Greetings

Welcome to the International Society of Liver Surgeons! I am Myron Schwartz, a liver surgeon at The Mount Sinai Hospital in New York, and I am excited to begin my two-year term as President of the Society. In the short eight years since its inception, the ISLS has grown to become the leading forum for liver transplant and hepatobiliary surgeons to share our experience as we advance our chosen field. While no one can deny the importance of multidisciplinary care in the management of patients with liver or biliary tract cancer, our focus is squarely on the craft of surgery. Our biannual Congress of Advanced HBP Surgery and our Single Topic Symposia and Consensus Conferences feature presentations on the latest developments in surgical technique and technology by the innovators who conceive them with animated discussion and debate among the acknowledged experts in the field, as well as open paper sessions where researchers from around the world can present their work.

Our Society promotes research aiming to advance the scientific basis of liver surgery through the formation of Study Groups led by surgeons who propose a research topic, design a protocol, enlist centers to participate, conduct the study, and present/publish the results. The Society has developed an online platform for data entry and provides study design and statistical support. The initial cadre of twelve groups has completed their projects, and the selection of studies for the next cycle is underway. The International Journal of Surgery (impact factor 15.3) has been designated as the official journal of the Society; abstracts presented at our Congress are published in a supplemental volume, and the papers produced by the Study Groups and by our Consensus Conferences will be submitted to the Journal for publication subject to peer review.

Education is a key aspect of our mission. The Society website is a treasure trove of educational material comprising webinars and videos as well as the complete proceedings of the Congresses, Consensus Conferences, and Single Topic Symposia, all accessible to the ISLS membership. We have also established a Fellowship in honor of the late pioneering surgeon Paolo Muiesan that enables an early-career surgeon to spend up to one year studying under the tutelage of a chosen mentor to accelerate the development of his/her technical and research capabilities.

As our Society evolves from a relatively informal gathering of friends and colleagues who share a common interest to a more formal organization that now boasts over 500 members from over 50 countries, we will do our best to maintain the spirit of friendship and collegiality that have distinguished us among the plethora of surgical societies that are out there. While our scope may broaden a bit to include nonsurgical alternatives and neoadjuvant/adjuvant therapies in order to provide context, and while there is some overlap with the technical aspects of pancreatic surgery, we shall remain a unique Society of Liver Surgeons at the cutting edge. I am honored and proud to serve you. I look forward to meeting you all at the next Congress of Advanced HBP Surgery in Toronto, Canada in October, 2025.

Council

ISLS Study Group Board

By-laws

These by-laws were approved at the Inaugural Council Meeting on March 18, 2024.

Endorsement

With the objective to disseminate scientific advances in surgery for hepatobiliary and pancreatic diseases and to provide continuing education related to the practice of liver surgery, the ISLS will grant its support to related societies by endorsing* meetings or events organized by such societies. Endorsements will be granted after reviewing the scientific programs, which must be submitted at the time of application.

Please read the guideline below and submit the application form if you wish to grant ISLS endorsement.

*ISLS endorsement does not include financial support or guarantees.