Dr. Scott L. Friedman was appointed as advisor of Scientific Advisory Board of Laekna in 2022. He is the Dean for Therapeutic Discovery and Chief of the Division of Liver Diseases, at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. He has performed pioneering research into the underlying causes of scarring, or fibrosis associated with chronic liver disease, affecting millions worldwide. Dr. Friedman was among the first to isolate and characterize the hepatic stellate cell, the key cell type responsible for scar production in liver. His work has spawned an entire field that is now realizing its translational and therapeutic potential, with new anti-fibrotic therapies for liver disease reaching clinical trials.

He is widely recognized as a dynamic and a respected author, with over 300 peer-reviewed publications. He has mentored over 85 postdoctoral fellows and students. He has been a member of the American Society of Clinical Investigation, the Association of American Physicians, and was elected as a Fellow of the American Gastroenterological Association, the Am. College of Physicians, the American Assn. for the Study of Liver Diseases and the American Association for the Advancement for Science.

Dr. Scott L. Friedman was recognized with the Distinguished Achievement Awards from both the American Assn for the Study of Liver Diseases and the American Liver Foundation. In 2013 he was awarded the Shanghai Magnolia Gold Award by the Mayor of Shanghai and the China Friendship Award from the Premier of China in 2014 in recognition of his efforts to improve the health of the residents of Shanghai and China through his research achievements.