Simona Jakab, MD

Associate Professor of Medicine (Digestive Diseases)

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Additional Titles

Firm Chief, Klatskin Liver Service, Internal Medicine

Contact Info

simona.jakab@yale.edu

203.785.4138

Yale School of Medicine

Department of Medicine (Digestive Diseases), PO Box 208019

New Haven, CT 06520-8019

United States

About

Titles

Associate Professor of Medicine (Digestive Diseases)

Firm Chief, Klatskin Liver Service, Internal Medicine

Biography

Dr. Jakab is a graduate of the Timisoara University of Medicine in Romania. Her internship and residency in Internal Medicine, as well as her gastroenterology fellowship training were completed at Norwalk Hospital, Norwalk, CT, programs affiliated with Yale University. She did elective rotations at the Center for Liver Disease and Transplantation, Columbia-Presbyterian Hospital, and the Department of Liver Transplantation and Hepatobiliary Surgery, Lahey Clinic. She received advanced training in Hepatology and Liver Transplantation at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital/Jefferson Medical College.

Last Updated on April 07, 2025.

Appointments

Digestive Diseases
Associate Professor on Term
Primary
Digestive Diseases

Digestive Diseases
Hepatology
Internal Medicine
Liver Cancer Program
Metabolic Health & Weight Loss Program
Pre-surgical Weight Loss
Viral Hepatitis Program
Yale Cancer Center
Yale Medicine
Yale New Haven Health System
Yale Ventures

Education & Training

Fellow: Norwalk Hospital/Yale University (2009)

Fellow: Thomas Jefferson Medical College (2006)

Intern/Resident: Norwalk Hospital/Yale University (2005)

Resident: Timisoara University of Medicine & Pharmacy (2002)

MD: Timisoara University of Medicine and Pharmacy (1998)

Research

Overview

Medical Research Interests

Liver Cirrhosis; Palliative Care

ORCID
0000-0002-0695-0758

Research at a Glance

Yale Co-Authors

Frequent collaborators of Simona Jakab's published research.

Jenn Batisti, MD
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Carolina Borz-Baba, MD
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Jeanette Tetrault, MD, FACP, FASAM
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Lamia Y. K. Haque, MD, MPH
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Paula Zimbrean, MD, FAPA, FACLP
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Yanhong Deng
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Publications

2026

Measuring Perceived Goal Concordant Care Among Patients With Advanced Liver Diseases and Their Caregivers.
Verma M, Navarro V, Reeve B, Lin L, Jakab S, Bakitas M, Totten A, Volk M. Measuring Perceived Goal Concordant Care Among Patients With Advanced Liver Diseases and Their Caregivers. Clinical And Translational Gastroenterology 2026 PMID: 42525483, DOI: 10.14309/ctg.0000000000001079.
Peer-Reviewed Original Research
Palliative Care Intervention for Patients With End-Stage Liver Disease
Verma M, Navarro V, Kosinski A, Taddei T, Kalman R, Barritt A, Jakab S, Serper M, Orman E, Balakrishnan M, Rakoski M, Rockey D, Hunt K, Cabrera R, Aytaman A, John B, Baffy G, Nathan R, Tapper E, Roytman M, McGuire B, Hoppmann N, Woodrell C, Bakitas M, Yue Y, Reeve B, Lin L, Tantala R, Volk M. Palliative Care Intervention for Patients With End-Stage Liver Disease. JAMA Internal Medicine 2026, 186: 677-686. PMID: 41973444, PMCID: PMC13077576, DOI: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2026.0571.
Peer-Reviewed Original Research
MeSH Keywords
ACG Clinical Guideline: Hepatic Encephalopathy
Bajaj J, Jakab S, Jesudian A, Rahimi R, Duarte-Rojo A, Chen P, Wong R, Tapper E, Tandon P. ACG Clinical Guideline: Hepatic Encephalopathy. The American Journal Of Gastroenterology 2026, 121: 588-618. PMID: 41773757, DOI: 10.14309/ajg.0000000000003899.
Peer-Reviewed Reviews, Practice Guidelines, Standards, and Consensus Statements
MeSH Keywords

2025

Spontaneous Bacterial Peritonitis Is Associated With High Mortality, Which Interacts With Antibiotic Prophylaxis in a National Cirrhosis Cohort
Silvey S, Patel N, O'Leary J, Morgan T, Markley J, Jakab S, Patton H, Rogal S, Bajaj J. Spontaneous Bacterial Peritonitis Is Associated With High Mortality, Which Interacts With Antibiotic Prophylaxis in a National Cirrhosis Cohort. Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics 2025, 63: 1109-1118. PMID: 41423725, PMCID: PMC13021302, DOI: 10.1111/apt.70498.
Peer-Reviewed Original Research
MeSH Keywords
Increasing Goals of Care Discussions Among Veterans With Cirrhosis: A Veterans Health Administration Quality Improvement Initiative
Patel A, O'Leary J, Bajaj J, Prause N, Hannum R, Noll A, Cheung R, Giustini A, Jakab S, Nobbe A, Patton H, Perumalswami P, Spoutz P, Kanwal F, Morgan T, Walling A, Rogal S. Increasing Goals of Care Discussions Among Veterans With Cirrhosis: A Veterans Health Administration Quality Improvement Initiative. The American Journal Of Gastroenterology 2025, 121: 1875-1884. PMID: 41020658, DOI: 10.14309/ajg.0000000000003781.
Peer-Reviewed Original Research
Secondary Spontaneous Bacterial Peritonitis Prophylaxis Is Associated With a Higher Rate of Infections other than Spontaneous Bacterial Peritonitis in 2 US-Based National Cirrhosis Cohorts
Silvey S, Patel N, O'Leary J, Jakab S, Patton H, Rogal S, Markley J, Cheung R, Patel A, Morgan T, Bajaj J. Secondary Spontaneous Bacterial Peritonitis Prophylaxis Is Associated With a Higher Rate of Infections other than Spontaneous Bacterial Peritonitis in 2 US-Based National Cirrhosis Cohorts. Clinical And Translational Gastroenterology 2025, 16: e00837. PMID: 40062879, PMCID: PMC12101923, DOI: 10.14309/ctg.0000000000000837.
Peer-Reviewed Original Research
MeSH Keywords
Cirrhosis and Truly Elective Major Surgery
Jakab S, Oprea A. Cirrhosis and Truly Elective Major Surgery. 2025, 249-258. DOI: 10.1093/med/9780190902001.003.0021.
Peer-Reviewed Original Research

2024

Depression and anxiety management in cirrhosis
Zimbrean P, Jakab S. Depression and anxiety management in cirrhosis. Hepatology Communications 2024, 9: e0600. PMID: 39670879, PMCID: PMC11637748, DOI: 10.1097/hc9.0000000000000600.
Peer-Reviewed Reviews, Practice Guidelines, Standards, and Consensus Statements
MeSH Keywords
Gut microbiome profiles to exclude the diagnosis of hepatic encephalopathy in patients with cirrhosis
Bajaj J, O’Leary J, Jakab S, Fagan A, Sikaroodi M, Gillevet P. Gut microbiome profiles to exclude the diagnosis of hepatic encephalopathy in patients with cirrhosis. Gut Microbes 2024, 16: 2392880. PMID: 39189586, PMCID: PMC11352695, DOI: 10.1080/19490976.2024.2392880.
Peer-Reviewed Original Research
MeSH Keywords
Hospitalized patients with cirrhosis: Addressing gaps in care
Batisti J, Jakab S. Hospitalized patients with cirrhosis: Addressing gaps in care. Clinical Liver Disease 2024, 23: e0211. PMID: 38961874, PMCID: PMC11221856, DOI: 10.1097/cld.0000000000000211.
Peer-Reviewed Reviews, Practice Guidelines, Standards, and Consensus Statements

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Clinical Trials

Current Trials

A Phase 3 Study Evaluating Long-term Efficacy and Safety of Lanifibranor in Adult Patients With (NASH) and Fibrosis 2 (F2)/Fibrosis 3 (F3) Stage of Liver Fibrosis (NATiV3)
IRB ID2000030905RoleSub InvestigatorPrimary Completion Date02/28/2024
Recruiting ParticipantsGenderBothAge18+ years
Liver

Academic Achievements & Community Involvement

Honors

honor
Edwin C. Cadman Award
06/04/2014Yale University AwardYale University School of Medicine, Internal Medicine Primary Care Residency Program
Details

Clinical Care

Overview

Simona Jakab, MD, specializes in digestive diseases. Her clinical focus is on treating liver and liver-related conditions, such as ascites, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), alcoholic cirrhosis, chronic liver disease, alcoholic hepatitis, acute and chronic liver failure, and hepatic encephalopathy. She is the firm chief of the Klatskin Liver Service in internal medicine.

In addition to her clinical work, Dr. Jakab’s research interests include cirrhosis and varices management, hepatic encephalopathy, hepatitis and liver transplantation, gastroenterology in the Department of Veterans Affairs, and pre-liver transplant dental protocols. Her work has also explored the side effects of hepatitis C medications and the relationship between hepatitis B exposure and the development of liver and pancreatic cancer.

A recipient of the Edwin C. Cadman Award, Dr. Jakab is an associate professor of medicine at Yale School of Medicine.

Hepatology

Fact Sheets

Cirrhosis
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Hepatitis B and C
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Fatty Liver Disease
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Radiofrequency Ablation (RFA)
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Board Certifications

Transplant Hepatology
Certification Organization
AB of Internal Medicine
Original Certification Date
2010
Gastroenterology
Certification Organization
AB of Internal Medicine
Latest Certification Date
2019
Original Certification Date
2009

Yale Medicine News

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News

Get In Touch

Contacts

simona.jakab@yale.edu

Academic Office Number

203.785.4138

Appointment Number

877.925.3637

Clinic Fax Number

203.737.1345

Mailing Address

Yale School of Medicine

Department of Medicine (Digestive Diseases), PO Box 208019

New Haven, CT 06520-8019

United States

Administrative Support

Kirsty Wohl
Senior Administrative Assistant

Locations

Patient Care Locations
Are You a Patient? View this doctor's clinical profile on the Yale Medicine website for information about the services we offer and making an appointment.
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Are You a Patient?

Additional Titles

Contact Info

Titles

Biography

Appointments

Digestive Diseases

Other Departments & Organizations

Education & Training

Overview

Medical Research Interests

ORCID

Research at a Glance

Yale Co-Authors

Jenn Batisti, MD

Carolina Borz-Baba, MD

Jeanette Tetrault, MD, FACP, FASAM

Lamia Y. K. Haque, MD, MPH

Paula Zimbrean, MD, FAPA, FACLP

Yanhong Deng

Publications

2026

2025

2024

Clinical Trials

Current Trials

Honors

Edwin C. Cadman Award

Overview

Clinical Specialties

Fact Sheets

Cirrhosis

Hepatitis B and C

Fatty Liver Disease

Radiofrequency Ablation (RFA)

Board Certifications

Transplant Hepatology

Gastroenterology

Yale Medicine News

Liver Disease and Alcohol: Is Binge Drinking To Blame?

Why Is Our Liver Health at Risk?

Are You a Patient?

News

Meet Elvis Eze, MD, Clinical Fellow, Digestive Diseases

Addressing Behavioral Health in Patients With End-stage Liver Disease

Department of Internal Medicine Promotions and Reappointments

‘Liver Home’ – A Multidisciplinary Program for Patients with Advanced Liver Disease

Contacts

Administrative Support

Locations

Patient Care Locations