Patient-derived stem cell models for fatty liver (NAFLD)
Establishing patient-derived iPSCs as a platform for discovery research in NAFLD
Researchers will use stem cells made from people with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease to find genes and cellular changes linked to the condition.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California, San Francisco NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (San Francisco, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11369249 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If I participate, researchers will turn donated patient cells into induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and then grow them into liver cell types to look for disease features in the lab. They will compare cells from 41 people with NAFLD and 19 controls across 15 transcriptomic, proteomic, and functional tests to create a disease scorecard. The team will grow cells alone and together and use CRISPR-based gene editing/screens to see which genes change the disease features. The resulting cell lines, data, and tools will be cataloged and shared with other liver researchers.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults with a diagnosis of NAFLD, especially those willing to provide blood or tissue samples or who have known genetic risk factors, would be the ideal contributors to this effort.
Not a fit: People without NAFLD or those seeking an immediate clinical treatment are unlikely to receive direct personal benefit from this lab-based discovery work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: This work could reveal genetic drivers and cellular targets that lead to new biomarkers or treatment approaches for NAFLD.
How similar studies have performed: iPSC-based liver models have helped reveal mechanisms in other liver and metabolic disorders, but applying CRISPR screens to patient-derived hepatocytes for NAFLD is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
San Francisco, United States
- University of California, San Francisco — San Francisco, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Maher, Jacquelyn J. — University of California, San Francisco
- Study coordinator: Maher, Jacquelyn J.
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.