Speciality

Head of the Hepatic Oncology Unit – BCLC Group, Hospital Clinic, Barcelona, Spain

Personal Information

Dr. Maria Reig is a physician-scientist internationally recognized for her expertise in liver diseases and liver cancer. She currently holds several positions, including Head of the Hepatic Oncology Unit at the Hospital Clinic of Barcelona since 2019, Head of the Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) group at IDIBAPS, and Head of the Liver Oncology Group at CIBEREHD since 2022. Dr. Reig plays a pivotal role in leading the BCLC generational relief, driving research and treatment advancements for liver cancer patients. Her visionary approach is evident in the incorporation of the “Clinical Decision-making concept” into the 2022 BCLC Staging System, a widely recommended classification globally (PMID: 34801630). This innovative concept has also been adopted by the 2023 AASLD guidance (PMID: 37199193), further solidifying its impact in the field.
H-index: 41; Research articles 153 (IF: 2.279; Cites 13.775). Since 2018: Manuscripts: 79; IF:1.412; 29 as a main author; 37 D1; 44 Q1, 12 Q2. Total funding ~ 10.5M€ in the context of competitive projects and investigator-initiated clinical trials.
She has demonstrated exceptional leadership by spearheading inclusive and collaborative projects. Over the past 5 years, she has led 12 international and national academic collaborations involving more than 4,020 liver cancer patients from all continents and over 70 centers. Her initiatives promote multidisciplinarity and foster shared leadership. Also, she participates in 2 projects funded by Horizon 2020 (n.952103 and EU4H-2021-JA-04). These collaborations have resulted in publications in renowned international journals, several of which have played a pivotal role in influencing clinical practice (PMIDs : 34856322; 34388851; 33741640; 33383399; 32170821; 30684506; 28898447; 27084592).
Her training in Immunooncology (U. Navarra), Statistics (UAB), along with her profound clinical knowledge of patients with liver diseases, liver cancer and their unmet clinical needs, have led her to design and lead two investigator-initiated multicenter clinical trials in Spain (NCT04170556 and NCT04316182). These trials emphasize the integration of translational research into academic clinical trials, allowing for a comprehensive understanding of liver cancer and enabling personalized treatment approaches. Dr. Reig’s influence extends beyond research and clinical expertise. She is Chair of the International Working Group for the Liver Cancers Council at Global Liver Institute (GLI), a non-profit patient organization. She has actively contributed to the advancement of liver cancer care through her active involvement in various scientific associations (ILCA, EASL, AEEH, ALEH, ESMO) ensuring that the patient’s voice is heard; the advancements translate into tangible benefits for patients and integrated into medical decision-making processes. She led the Spanish consensus of AEEH, AEC, SEOM, SERAM, SERVEI, and SETH involved in the HCC management. She is the EASL representative of the 2023 ILCA-EASL Cholangiocarcinoma guideline and the EASL Hepatocellular Carcinoma guideline update, and was part of the board of the three-liver cancer register led by AEEH (PMIDs: 28279536; 20036398).
Currently, she is the EASL representative at UEG, part of the AEEH Scientific Committee as well as of the Working group of rare liver tumor at ERN-rareLiver. She is Associate Editor in Journal of Hepatology (IF 30.083). She is Associate Professor at the University of Barcelona promoting young investigators, through hybrid stating. She is mentor of 15 MD and PhD students, fellows and residents. She is also PhD Thesis Director of 7 young doctors, and Master Thesis Director of 4 people since 2015.