Liver energy imbalance (NADH) and the driver ChREBP in fatty liver and high blood fats
Official title: An NADH-ChREBP axis in fatty liver disease and dyslipidemia
Funded at Massachusetts General Hospital · NIH-11247909 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project aims to lower a liver chemical called NADH to see if that reduces liver fat and improves blood fat levels for people with alcoholic or non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Massachusetts General Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | February 15, 2023 |
| Project end | November 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $502,691 |
| NIH project number | 5R01DK134675-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11247909 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with alcoholic or non-alcoholic fatty liver disease—especially those with high liver fat or genetic risk like the GCKR P446L variant—would be the most likely candidates for related therapies.
✕Less likely to help
Patients whose liver disease stems from causes like advanced cirrhosis, viral hepatitis, or non-metabolic damage may not benefit from therapies targeting hepatic NADH.
What this research studies
From my perspective, the team is studying why excess NADH in liver cells leads to fat buildup in the liver and higher blood lipids. They link human genetics (a common GCKR variant) and observations in patients to experiments in mice that manipulate NADH using a tool called LbNOX. The researchers focus on how NADH turns on a fat-promoting switch in cells called ChREBP and how blocking that process affects liver fat and blood lipids. The work is largely done at Massachusetts General Hospital and could point to ways to target NADH for future treatments.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new treatments that lower liver NADH to reduce fatty liver and improve blood lipid levels.
How similar studies have gone: Early genetic and animal studies support the link between NADH, ChREBP, and liver fat, but human treatment trials have not yet been done.
Where this research is happening
-
Massachusetts General Hospital
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Goodman, Russell Paul — Massachusetts General Hospital
- Study coordinator: Goodman, Russell Paul
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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.