Understanding and Treating Fatty Liver Disease

Clinical Research on Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

NIH-funded research University of California, San Diego · NIH-11166644

This project aims to find better ways to understand, diagnose, and treat fatty liver disease, which affects many adults and children.

Quick facts

Grant typeU01 cooperative agreement
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionUniversity of California, San Diego NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (La Jolla, United States)
Project IDNIH-11166644 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

Fatty liver disease, now called MASLD, affects a large number of adults and children in the United States. For some, it can progress to a more serious form called MASH, which can lead to liver damage and other severe health problems. Currently, there are no approved medicines specifically for MASH. This long-standing research network is working to find effective treatments and develop better ways to detect the disease and predict how it might progress.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Individuals with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), also known as nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), including both adults and children, are the focus of this work.

Not a fit: Patients without MASLD or NAFLD would not directly benefit from this specific research.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to new medicines and improved diagnostic tools for individuals living with fatty liver disease.

How similar studies have performed: The NASH CRN has been actively working since 2002, successfully characterizing the natural history of MASLD and developing diagnostics, indicating a track record of progress in this area.

Where this research is happening

La Jolla, United States

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Last reviewed 2026-06-15 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.