Finding new ways to detect liver scarring after a transplant
Novel Biomarkers for Post-Liver Transplant NASH Fibrosis
This project looks for new signs in your blood to help predict and understand liver scarring that can happen after a liver transplant for fatty liver disease.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Pittsburgh, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11094044 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Many people who receive a liver transplant for fatty liver disease can develop new liver scarring, called NASH fibrosis, afterward. This can be hard to detect early and manage effectively. Our team is working to find new ways to spot these changes using simple blood tests. We believe that by looking at tiny protein fragments in the blood, we can find early clues about who might develop this scarring and how it progresses. This could lead to better ways to manage your liver health after a transplant.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Patients who have undergone a liver transplant for fatty liver disease and are at risk for or have developed recurrent NASH fibrosis would be ideal candidates.
Not a fit: Patients who have not had a liver transplant or do not have fatty liver disease would likely not directly benefit from this specific research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to easier, less invasive tests to predict and monitor liver scarring after a transplant, allowing for earlier treatment.
How similar studies have performed: While the specific approach of using the ECM degradome for post-LT NASH fibrosis biomarkers is novel, the concept of using blood-based biomarkers for liver disease is an active area of research with some promising results.
Where this research is happening
Pittsburgh, United States
- University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh — Pittsburgh, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Arteel, Gavin E — University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh
- Study coordinator: Arteel, Gavin E
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 below.