Skip to content
Home page - Centenary Institute Centenary Institute

Primary menu

  • Research
        • Research

          The latest medical research into our most complex health challenges across cancer, cardiovascular disease and inflammation

          Learn more

        • Cancer
        • Inflammation
        • Cardiovascular
        • Programs
        • Laboratories
        • Diseases
        • Expertises
        • Services and instrumentation
  • Support us
        • Support us

          By supporting the Centenary Institute you can help improve human health through excellence in medical research

          Learn more

        • Workplace giving
        • Host or join a fundraiser
        • Gift in your Will
        • Donate in Memory
  • Impact
        • Impact

          Our research develops new diagnostics, treatments and cures for some of the most deadly and debilitating diseases affecting society today

          Learn more

        • Breakthroughs
        • Community and research
        • Real stories
  • Health hub
        • Health hub

          A range of practical information to assist in the possible preventions to disease through evidence-based research on how the body works.

          Learn more

        • Inflammation
        • The Good Gut Anti-Inflammatory Diet
        • Ageing
        • Exercise Snack Program
  • News & events
        • News & Events

          Explore the latest research breakthroughs and ways you can take part in our series of digital and in-person events

        • News
        • Events
        • Media Hub
  • About us
        • About us

          We are world-leading independent medical research institute that drives collaboration to accelerate and translate solutions to our most complex health challenges

          Learn more

        • Governance
        • Corporate information
        • Annual reports
        • Our researchers
        • Careers and studies
        • Contact
  • Donate
    Centenary Institute > News > Genetic risk test developed to predict alcohol-related cirrhosis of the liver

Genetic risk test developed to predict alcohol-related cirrhosis of the liver

Date time 24 October, 2021
News Type News type Media release
An international research group led by the Centenary Institute has developed a world first genetic risk score (GRS) test able to identify patients at high-risk of developing alcohol-related cirrhosis.

An international research group led by the Centenary Institute has developed a world first genetic risk score (GRS) test able to identify patients at high-risk of developing alcohol-related cirrhosis.

Cirrhosis (scarring of the liver) is responsible for approximately 300,000 deaths each year world-wide.

In their study the researchers found that a high GRS from the test of excessive alcohol consumers meant a three-fold increase in cirrhosis risk. The presence of diabetes together with a high GRS increased the cirrhosis risk among drinkers more than 10-fold.

Clinical Associate Professor Devanshi Seth (pictured), Head of the Centenary Institute’s Alcoholic Liver Disease Research Program and joint senior author of the study, said that only a minority of high-risk drinkers – approximately 10-15 percent – actually end up developing alcohol-induced cirrhosis. To date, however, there had been no way to identify those at-risk individuals.

“Our GRS test lets us identify at-risk individuals at an early stage enabling the application of focused interventions. Evidence suggests that even just informing excessive drinkers that they have an increased cirrhosis risk may motivate them to reduce their alcohol intake, helping prevent serious disease,” said Clinical Associate Professor Seth.

Dr John Whitfield from QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute and lead author of the study said the test had been developed by examining samples from patients with and without alcohol-related cirrhosis, but all with a history of heavy alcohol consumption.

“This was classified as men consuming more than 80 grams (8 standard drinks) of alcohol daily and women more than 50 grams daily, both for a time period of ten or more years.”

“Risk scores were computed by the analysis of up to eight gene variations and three clinical risk factors (including type 2 diabetes) associated with alcohol-related cirrhosis,” Dr Whitfield said.

“We’ve shown that a GRS based on only three genetic risk variants plus diabetes status can be extremely meaningful in determining overall cirrhosis risk. Our test will allow for early and personalised management of high-risk patients,” said Clinical Associate Professor Seth, also a Principal Scientist at the Edith Collins Centre, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney Local Health District.

The study, published in the Journal of Hepatology, was undertaken by the multi-national GenomALC Consortium with USA co-lead Dr Timothy R Morgan from the Southern California Institute of Research and Education; and funded by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) a part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), USA.

[ENDS]

Publication: A genetic risk score and diabetes predicts development of alcohol-related cirrhosis in drinkers.

Themes

  • Inflammation

    Inflammation

Programs

  • Alcoholic Liver Disease Program

Media enquires

For all media and interview enquiries, please contact Tony Crawshaw, Media and Communications Manager

Phone number Phone Number 0402 770 403

Email Email t.crawshaw@centenary.org.au

Media Release

Download

Recent Stories

  • Metastatic cancer research boosted

    Dr Dannel Yeo from the Centenary Institute and Clinical Associate Professor Kate Mahon from Chris O’Brien Lifehouse, have been awarded an inaugural Sydney Cancer Partners Translational Fellowship.
    News Type: Research News
    Date 03 Mar 2023
  • The Year That Made Me: Professor John Rasko

    Professor John Rasko AO, Head of the Gene and Stem Cell Therapy Program at the Centenary Institute has featured on the popular Radio National show Sunday Extra in the segment called ‘The Year That Made Me’.
    News Type: Media coverage
    Date 21 Feb 2023
  • Top abstract prize for gene therapy research

    Professor John Rasko AO and team have received the top scoring abstract award at the 16th Annual Congress of the European Association for Haemophilia and Allied Disorders in Manchester.
    News Type: Research News
    Date 15 Feb 2023
  • Event celebrates ‘The Good Gut Anti-Inflammatory Diet’

    The Centenary Institute has celebrated the publication of a new book, 'The Good Gut Anti-Inflammatory Diet’ at a special event, held at the Dymocks Bookstore, Sydney.
    News Type: Community
    Date 13 Feb 2023

Subscribe to receive news on
research updates and free events

Newsletter

The Centenary Institute is a world-leading independent Medical Research Institute.

We acknowledge the Gadigal of the Eora Nation, the traditional custodians of the Country on which the Centenary Institute stands.

About

  • About
  • Governance
  • Corporate information

Research

  • Programs
  • Our researchers
  • News
  • Media hub

Careers & studies

  • Career opportunities
  • Life at Centenary

Links

  • Contact
  • Privacy statement

Contact us

Building 93, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital
Missenden Rd
Camperdown NSW 2050 Australia
Telephone +61 2 9565 6100
Fax +61 2 9565 6101

Centenary Institute ABN 22 654 201 090 (DGR 1) • Centenary Institute Medical Research Foundation ABN 85 778 244 012 (DGR 2)
© 2017 Centenary Institute of Cancer Medicine and Cell Biology.

  • Linkedin
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Youtube
  • Instagram