NIH-funded research R01 grant

YAP signaling and liver fibrosis in people with HIV

Official title: YAP signaling in the pathogenesis of NAFLD in people living with HIV

Funded at Massachusetts General Hospital · NIH-11365056 · Data updated 2026-11-12

This project aims to understand how a cellular pathway called YAP drives liver disease in people living with HIV who have fatty liver and fibrosis.

More NAFLD research and trials

Quick facts

Grant typeR01 grant
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionMassachusetts General Hospital
NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Boston, United States)
Project startSeptember 26, 2023
Project endJuly 31, 2028
Funding year2026
Award (this year)$1,625,486
NIH project number4R01DK138474-04
Project IDNIH-11365056 on NIH RePORTER

Who could benefit from this research

Could help

Adults living with HIV who have NAFLD or NAFLD with fibrosis, especially those with liver-related progression risk.

Less likely to help

Patients without HIV or without NAFLD/NASH would not be the target of this study.

What this research studies

In people living with HIV, fatty liver disease progresses more quickly and can lead to serious liver damage. The study focuses on the YAP pathway, which controls cell growth and liver scarring, to see how it contributes to disease in the HIV context. Researchers will build on prior findings in humans and mouse models to explore how HIV infection and YAP signaling interact in the liver. Findings could identify new targets to slow or prevent fibrosis in PLWH with NAFLD. The work is conducted at Massachusetts General Hospital under the leadership of Dr. Raymond T. Chung over a five-year period.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, the research could lead to new ways to prevent or treat liver fibrosis in people living with HIV.

How similar studies have gone: Previous work supports a link between YAP signaling and liver fibrosis, with animal and human data suggesting promise for targeting this pathway.

Where this research is happening

  • Massachusetts General Hospital
    Boston, United States
    Active

Researchers

  • Principal investigator: Chung, Raymond T — Massachusetts General Hospital
  • Study coordinator: Chung, Raymond T

Related research

Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.
Last reviewed 2026-11-14 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.