Liver News and Research

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"Zombie" Macrophages Accumulate in Aging Tissues and Diseased Livers

UCLA researchers have identified a rogue population of immune cells that quietly accumulates in aging tissues and in the livers of people with fatty liver disease. Clearing these cells, they found, dramatically reduced inflammation and reversed liver damage in mice - even while the animals remained on an unhealthy diet.

16 Apr 2026

New Mouse Model Reveals Viral Path to Liver Cancer

Liver cancer is one of the world's deadliest cancers, and most cases are linked to chronic viral hepatitis. Yet scientists have lacked an animal model that faithfully recapitulates how the disease unfolds in people, from initial infection with a virus to liver inflammation, scarring, and cancer.

7 Apr 2026

How Bacterial Enzymes Use Ratchet Mechanisms to Break Down Collagen

Collagen is an important protein that helps build the tissues of humans and animals. It is very strong because it is made of three protein strands twisted tightly together like a rope. Because of this sturdy structure, ordinary protein-cutting enzymes usually cannot break it down.

6 Apr 2026

Pearling Mechanism Regulates Precise Spacing of Mitochondrial DNA

Mitochondria are often described as the cell's power plants, because they generate energy. To help them achieve this, mitochondria carry their own small genome called mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA).

3 Apr 2026

Defining Tumor Microbiota for Improved Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment

Recent research shows that tumors in different organs host microbial communities capable of influencing cancer biology, immune responses, and the effectiveness of therapies, highlighting the need to standardize methods for studying intratumoral microbes.

3 Apr 2026

A Python-Inspired Molecule Suppresses Appetite After Eating

The study identifies pTOS as a key metabolite in appetite suppression, highlighting a gut–liver–brain pathway with implications for obesity therapy.

2 Apr 2026

New Gene-Editing Approach Eliminates Painful Crises in Sickle Cell Disease

New results from a clinical trial show promising outcomes for a gene-edited treatment for severe sickle cell disease, a genetic blood disorder with few curative options.

2 Apr 2026

Nonviral Nanoparticles Show Promise for Safer Gene Delivery Methods

In a demonstration that helps pave the way for gene therapies with fewer side effects, several human cell types were genetically modified with protein nanoparticles designed at University of Michigan Engineering and Michigan Medicine.

1 Apr 2026

Sheep Genome Study Identifies Key Regulatory DNA Elements

Livestock breeders could soon have more tools to improve the health and quality of their animals, thanks to a recent study that sheds new light on regulatory elements in the sheep genome.

17 Mar 2026

Plant Protein Structure Provides New Insights Into Human Cancer and Better Crops

Can the bend of a banana give us insight into cancer? What does the shape of a rice grain have to do with infertility? The proteins that give plants their shape and structure are also involved in human disease.

6 Mar 2026

Transplanted Mitochondria Enhance Cell Metabolism and Survival Under Stress

Mitochondria, also known as the powerhouses of the cell, are essential for cell survival, repair, and adaptation.

5 Mar 2026

Evo 2 AI Model Learns Patterns Across DNA of Life

The DNA foundation model Evo 2, first released in February 2025 as a preprint, is now published in the journal Nature.

5 Mar 2026

Tirzepatide Reduces Alcohol Drinking And Relapse In Preclinical Study

Tirzepatide alters brain reward signaling and reduces alcohol intake in rodents, indicating its potential as a therapeutic option for alcohol use disorder.

4 Mar 2026

Large-Scale Study Maps DNA Variants Shaping Human Disease Risk

Scientists have identified how specific genetic changes function in cells to influence disease risk and other human health traits.

26 Feb 2026

Study Reveals Cellular Blueprint of the Human Liver

Never-before-seen 3D reconstructions of human liver tissue have been created at a cellular level. The details obtained by a team of UW Medicine and University of Washington engineers and physicians capture the spatial microstructure of multiple lobes of this multitasking organ.

24 Feb 2026

Lab-Grown Brain Tissue Masters a Classic Computing Benchmark

Imagine balancing a ruler upright in the palm of the hand: There is a need to continually pay attention to the angle of the ruler and make several little changes to ensure it does not topple over.

20 Feb 2026

New Boron Compounds Enable Easier Drug Modification Without Breakdown

A major step towards simpler drug development has been taken at the University of Gothenburg. In a new study, researchers have developed stable boron-fluorine compounds that make it possible to increase the effect or reduce side effects without breaking down the medicine.

4 Feb 2026