World Liver Day!
April 19 is World Liver Day. Learn why you should love your liver
Research
We are at the forefront of developing new treatments and therapies to stop, prevent and reverse liver disease
With a patient-centered approach, the Stravitz-Sanyal Institute will transform lives through translational science. Our team of highly specialized physician-scientists conducts cutting-edge investigations through bench research and clinical trials across a broad spectrum of diseases and conditions related to the liver.
Explore our researchers’ publications in the following areas:
- Alcohol-induced hepatitis
- Alcohol-induced liver disease
- Cirrhosis
- Complications of liver disease
- Decompensating liver disease
- Hepatitis B
- Hepatitis C
- Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)
- Hepato-renal syndrome (HRS)
- Liver transplant
- Metabolic disease (e.g., diabetes, hypertension, obesity)
- Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MAFLD), formerly known as NAFLD
- Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH), formerly known as NASH
- Primary biliary cholangitis (PBC)
- Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC)
As the institute grows, our next step is to apply gene manipulation therapy, a modern medical breakthrough, to bedside treatment for the liver without invasive surgery or medication. This advancement will have immediate benefits to patients here in the Richmond area and impact how we understand and treat the liver worldwide.
Featured Publications
Undiagnosed Cirrhosis in Veterans With Dementia
1 of 10 veterans diagnosed with dementia may instead have cognitive decline from cirrhosis.
It can be difficult for physicians to differentiate dementia from the cognitive decline caused by hepatic encephalopathy. If undetected, patients may not receive appropriate treatment that can reverse or halt the impairment. In JAMA Network Open, Jasmohan Bajaj, M.D., reports on the prevalence and risk factors of undiagnosed cirrhosis and potential encephalopathy in veterans with dementia. The results showed that as many as 10% of older U.S. veterans diagnosed with dementia may suffer instead from this reversible cognitive decline.
Non-invasive biomarkers of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis: The FNIH NIMBLE project
Diagnosing early-stage NASH is difficult, invasive and expensive. In this letter to the editor of Nature Medicine, Arun Sanyal, M.D., and colleagues describe how the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health (FNIH) Biomarkers Consortium plans to develop “reliable non-invasive tools for the diagnosis, risk stratification and monitoring of the course of NAFLD.”
A placebo-controlled trial of subcutaneous semaglutide in nonalcoholic steatohepatitis
There are currently no approved therapies for NASH. In this study published in The New England Journal of Medicine, Arun Sanyal, M.D., and an international group of researchers showed that once-daily treatment with semaglutide helped resolve key tissue-related signs of NASH and prevent further fibrosis.
A clinical overview of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: A guide to diagnosis, the clinical features and complications
Primary care providers are most often the first to encounter the early stages of NAFLD. In this paper published in Diabetes, Obesity & Metabolism, Arun Sanyal, M.D. and colleagues from the National University of Singapore detail the two most common presentations of NAFLD and provide guidance for managing and following up with these patients.
Current enrolling clinical trials
To learn more about clinical trials currently enrolling participants, visit VCU Health's Research and Clinical Trials webpage.
Current NIH-funded grants
To learn more about ongoing NIH-funded grants, select a team member below:
Support our research
Private donations empower top researchers to explore creative solutions. Sign our love letter to the liver by contributing to the Stravitz-Sanyal Institute.