Damaged telomeres and telomerase in liver scarring and liver cancer
Official title: Telomere Dysfunction and Telomerase Reactivation in the Etiology and Progression of Liver Cancer
Funded at Utah State Higher Education System--University of Utah · NIH-11471612 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Using human stem-cell models, researchers look at how short telomeres and telomerase changes can lead to liver scarring and liver cancer for people with telomere-related risks.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Utah State Higher Education System--University of Utah NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Salt Lake City, United States) |
| Project start | December 13, 2021 |
| Project end | November 30, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $317,048 |
| NIH project number | 7R01CA258386-06 |
| Project ID | NIH-11471612 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with inherited telomerase or telomere mutations, unexplained early liver fibrosis, or a high risk of hepatocellular carcinoma would be most relevant to this line of research.
✕Less likely to help
Patients whose liver disease is caused by factors unrelated to telomere biology, or those needing immediate clinical treatment rather than basic research, may not benefit directly from this project.
What this research studies
From a patient perspective, the team uses human pluripotent stem cells engineered to carry telomerase or telomere defects to grow different types of liver cells in the lab. They compare cells with normal telomeres to cells with short or mutated telomeres to see how DNA damage builds up and which cell types fail. The project also examines common TERT promoter mutations that reactivate telomerase to understand how that change may drive cell transformation toward cancer. The goal is to map the signaling steps from telomere damage to fibrosis and hepatocellular carcinoma so researchers can target those steps in future tests and therapies.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reveal why telomere damage leads to liver fibrosis and cancer and point to targets for earlier detection or new treatments.
How similar studies have gone: Animal models and genetic studies have previously linked telomere shortening and TERT promoter mutations to liver disease, but applying human pluripotent stem-cell models to study the process in human liver cell types is a newer and less-tested approach.
Where this research is happening
-
Utah State Higher Education System--University of Utah
Salt Lake City, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Batista, Luis Francisco Zirnberger — Utah State Higher Education System--University of Utah
- Study coordinator: Batista, Luis Francisco Zirnberger
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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.