Understanding a natural substance to help fatty liver disease
Official title: Resolution of nonalcoholic fatty liver and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis by a novel adipokine
Funded at Univ of Massachusetts Med Sch Worcester · NIH-11180257 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This research explores how a natural substance found in fat tissue might help reduce liver fat and inflammation in people with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, or NASH.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Univ of Massachusetts Med Sch Worcester NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Worcester, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2024 |
| Project end | June 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $469,235 |
| NIH project number | 5R01DK140159-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11180257 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
This foundational research is for patients interested in the underlying causes and potential future treatments for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH).
✕Less likely to help
Patients without nonalcoholic fatty liver disease or NASH would not directly benefit from this specific research.
What this research studies
Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is a serious liver condition caused by fat buildup, inflammation, and scarring, which can lead to liver failure or cancer. Currently, there are no approved treatments for NASH, making new discoveries very important. Our team has found a natural substance, called an adipokine, that seems to help the liver burn fat and reduce new fat production. We believe this substance could offer a new way to treat NASH by resolving liver fat and inflammation.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to the development of a new and effective treatment for nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), a condition for which there are currently no approved therapies.
How similar studies have gone: Preliminary data from this research team show promising results in animal models, suggesting this approach has potential, though the specific adipokine and its mechanism are still being explored.
Where this research is happening
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Univ of Massachusetts Med Sch Worcester
Worcester, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Wang, Yong-Xu — Univ of Massachusetts Med Sch Worcester
- Study coordinator: Wang, Yong-Xu
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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.