Single cell analysis for non-invasive biomarker discovery for NASH patients using both protein and transcriptome analysis

Principal Investigator: 
Prof. Dr. rer.nat. Deborah Stroka, Visceral and Transplantation Surgery Research Group, Department for Biomedical Research, University of Bern. For more information, visit the website.

Co-Investigator:
Prof Jean Francois Dufour, Professor of Hepatology, Clinical Director, Inselspital, Hepatology Research Group, Department for Biomedical Research, University of Bern.
Dr. Tess Brodie, Staff Scientist, Visceral Surgery Research Group, Department for Biomedical Research, University of Bern
Dr. Daniel Sánchez-Taltavull, Post-doc, Visceral Surgery Research Group, Department for Biomedical Research, University of Bern

Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is the abnormal accumulation of fat in the liver and the most severe form of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.  Its incidence is on the rise and only has invasive means for diagnosis and limited treatment options.  Disease complexity is a result of numerous inflammatory and metabolic changes in the liver.  Our goal is to identify and understand how such alterations can collectively drive liver dysfunction by revealing the immune cells involved and sequencing these for biomarker discovery.  This will lay the foundation for the design of precision-interventions based on the status of a patient’s immune system and liver function.