Plasma membrane rupture in alcohol-associated hepatitis
Funded at Tulane University of Louisiana · NIH-11423664 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This grant explores how bile flow problems in alcohol-related liver disease might drive a specific cell-damage process, with the goal of finding new ways to help people with severe liver disease.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Tulane University of Louisiana NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New Orleans, United States) |
| Project start | September 26, 2025 |
| Project end | August 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $181,688 |
| NIH project number | 5R21AA031728-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11423664 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are adults with alcohol-related liver disease or alcohol-associated hepatitis in whom new diagnostics or treatments could be developed from the researchers’ findings.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without cholestasis or without the specific pathway investigated may not directly benefit from these findings.
What this research studies
Alcohol-associated hepatitis can be life-threatening and often involves cholestasis, which may worsen outcomes. The research will look at how cell membrane rupture, a damaging form of cell death, occurs in liver cells during ALD and whether cholestasis promotes this process. By studying the mechanisms in preclinical models, the project aims to identify potential targets for diagnosis and therapy that could translate to patients with AH. The work focuses on two aims: understanding the role of membrane rupture in ALD and how cholestasis influences this process in hepatocytes.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could lead to new diagnostic markers and therapies that reduce liver damage in people with alcohol-associated hepatitis.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies have shown that membrane rupture and inflammatory cell death contribute to liver injury, but the exact role of cholestasis in promoting PMR in ALD is not yet defined.
Where this research is happening
-
Tulane University of Louisiana
New Orleans, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Yan, Shengmin — Tulane University of Louisiana
- Study coordinator: Yan, Shengmin
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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.