Research conducted by Ramon Bataller, MD, PhD received international media coverage in November 2018. In a recent peer-reviewed publication in Hepatology, “Colder Weather and Fewer Sunlight Hours Increase Alcohol Consumption and Alcoholic Cirrhosis Worldwide”, Dr. Bataller and his lab found that people living in colder regions with less sunlight drink more alcohol than their warm-weather counterparts. These climate factors are tied to binge drinking and the prevalence of alcoholic liver disease, which is one of the main causes of mortality in patients with prolonged excessive alcohol use. Dr. Bataller is a professor of medicine with the Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, where he also serves as the chief of Hepatology.
