Triple-board certified in transplant hepatology, physician nutrition, and integrative health, Dr. Lai is a practicing Integrative Hepatologist who specializes in caring for patients across the entire spectrum of liver disease, from pre-diagnosis to liver transplant. She holds the Endowed Professorship of Liver Health & Transplantation in the UCSF Division of Gastroenterology and a joint appointment within the UCSF Osher Center for Integrative Health. Dr. Lai brings a proactive, whole-person approach to liver disease management, integrating evidence-based nutrition and lifestyle strategies to promote liver health, prevent progression, and improve overall well-being in her patients.

Dr. Lai leads a NIH-funded clinical and translational research program focused on frailty, sarcopenia, nutrition, and outcomes in patients with chronic liver disease, with a particular emphasis on individuals undergoing liver transplantation. Her work advances whole-person, data-driven approaches aimed at preserving function, resilience, and health across the liver transplant journey. Her research has been continuously supported by numerous organizations including the National Institutes of Health (NIH), American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD), American Gastroenterological Association (AGA), American College of Gastroenterology (ACG), American Society of Transplantation (AST), and American Federation for Aging Research (AFAR), and generous philanthropic support from her patients. She serves as director of the UCSF Health Advancing Research in Clinical Hepatology (ARCH)—the research arm of the UCSF Division of GI/Hepatology—as well as director of Patient-Facing Research Core of the NIH-funded UCSF Liver Center.

Dr. Lai earned her B.S. from Stanford University and combined MD/MBA degrees from Tufts University School of Medicine, then completed her clinical training in Internal Medicine at Columbia University, gastroenterology/transplant hepatology fellowships at UCSF. In 2022, she obtained formal training in clinical nutrition and in 2024 completed a fellowship in integrative health through the Osher Center for Integrative Health. Dr. Lai has received numerous accolades including the SF Business Times Top 40 under 40 Leader award, AGA Young Investigator Award in Clinical Science, AST Clinical Science Career Development Award, Young Investigator Award from the International Liver Transplantation Society, the UCSF Distinction in Mentoring Award, and the AASLD Impact Award. She has completed terms as a standing member of the U.S. FDA Gastrointestinal Drug Advisory Committee and as an Associate Editor for Hepatology (2021-2026). Currently, she holds a position as Trustee for the AASLD Foundation Board.

If you are interested in supporting Dr. Lai's research program, please consider making a tax-deductible contribution: https://makeagift.ucsf.edu/LaiResearchFund