Understanding a Hormone's Role in Liver Fat
CTRP and Metabolic Control
This research explores how a hormone called CTRP1 helps control fat in the liver, which could lead to new ways to help people with fatty liver disease.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Johns Hopkins University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Baltimore, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11189709 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Our bodies carefully manage how fat is made and used in the liver, but sometimes this process goes wrong, leading to liver problems. While we know a lot about how insulin affects liver fat, we need to learn more about hormones that can reduce fat production and increase fat burning. This project focuses on CTRP1, a hormone we discovered, and its important role in regulating liver fat metabolism. We are studying how CTRP1 works using advanced models to understand its effects on liver health. This work aims to uncover new ways to protect the liver from excessive fat buildup.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: This foundational research is for future patients who may be at risk for or are living with fatty liver disease, including non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH).
Not a fit: Patients without liver fat issues or metabolic conditions related to lipid metabolism may not directly benefit from this specific research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to new treatments or strategies for preventing and managing fatty liver diseases like NAFLD and NASH.
How similar studies have performed: Our team has previously identified and characterized other hormones in the CTRP family, building a strong foundation for this focused work on CTRP1.
Where this research is happening
Baltimore, United States
- Johns Hopkins University — Baltimore, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Wong, Guang William — Johns Hopkins University
- Study coordinator: Wong, Guang William
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.