Liver Cell Biology

Project Leaders: Dr Nick Shackel and Dr Fiona Warner

Our aim is to understand the development of liver disease, particularly the development of inflammation and scar tissue within the liver and the eventual development of liver cancer. We hope to develop novel diagnostic and prognostic tests to help us individualise and personalise the management of liver disease.

Research focus

Our research work is focused on three main areas. Firstly, we are working to understand the role of the main cell within the liver, the hepatocyte, and its role in the formation of scar tissue and eventual cirrhosis following injury. This injury response is common to many types of liver disease and eventually leads to liver cancer. Our research has focused in particular on a molecule EMMPRIN that we discovered using functional genomics technologies to be instrumental in the formation of liver scar tissue, cirrhosis and liver cancer.

Secondly, we are looking at the function of stem cells originating from the bone marrow in response to liver injury. In particular, investigating if stem cells have both a role in which they contribute to liver injury as well as having a beneficial task. Our research has a focus on the possible involvement of bone marrow derived stem cells in the development of liver cancer.

Thirdly, we are utilising functional genomics technologies to understand the development of liver injury with the eventual aim of developing novel diagnostic and prognostic tests. This technology enables us to examine the whole human genome of over 25 thousand genes in a single experiment and we have pioneered the use of both gene arrays and the use of CD antibody arrays in understanding liver disease development.