LACTB2 and liver metabolism maturity in children and model systems
Official title: Elucidating the role of LACTB2 in liver metabolic development
Funded at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital · NIH-11450547 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers are studying a gene called LACTB2 to understand how a child's liver grows and develops its metabolism.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | St. Jude Children's Research Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Memphis, United States) |
| Project start | August 15, 2026 |
| Project end | June 30, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $682,894 |
| NIH project number | 1R01DK144257-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11450547 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Children with or at risk for liver development issues could benefit from insights into LACTB2-related pathways.
✕Less likely to help
Healthy children with fully mature livers or conditions unrelated to liver maturation may not benefit.
What this research studies
This project investigates how the liver matures after birth by looking at metabolic pathways and regulatory signals. It uses time-based metabolomic profiling in mouse models to map changes from newborn to adult and connects those findings to human liver biology. The team has observed that LACTB2 levels rise during key maturation periods and that altering LACTB2 can disrupt liver development in mice, suggesting this gene helps the liver mature properly. By linking metabolic changes to liver growth, the study aims to uncover targets that could support healthier liver development in children.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, findings could inform new approaches to support healthy liver maturation in pediatric patients.
How similar studies have gone: Prior work showed LACTB2 involvement in liver maturation in model systems, with some indications of similar metabolic regulators guiding maturation.
Where this research is happening
-
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
Memphis, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ni, Min — St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
- Study coordinator: Ni, Min
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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.