Liver Disease
Chronic Liver damage affects up to 20% of our population. It has many causes - viral infections (Hepatitis B and C), toxins, genetic, metabolic and autoimmune diseases.
Recently the onset of liver disease has also been linked to diabetes and obesity, two health problems which are increasing significantly in Australia.
Liver cancer, which is often caused by chronic liver damage, is one of the fastest growing diseases in our community. The rate of liver cancer in Australia has increased four-fold in the past 20 years. Sadly this trend is expected to continue.
An increased understanding of the liver diseases that lead to cancer and chronic liver failure is essential in bringing forth new treatments.
The Centenary institute is working on liver health and disease from three key perspectives.
- Investigating the unique immune response of the liver in a bid to further improve liver transplantation and find new, more effective ways to clear chronic infections such as Hepatitis B&C from the liver.
- Investigating how damage caused to the liver leads to liver failure or liver cancer in the hope that we can develop new treatment targets and prevent these diseases from worsening over time.
- Investigating the structure and function of a group of enzymes that we hold the world wide patents for. We believe these enzymes have a unique role in causing liver injury and cancer
For more information on the work Centenary Institute's researchers are doing on liver disease, visit:
