Liver stem cells and regeneration Our research concentrates on understanding how the liver regenerates in chronic disease and how this process becomes deranged in the development of liver cancer. Professor Stuart Forbes Centre Director Contact details Website: Personal Profile Work: 0131 651 9510 (PA) Email: IRR-Director@ed.ac.uk Aims and areas of interestBy understanding what controls liver regeneration in chronic injury our group aims to be able to promote healthy liver regeneration and reduce the formation of liver cirrhosis and cancer. There are 3 linked programs of research:Basic biology of the hepatic progenitor cell nicheCell therapy for liver regenerationThe Liver Cancer niche in cholangiocarcinoma.More informationLiver disease is the 5th commonest cause of death in the UK and the deaths from cirrhosis are rapidly rising. Currently the only curative option for end-stage liver disease is liver transplantation. Donor organ availability cannot even meet current demand and many patients die whilst waiting for a suitable organ. Alternative therapeutic strategies are urgently required for the treatment of advanced liver disease.The normal liver regenerates through division of mature hepatocytes. However, in chronic liver injury this capacity is lost. Fortunately we have a second tier of cells that can regenerate the liver- the Hepatic Progenitor Cells (HPCs or oval cells). These bipotential progenitor cells can give rise to both hepatocytes and biliary epithelium but may also be a potential source of liver cancer. Publications Macrophage Cell Therapy Clinical TrialsProf Forbes and his team are currently developing a new macrophage cell therapy for liver cirrhosis. Clinical Trials at CRMRelated activitiesProf Stuart Forbes is also a member of the Centre for Inflammation Research, University of Edinburgh and the NHS Scottish Liver Transplant Unit.Centre for Inflammation ResearchNHS Scottish Liver Transplant UnitGroup MembersMelisande Addison, Clinical FellowRhona Aird, Senior Research AssistantCandice Ashmore-Harris, Postdoctoral Research FellowMadita Buch, PhD StudentMaria Elena Candela, Postdoctoral Research FellowKaren Ching, Martin Lee Doctoral Scholarship StudentMarisa Ferreira, ECAT PhD StudentAlastair Kilpatrick, BioinformaticianJanet Man, Research Group Lab ManagerGillian Singh, PhD StudentDavid Wilson, Research FellowFundersSir Jules Thorn TrustWellcome TrustMedical Research CouncilCancer Research UKScottish EnterpriseAMMF, The Cholangiocarcinoma CharityCollaboratorsProf John Iredale, Centre for Inflammation Research, University of EdinburghDr Luke Boulter, MRC Human Genetics Unit, Institute of Genetics and Cancer, University of EdinburghProf Owen Sansom, The Beatson Insitute, GlasgowProf Tania Roskams, KU Leuven, BelgiumDr Ken Simpson, School of Clinical Sciences, University of EdinburghDr Tim Kendall, Centre for Inflammation Research, University of Edinburgh This article was published on 2024-02-26
