한양맞춤의약연구원

The major interests of our lab are to investigate the role of lipid in development of metabolic diseases. Specific research focus are on 1) how lipids regulates hepatocyte fate, 2) how lipids metabolism regulates the development of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), 3) to identify the molecular pathway underlying NASH development.

Triglyceride and cholesterol are important metabolites, regulating diverse pathways, of which dysfunctions are closely associated with liver disease incidence and progression. Triglyceride functions as energy storage, and protects hepatocytes from damage and genetic mutation while cholesterol is the major component of lipid raft, a small invagination of the plasmamembrane, thatfunctions as molecular carrier and the hurb of a signal transduction. However, how these lipidsleadto the development of NAFLD remains unclear. Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is a metabolic disorder, account for 30% of incurable liver disease and defined as inflammation-associated fatty liver, which potentiates the liver aggravation to deadly liver failures, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. In our laboratory, we use diet-induced NASH mouse models, established by using transgenic mice inwhich particularlipid pathway is impaired. Along with NASH mouse models, we incorporate the advanced research techniques, including but not limited to metabolomics, lipidomics, single cell analysis, proteomics as well as wet-lab biochemistry. With the mouse models mimicking the human NASH pathology and advantages from advanced techniques, we will understand metabolic pathways underpinning NASH development in depth and aim on identifying the target molecules applicable to therapeutic approaches for the patients with NASH.