Understanding liver damage from burns in older adults
Official title: Aging, Burn Trauma, and Liver Damage
Funded at University of Colorado Denver · NIH-10860503 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking into why older people tend to have more serious liver problems after getting burned, and it aims to find new ways to help them recover better by focusing on a specific protein that affects liver health.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Colorado Denver NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Aurora, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | September 10, 2024 |
| Project end | June 30, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $335,402 |
| NIH project number | 1R01GM153949-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-10860503 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are older adults who have experienced burn injuries and are at risk for liver damage.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who are younger and have not sustained burn injuries may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates the reasons why older individuals experience more severe liver damage after burn injuries and aims to develop new treatment strategies to mitigate this damage. The study focuses on the role of a specific protein, MCJ, which affects liver cell metabolism following burns, particularly in aged populations. By exploring the relationship between burn injuries and liver function, the research seeks to create innovative diagnostic methods for earlier detection of liver issues in burn patients. This project is essential due to the higher mortality rates observed in older burn victims, highlighting the need for targeted interventions.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to improved treatment options and better outcomes for older patients suffering from burn injuries.
How similar studies have gone: While the specific approach of targeting MCJ in burn-related liver damage is novel, similar studies have shown promise in understanding organ damage in older populations.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Colorado Denver
Aurora, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Idrovo, Juan Pablo — University of Colorado Denver
- Study coordinator: Idrovo, Juan Pablo
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Aging Well with HIV: Alcohol, Risk Reduction, and Education Center (AWAR3E)
A center at Yale is exploring how aging with HIV interacts with alcohol use to create inflammation and frailty, with the goal of finding biomarkers and potential treatments.
-
Cognitive SuperAging: Exploring why some octogenarians stay sharp in memory
This NIH grant studies why a small group of people aged 80+ keep memory skills as good as much younger people, hoping to understand how to protect memory as we age.
-
Biological aging across the lifespan through a national high school-to-adult study
This grant uses a long-running national study of students and adults to collect saliva biomarkers of aging, alongside surveys, to understand how aging markers relate to health and life experiences.
-
Understanding how aging and Alzheimer’s affect how people make tough choices
This NIH grant studies how aging and Alzheimer’s risk change how people decide between immediate and delayed rewards and risky options, with the goal of helping older adults stay financially and healthwise safer.
-
Understanding how brain resilience and multiple brain pathologies influence aging and Alzheimer's disease
A long-term study follows older adults to learn how resilience to brain changes helps reduce dementia risk and what biological factors are linked to better cognitive aging.
-
National Neighborhood Data Archive helps researchers study aging health in U.S. neighborhoods
A nationwide data resource will help researchers understand how where people live affects health and aging, with a focus on respiratory illnesses in older adults.
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.