Approved Research

Heterogeneity of Chronic Liver Disease

Lay summary

We wish to identify genetic (genotypes, family history) and non-genetic (laboratory values, alcohol intake, body composition, nutrition, physical activity, sleep habits, smoking and existing non-liver disease such as hypertension, diabetes and other endocrine diseases) risk factors of chronic liver disease (CLD) and severe liver-related outcomes (hospitalization, cancer and death). Furthermore, we wish to examine the interaction between these individual risk factors in the manifestation of different phenotypes of CLD (i.e. severity and association with metabolic comorbidities such as dyslipidemia, diabetes and coronary artery disease).

We also wish to study the causality of the risk factors on severe liver-related outcomes (hospitalization, cancer and death) by using Mendelian randomization approaches. Finally, we wish to develop and validate tools for clinicians for identification of high-risk individuals for targeted and personalized interventions.

In addition, we wish to identify and assess causality of genetic (genotypes, family history) and non-genetic (laboratory values, alcohol intake, body composition, nutrition, physical activity, sleep habits, smoking and existing diseases) risk factors of chronic diseases that are related to liver diseases, such as chronic kidney disease.