A liver model that mimics real tissue to study how connective tissue structures change liver metabolism
Official title: A physiological and translational liver model to study the metabolism-modulating roles of extracellular matrix microstructures
Funded at University of Maryland Baltimore County · NIH-11375117 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A researcher team is developing a more advanced liver model to understand how liver tissue and its surrounding matrix affect metabolism, with the goal of helping future drug development.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Maryland Baltimore County NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Baltimore, United States) |
| Project start | August 10, 2022 |
| Project end | July 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $332,606 |
| NIH project number | 5R35GM146779-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11375117 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Not applicable (this is a preclinical model development grant; future human studies would follow after model validation).
✕Less likely to help
Direct patient benefit is unlikely during this preclinical phase.
What this research studies
This project aims to create a physiologically realistic liver model that includes multiple liver cell types, proper tissue architecture, and 3D extracellular matrix. By studying how fibrosis-like extracellular matrices alter hepatic metabolism, the work could reveal new metabolic targets for treating liver fibrosis. The technology is designed to be easier and less costly than current models, while reducing risks for human subjects in drug testing. The team will integrate innovative fabrication methods to faithfully recapitulate liver niche properties. The long-term goal is to improve predictions for how drugs behave in the human liver.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients could benefit from faster, safer, and more accurate drug testing and potentially new treatments for liver fibrosis.
How similar studies have gone: Similar liver-on-a-chip models exist, but this project aims to integrate full ECM architecture with multiple liver cell types to improve metabolic accuracy.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Maryland Baltimore County
Baltimore, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Chen, Chengpeng — University of Maryland Baltimore County
- Study coordinator: Chen, Chengpeng
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.