VEGFA to boost bile-duct cell liver repair
Investigation of the role of VEGFA in harnessing cholangiocyte-driven liver regeneration
['FUNDING_R01'] · BOSTON MEDICAL CENTER · NIH-11324224
This project tests whether VEGFA can help bile-duct (cholangiocyte) cells become working liver cells to restore liver function for people with severe liver disease.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_R01'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | BOSTON MEDICAL CENTER (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (BOSTON, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11324224 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
You would be hearing about lab work aimed at helping the liver regrow by turning bile-duct cells into functional liver cells using a protein called VEGFA. Scientists will use animal models (zebrafish and mice) and cell experiments to see if changing VEGFA signaling encourages bile-duct cells to enter a progenitor state and become hepatocytes after injury. The team will search for drug-like ways to trigger this bile-duct-to-liver cell switch and study the mechanisms behind it. The long-term goal is to develop treatments that could help patients whose own liver cells can no longer regenerate.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with advanced or end-stage liver disease in whom normal hepatocyte-driven regeneration is exhausted would be the primary candidates for eventual therapies developed from this work.
Not a fit: Patients whose liver disease irreversibly destroys bile duct cell function or who need immediate transplantation for life-threatening failure may not benefit from this approach.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could lead to new therapies that stimulate bile-duct cells to rebuild liver tissue and reduce the need for liver transplants.
How similar studies have performed: Laboratory studies in mice and zebrafish have shown bile-duct cells can contribute to liver regeneration, but translating that finding into safe, effective human therapies remains novel and unproven.
Where this research is happening
BOSTON, UNITED STATES
- BOSTON MEDICAL CENTER — BOSTON, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: GOUON-EVANS, VALERIE B — BOSTON MEDICAL CENTER
- Study coordinator: GOUON-EVANS, VALERIE B
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 below.