Grant recipient

Jorge Ruas

T.R.A.I.N., a novel target in Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD): Disease Mechanisms, Biomarkers, and Therapeutics

Grant amount: DKK 10,000,000

Jorge Ruas explains: “Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common chronic liver disease in the world. It is estimated to affect up to one third of the adult population in industrialized countries and 70-80% of obese patients with diabetes. Over one third of these patients progress into the most severe disease stage, nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). NASH dramatically impairs liver function and is a major risk factor for cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma, and cardiovascular disease. There are no approved pharmacological treatments for NASH and drug development is challenging since the mechanisms underlying its pathogenesis are not understood. There are no biomarkers to diagnose and monitor NAFLD/NASH progression. We have identified a protein with previously unknown function (TRAIN) and discovered that it is a major driver of inflammation and fibrogenesis. With this project we aim to understand how TRAIN leads to NALFD/NASH, to identify disease biomarkers and to develop novel therapies for NAFLD/NASH.”