2017 Participants
Emma Corbin
Fibrosis of the liver is the build-up of scar tissue involved in most chronic liver diseases that is initiated by the activation/ differentiation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs). Defining molecular pathways that lead to stellate cell activation is essential to direct the development of pharmaceuticals to therapeutically intervene in liver diseases.
In collaboration with the Fibrosis Group at Newcastle University the Kenneth Lab has identified a link between the stimulation of the hypoxia inducible family of transcription factors referred to as HIF and the activation of stellate cells. Here we investigated how HIF signaling is “switched on” during HSC differentiation and what role it plays in the fibrotic phenotype.
Funding source: Wellcome Trust
Supervisor: Dr Niall Kenneth