Consortium involving MUW with grant for non-alcoholic steatohepatitis project

A consortium consisting of the Marceli Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology of the Polish Academy of Sciences (leader), the Medical University of Warsaw and the Institute of Physiology of the Czech Academy of Sciences has won funding under the OPUS 22 + LAP/WEAVE competition. Researchers from these centers will receive a total of PLN 4,609,465 for the project, which aims to elucidate the role of autophagy in the development of non-alcoholic steatohepatic disease (NAFLD) and develop potential new strategies to delay the progression of the disease.

As part of the project titled "The role of autophagy dysfunction and impairment of peroxisome function in the development of NAFLD - strategies for their modulation to improve the efficacy of n-3 fatty acids in the treatment of NAFLD," the researchers also want to determine whether autophagy activators can enhance the efficacy of polyunsaturated fatty acid (n-3 PUFA) supplementation for more advanced stages of NAFLD. So far, the positive effects of polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFA) are limited to the initial stages of hepatic steatosis. The project manager is Prof. Mariusz Więckowski. Project description
A team from MUW, led by Dr. Marcin Krawczyk from the Chair of General, Transplantation and Liver Surgery UCC MUW, will work on the project to evaluate autophagy in the pathogenesis of NAFLD. In addition, the compositions of polyunsaturated fatty acids in the serum of patients with NAFLD will be analyzed, taking into account genetic polymorphisms that increase the risk of developing steatosis and cirrhosis.
A total of PLN 4,609,465 has been allocated for the project, including PLN 2,695,590 from the National Science Center.
OPUS 22 + LAP/WEAVE of the National Science Center was a competition in which researchers at all career stages could apply for funding for bilateral projects carried out in international cooperation under the WEAVE program. More information