Patient-derived liver models to test drugs and guide trial choices
Qualification of Patient-Derived Biomimetic Liver MPS as Drug Discovery Tools for Drug Metabolism, Toxicity, Drug Efficacy Testing and Clinical Trial Cohort Selection
This project builds lab-grown liver models from people with fatty liver disease to help predict drug safety and effectiveness for patients with NAFLD.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Pittsburgh, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11294212 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
We use liver cells from people with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) to create patient-specific, lab-grown liver systems that copy key liver structures and functions. These systems are made from induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived liver cells and include multiple liver cell types to reflect patient diversity. The team will test the models for four intended uses, like predicting drug metabolism, spotting toxicity, and helping pick trial groups, and work with the FDA to qualify the models as drug development tools. The work is coordinated at the University of Pittsburgh and uses samples from patients seen in the UPMC Fatty Liver, Obesity, and Wellness Clinic.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are people with NAFLD, especially patients seen at the UPMC Fatty Liver, Obesity, and Wellness Clinic or those willing to provide tissue or cell samples for research.
Not a fit: People without liver disease or those seeking immediate therapeutic treatment are unlikely to receive direct clinical benefit from this research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, these models could improve predictions of which medicines are safe and effective for people with NAFLD and help match patients to the most appropriate clinical trials.
How similar studies have performed: Related lab-grown liver systems and iPSC-derived liver cells have shown promise for predicting drug metabolism and toxicity, but qualifying them for regulatory use and accounting for NAFLD patient diversity is still emerging.
Where this research is happening
Pittsburgh, United States
- University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh — Pittsburgh, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Schurdak, Mark E — University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh
- Study coordinator: Schurdak, Mark E
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.