Understanding how alcohol affects liver cell communication through tiny vesicles
Official title: A molecular mechanism of extracellular vesicle production by alcoholic livers andthe functional impact
Funded at Tulane University of Louisiana · NIH-11076838 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how drinking too much alcohol can harm your liver, focusing on tiny particles that cells release and how a natural cleanup process in the body affects them, with the goal of finding new ways to help people with alcohol-related liver problems.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Tulane University of Louisiana NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New Orleans, United States) |
| Project start | May 1, 2024 |
| Project end | April 30, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $181,688 |
| NIH project number | 5R21AA031033-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11076838 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are individuals with a history of chronic alcohol consumption and related liver conditions.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who do not consume alcohol or have liver diseases unrelated to alcohol may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates how chronic alcohol consumption leads to liver damage by focusing on the role of extracellular vesicles (EVs), which are small particles released by cells. The study aims to uncover the mechanisms behind increased EV production in alcoholic liver disease (ALD) and how this process is influenced by autophagy, a cellular cleanup process. By examining these pathways, the researchers hope to identify potential targets for new therapies to treat or prevent liver injury caused by alcohol. Patients may benefit from insights that could lead to improved diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for alcohol-related liver diseases.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to new treatments for patients suffering from alcohol-related liver diseases.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown that understanding the role of extracellular vesicles in liver diseases can lead to significant advancements in treatment approaches.
Where this research is happening
-
Tulane University of Louisiana
New Orleans, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Yin, Xiao-Ming — Tulane University of Louisiana
- Study coordinator: Yin, Xiao-Ming
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Center for Youth Equity: A Community Path to Prevent Youth Violence
A Tulane-led effort partners with communities to reduce youth violence by addressing racism, strengthening local youth voices, and building sustainable prevention strategies.
-
Breeding colony expansion to support HIV/AIDS research with rhesus macaques
A funding opportunity to expand a specialized Rhesus macaque breeding population to support HIV/AIDS research at Tulane’s primate facility.
-
HIV Resilience Observatory in a rhesus macaque colony expansion
A program to build a rhesus macaque breeding colony and use AI-powered monitoring to study why some HIV/AIDS outcomes differ among individuals with similar backgrounds.
-
Indoor-Outdoor Housing Expansion to Support HIV/AIDS-Related Research
A HIV-focused project at a primate research center will use new indoor/outdoor housing and AI-assisted monitoring to study why people with similar backgrounds can have very different HIV outcomes.
-
Whole-body and organ aging clocks from blood proteomics during calorie restriction
This project follows people in long-term calorie restriction studies to see how blood proteins reflect aging across the whole body and specific organs.
-
Unlocking new vaccine ideas by studying ETEC biofilms
A medical research project at Tulane aims to learn how ETEC bacteria form biofilms and how this could lead to a better vaccine for children in low- and middle-income countries.
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.