$300K Grant Awarded to Utica Research Institute to Investigate Liver Issues | Health

UTICA, N.Y. — The American Heart Association has awarded a $300,000 grant to support research at Masonic Medical Research Institute.

Led by Principal Investigator Zhiqiang Lin, Ph.D., the project focuses on protecting the liver and heart in patients with Metabolic Dysfunction Associated Steatotic Hepatitis (MASH).

MASH affects 14.9 million adults and is linked to cardiovascular issues like coronary artery disease and heart failure.

“Fatty liver disease is caused by fat building up in the liver due to both lifestyle and a person’s genetic composition. Typically, fatty liver development can lead to a fatty and fibrotic liver (MASH stage), which can ultimately result in liver failure,” according to MMRI. 

Lin’s research explores how the gene VGLL4 might slow MASH progression.

“We believe that VGLL4 acts like a circuit breaker molecule to protect the liver from the stress associated with Western diet,” Dr. Lin said. “This work could lead to new technologies that can help improve liver function, offering a critical new path for liver disease treatment.”

Maria Kontaridis, Ph.D., executive director, Gordon K. Moe professor and chair of biomedical research and translational medicine at MMRI, said that this research has the potential to help millions of patients. 

“We are incredibly grateful for this funding and look forward to the life-changing discoveries that will come from Dr. Lin and his lab,” Kontaridis added. 

For more NEWSChannel 2 coverage of MMRI, click on the linked stories below. 

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