Understanding how inflammation resolves after liver injury to improve transplant outcomes
Official title: Inflammation Resolution in Liver Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury
Funded at University of California Los Angeles · NIH-11594127 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A research project in humans and animals looks at how the liver heals after blood flow is temporarily cut off and then restored, which can affect transplant success and tumor surgery recovery.
Quick facts
| Grant type | P01 program project |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California Los Angeles NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Los Angeles, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2017 |
| Project end | July 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $377,498 |
| NIH project number | 5P01AI120944-10 |
| Project ID | NIH-11594127 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults undergoing liver surgery or transplantation or those with liver injury related to IRI.
✕Less likely to help
Patients not undergoing liver surgery/transplant or without liver ischemia-reperfusion injury are unlikely to benefit.
What this research studies
This grant studies the mechanisms by which the liver resolves inflammation after ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI), aiming to uncover how healing can fail or succeed after liver surgery or transplant. It uses animal models to explore immune cell roles, especially liver macrophages, and how anti-inflammatory strategies might affect healing. The findings could guide new approaches that support proper resolution of inflammation and reduce transplant rejection risk. The work centers on the timing and balance of inflammatory signals to restore healthy liver tissue after injury.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients undergoing liver surgery or transplantation may experience better healing and lower risk of rejection.
How similar studies have gone: Prior work in mice shows that specific liver macrophages drive timely inflammation resolution and impact tissue recovery.
Where this research is happening
-
University of California Los Angeles
Los Angeles, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Zhai, Yuan — University of California Los Angeles
- Study coordinator: Zhai, Yuan
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.