Genes behind fatty liver disease and NASH
Official title: Systems Genetics Dissection of Non-alcoholic Steatohepatitis
Funded at University of California Los Angeles · NIH-11333754 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at how specific genes change fatty liver disease and scarring to help guide better tests and treatments for people with NAFLD/NASH.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California Los Angeles NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Los Angeles, United States) |
| Project start | July 1, 2019 |
| Project end | March 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $653,703 |
| NIH project number | 5R01DK117850-07 |
| Project ID | NIH-11333754 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with NAFLD or NASH, especially those with liver fibrosis, would be the most likely candidates for future trials or tests based on these findings.
✕Less likely to help
People whose liver disease is caused primarily by alcohol or by unrelated conditions may not benefit from findings focused on NAFLD/NASH genetics.
What this research studies
Researchers are using genetic and molecular tools to find which genes drive nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and its inflammatory form, NASH. They measure RNA, proteins, and small molecules (omics) and then test the effects of altering those genes in mice to see whether liver inflammation and scarring goes down. The team is focusing on two genes (Mgp and Igfbp4) and will use liver-cell specific gene knockouts and sex-chromosome models to understand sex differences in disease. Findings are intended to point to new drug targets or blood tests that could one day help patients.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could identify gene targets or biomarkers that lead to new treatments or earlier detection to reduce liver inflammation and fibrosis in NAFLD/NASH patients.
How similar studies have gone: Previous mouse experiments by the team showed that changing Mgp and Igfbp4 levels reduced liver fibrosis in animals, but applying these results to humans has not yet been proven.
Where this research is happening
-
University of California Los Angeles
Los Angeles, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Lusis, Aldons Jake — University of California Los Angeles
- Study coordinator: Lusis, Aldons Jake
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Role of metabolic stress in NASH-related liver cancer
This grant explores how metabolic stress linked to NASH may drive liver cancer and looks for ways to interrupt that process to help patients.
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TREM2: a helper in liver inflammation and scarring in NASH
A new approach studies how a liver immune receptor called TREM2 helps protect against liver inflammation and scarring in people with fatty liver disease that can progress to NASH.
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Ex-vivo bioengineered liver cells to study NASH-related dysfunction
Researchers will use patient-derived stem cell–made liver cells in a lab setup to understand why NASH causes liver damage and how stiffness of the liver’s surroundings affects this process.
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How TREM2 on immune cells affects fatty liver disease (NASH)
This project looks at whether the immune protein TREM2 helps drive liver inflammation and scarring in people with NASH.
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New small-molecule medicines that stabilize Axin to treat non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH)
Trying new small-molecule drugs that stabilize Axin to lower liver fat and scarring for people with NASH.
-
How bile acids and sphingosine-1-phosphate affect fatty liver (NASH)
This project looks at how bile acids and a fat-signaling molecule called sphingosine-1-phosphate change liver cells in people with NASH to find new treatment leads.
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.