Biography

Masataka Tsuge, MD, PhD, has served as Professor and Director of the Liver Disease Center at Hiroshima University Hospital since 2024. He graduated from Hiroshima University School of Medicine in 1998 and obtained his PhD in 2006, during which he established an HBV-producing hepatoma cell line and demonstrated persistent HBV infection in humanized mouse models. Dr. Tsuge’s research has consistently focused on the molecular virology and pathogenesis of hepatitis B and C viruses. At the Viral Hepatitis Research Foundation and Hiroshima University, he clarified the essential role of HBx in HBV replication and uncovered key mechanisms underlying the suppression of interferon responsiveness and ER-stress–induced IL-8–mediated antiviral resistance. He further delineated genotype-specific differences in host responses and elucidated pathways related to immune tolerance and HBV-associated hepatocarcinogenesis. His international collaborations include work at Loyola University Chicago, where he analyzed HBV viral dynamics in humanized mice. More recently, he has integrated experimental models with clinical research, identifying biomarkers such as the PreS1/HBs ratio for predicting hepatocellular carcinoma risk. Since assuming his professorship in 2024, he has continued to advance translational research aimed at improving outcomes for patients with chronic liver diseases.