Nanoparticle therapy to reduce alcohol-related liver scarring and cancer risk
Official title: Multifunctional Nanoparticle Platform to Prevent Alcohol-Associated HCC Development
Funded at Texas Engineering Experiment Station · NIH-11456681 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project is developing tiny particles that deliver anti-fibrotic medicine to livers damaged by heavy drinking to help reduce scarring and lower the chance of liver cancer.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R37 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Texas Engineering Experiment Station NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (College Station, United States) |
| Project start | July 3, 2023 |
| Project end | June 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $423,869 |
| NIH project number | 7R37CA283937-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11456681 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates would be adults living with alcohol-associated liver fibrosis or cirrhosis who are at increased risk for hepatocellular carcinoma.
✕Less likely to help
People without alcohol-related liver disease or those with end-stage decompensated liver failure unlikely to respond to anti-fibrotic therapy may not benefit from this approach.
What this research studies
Researchers are creating lipid-PLGA nanoparticles that target immune cells in the liver (Kupffer cells) and release anti-fibrotic drugs plus collagenase to help the medicine penetrate scarred tissue. The particles are designed to activate a receptor called Gpbar1 in those liver immune cells to calm inflammatory signals linked to cancer development. The combined approach aims to reduce fibrosis and the molecular signals that can lead to hepatocellular carcinoma. Current work is preclinical, using laboratory and animal models to test delivery, safety, and effects on fibrosis-related markers.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could shrink alcohol-related liver scarring and lower risk of hepatocellular carcinoma for people with alcohol-associated liver disease.
How similar studies have gone: Targeted nanoparticles and anti-fibrotic strategies have shown promise in lab and animal studies, but combining Gpbar1 activation with collagenase-enhanced delivery is a novel approach not yet tested in humans.
Where this research is happening
-
Texas Engineering Experiment Station
College Station, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Menon, Jyothi Unnikrishna — Texas Engineering Experiment Station
- Study coordinator: Menon, Jyothi Unnikrishna
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.