Liver transplantation (LT) is the definitive treatment for end‐stage liver disease. Unfortunately, women are disadvantaged at every stage of the LT process. We conducted a literature review to increase the understanding of this disparity. Hormonal differences, psychological factors, and Model for End‐Stage Liver Disease (MELD) score inequalities are some pretransplantation factors that contribute to this disparity. In the posttransplantation setting, women have differing risk than men in most major outcomes (perioperative complications, rejection, long‐term renal dysfunction, and malignancy) and assessing the two groups together is disadvantageous. Herein, we propose interventions including standardized criteria for LT referral, using an alternate MELD, education for support of women, and motivating women to seek living donors. Understanding sex‐based differences will allow us to improve access, tailor management, and improve overall outcomes for all patients, particularly women.

ATP‐citrate lyase (ACLY) catalyzes production of acetyl‐CoA and oxaloacetate from CoA and citrate using ATP. In humans, this cytoplasmic enzyme connects energy metabolism from carbohydrates to the production of lipids. In certain bacteria, ACLY is used to fix carbon in the reductive tricarboxylic acid cycle. The carboxy(C)‐terminal portion of ACLY shows sequence similarity to citrate synthase of the tricarboxylic acid cycle. To investigate the roles of residues of ACLY equivalent to active site residues of citrate synthase, these residues in ACLY from Chlorobium limicola were mutated, and the proteins were investigated using kinetics assays and biophysical techniques. To obtain the crystal structure of the C‐terminal portion of ACLY, full‐length C. limicola ACLY was cleaved, first non‐specifically with chymotrypsin and subsequently with Tobacco Etch Virus protease. Crystals of the C‐terminal portion diffracted to high resolution, providing structures that show the positions of active site residues and how ACLY tetramerizes.

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The Leader in Medicine (LIM) Program of the Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, hosted its 7th Annual LIM Research Symposium on October 30, 2015 and participation grew once again, with a total of six oral and 99 posters presentations! Over 45 of our Faculty members also participated in the symposium. This year's LIM Symposium theme was "Innovations in Medicine" and the invited guest speaker was our own Dr. Breanne Everett (MD/MBA). She completed her residency in plastic surgery at University of Calgary and holds both a medical degree and an MBA from the University of Calgary. In her inspiring talk, entitled "Marrying Business and Medicine: Toe-ing a Fine Line", she described how she dealt with a clinical problem (diabetic foot ulcers), came up with an innovation that optimized patient care, started her own company and delivered her product to market to enhance the health of the community. She clearly illustrated how to complete the full circle, from identifying a clinical problem to developing and providing a solution that both enhances clinical care and patient health as well as reduces health care costs and hospital admissions. The research symposium was an outstanding success and the abstracts are included in companion article in CIM.