busuttil RW, Martin P. An Efficacy and Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of Combination Hepatitis B Immune Globulin and Lamivudine to Prevent Recurrent Hepatitis B After Orthotopic Liver Transplantation Compared to Hepatitis B Immune Globulin Monotherapy. Liver Transplantation 2000; 6(6): 741-8

About Dr. Han

Dr. Han received his undergraduate degree in biochemistry from the University of California, Berkeley and then attended medical school at Albany Medical College in Albany, New York where he received his MD degree. Following a residency in internal medicine at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center and Stanford University, Dr. Han completed a clinical fellowship in hepatology at the University of Southern California under the guidance of Dr. Telfer B. Reynolds. He then trained at the University of California, Los Angeles where he completed a clinical fellowship in gastroenterology and transplant hepatology. Since then, Dr. Han has remained at UCLA, where he is now professor of medicine and surgery in the Division of Digestive Diseases and the Division of Liver and Pancreas Transplantation. In addition to his patient care responsibilities in hepatology and liver transplantation, Dr. Han plays an active role in the clinical training of medical students, medical residents, and subspecialty fellows and is the current program director of the Advanced Transplant Hepatology Fellowship at UCLA. 

Dr. Han is the Philip L. Palumbo Chair in Clinical Hepatology, director of the Hepatology Clinical Research Center and assistant director of the UCLA Asian Liver Center. His research interests have focused on the treatment of chronic viral hepatitis B and C, the prevention of recurrent viral hepatitis after liver transplantation, and the prevention and treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma. He is the principal investigator of the National Institute of Health (NIH) Hepatitis B Clinical Research Network in Los Angeles, co-principal investigator of the National Cancer Institute (NCI) Translational Liver Cancer Consortium, and multiple clinical studies involving treatment of chronic hepatitis B and C. Dr. Han also serves on the editorial boards of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology and is a guest associate editor for Gastroenterology and Digestive Diseases and Science. He has published many articles in the area of viral hepatitis, liver transplantation, and liver cancer and is an active speaker, lecturing on these subjects both nationally and internationally. He has been recognized by Best Doctors every year since 2003. He is a past president of the Southern California Society of Gastroenterology and an ongoing council member.