Sex differences in liver cells and fatty liver disease
Official title: Characterizing zonated hepatocyte sexual dimorphism and its role in fatty liver disease
Funded at University of California, San Francisco · NIH-11257684 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at how male and female livers differ at the cell level and how those differences relate to fatty liver disease in adults.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California, San Francisco NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (San Francisco, United States) |
| Project start | February 1, 2023 |
| Project end | January 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $485,750 |
| NIH project number | 5R01DK131227-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11257684 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults aged 21 and over with or at risk for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, and adults who can provide liver tissue samples, would be most relevant for participation.
✕Less likely to help
Children under 21 and people without liver disease risk factors or those seeking an immediate treatment are unlikely to directly benefit from this basic science-focused project.
What this research studies
Scientists will map which genes are active in liver cells across the liver's zones and compare those patterns between men and women. They will use human liver tissue, molecular profiling, and laboratory models to see how systemic signals (like hormones) and local signals in the liver create sex-specific patterns. The team will link these zonated, sex-specific patterns to changes seen in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and in liver injury models. Results are intended to show which cell types and lobule locations drive sex differences in disease risk and outcomes.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help develop sex-tailored approaches to prevent, diagnose, or treat non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has documented sex differences in the liver and zonation separately and early data suggest zonated sex differences exist, but applying zonation to NAFLD is a relatively new approach.
Where this research is happening
-
University of California, San Francisco
San Francisco, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Wang, Bruce Mao Zheng — University of California, San Francisco
- Study coordinator: Wang, Bruce Mao Zheng
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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.