
Our lab has a long standing interest in liver injury and repair. To learn more about the mechanisms that regulate this process, we study cultured cells, animal models of acute and chronic liver damage and samples from patients with various types of liver disease. Our group also conducts clinical trials in patients with chronic liver disease. We are particularly interested in fatty liver diseases, such as alcoholic fatty liver disease and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).
Research by our group has advanced understanding in two main areas: 1) immune system regulation of liver injury and regeneration and 2)the role of fetal morphogens, such as the hedgehog pathway, in regulating fibrotic responses to liver damage. Our basic research programs have been enjoyed continuous NIH support since 1989. We welcome students, post-doctoral fellows and visiting scientists who have interests in this research area to contact us about training opportunities and potential collaborations.
Since 2001 we have also been an active participant in the NIDDK-funded Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis Clinical Research Network (NASH CRN), a national consortium comprised of 8 university medical centers selected to generate a national registry for patients with NAFLD and to conduct multicenter treatment trials for this disorder. We are actively recruiting patients for this program, as well as a number of other industry-supported NAFLD studies.
Education and Training
- Fellow in Gastroenterology, Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, 1981 - 1984
- Medical Resident, Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, 1978 - 1981
- M.D., Georgetown University, 1978
Grants
- Prediction and Prevention of Hepatic Decompensation in Patients with Cirrhosis
- Madrigal 3196-18 A 52-Week, Phase 3 Open-Label Extension Study, with a Resmetirom (MGL-3196) in Patients with Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD), MAESTRO-NAFLD-Open-Label-Extension
- Hippo-Yap Pathway, Ferroptosis of Hepatic Stellate Cells and Liver Fibrosis
- A multidisciplinary study of biological disparities in NASH progression and response to statins to inform personalized liver cancer chemoprevention in NAFLD
- TNF Alpha and Recovery from Alcoholic Liver Injury
- Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis Clinical Research Network (NASH CRN)
- Duke CTSA (TL1) Year 5
- Is Heart Failure with Preserved Edection Fraction the Symptomatic Manifestation of Liver Disease
- Hedgehog Signaling and Adult Liver Regeneration
- Building Interdisciplinary Research Careers in Women's Health
- Postdoctoral Training in Genomic Medicine Research