본 연구실에서는 간 (Liver)과 관련된 질환 기전규명 및 치료제 개발을 목표로 하고 있다.
특히, 비알코올성 및 알코올성 간질환 발생기전을 규명하고자 간내 대사작용 뿐만 아니라 면역반응과 신경학적 경로를 통합적으로 분석하여 신경면역 대사 축(Neuro-Immuno-Metabolic Axis)의 불균형이 간질환 발생에 중요한 원인임을 규명하고자 한다.
또한 실험동물 및 환자샘플을 활용하여 도출한 연구결과를 임상에 적용하는 중개연구 (Translation research)를 집중적으로 수행하고 있으며, 세포치료연구 (Cell therapy)와 3D 프린터를 활용한 인공간 (Artificial organ) 제작 연구도 본격적으로 수행하고 있다. 이를 통해 대사장기로만 알려져 있던 간에 대한 인식을 전환하고 간질환 병리기전 이해 및 치료제 개발에 기여를 하고자 한다.

The liver is a vital organ that plays a very important role both metabolically and immunologically. The development of vaccines against hepatitis B virus and the development of direct-acting antivirals against hepatitis C have recently reduced the prevalence of viral hepatitis, one of the major causes of chronic liver disease. However, the incidence of nonalcoholic liver disease due to increased obesity and that of alcoholic liver disease are rapidly increasing. In addition, there is still no effective treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma which is one of the worst prognostic cancer. Our laboratory conducts translational studies on alcoholic and nonalcoholic fatty liver (steatosis), steatohepatitis, and end-stage liver diseases such as liver fibrosis and hepatocellular carcinoma based on various animal models.

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