image: Zhiqiang Lin, Ph.D.
Credit: Zhiqiang Lin, Ph.D.
UTICA, N.Y. – The American Heart Association (The Association) recently awarded a $300,000 grant to support a project led by Principal Investigator, Zhiqiang Lin, Ph.D., associate professor of biomedical research and translational medicine at Masonic Medical Research Institute (MMRI), to investigate new ways to protect the liver and in turn, the heart, from those with fatty and fibrotic liver, known as the Metabolic Dysfunction Associated Steatotic Hepatitis (MASH).
Dr. Lin’s findings could help explain how specific gene regulation can protect the liver against development of disease, addressing a critical need for the 14.9 million adults currently suffering from MASH (NIH). MASH is particularly concerning because it is a significant contributor to cardiovascular ailments, including coronary artery disease, stroke and heart failure, with 23 percent of MASH patients also suffering from heart-related conditions.
Fatty liver disease is caused by fat building up in the liver due to both lifestyle and a person’s genetic composition. Typically, fatty liver development can lead to a fatty and fibrotic liver (MASH stage), which can ultimately result in liver failure. Lin’s findings aim to uncover how a specific gene, VGLL4, can help slow the progression of MASH to liver failure.
“We believe that VGLL4 acts like a circuit breaker molecule to protect the liver from the stress associated with Western diet,” explains Dr. Lin. “This work could lead to new technologies that can help improve liver function, offering a critical new path for liver disease treatment.”
Lin specializes in understanding basic molecular mechanisms that govern organ and tissue growth, as well as investigating cellular responses to disease-induced stress.
"This groundbreaking research has the potential to help millions of patients struggling with MASH,” said Maria Kontaridis, Ph.D., executive director, Gordon K. Moe professor and chair of biomedical research and translational medicine at MMRI. “We are incredibly grateful for this funding and look forward to the life-changing discoveries that will come from Dr. Lin and his lab."
“Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death worldwide, and liver conditions are increasingly recognized as key contributors,” said Heather Evans, executive director of the American Heart Association in Utica. “By supporting innovative research like Dr. Lin’s, we’re advancing our mission to be a relentless force for a world of longer, healthier lives and helping improve outcomes for millions at risk.”