On April 19, medical professionals and scientists from Russian regions gathered at Skoltech to discuss the diagnostics and treatment of liver diseases in children. The event was supported by Skoltech and organized by the "Life as a Miracle" charitable foundation, which has been aiding children with liver disease for 15 years.

The conference premiered a video of liver transplantation surgery at the Shumakov Federal Research Center of Transplantology and Artificial Organs, produced as part of the project "100 Questions for the Transplantologist."

"Our center and 'Life as a Miracle' have been collaborating effectively for years. The foundation supports our young patients and their parents in facing challenging situations by helping them buy air tickets and rent housing, among other things. As part of the foundation's educational activities aimed at raising awareness about transplantation, we have created a collaborative project, '100 Questions for the Transplantologist,' answering the most popular questions about transplantation and donation. We are happy to work on this ambitious project together with like-minded enthusiasts," said Sergey Gauthier, the director of the center, the independent chief transplantologist at the Russian Ministry of Health, and a full member of RAS.

The conference featured lectures, workshops, an interactive quiz on child liver disorders,  clinical cases review, and a tour of Skoltech.

"Our mission is to reduce child mortality due to liver diseases. To achieve this goal, we use a comprehensive approach: on one hand, we provide support to families, for example, by paying for medication or a trip to Moscow for examination. On the other hand, we take preventive measures to avoid severe and sometimes irreparable consequences. To do this, we supply hospitals with diagnostic equipment, continually update our 'About Liver' (пропечень.рф) portal with its knowledge base for doctors and parents, and build partnerships with medical institutions. We are confident that a problem cannot be effectively solved unless doctors receive the support they need through education and professional development, exchange of expertise with the professional community, and support from charities," said Anastasia Cherepanova, director of "Life as a Miracle."

"Advanced medical solutions can only be created by multidisciplinary teams – an approach we are proud to use at Skoltech. Researchers and developers should have a clear understanding of the problem at hand in order to create technologies that are truly relevant and useful for doctors, their young patients, and parents. This conference is a unique platform where you can view liver problems through the eyes of various experts, share advanced research, and discuss the pressing issues in diagnostics, treatment, prevention, and rehabilitation. Also, it is a strong driver for developing new devices, materials, panels of markers, methods, and programs and introducing them into clinical practice," said Natalia Podsosonnaya, the deputy director for development at the Skoltech Neuro.

"Life as a Miracle" helps equip clinics across Russia with medical equipment, facilitates the participation of medical professionals from Russian regions in federal and international scientific conferences and workshops, creates children's play spaces in hospitals, clinics, and perinatal centers, and supports patient communities.