Nanoparticle treatment to reduce liver scarring
Development and Preclinical Evaluation of Nanoformulations in Liver Fibrotic Mice
Researchers are developing nanoparticle-delivered drugs to help reduce liver scarring from alcohol-related and fatty liver disease.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Nebraska Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Omaha, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11292399 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This project makes tiny particle formulations of a new drug that blocks the Hedgehog signaling pathway and addresses microRNA changes linked to fatty and alcohol-related liver damage. The team is testing these nanoformulations in mice fed alcohol and high-fat diets that produce liver inflammation, fat buildup, and fibrosis to see if the treatment lowers collagen, inflammation, and restores insulin signaling. They will measure liver enzymes, tissue scarring, fat deposition, and molecular markers like GLI, SMAD7, and miR-96 to track effects. Successful preclinical results would inform whether the approach is safe and promising enough to move toward human testing.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: The eventual candidates for therapies developed from this work would be people with alcohol-related liver disease or fatty liver disease who have early to moderate liver fibrosis.
Not a fit: People with advanced cirrhosis, irreversible liver failure, or liver disease driven by causes not related to Hedgehog signaling or miR-96 are less likely to benefit from this approach.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to targeted treatments that reduce liver fibrosis and metabolic problems with more precise drug delivery and potentially fewer side effects.
How similar studies have performed: Related approaches using Hedgehog pathway inhibitors and nanoparticle delivery have shown promising results in animal models, but they remain largely unproven in human clinical trials.
Where this research is happening
Omaha, United States
- University of Nebraska Medical Center — Omaha, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Mahato, Ram I. — University of Nebraska Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Mahato, Ram I.
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.