Translational control of liver disease and cancer

Problem

The research of this group focuses on identifying the causes and factors that intervene in chronic liver disease, such as cirrhosis and liver cancer, which affect millions of people around the world. It is an essential line of work to identify the still unknown mechanisms that cause these diseases and to describe new therapeutic targets that can prevent and treat them.

The group’s ultimate goal is to reduce morbidity and mortality among patients suffering from chronic liver disease.

Approach

The group works in a cross-disciplinary way towards understand the functioning of angiogenesis (formation of blood vessels) in liver diseases. It is also exploring the mechanisms that favour obesity’s negative impact on liver diseases. And it is working to decipher the main mechanisms through which liver disease becomes liver cancer, and to apply our knowledge to the understanding, prevention and treatment of these diseases.

Impact

We perform pioneering research into the underlying causes of liver disease and cancer, which affect millions worldwide and are sharply rising due to the global epidemic of obesity. Our studies promote a paradigm shift towards translational control, which may enormously expand this area of research and create new opportunities to develop better treatments to combat liver disease, cancer, and obesity. Our commitment is to advance the translation of knowledge into diagnoses and therapies, working in tandem with experts in drug development and industrial partners.