Heat shock protein 90 and alcohol-related liver disease: how macrophages fuel inflammation
Official title: Heat shock protein 90 in alcoholic liver disease: targeting macrophage Function
Funded at Univ of Massachusetts Med Sch Worcester · NIH-11374847 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at how a cellular stress protein, HSP90, affects liver inflammation in people with alcohol-related liver disease by focusing on macrophages.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Univ of Massachusetts Med Sch Worcester NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Worcester, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2009 |
| Project end | June 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $587,239 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AA017986-15 |
| Project ID | NIH-11374847 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with alcohol-related liver disease or at risk for ALD who could be involved in future translational studies or clinical trials.
✕Less likely to help
If your liver disease is not related to alcohol or you are not a candidate for macrophage-targeted therapies, you may not benefit from this line of research.
What this research studies
If you have alcohol-related liver disease, this research aims to understand how liver immune cells called macrophages contribute to inflammation. Scientists are studying two forms of the protein HSP90 and how blocking or modifying them in liver cells might change disease progression. The work uses animal models and approaches that target liver cells with an inhibitor delivered by nanoparticles, exploring how this affects inflammation and liver injury. The goal is to uncover mechanisms that could lead to new strategies to reduce liver damage in patients with ALD.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: A better understanding of HSP90’s role could lead to new therapies that reduce liver inflammation and injury in alcoholic liver disease.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work shows that targeting HSP90 in liver inflammation can modulate immune responses and reduce injury in experimental models, suggesting potential for human benefit.
Where this research is happening
-
Univ of Massachusetts Med Sch Worcester
Worcester, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Mandrekar, Pranoti — Univ of Massachusetts Med Sch Worcester
- Study coordinator: Mandrekar, Pranoti
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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.