How bone marrow cells react to long‑term liver disease and how this affects inflammation
Official title: Hematopoietic Stem Cell(HSC) response to chronic liver disease and their role in systemic inflammation
Funded at Tulane University of Louisiana · NIH-11450458 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This grant looks at how chronic liver disease changes bone marrow and drives body-wide inflammation, with the goal of finding safer ways to calm that inflammation.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Tulane University of Louisiana NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New Orleans, United States) |
| Project start | August 10, 2026 |
| Project end | April 30, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $673,261 |
| NIH project number | 1R01DK144206-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11450458 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Patients with chronic liver disease or acute-on-chronic liver failure could potentially benefit from future therapies developed from this research.
✕Less likely to help
The immediate study does not enroll patients; future phases would determine direct patient benefits.
What this research studies
Chronic liver disease often leads to systemic inflammation and organ failure, and this project studies how stress from liver injury changes bone marrow and triggers inflammatory cells to move into the bloodstream. The researchers have found that a liver-produced chemical called CCL2 helps drive this process, and blocking its signaling reduces harmful inflammation in preclinical models. The study uses multiple models of liver injury to uncover mechanisms and tests interventions that could limit inflammation with fewer side effects than current therapies. If successful, these insights could guide new treatments for patients with advanced liver disease and prevent organ failure.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could pave the way for targeted therapies that reduce systemic inflammation in chronic liver disease with fewer infections or malignancies compared to broad immunosuppression.
How similar studies have gone: Preclinical studies and human autopsy samples support the translational relevance of the findings, suggesting potential applicability to people with liver disease.
Where this research is happening
-
Tulane University of Louisiana
New Orleans, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Khambu, Bilon — Tulane University of Louisiana
- Study coordinator: Khambu, Bilon
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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.