Did you know that around 30% of people living with Crohn’s and colitis will have abnormal liver tests and 5% will develop chronic liver disease that can be life-threatening?
Crohn’s and Colitis Canada has partnered up with the Canadian Liver Foundation to raise awareness about the relationship between liver disease and IBD. Watch this webinar recording to find out more about the liver conditions that people living with IBD are at risk of developing, including primary sclerosing cholangitis, liver fibrosis, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
Our panel of experts will talk about individual risk factors, the signs and symptoms linked to these conditions, testing and diagnosis, symptom management strategies, treatment options, and the latest research findings on these conditions.
Expert Speaker:
Dr. Giada Sebastiani
McGill University
Dr. Giada Sebastiani is an Associate Professor of Medicine at McGill University and a Clinician Scientist at the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, where she provides specialized care in the Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, including outpatient management of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients. She earned her medical degree from the University of Padua in Italy, completed her internal medicine residency at McGill, and pursued advanced clinical and basic research training at Harvard Medical School, University College London, University of Bordeaux, and the Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research in Montreal..
A pioneering hepatologist and translational researcher, Dr. Sebastiani has authored over 150 peer-reviewed articles and more than 250 conference abstracts, achieving an h-index of 44 with over 8,300 citations. Her work focuses on chronic liver diseases, particularly nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and liver fibrosis and the development of non‑invasive diagnostic tools such as Fibroscan. Recognizing that people with IBD are at elevated risk for hepatic complications, she leads cohort studies to elucidate the interplay between inflammatory bowel disease and liver health, aiming to deliver precision screening and management strategies for at-risk populations.
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Dr. Sebastiani serves as Research Director of the Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology at the McGill University Health Centre and was the first woman appointed Professor of Medicine in McGill’s Division of Gastroenterology. She plays an active role in national and international consortia, reviews for leading journals, and has delivered invited lectures across Europe, North America, and Asia. Through her leadership and groundbreaking research, Dr. Sebastiani continues to advance the understanding and treatment of gastrointestinal conditions, including the hepatological complications of IBD.
Dr. Tianyan Chen
McGill University
Dr. Tianyan Chen is an Assistant Professor in the Division of Gastroenterology & Hepatology at the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC) and a key member of the MUHC Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) Centre. Since joining the division in 2017, she has worked closely with the IBD multidisciplinary team to deliver integrated care for patients experiencing both intestinal inflammation and associated liver complications, such as primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC).
A clinician-scientist with training in transplant hepatology from UCSF, Dr. Chen’s research focuses on the gut–liver axis in IBD. She investigates how alterations in the biliary and fecal microbiome drive PSC in patients with Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, aiming to develop noninvasive biomarkers for early detection and risk stratification of PSC in IBD populations. Her translational studies bridge laboratory findings with clinical practice, improving screening and management strategies for IBD patients at risk of hepatic disease.
In addition to her research, Dr. Chen serves as a medical advisor to Quebec’s liver transplant programs, ensuring IBD patients receive seamless care during transplant evaluation and follow‑up. She is active in teaching both gastroenterology and hepatology trainees, emphasizing the importance of recognizing and managing extra‑intestinal manifestations of IBD. Through her leadership in IBD‑related hepatology, Dr. Chen continues to advance patient‑centered approaches that enhance outcomes for those living with complex gastrointestinal and liver disorders.