University of California San Francisco

Biography

My clinical focus is on women with liver disease, including pregnancy-related liver conditions and reproductive health. My research program is focused on the role of sex hormones in modulating liver disease in women. I have a specific research interest in young women with the hyperandrogenic condition known as Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome given their high risk for developing Non Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) and early onset liver scarring. Within the transplant setting my focus is reproductive health, including pregnancy and contraceptive management in transplant recipients.

Awards & Honors

Award Conferred By Date
R03 NIDDK 2022/2024
K23 NIDDK 2017/2023
K Scholars Team Science Award UCSF 2017/2018
UCSF Hellman Research Award UCSF 2016/2018
RAP Pilot Award for Junior Investigators UCSF 2016/2017
Liver Center Flex Funds UCSF 2015/2016
Liver Center Pilot/Feasibility Research Award UCSF Liver Center 2014/2015
Sheila Sherlock Career Development Research Award AASLD 2013/2015
Advanced Hepatology Fellowship Award AASLD 2012/2013

Education

Institution Degree Dept or School End Date
UCSF Transplant Hepatology Fellowship 2013
UCSF Gastroenterology Fellowship 2012
UCSF M.A.S. in Clinical Research Graduate Division (Advance Training in Clinical Research) 2012
University of Pennsylvania Internal Medicine Residency 2009
UCSF M.D. School of Medicine 2006
Vassar College BA 2002

Board Certifications

American Board of Internal Medicine
American Board of Internal Medicine - Gastroenterology
American Board of Internal Medicine - Transplant Hepatology

Clinical Expertise

Alcoholic Liver Disease
Autoimmune Hepatitis
Cirrhosis
Drug-Induced Hepatitis
Fulminant Hepatic Failure
Hemochromatosis
Hepatitis B
Hepatitis C
Hepatocellular Carcinoma (Liver Cancer)
Liver Transplantation
Living Donor Liver Transplantation
Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease
Polycystic Liver Disease
Primary Biliary Cirrhosis
Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis

Clinical Trials

  1. Bicalutamide Therapy in Young Women With NAFLD and PCOS (NCT05979389)
    Related Conditions: Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease, Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, Liver Disease| Start Date: | End Date:
  2. Spironolactone Therapy In Young Women With NASH (NCT03576755)
    Related Conditions: Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis, Steatohepatitis, Liver Disease, Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease| Start Date: | End Date:

Foreign Languages Spoken

Spanish

Program Affiliations

UCSF Liver Center

Grants and Funding

  • Influence of Androgens on Tissue-Specific Lipid Metabolites and Liver Injury in Young Women with NAFLD | NIDDK | 2022-03-15 - 2024-03-15 | Role: Principle Investigator
  • Androgens and Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis: The Role of Male Sex Hormones in Women with NASH | NIH | 2017-07-10 - 2023-06-30 | Role: Principal Investigator

Research Narrative

My research program is focused on the role of sex hormones on liver injury in women, including the effects of reproductive aging, pregnancy, and androgens. I have a specific interest in young women with the hyperandrogenic condition known as Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome as these women are at high risk for developing Non Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease and early onset liver scarring. Within the transplant setting I also study sex differences in waitlist and post transplant outcomes.

Research Interests

Women with chronic liver disease

Non invasive measures of liver fibrosis

Gender differences in liver transplant outcomes

 

Publications

MOST RECENT PUBLICATIONS FROM A TOTAL OF 88
  1. Safety of a trial of labor after cesarean in kidney and liver transplant recipients: A multicenter cohort study.
    Walia A, Yin O, Coscia LA, Constantinescu S, Sarkar M, Moritz MJ, Afshar Y, Irani RA| | PubMed
  2. Outcomes in Female Patients with Chronic Liver Disease Undergoing Infertility Treatment.
    Garriga M, Cedars M, Sarkar M| | PubMed
  3. Family Planning Counseling and Practices in Kidney Transplant Recipients.
    Rajagopal S, Ritchie J, Seidman D, Perito ER, Adey D, Sarkar M| | PubMed
  4. Clinical outcomes in patients with unintended pregnancy after liver transplantation: A multicenter registry cohort study.
    Walia A, Yin O, Coscia L, Afshar Y, Irani R, Constantinescu S, Moritz M, Sarkar M| | PubMed
  5. Contraception in patients with liver disease and liver transplant.
    Garriga M, Zhang G, Sarkar M| | PubMed
  6. How I Approach Hepatocellular Adenomas in Hormonally Distinct Populations: Time to Think Outside the (Contraceptive Pill) Box.
    Wang M, Cedars MI, Mehta N, Sarkar M| | PubMed
  7. Introduction: Pregnancy and liver disease.
    Monika Sarkar| | UCSF Research Profile
  8. Antimullerian Hormone, a Marker of Ovarian Reserve, Is Protective Against Presence and Severity of NASH in Premenopausal Women.
    Maldonado SS, Cedars MI, Yates KP, Wilson LA, Gill R, Terrault NA, Suzuki A, Sarkar MA| | PubMed
  9. Parental leave, childcare policies, and workplace bias for hepatology professionals: A national survey.
    Feld LD, Sarkar M, Au JS, Flemming JA, Gripshover J, Kardashian A, Muir AJ, Nephew L, Orloff SL, Terrault N, Rabinowitz L, Volerman A, Arora V, Farnan J, Villa E| | PubMed
  10. Family planning and donor type: Unrecognized benefits of living donor liver transplantation?
    Sarkar M, Irani RA| | PubMed
  11. Sex differences in chronic liver disease and benign liver lesions.
    Cooper KM, Delk M, Devuni D, Sarkar M| | PubMed
  12. Mo1530 OUTCOMES IN WOMEN WITH CHRONIC LIVER DISEASE UNDERGOING INFERTILITY TREATMENT.
    Meera Garriga, Marcelle I. Cedars, Monika Sarkar| | UCSF Research Profile
  13. Sa1609 POLYCYSTIC OVARY SYNDROME INCREASES FIBROSIS SEVERITY IN YOUNG WOMEN WITH NAFLD.
    Grace Zhang, Marcelle I. Cedars, Heather Huddleston, Sy Han Chiou, Yanin T. Srisengfa, Monika Sarkar| | UCSF Research Profile
  14. Prevalence of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease increased with type 2 diabetes mellitus in overweight/obese youth with polycystic ovary syndrome.
    Patel-Sanchez N, Perito E, Tsai P, Raymond-Flesch M, Lodish M, Sarkar M| | PubMed
  15. Reproductive health and liver disease: a patient-friendly summary of the 2021 AASLD guidance.
    Levy C, Brady CW, Terrault N, Stotts MJ, Sarkar M| | PubMed
  16. Letter to the Editor: Influence of maternal NAFLD on infant weight-the real precursor to NAFLD in offspring?
    Sarkar M, Flemming JA| | PubMed
  17. The key role of hepatology providers in optimizing reproductive care in patients with liver disease: A call to action.
    Kardashian A, Kushner T, Au JS, Flemming JA, Gripshover J, Muir AJ, Orloff SL, Villa E, Sarkar M, AASLD Women’s Initiative Committee| | PubMed
  18. Influence of progestin-only hormonal use on hepatocellular adenomas: A retrospective cohort study.
    Qureshy Z, Lokken RP, Kakar S, Grab J, Mehta N, Sarkar M| | PubMed
  19. Now you see it, now you don't: Estrogen exposure and obesity effects on HCA development and regression.
    Wang M, Sarkar M, Mehta N| | PubMed
  20. Awarding additional MELD points to the shortest waitlist candidates improves sex disparity in access to liver transplant in the United States.
    Bernards S, Lee E, Leung N, Akan M, Gan K, Zhao H, Sarkar M, Tayur S, Mehta N| | PubMed
  21. Polycystic ovary syndrome is associated with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis in women of reproductive age.
    Maldonado SS, Grab J, Wang CW, Huddleston H, Cedars M, Sarkar M| | PubMed
  22. Reply.
    Sarkar M, Irani RA| | PubMed
  23. On the Importance of Safe Access to Reproductive Options for Adolescents and Women With Liver Disease.
    Shingina A, Sarkar M, Feld L| | PubMed
  24. Su1406: POLCYSTIC OVARY SYNDROME (PCOS) INCREASES RISK OF NASH AMONG REPRODUCTIVE-AGED WOMEN WITH NAFLD: A US POPULATION-BASED STUDY.
    Stephanie Maldonado, Joshua Grab, Connie W. Wang, Heather Huddleston, Marcelle I. Cedars, Monika Sarkar| | UCSF Research Profile
  25. Associations of NAFLD with circulating ceramides and impaired glycemia.
    Gadgil MD, Sarkar M, Sands C, Lewis MR, Herrington DM, Kanaya AM| | PubMed
  26. Abstract P139: Changes In Sex Hormones In Premenopausal Black And White Women Associated With Childbearing: The Cardia Women’s Study.
    Sadaf Dabeer, Katherine H Ingram, Duke Appiah, Melissa Wellons, Catherine Kim, Dhananjay Vaidya, David S Siscovick, Cora E Lewis, Charles Quesenberry, Pamela Schreiner, Ronit Calderon-Margalit, Monika Sarkar, Erica P Gunderson| | UCSF Research Profile
  27. Pregnancies With Cirrhosis Are Rising and Associated With Adverse Maternal and Perinatal Outcomes.
    Huang AC, Grab J, Flemming JA, Dodge JL, Irani RA, Sarkar M| | PubMed
  28. Outcomes of pregnancy in autoimmune hepatitis: A population-based study.
    Wang CW, Grab J, Tana MM, Irani RA, Sarkar M| | PubMed
  29. Untangling the Influence of Sex Hormones on Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Women.
    Sarkar M, Cedars MI| | PubMed
  30. Pregnancy Outcomes After Living Liver Donation: A Multi-Institutional Study.
    Sonnenberg EM, Lee-Riddle GS, Walls DO, Caicedo JC, Jackson WE, Hughes L, Ladner DP, Liapakis A, Pomfret EA, Sarkar M, Selzner N, Torres AM, Abt PL, Olthoff KM| | PubMed
  31. Sa362 REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH CHARACTERISTICS IN PRE-MENOPAUSAL WOMEN WITH NAFLD.
    Yanin T. Srisengfa, Srilakshmi Seetharaman, Monika Sarkar| | UCSF Research Profile
  32. Adherence to pregnancy hepatitis B care guidelines in women and infants in the United States and evaluation of two interventions to improve care: A multicentre hospital-based study.
    Kushner T, Kaplowitz E, Mei R, Xu C, Acker A, Rosenbluth E, Oredein I, Sarkar M, Terrault N, Bansal M, Forde KA| | PubMed
  33. NAFLD Cirrhosis Is Rising Among Childbearing Women and Is the Most Common Cause of Cirrhosis in Pregnancy.
    Sarkar M, Djerboua M, Flemming JA| | PubMed
  34. Reproductive Health and Liver Disease: Practice Guidance by the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases.
    Sarkar M, Brady CW, Fleckenstein J, Forde KA, Khungar V, Molleston JP, Afshar Y, Terrault NA| | PubMed
  35. Reply to: "Intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy: An under recognised complication of maternal NAFLD?"
    Sarkar M, Grab J, Irani RA| | PubMed
  36. Testosterone is Associated With Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis and Fibrosis in Premenopausal Women With NAFLD.
    Sarkar MA, Suzuki A, Abdelmalek MF, Yates KP, Wilson LA, Bass NM, Gill R, Cedars M, Terrault N, NASH Clinical Research Network| | PubMed
  37. Family Planning in Liver Transplant: Patient and Provider Knowledge and Practices.
    Ritchie J, Seidman D, Srisengfa Y, Perito ER, Sarkar M| | PubMed
  38. Outcomes of Pregnant Women With Cirrhosis and Their Infants in a Population-Based Study.
    Flemming JA, Mullin M, Lu J, Sarkar MA, Djerboua M, Velez MP, Brogly S, Terrault NA| | PubMed
  39. SAT147 Increased risk of perinatal complications in women with cirrhosis: a population-based matched cohort study.
    Jacquie Lu, Monika Mullin, Maya Djerboua, Monika Sarkar, Susan Brogly, Maria Velez, Norah Terrault, Jennifer Flemming| | UCSF Research Profile
  40. Reproductive Health and Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Women: Considerations Across the Reproductive Lifespan.
    Sarkar M, Suzuki A| | PubMed
  41. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in pregnancy is associated with adverse maternal and perinatal outcomes.
    Sarkar M, Grab J, Dodge JL, Gunderson EP, Rubin J, Irani RA, Cedars M, Terrault N| | PubMed
  42. Pregnancy in Liver Transplantation.
    Sarkar M, Sawinski D, Coscia L, American Society of Transplantation, Women’s Health Community of Practice| | PubMed
  43. 1004 PREGNANCIES WITH CIRRHOSIS ARE RISING AND ASSOCIATED WITH ADVERSE MATERNAL AND FETAL OUTCOMES.
    Annsa C. Huang, Joshua Grab, Jennifer A. Flemming, Jennifer L. Dodge, Monika Sarkar| | UCSF Research Profile
  44. Shorter Height Is Associated With Lower Probability of Liver Transplantation in Patients With Hepatocellular Carcinoma.
    Lee E, Sarkar M, Dodge J, Kohi M, Mehta N| | PubMed
  45. Low Testosterone Is Associated With Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis and Fibrosis Severity in Men.
    Sarkar M, Yates K, Suzuki A, Lavine J, Gill R, Ziegler T, Terrault N, Dhindsa S| | PubMed
  46. NAFLD in women: Unique pathways, biomarkers and therapeutic opportunities.
    Yuan L, Kardashian A, Sarkar M| | PubMed
  47. Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is associated with NASH severity and advanced fibrosis.
    Sarkar M, Terrault N, Chan W, Cedars MI, Huddleston HG, Duwaerts CC, Balitzer D, Gill RM| | PubMed
  48. Deficiencies in Reproductive Health Counseling in Liver Transplant Patients [2H].
    Julia Ritchie, Dominika Seidman, Yanin Srisengfa, Vanessa L. Jacoby, Emily Perito, Monika Sarkar| | UCSF Research Profile
  49. Sa1623 – Low Testosterone is Associated with Nash and Fibrosis Severity in Men with Nafld.
    Monika Sarkar, Katherine P. Yates, Ayako Suzuki, Joel E. Lavine, Ryan M. Gill, Norah Terrault, Sandeep Dhindsa| | UCSF Research Profile
  50. Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin Levels in Young Men Are Associated With Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Midlife.
    Sarkar M, VanWagner LB, Terry JG, Carr JJ, Rinella M, Schreiner PJ, Lewis CE, Terrault N, Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) Cohort| | PubMed
  51. Testosterone Levels in Women: Implications for Fatty Liver and Beyond.
    Sarkar M| | PubMed
  52. Noninvasive Tests for Prognosticating Outcomes in Patients With Chronic Liver Disease in Pregnancy: Ready for Prime Time?
    Kushner T, Sarkar M, Tran T| | PubMed
  53. Sex hormone levels by presence and severity of cirrhosis in women with chronic hepatitis C virus infection.
    Sarkar M, Lai JC, Sawinski D, Zeigler TE, Cedars M, Forde KA| | PubMed
  54. Longer lactation duration is associated with decreased prevalence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in women.
    Ajmera VH, Terrault NA, VanWagner LB, Sarkar M, Lewis CE, Carr JJ, Gunderson EP| | PubMed
  55. Chronic Hepatitis B in Pregnancy.
    Kushner T, Sarkar M| | PubMed
  56. Racial and Ethnic Differences in Graft Loss Among Female Liver Transplant Recipients.
    Dave S, Dodge JL, Terrault NA, Sarkar M| | PubMed
  57. Reproductive health in women following abdominal organ transplant.
    Sarkar M, Bramham K, Moritz MJ, Coscia L| | PubMed
  58. The Association of Hispanic Ethnicity with Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Polycystic Ovary Syndrome.
    Sarkar M, Terrault N, Duwaerts CC, Tien P, Cedars MI, Huddleston H| | PubMed
  59. Use of a hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA-positive donor in a treated HCV RNA-negative liver transplant recipient.
    Campos-Varela I, Agudelo EZ, Sarkar M, Roberts JP, Terrault NA| | PubMed
  60. Sex-based disparities in delisting for being "too sick" for liver transplantation.
    Cullaro G, Sarkar M, Lai JC| | PubMed
  61. Acetaminophen-induced Acute Liver Failure Is More Common and More Severe in Women.
    Rubin JB, Hameed B, Gottfried M, Lee WM, Sarkar M, Acute Liver Failure Study Group| | PubMed
  62. Moderate Alcohol Use Is Not Associated With Fibrosis Progression in Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Hepatitis C Virus-Coinfected Women: A Prospective Cohort Study.
    Kelly EM, Dodge JL, Bacchetti P, Sarkar M, French AL, Tien PC, Glesby MJ, Golub ET, Augenbraun M, Plankey M, Peters MG| | PubMed
  63. Perinatal programming of adolescent nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: A case for gender inequality?
    Sarkar M, Baffy G| | PubMed
  64. Reproductive Aging and Hepatic Fibrosis Progression in Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Hepatitis C Virus-Coinfected Women.
    Sarkar M, Dodge JL, Greenblatt RM, Kuniholm MH, DeHovitz J, Plankey M, Kovacs A, French AL, Seaberg EC, Ofotokun I, Fischl M, Overton E, Kelly E, Bacchetti P, Peters MG, Women’s Interagency HIV Study| | PubMed
  65. Testosterone Levels in Pre-Menopausal Women are Associated With Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Midlife.
    Sarkar M, Wellons M, Cedars MI, VanWagner L, Gunderson EP, Ajmera V, Torchen L, Siscovick D, Carr JJ, Terry JG, Rinella M, Lewis CE, Terrault N| | PubMed
  66. Aggressive non-alcoholic steatohepatitis following rapid weight loss and/or malnutrition.
    Tsai JH, Ferrell LD, Tan V, Yeh MM, Sarkar M, Gill RM| | PubMed
  67. Sex differences in the association of HIV infection with hepatic steatosis.
    Kardashian A, Ma Y, Scherzer R, Price JC, Sarkar M, Korn N, Tillinghast K, Peters MG, Noworolski SM, Tien PC| | PubMed
  68. Increased hepatocellular carcinoma recurrence in women compared to men with high alpha fetoprotein at liver transplant.
    Sarkar M, Dodge JL, Roberts JP, Terrault N, Yao F, Mehta N| | PubMed
  69. Association of Hepatitis C Virus Infection With CD4/CD8 Ratio in HIV-Positive Women.
    Kuniholm MH, O'Brien TR, Prokunina-Olsson L, Augenbraun M, Plankey M, Karim R, Sarkar M, French AL, Pierce C, Strickler HD, Anastos K| | PubMed
  70. Marijuana Use Is Not Associated With Progression to Advanced Liver Fibrosis in HIV/Hepatitis C Virus-coinfected Women.
    Kelly EM, Dodge JL, Sarkar M, French AL, Tien PC, Glesby MJ, Golub ET, Augenbraun M, Plankey M, Peters MG| | PubMed
  71. 352 Sex Differences in Acetaminophen-Induced Acute Liver Injury and Acute Liver Failure.
    Jessica Rubin, Bilal Hameed, Michelle Gottfried, William M. Lee, Monika Sarkar| | UCSF Research Profile
  72. Association between markers of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and glucose tolerance in polycystic ovarian syndrome population.
    Asima K. Ahmad, Chia-Ning Kao, Monika Sarkar, Marcelle I. Cedars, Heather Huddleston| | UCSF Research Profile
  73. Intention to treat outcome of T1 hepatocellular carcinoma with the "wait and not ablate" approach until meeting T2 criteria for liver transplant listing.
    Mehta N, Sarkar M, Dodge JL, Fidelman N, Roberts JP, Yao FY| | PubMed
  74. PS073 Light to Moderate Alcohol Use is not Associated with Long-Term Progression of Liver Fibrosis in Hiv Hcv Coinfected Women.
    E.M. Kelly, J. Dodge, P. Bacchetti, M. Sarkar, A. French, P. Tien, M. Glesby, E. Golub, M. Augenbraun, M. Plankey, M. Peters| | UCSF Research Profile
  75. PS077 Sex Differences in Acetaminophen-Induced Acute Liver Injury and Acute Liver Failure.
    J. Rubin, B. Hameed, M. Gottfried, W. Lee, M. Sarkar, the Acute Liver Failure Study Group| | UCSF Research Profile
  76. Association of IFNL3 and IFNL4 polymorphisms with liver-related mortality in a multiracial cohort of HIV/HCV-coinfected women.
    Sarkar M, Aouzierat B, Bacchetti P, Prokunina-Olsson L, French A, Seaberg E, O'Brien TR, Kuniholm MH, Minkoff H, Plankey M, Strickler HD, Peters MG, Women's Interagency HIV| | PubMed
  77. Outcomes in liver transplantation: does sex matter?
    Sarkar M, Watt KD, Terrault N, Berenguer M| | PubMed
  78. Ending vertical transmission of hepatitis B: the third trimester intervention.
    Sarkar M, Terrault NA| | PubMed
  79. Characteristics and management of patients with chronic hepatitis B in an integrated care setting.
    Sarkar M, Shvachko VA, Ready JB, Pauly MP, Terrault NA, Peters MG, Manos MM| | PubMed
  80. Factors associated with outcomes and response to therapy in patients with infiltrative hepatocellular carcinoma.
    Mehta N, Fidelman N, Sarkar M, Yao FY| | PubMed
  81. Racial/ethnic differences in spontaneous HCV clearance in HIV infected and uninfected women.
    Sarkar M, Bacchetti P, Tien P, Mileti E, French AL, Edlin BR, Keller M, Seaberg E, Nowicki MJ, Young M, Peters MG| | PubMed
  82. Lower liver-related death in African-American women with human immunodeficiency virus/hepatitis C virus coinfection, compared to Caucasian and Hispanic women.
    Sarkar M, Bacchetti P, French AL, Tien P, Glesby MJ, Nowicki M, Plankey M, Gange S, Sharp G, Minkoff H, Peters MG, Women's Interagency HIV Study (WIHS)| | PubMed
  83. 466 Hepatitis B Treatment in a California Managed Care Population: A Retrospective Analysis of Treatment and Monitoring Practices.
    Monika Sarkar, Valentina Shvachko, Marion G. Peters, Michele Manos| | UCSF Research Profile
  84. Hepatocellular carcinoma screening practices and impact on survival among hepatitis B-infected Asian Americans.
    Sarkar M, Stewart S, Yu A, Chen MS, Nguyen TT, Khalili M| | PubMed
  85. Chapter 32 Hepatitis virus infections.
    Marion G. Peters, Monika Sarkar| | UCSF Research Profile
  86. Proton-pump inhibitor use and the risk for community-acquired pneumonia.
    Sarkar M, Hennessy S, Yang YX| | PubMed
  87. Chronic statin therapy and the risk of colorectal cancer.
    Yang YX, Hennessy S, Propert K, Hwang WT, Sarkar M, Lewis JD| | PubMed
  88. Presentation and management of acute fistulization of a foregut duplication cyst.
    Sarkar M, Wood R, Oh Y, Hecht TE, Kaiser L, Wasserstein A, Kochman ML| | PubMed