
Scott L Friedman, MD
- DEAN FOR THERAPEUTIC DISCOVERY
- PROFESSOR | Medicine, Liver Diseases
- PROFESSOR | Pharmacological Sciences
Specialty:
GastroenterologyResearch Topics:
Aerodigestive Tract, Anti-Tumor Therapy, Apoptosis/Cell Death, Autophagy, Biomedical Sciences, Cancer Genetics, Cell Biology, Cell Transformation, Developmental Biology, Drug Resistance, Endothelial Cells, Epithelial Cells, Extracellular Matrix, Fibrosis, Gene Regulation, Growth Factors and Receptors, Hepatitis C Virus, Integrins, Knockout Mice, Liver, Macrophage, Metastasis, Molecular Biology, Organogenesis, Oxidative Stress, Phosphorylation, Proteases, Receptors, Signal Transduction, Transcription Factors, Transcriptional Activation and Repression, Transgenic Mice, Tumor Suppressor Genes, Tumorigenesis, Vascular Development, Wound HealingDr. Scott L. Friedman is the Dean for Therapeutic Discovery and Chief of the Division of Liver Diseases, at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. He has performed pioneering research into the underlying causes of scarring, or fibrosis associated with chronic liver disease, affecting millions worldwide. Dr. Friedman was among the first to isolate and characterize the hepatic stellate cell, the key cell type responsible for scar production in liver. His work has spawned an entire field that is now realizing its translational and therapeutic potential, with new anti-fibrotic therapies for liver disease reaching clinical trials. Dr. Friedman’s work has been continuously funded by the NIH since 1985; he was awarded his first faculty NIH grant (RO1) in 1986 at the age of 31. A 1979 graduate of the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, he served as the President of Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Society, then was a Medical Resident at the Beth Israel Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, followed by a Gastroenterology Fellowship at UCSF before assuming a faculty position there which he held for ten years. During a 1995-96 sabbatical from UCSF he was a Senior Fulbright Scholar and Visiting Professor at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel, in the laboratory of Professor Moshe Oren. Dr. Friedman has given invited honorary lectures throughout the world and has been a named lecturer or Visiting Professor at over 30 institutions worldwide. He is widely recognized as a dynamic, effective speaker, and is also a respected author, with over 300 peer-reviewed publications. Dr. Friedman was a recipient in 1993 of the Saul Horowitz, Jr. Outstanding Alumnus Award from Mount Sinai. In 2003, Dr. Friedman was honored with the International Hans Popper Award by the Falk Foundation in Freiburg,Germany, in recognition of his outstanding contributions to the understanding of liver disease and its treatment. He has mentored over 75 postdoctoral fellows and students, most of who remain in academic training programs or faculty. In 2012 he was awarded the European Association for the Study of Liver Diseases International Recognition Award in Barcelona, Spain, and in 2013 he was awarded the Shanghai Magnolia Gold Award by the Mayor of Shanghai and the China Friendship Award from the Premier of China in 2014 in recognition of his efforts to improve the health of the residents of Shanghai and China through his research achievements. As Chief of the Division of Liver Diseases at Mount Sinai since 2001, Dr. Friedman has expanded the faculty from 5 to 25 individuals, increased NIH grant funding more than 5-fold, clinical trials income more than 10-fold, and overseen the creation of the largest liver fellowship in the United States. He has been a member of the American Society of Clinical Investigation since 1995, the Association of American Physicians since 2004, and was elected as a Fellow of the American Gastroenterological Association in 2008, the Am. College of Physicians in 2013, the American Assn. for the Study of Liver Diseases in 2014 and the American Association for the Advancement for Science in 2015. Dr. Friedman’s appointment in 2012 as Dean for Therapeutic Discovery at Mount Sinai recognizes his unique strengths in translating basic science into clinically meaningful advances, and his investigative work in liver disease has been instrumental in fueling the tremendous growth in emerging diagnostics and therapeutics for hepatic fibrosis. As President of the American Assn. for the Study of Liver Diseases in 2009 (the sixth Mount Sinai faculty member to hold this position), Dr. Friedman oversaw several major new initiatives that accelerated its growth and brought the Association to new levels of income and international visibility.
Certifications
Gastroenterology
American Board of Internal Medicine
Multi-Disciplinary Training Areas
Cancer Biology [CAB], Disease Mechanisms and Therapeutics (DMT)Education
BS, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
MD, Mount Sinai Hospital
Residency, Internal Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center-Main Campus
Residency, Internal Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center-Main Campus
Fellowship, Gastroenterology, University of CA at San Francisco Medical Center
-
2016
Am Assn for the Study of Liver Diseases Distinguished Achievement Award -
2016
American Liver Foundation Distinguished Achievement Award -
2015
Emmet B Keeffe Mentoring Award -
2015
Fellow, American Assn for the Advancement fo Science -
2015
Maud Menten Honorary Lecture -
2015
Burton Combes Memorial Lecture -
2015
Charles Lieber Memorial Lecture -
2014
China Friendship Award -
2014
The Jacobi Medallion -
2014
Salute to Excellence Award -
2014
Fellow -
2014
President -
2014
Rao Honorary Lecture -
2013
International Recognition Award -
2013
Shanghai Magnolia Gold Award -
2012
Master Educator Recognition -
2010
Englert Lecture -
2009
Rafael Research Alumni Visiting Scientist -
2009
Sheila Sherlock Lecture -
2008
Sackler Distinguished Lectureship -
2008
Fellow of the American Gastroenterological Assn -
2008
Ken & Louise Goldberg Visiting Professor -
2006
Solomon Berson Dept of Medicine Housestaff Teaching Award -
2004
International Hans Popper Research Prize -
2003
International Hans Popper Award to Outstanding Researcher in Hepatology -
1995
Fulbright Senior Scholar Award -
1979
Arthur H. Aufses Sr., Prize in Surgery
Mechanisms of Hepatic Fibrosis and Cancer
Dr. Friedman is the Director of both the Division of Liver Diseaases and the Fibrosis Research Center, and is co-Director of the Tisch Cancer Institute Liver Cancer Program
Specific Clinical/Research Interest:
- Cellular and molecular mechanisms of hepatic fibrosis and cancer
- Diagnosis and development of anti-fibrotic therapies for patients with chronic liver disease
- Clinical trials of antifibrotic therapies in patients with chronic liver disease
Current Students: Billie Bian PhD Student, Fatemah Parvin-Nejad, MD Student; Benjamin Wooden, MD Student
Current Postdoctoral Fellows: Youngjoon Yoon, MD; Takuma Tsuchida PhD;
Research Personnel: Hsin Chou, M.S. (Lab Manager); Dipankar Bhattacharya, M.S.
Summary of Research Studies:
Our work explores the molecular mechanisms of wound healing and fibrosis in liver and how they contribute to liver cancer. We use a variety of animal and cell culture models to identify key inflammatory mediatiors and signaling molecules regulating the activation of hepatic stellate cells, the principle fibrogenic cells in liver. Additionally, we test candidate antifibrotic lead compounds to develop potential new therapies for patients with chronic fibrosing liver diseases. Specific projects include:
- Molecular mechanisms of hepatic stellate cell activation and the cell's role iin hepatic regeneration, immunity and repair
-Testing of antifibrotic lead compounds in animal models
-Clinical trials of antifibrotic therapies in patients with chronic liver disease
Physicians and scientists on the faculty of the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai often interact with pharmaceutical, device and biotechnology companies to improve patient care, develop new therapies and achieve scientific breakthroughs. In order to promote an ethical and transparent environment for conducting research, providing clinical care and teaching, Mount Sinai requires that salaried faculty inform the School of their relationships with such companies.
Below are financial relationships with industry reported by Dr. Friedman during 2022 and/or 2023. Please note that this information may differ from information posted on corporate sites due to timing or classification differences.
Consulting:
- AgoMab; Alnylam Pharmaceuticals; Axcella health; Axial Therapeutics; Blade Therapeutics; CanFite BioPharma Ltd.; Cargene; Chemomab; Fate Therapeutics; Fibrocor; Forbion Capiltal Partners; Glycotest; Glympse Bio; Gordian Biotechnology; InSitro; Korro BIo; Merck & Co., Inc.; Northsea Therapeutics; Ochre Bio; Pliant Therapeutics; Prosciento Research; Resolution Therapeutics; Sagimet; Satellite Bio; Scholar Rock, Cambridge MA; Surrozen; Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited; Yaqrit
Equity (Stock or stock options valued at greater than 5% ownership of a publicly traded company or equity of any value in a privately held company)
- Axial Therapeutics; Blade Therapeutics; Escient; Excalibur; Glympse Bio Inc; Gordian Biotechnology; Group K Diagnostics; In Sitro; Lifemax; Nimbus Discovery LLC; North Sea Therapeutics; Ochre Bio; Senda Biosciences
Royalty Payments:
- Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.; F. Hoffman-La Roche Ltd.; Life Technologies Corporation; Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corporation; Nitto Denko Corporation; Novartis
Mount Sinai's faculty policies relating to faculty collaboration with industry are posted on our website. Patients may wish to ask their physician about the activities they perform for companies.
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