How TRIB1 controls liver metabolism
Molecular Mechanisms of TRIB1 Regulation of Hepatic Metabolism
Researchers are looking at how the gene TRIB1 influences liver fat and blood cholesterol in people at risk for fatty liver and heart disease.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Columbia University Health Sciences NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11384434 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Scientists will use mouse models and liver cells to study how TRIB1 controls lipid handling in the liver. They will test whether increasing TRIB1 in the liver lowers blood lipids in preclinical models of metabolic disease. The team will examine whether TRIB1 promotes the degradation of the transcription factor C/EBPα in hepatocytes to explain its effects. Results aim to clarify whether targeting TRIB1 could be a path toward treatments for fatty liver, high cholesterol, and related heart disease.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Although the grant focuses on laboratory and animal experiments rather than enrolling people, the results would be most relevant to people with high cholesterol, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), or coronary artery disease.
Not a fit: People without metabolic, liver, or cardiovascular conditions are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this research in the near term.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new ways to reduce liver fat and blood lipids that might lead to therapies for fatty liver disease and cardiovascular risk.
How similar studies have performed: Previous mouse studies have shown that changing Trib1 levels alters liver lipids and blood cholesterol, but translating these findings into human treatments has not yet been demonstrated.
Where this research is happening
New York, United States
- Columbia University Health Sciences — New York, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Bauer, Robert Clayton — Columbia University Health Sciences
- Study coordinator: Bauer, Robert Clayton
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 below.