Current research focuses on these key areas:
Immune regulation in liver disease
- The role of specific adhesion molecules and chemokines in the regulation of lymphocyte recruitment to the liver and gut.
- The role of dendritic cells in regulating local immune responses in the liver.
- Function of TNF receptor family members in controlling cellular activation and death.
- Inflammation of the human liver and how this is linked to the development and progression of injury.
Hepatitis virology and immune evasion
- Determinants of cell tropism for hepatitis viruses.
- Immune evasion by hepatitis C and hepatitis B.
Primary liver cancer
- Gene therapy and novel therapeutic interventions in hepatitis and non-hepatitis associated primary liver cancer.
- Immune responses to hepatocellular carcinoma and cholangiocarcinoma and biomarkers for these cancers.
Tissue Injury and Transplantation
- Immunity and cell-mediated injury in the liver.
- Molecular regulation of ischemia reperfusion and pre-conditioning in the liver.
- Regulation of inflammation in the liver.
Clinical Trials in Liver Disease
Our basic science research is being translated into early phase clinical trials through the NIHR Birmingham Biomedical Research Centre . We are also involved in a large number of pharmaceutical trials of new treatments for liver disease. Details of the trials can be found here and on our public involvement page.