Mission

The goal of the Duke Liver Center is to prevent death from liver disease. Death is caused by cirrhosis and liver cancer. Both cirrhosis and liver cancer develop when an injured liver is not able to repair, or regenerate, properly. Thus, the immediate solution to preventing death from liver disease lies in regenerative medicine.

The scope of the problem

The number of people who are known to have cirrhosis or liver cancer in the U.S. has increased dramatically in the last 25 years. Many people who have chronic viral hepatitis or obesity/diabetes-related liver disease do not realize that they have these conditions. Because of this, they have not yet been diagnosed and are not receiving the appropriate treatment.

Why Duke?

Duke GI Division faculty are already recognized as master liver clinicians and thought leader in liver research. We have the largest and most-well characterized human liver biobank in the world, and productive collaborations with local pathologists and genomics experts that are effectively exploiting this resource. Improved understanding of the processes that causes cirrhosis and liver cancer, coupled with our unique capabilities, will reduce death from liver disease by improving prevention, diagnosis and treatment.