Presentation

The Research Unit in Experimental Hepatology was established in 2008 through a research agreement between the Universitat de València and the Research Foundation of the La Fe Hospital. It integrates teaching and research staff from both the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology of the UV and the Health Research Institute of the La Fe Hospital. Its main objective is translation research in hepatology. Based on the study of the cellular and molecular biology of hepatocytes, the research group focuses on problems of clinical relevance in hepatology using complex cellular models capable of mimicking the behaviour of the human liver. In addition, they develop new diagnostic and therapeutic strategies with the support of advanced analytical technologies. More specifically, the group carries out relevant and pioneering research activity in:

1. The development of human liver cell models with a differentiated phenotype, which are able to reproduce the pathophysiology of hepatocytes.
2. The study of drug-induced hepatotoxicity while trying to elucidate the molecular mechanisms and genes involved in it, as well as searching for new biomarkers for clinical translation.
3. Research into non-alcoholic fatty liver disease with a particular emphasis on the transcriptional mechanisms involved.
4. The development of new strategies for diagnosis, monitoring and clinical prognosis in drug-induced hepatotoxicity and their validation in clinical tries.
5. The improvement of cell transplantation as a therapy for certain liver diseases.