Research

The liver is a central hub of metabolic homeostasis, coordinating nutrient metabolism, energy balance, and systemic metabolic communication. When these regulatory networks become disrupted, metabolic dysfunction can contribute to the development and progression of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), one of the most prevalent chronic liver diseases worldwide.

MASLD is more than a disease of hepatic lipid accumulation. Progressive liver injury can drive fibrosis and cirrhosis, ultimately leading to end-stage liver disease. At the same time, MASLD is closely intertwined with systemic metabolic dysfunction and is associated with major cardiometabolic complications. Understanding both hepatic disease progression and its bidirectional relationship with whole-body metabolism is therefore essential for developing more effective therapeutic strategies.

At the LIME Lab, we seek to uncover the cellular and molecular mechanisms that govern liver homeostasis and disease. By integrating fundamental biology with translational research, our goal is to identify new therapeutic targets and develop innovative strategies to prevent or reverse liver and metabolic disease.

Understanding how the liver communicates within and beyond the organ

We investigate how communication among hepatocytes, hepatic stellate cells, immune cells, and other non-parenchymal cells shapes liver homeostasis and disease progression. We also explore how the liver communicates with distant metabolic organs through circulating signals to regulate whole-body metabolism and cardiometabolic health.

Keywords: cell–cell communication · hepatokines · inter-organ crosstalk · systemic metabolism

Decoding the cellular decisions that determine fibrosis progression and resolution

Hepatic stellate cells are central drivers of liver fibrosis. We investigate the molecular mechanisms governing their activation, proliferation, inactivation, and reactivation, with particular interest in identifying regulatory checkpoints that determine whether fibrosis progresses, persists, or resolves.

Keywords: hepatic stellate cells · cell fate · fibrosis · reversibility · tissue repair

Exploring how micronutrients reshape liver and systemic metabolism

Beyond conventional nutrient metabolism, we study how micronutrients and their intracellular handling influence cellular signaling and metabolic homeostasis. A particular focus is iron biology, including how altered iron handling affects liver disease progression and systemic metabolic dysfunction.

Keywords: iron metabolism · micronutrients · metabolic signaling · MASLD

Understanding how intracellular stress drives liver disease

We investigate how disruption of organelle homeostasis contributes to metabolic dysfunction, cell injury, and disease progression, with particular emphasis on endoplasmic reticulum stress and the unfolded protein response. Our goal is to identify stress-response pathways that can be therapeutically manipulated to restore cellular homeostasis.

Keywords: ER stress · organelle homeostasis · proteostasis · cellular stress · liver injury

Discovering unexplored signaling pathways in liver disease

Many signaling molecules and receptors remain poorly characterized in liver biology. We investigate orphan and understudied GPCRs, protein kinases, and signaling networks to uncover previously unrecognized mechanisms controlling inflammation, metabolism, tissue injury, and fibrosis.

Keywords: orphan GPCRs · kinase signaling · signaling networks · molecular targets

Translating mechanistic discoveries into therapeutic opportunities

Our research extends from mechanism to therapeutic discovery. We use chemical libraries and functional screening approaches to identify bioactive molecules and therapeutic targets, and explore emerging therapeutic modalities to selectively manipulate disease-driving pathways.

Keywords: chemical screening · target discovery · small molecules · targeted therapeutics · new modalities