Investigating how certain bacteria contribute to liver disease caused by alcohol use
Official title: The role of pathobionts in alcoholic liver disease
Funded at VA San Diego Healthcare System · NIH-10950315 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how certain bacteria in the gut might make liver problems worse for people with alcohol use disorder, and it aims to find new ways to help those dealing with liver issues.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | VA San Diego Healthcare System NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (San Diego, United States) |
| Project start | October 1, 2018 |
| Project end | September 30, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| NIH project number | 5I01BX004594-07 |
| Project ID | NIH-10950315 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are individuals diagnosed with alcohol use disorder or alcoholic hepatitis.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with liver disease not related to alcohol use or those without any liver conditions may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research explores the connection between alcohol use disorder and liver disease, particularly focusing on how specific bacteria in the gut may worsen liver inflammation and damage. By analyzing fecal samples from patients, the study uses advanced genetic sequencing techniques to identify harmful bacterial factors that are more prevalent in those with alcoholic hepatitis. The goal is to understand how these bacteria influence liver health and potentially lead to new treatment strategies for affected individuals.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to new therapies that target harmful gut bacteria, improving liver health for patients with alcohol-related liver disease.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown promising results in understanding the role of gut bacteria in liver disease, suggesting that this approach could yield valuable insights.
Where this research is happening
-
VA San Diego Healthcare System
San Diego, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Schnabl, Bernd G. — VA San Diego Healthcare System
- Study coordinator: Schnabl, Bernd G.
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Microbiome and Innate Immune Response in Alcohol-Related Liver Disease
Researchers are studying how gut bacteria and the body's first-line immune defenses contribute to liver damage from alcohol, with a focus on how a specific bacteria and its toxins affect disease severity.
-
Lipotoxicity and Alcohol-Related Liver Disease
This project studies how fatty acids cause liver cell damage in alcohol-related liver disease to help develop new treatments.
-
NNMT as a Target to Treat Alcoholic Liver Disease
A study to see if blocking an enzyme called NNMT can help people with alcoholic liver disease.
-
How gut fungi may drive alcohol-related liver damage
Researchers are looking at whether specific fungi in the gut make liver damage from heavy drinking worse in people with alcohol-related liver disease.
-
Heat shock protein 90 and alcohol-related liver disease: how macrophages fuel inflammation
This project looks at how a cellular stress protein, HSP90, affects liver inflammation in people with alcohol-related liver disease by focusing on macrophages.
-
Why alcohol-related liver disease can come back after a transplant
Looking at whether an enzyme called CerS6 helps fat build up in the liver and whether measuring CerS6 can help detect or predict return of alcohol-related liver disease before or after a liver transplant.
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.