Frataxin's role in protecting the liver from MASLD-related injury
Official title: Role of frataxin in liver injury
Funded at Georgia State University · NIH-11567549 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This grant studies how a mitochondrial helper protein, frataxin, affects liver damage in people with MASLD (a common liver disease), with the aim of finding new ways to prevent or reduce injury.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Georgia State University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Atlanta, United States) |
| Project start | August 6, 2025 |
| Project end | May 31, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $550,649 |
| NIH project number | 7R01DK140441-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11567549 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with MASLD (non-alcoholic fatty liver disease spectrum) who would be eligible for future translational studies or trials.
✕Less likely to help
Individuals without MASLD or with completely unrelated liver conditions may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
MASLD is a broad liver disease with limited treatments, and mitochondria are thought to drive the damage by disrupting fat metabolism and increasing stress. This project investigates frataxin (FXN), a protein involved in iron handling in mitochondria, and how its levels influence liver injury in MASLD. The team has preliminary data showing FXN is lower in MASLD samples and that FXN may protect against liver injury in early models. By combining human tissue observations with animal models, they hope to clarify FXN’s role and whether boosting FXN could mitigate liver damage. The findings could point to new therapeutic strategies to preserve liver function in MASLD patients.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could lead to new approaches that protect the liver in MASLD by supporting mitochondrial function and iron-handling pathways.
How similar studies have gone: Preliminary data suggest FXN involvement in MASLD, but this specific approach is exploratory and builds on limited prior direct study in metabolic liver disease.
Where this research is happening
-
Georgia State University
Atlanta, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: He, Peijian — Georgia State University
- Study coordinator: He, Peijian
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.