Liver disease is on the rise in the U.K.
Since 1970, deaths due to liver disease have increased by 400%.
Over the past decade, liver disease has increased by 63% in the UK.
In a few years, liver disease is expected to overtake heart disease as the biggest cause of premature death.
Liver disease is increasing in those aged between 35-49 years old.
In the face of this rising tide of liver disease and morbidity researchers at the Roger Williams Institute of Hepatology are working to reveal the causes and of liver disease through a deeper understanding of the material and mechanism of the liver (Basic Science), the pathophysiology of disease progression at a cellular and molecular level, developing techniques and technologies for the better understanding of liver function and failure in order to accelerate research (Research Technologies) as well as exploring the benefits in real life clinical settings including treatment and therapeutics for advanced stages of the disease (Translational Research).
We are committed to training the next generation of scientists and breaking down the barriers between laboratory, clinical and critical care settings to improve outcomes for patients.
As an independent research institute funded by the Foundation for Liver Research we are able to focus our research on new and exciting areas of investigation from Basic Science: Liver Immunology, Metabolism in alcohol or obesity related disease; Technologies: Liver Engineering and the cellular matrix; emerging interdisciplinary areas of research: the Gut-Brain Axis and Microbiome and the Liver-Brain Axis; and exploring Translational aspects of this work for patient better care and disease outcomes.
While we recognise that liver disease is often associated with behaviour and life-choices our focus is to study the scientific basis of liver function and find therapies and cures for disease (whatever the cause) at every stage of disease progression.