Rare Liver Disease Conference at the Lithuanian University of Health Sciences

On 30 January 2026, the Division of Biological, Medical, and Geosciences of the Lithuanian Academy of Sciences, together with the Lithuanian Society of Gastroenterologists, the European Reference Network on Hepatological Diseases (ERN RARE-LIVER) and the Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, organised the conference ‘Rare Liver Diseases: Innovations in Diagnosis and Treatment’ in Kaunas.

In his opening remarks, Prof. Limas Kupčinskas highlighted the role of the 24 European Reference Networks in improving care for patients with rare diseases. Lithuanian university hospitals – Vilnius University Hospital Santaros Klinikos and Kauno Klinikos Hospital of the Lithuanian University of Health Sciences – host 17 full member centres across the ERNs. The Gastroenterology Clinic at Kauno Klinikos is the only full ERN RARE-LIVER member centre in the baltic region, while the network currently has 52 full member centres across Europe.

ERN RARE-LIVER Coordinator Professor Ansgar Lohse ( University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf) delivered a keynote lecture on innovations in autoimmune liver diseases. Further presentations covered IgG4-related disease and genetic liver disorders, including haemochromatosis, Wilson’s disease and LAL deficiency. The meeting provided a valuable opportunity to strengthen collaboration between the Lithuanian University of Health Sciences and ERN RARE-LIVER, further advancing cross-border cooperation in the field of rare liver diseases.