Understanding how a specific protein affects liver disease caused by alcohol.
Official title: Regulation of the pro-fibrotic connective tissue growth factor in alcoholic liver disease: mechanisms and targeting approaches
Funded at Tulane University of Louisiana · NIH-10765653 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how a protein called Ctgf affects liver damage in people with alcohol-related liver problems, with the goal of finding new treatments that could help heal their livers.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Tulane University of Louisiana NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New Orleans, United States) |
| Project start | February 1, 2020 |
| Project end | January 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $333,189 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AA028035-06 |
| Project ID | NIH-10765653 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are individuals diagnosed with alcoholic liver disease or chronic liver disease characterized by fibrosis.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with liver disease not related to alcohol consumption or those with advanced cirrhosis may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates the role of connective tissue growth factor (Ctgf) in alcoholic liver disease, focusing on how it contributes to liver fibrosis and cirrhosis. The study aims to explore the mechanisms by which Ctgf promotes liver damage and to identify potential therapeutic approaches to target this protein. By examining the interactions between liver cells and Ctgf, researchers hope to develop new anti-fibrotic drugs that could slow or reverse liver damage in patients with chronic liver disease. This research is particularly relevant for individuals suffering from alcohol-induced liver injury.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to new treatments that prevent or reverse liver fibrosis in patients with alcoholic liver disease.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown promising results in targeting similar pathways in liver disease, indicating potential for success in this approach.
Where this research is happening
-
Tulane University of Louisiana
New Orleans, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Pi, Liya — Tulane University of Louisiana
- Study coordinator: Pi, Liya
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Microbiome and Innate Immune Response in Alcohol-Related Liver Disease
Researchers are studying how gut bacteria and the body's first-line immune defenses contribute to liver damage from alcohol, with a focus on how a specific bacteria and its toxins affect disease severity.
-
Lipotoxicity and Alcohol-Related Liver Disease
This project studies how fatty acids cause liver cell damage in alcohol-related liver disease to help develop new treatments.
-
NNMT as a Target to Treat Alcoholic Liver Disease
A study to see if blocking an enzyme called NNMT can help people with alcoholic liver disease.
-
How gut fungi may drive alcohol-related liver damage
Researchers are looking at whether specific fungi in the gut make liver damage from heavy drinking worse in people with alcohol-related liver disease.
-
Heat shock protein 90 and alcohol-related liver disease: how macrophages fuel inflammation
This project looks at how a cellular stress protein, HSP90, affects liver inflammation in people with alcohol-related liver disease by focusing on macrophages.
-
Why alcohol-related liver disease can come back after a transplant
Looking at whether an enzyme called CerS6 helps fat build up in the liver and whether measuring CerS6 can help detect or predict return of alcohol-related liver disease before or after a liver transplant.
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.