How bile acids control fat absorption and fatty liver
Official title: Bile acid-mediated control of lipid absorption and fatty liver disease
Funded at University of California Los Angeles · NIH-11233245 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at whether changing liver bile acid genes can lower harmful fat buildup in people with or at risk for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
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 | December 15, 2023 |
| Project end | November 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $645,340 |
| NIH project number | 5R01DK138340-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11233245 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease or those at high risk because of obesity or diabetes would be the most likely candidates for future therapies coming from this work.
✕Less likely to help
People whose liver disease is primarily due to alcohol, viral hepatitis, or who already have advanced cirrhosis are less likely to benefit from the approaches targeted here.
What this research studies
The team is studying how bile acids in the gut help absorb different kinds of dietary fats and how that contributes to fatty liver disease. They use a liver-targeted AAV-CRISPR approach to switch off specific bile-acid-processing genes in experimental models to see how fat absorption and liver triglyceride levels change. Results will identify which genes and bile acid actions drive liver fat and point to targets for new drugs or gene-based therapies. The work is mostly preclinical but is focused on mechanisms directly relevant to people with NAFLD.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could lead to new treatments that reduce liver fat and help prevent progression to NASH or the need for liver transplant.
How similar studies have gone: Drugs that target bile acid signaling (for example FXR agonists) have shown some promise in lowering liver fat, but the liver-directed AAV-CRISPR gene-editing approach is largely new and remains preclinical.
Where this research is happening
-
University of California Los Angeles
Los Angeles, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Vallim, Thomas a — University of California Los Angeles
- Study coordinator: Vallim, Thomas a
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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.