The growing global presence of Chinese liver researchers has created unprecedented opportunities for scientific exchange and international collaboration. Yet many early-career investigators remain dispersed across countries, institutions, and disciplines, without a dedicated platform for sustained engagement with one another and with the wider hepatology community.
CYSL emerged in response to this need. In November 2025, during the AASLD Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C., Professor Xiaolong Qi joined Dr Wenhao Li, based in London, and Dr Zhujun Cao, then based in Barcelona, in developing a shared vision for a global community dedicated to connecting and empowering young Chinese investigators in liver research.
Their discussions laid the foundation for CYSL, which was formally established in Barcelona on 28 May 2026 during the EASL Congress. Supported by EASL, the inaugural CYSL Annual Meeting brought together senior academic leaders, journal editors, industry representatives, and young investigators from across the international liver community.
CYSL now carries this shared vision forward by fostering mentorship, academic mobility, interdisciplinary collaboration, and international scientific exchange. Its goal is to build an enduring global network through which young Chinese investigators can grow, collaborate, and contribute to the future of hepatology.