Leo van Grunsven obtained his Biology degree in 1992 from the University of Utrecht and obtained his PhD in 1996 from the Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon (France). He had his postdoctoral training at the NINDS/NIH (Bethesda, USA) and the KU Leuven (Belgium) and joined the lab of the late Prof. Albert Geerts at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB, Belgium) in 2006, and became an assistant Professor in 2009 and heads the Liver Cell Biology research group since.
His group studies molecular mechanisms involved in liver -homeostasis, -fibrosis and –regeneration with a special focus on hepatic stellate cells. His group was the first to identify autophagy, AGE- and HIPPO-signaling as key mechanisms involved in hepatic stellate cell activation during liver fibrogenesis. His team established the first hepatocyte-injury dependent in vitro liver fibrosis model by using spheroid cultures of human hepatocytes and hepatic stellate cells (2016). Current research efforts include the development of more advanced in vitro systems for chronic liver disease using primary mouse and iPSC-derived liver cells, and investigation of stress pathways in hepatic stellate cells and other sinusoidal liver cells during acute and chronic liver injury.
EASL Congress 2024 has now ended!
Bringing together over 7,000 professionals, including clinicians, researchers, allied health professionals, patient representatives, and industry professionals, the EASL Congress stands out as Europe’s largest event in this domain.
Four days of congress full of interactivity and hands-on learning sessions from world-class faculty. Excellent opportunities for the liver community to present their research, network and interact face-to-face with the greatest minds in hepatology.
Our DHILI Consortium in collaboration with EASL chaired & co-organized a General Hepatology Session @EASL Congress 2024
Unpacking Drug-Induced Liver Injury Challenges and Research Horizons
2º EASL DHILI Consortium meeting @EASL Liver Congress 2024
Milan, Italy.
SLIDES AVAILABLE HERE
Gerd A. Kullak-Ublick, M.D. has a dual appointment as Full Professor of Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology at the University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich/Switzerland, and as Global Head of Mechanistic Safety and Safety Signal Management at Novartis, Basel/Switzerland. Gerd also co-leads the DILI work package in the IMI TransBioLine Consortium. Gerd is board-certified in Internal Medicine, Gastroenterology/Hepatology and Clinical Pharmacology/Toxicology. His research interests are centered on drug transporters in epithelial tissues (liver, intestine, kidney, blood-bran barrier), and on mechanisms of drug-induced liver injury. Gerd is a member of the Pro-Euro DILI Consortium, the IQ DILI Consortium and the CIOMS DILI Working Group.
Drug-induced liver injury (DILI) is characterized by increased levels of biochemical markers of liver injury within days to months after the start of pharmacological treatment for any given condition. Often, patients receive more than one medication, or have underlying liver conditions which can confound the interpretation of liver laboratory testing. In clinical trials, the decision as to whether or not to interrupt treatment with a study drug is based on algorithms defined in regulatory guidances that use standard liver lab testing values – ALT, AST, bilirubin, and alkaline phosphatase. There is a need for more specific markers of liver injury that could improve the management of DILI. The IMI TransBioLine Consortium is focused on the evaluation and validation of novel liver safety biomarkers for DILI. The Consortium was issued a Letter of Determination by the FDA in 2021 that encouraged the further assessment of HMGB1 (high mobility group box 1), K18 (cytokeratin 18 full-length), cc-K18 (cytokeratin 18 – caspase-cleaved fragment), GLDH (glutamate dehydrogenase), OPN (osteopontin), MCSF1R (macrophage colony stimulating factor receptor 1), bile acids and sphingolipids. The Consortium has recruited more than 100 DILI samples in the exploratory phase which have undergone analysis for the above named biomarkers. Based on these results, a Biomarker Qualification Plan (BQP) is currently in preparation which will detail the exact Context-of-Use for each biomarker and the pre-defined endpoints that need to be met so as to fulfill regulatory requirements for qualification.
Dr. Pau Sancho-Bru was our last speaker. He is Group Leader of the Liver Cell Plasticity and Tissue Repair group at IDIBAPS, and Associate Professor at University of Barcelona. His group is conducting translational research in the field of liver diseases, investigating the role of cell plasticity in wound healing and carcinogenesis. One of the main research interests of his group is assessing the potential of stem cells for biomedical and biotechnological applications and particularly to develop 3D organotypic in vitro systems for disease modeling and drug development.
Liver Organoides for steatotic liver disease modelling: a new venue of opportunities
The talk introduced the different technologies available to generate patient derived liver organoids and discuss their potential to study liver disease and drug development. It will also show the work being performed in the lab regarding the generation of patient-derived liver organoids from liver needle biopsies. Moreover, the talk will present the results we have obtained showing the potential of these organoids to reproduce patient-specific characteristics and the epithelial compartment of the liver.
Prof. Malú Martínez-Chantar is an experienced liver biology and disease researcher with a strong publication record in top journals. She has received continuous support from national and international public and private funding, including the NIH. Prof. Martinez-Chantar coordinates the Translational Area at the National Institute for the Study of Liver & Gastrointestinal Diseases and is involved in the Scientific Advisory Boards of national and international centers. She actively participates in various networks such as CibereHD, Women in Hepatology: International Consortium, Hepamet Registry, MetaboCancer Excellence Network, and EU COST actions. Professor Martinez-Chantar’s collaborative efforts with pharmaceutical companies have culminated in numerous patent applications and the successful licensing of products. In a recent entrepreneurial endeavor, she established a spin-off company, Gibela Therapeutics, based in Basel, Switzerland, with a focus on advancing treatments for liver diseases. This presentation unfolds at the intersection of pioneering research and innovative solutions in hepatic diseases. «Translational Basic Research: Navigating Opportunities and Challenges in the Development of Therapeutic RNA Molecules for Addressing Hepatic Diseases via Magnesium Homeostasis» explores a transformative approach to hepatic conditions by leveraging the nuanced dynamics of magnesium homeostasis.
The session aims to navigate through the promising opportunities that therapeutic RNA molecules present in reshaping the landscape of hepatic diseases. By delving into the profound impact of magnesium homeostasis, attendees will gain insights into the pivotal role it plays in the development and application of therapeutic interventions. Together, we aspire to pave the way for groundbreaking advancements in hepatic healthcare.
Sarp Uzun was born in Adana, Turkey. He graduated from Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine in 2020 in Ankara, Turkey. In 2016, he enrolled in the MD-PhD program at the same university and received his PhD degree in 2021 from the Tumor Biology and Immunology Ph.D. program. During his PhD, he worked on β-Catenin N-terminal region alterations in neoplastic diseases. He joined the lab of PD.Dr. Matthias Matter at the Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Basel in August 2021. Currently, he is working on molecular and morphological analysis of immune-mediated liver diseases, primarily SARS-CoV-2 vaccine-induced liver injury and checkpoint-inhibitor-induced liver injury.
Our first speaker was Prof Jonathan Fallowfield, personal chair of Translational Liver Research at the University of Edinburgh and Honorary Consultant Hepatologist at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh (UK).
Professor Jonathan Fallowfield’s research interests span basic science and translational/clinical studies in hepatology. Key topics include mechanisms of liver fibrogenesis and fibrosis regression; portal hypertension and hepatorenal syndrome; biomarkers (particularly imaging); and discovery/development of novel therapies for liver fibrosis, NASH and portal hypertension.
4th Swiss Autoimmune Liver Disease Meeting in Lugano, Switzerland, September 21-22, 2023
Fondazione Epatocentro Ticino hosts its 4th Swiss Autoimmune Liver Disease Meeting in Lugano, Switzerland, on September 21-22, 2023.
The conference is bringing together world’s top experts in the field of autoimmune liver diseases in collaboration with members of the EASL DHILI Consortium). Learn more about speakers and program here.
EASL DHILI Consortium meeting @EASL Liver Congress 2023. Vienna, Austria. 21-24 June 2023.
Our first official meeting took place during the EASL Congress in Vienna on June 23rd 2023 between 11.00 and 12.00 pm (CEST time) in the Schubert room 4.
The main objective was to discuss opportunities this consortium brings and set goals for the next 6 months.
Drug-Induced Liver Injury (DILI) Diagnosis: More Than Guilt by Association
19 June 2023
The webinar has been focused on the identification, diagnosis of drug, and herb-induced liver injury. Each topic has been chosen based on a key publication that addresses an important challenge in drug-induced liver injury.
Las XXII Jornadas de Avances en Hepatología se celebrarón los pasados días 18 y 19 de Mayo de 2023 en el Aula Magna de la Facultad de Medicina de la Universidad de Málaga.
Durante estas jornadas se discutieron numerosos temas de actualidad e interés en Hepatología impartidos por profesionales con reconocimiento internacional en la materia. Estas jornadas brindaron posibilidades de encuentro y establecimiento de colaboración en una atmosfera distendida y cordial y en un marco privilegiado, que es el que ofrece nuestra ciudad particularmente en esta época del año. Las Jornadas de Hepatología de Málaga son ya un curso de referencia en el panorama nacional.
El programa se estructuró en torno a 6 mesas redondas, una charla-coloquio y una conferencia de clausura impartida por el Dr. Pere Ginés, del Hospital Clínic de Barcelona; experto mundial en enfermedades hepáticas y en particular cirrosis hepática.
Además, el curso está acreditado por la Dirección General de Investigación y Gestión del Conocimiento de la Consejería de Salud de la Junta de Andalucia. También tiene el reconomiento de interés sanitario-científico por la Junta de Andalucía. También tiene validez como Actividad Formativa de Doctorado, 1 crédito (25 horas). Programa Doctorado BIOMEDICINA, INVESTIGACIÓN TRASLACIONAL Y NUEVAS TECNOLOGÍAS EN SALUD, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Málaga.
Sede: Aula Magna, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Málaga (Boulevard Louis Pasteur, 32. Campus de Teatinos, S/N, 29010 Málaga)
Organizadores: Dpto de medicina y Unidad de Gestión Clínica de Digestivo; Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Málaga (IBIMA); Hospital Universitario Virgen de la Victoria. Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Málaga; Prospective European Drug-Induced Liver Injury.