by Share On Social!
Your liver is a key to overall health, performing hundreds of essential functions in your body.
Find out the latest in liver health issues and solutions at UT Health San Antonio’s webinar, “What You Should Know about Your Amazing Liver,” which occurred at 11 a.m. Central on Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2025.
This webinar featured expert panelists from Mays Cancer Center, UT Health San Antonio, Texas Liver Institute, Genentech, and more to explore the state of liver health in South Texas. Panelists examined the oversized impact of liver disease and liver cancer and its causes among South Texas residents, who are predominantly Latino, and beyond Texas.
Understanding the reasons why this is happening can reveal how to address this health issue and prevent liver cancer among Latinos and the broader population.
This is a part of a webinar series, “Let’s Improve Health in South Texas and Beyond.”
The series is a collaboration of the Salud America! program, the Institute for Health Promotion Research at UT Health San Antonio, the Mays Cancer Center at UT Health San Antonio, and Genentech.
Learn about the Speakers for this Webinar on Obesity and Diabetes Prevention
Here are the panelists for the webinar.
Panelist presentations and a discussion were moderated by Dr. Amelie Ramirez.
Amelie G. Ramirez, DrPH (moderator), an internationally recognized researcher in health promotion and behavioral change, is director of Salud America! and leader of the Institute for Health Promotion Research in the Department of Population Health Sciences at UT Health San Antonio. She has spent over 30 years directing research on human and organizational communication to reduce chronic disease and cancer among all people, including cancer risk factors, clinical trial recruitment, tobacco prevention, and obesity prevention. She also is associate director of cancer outreach and engagement at the NCI-designated Mays Cancer Center at UT Health San Antonio.
Eugenia Tsai, MD, is a Transplant Hepatologist at Texas Liver Institute and UT Health San Antonio. Dr. Tsai completed her Internal Medicine residency at Montefiore Medical Center in Bronx, New York, followed by a Gastroenterology fellowship at Tulane Medical Center in New Orleans, Louisiana. She then completed a Transplant Hepatology fellowship at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York, New York. Dr Tsai’s interest within liver disease include management of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), complications of cirrhosis, transplant medicine and nutrition in liver disease.
Fabian Vincente Rodas Ochoa, MD, joined the Texas Liver Institute as the Director of Transplant Services. In addition, Dr. Rodas is an Assistant Clinical Professor of Medicine at UT Health San Antonio. Dr. Rodas received his medical degree from the University of Cuenca in Ecuador. After graduating, he became the director of a rural health center in Cuenca and was responsible for the medical care of patients locally and as well as the coordination of referrals to subspecialists. Dr. Rodas completed his internal medicine training through the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in Bronx, New York and his transplant hepatology training through the Carolinas Healthcare System in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Dawn Brown, PhD, serves as a Principal Medical Science Liaison at Genentech, where she focuses on Breast, Gastrointestinal, and Gynecological Cancers across Texas. Since joining the company in 2016, she has been instrumental in providing clinical expertise for medical research communications and fostering collaborations with Key Opinion Leaders. Her leadership extends to Field Medical Initiatives that are dedicated to raising awareness and education to improve patient well-being and address clinical research issues. Her commitment to these efforts led to her chairing a Field Medical Council to support corporate strategic goals and participating in local ecosystem panels to advance community-focused care strategies. Prior to her tenure at Genentech, Dawn spent eight years at Eli Lilly and Company as a Research Scientist. Her dedication to research and community initiatives has been recognized with numerous awards and opportunities for professional development. Dawn currently resides in Houston, Texas, and is a passionate foodie who enjoys grilling, new adventures, and spending time with her family.
Jenifer Butler is Executive Director of the Texas Liver Foundation and a living liver donor. She is passionate about raising awareness, building support for patients and families, and expanding access to liver health education across Texas.
Behind the Webinar Series on Health
The “Let’s Improve Health in South Texas and Beyond” webinar series is a collaboration of the Salud America! program at the Institute for Health Promotion Research at UT Health San Antonio, the Mays Cancer Center at UT Health San Antonio, and Genentech.
Salud America! is a national health communication organization that creates relevant and research-based stories, videos, and tools to inspire people to start and support healthy changes where all families can live, learn, work, and play. The program is led by Dr. Amelie G. Ramirez. Dr. Ramirez is chair and professor of Population Health Sciences and director of the Institute for Health Promotion Research at UT Health San Antonio. She also leads community outreach and engagement at the Mays Cancer Center at UT Health San Antonio.
The Mays Cancer Center, also called the UT Health San Antonio MD Anderson Cancer Center, has a mission to decrease the burden of cancer in San Antonio, South Texas and beyond. We bring South Texas a level of exceptional research and care that is comparable with the nation’s most respected programs. More patients put their trust in our program because we have a unique understanding of our community’s cancer care needs. We excel in delivering advanced therapies.
Founded more than 40 years ago as the first biotechnology company, Genentech is dedicated to the rigorous pursuit of science and the development and delivery of life-changing medicines for people facing serious diseases. Headquartered in South San Francisco, California and a proud member of the Roche Group, our community is united by a common purpose and sense of urgency to transform the future of healthcare. Learn more at gene.com.
By The Numbers
142
Percent
Expected rise in Latino cancer cases in coming years
