Federal Grant Award Summary

The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) awarded The Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York a Project Grant totaling $2,359,200 under the Alcohol Research Programs (CFDA 93.273) with an award date of July 15, 2026, and completion targeted for June 30, 2030. This research initiative focuses on elucidating the regulation of hepatocyte functions by hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) in the context of steatotic liver diseases (SLD), including alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD), metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MASLD), and mixed forms (METALD). The project aims to characterize a novel R-spondin 3 (RSPO3)-mediated mesenchymal-epithelial crosstalk mechanism through which HSCs regulate beta-catenin activity in hepatocytes, thereby controlling critical metabolic pathways including bile acid, lipid, and amino acid metabolism.

The research will generate fundamental scientific knowledge regarding protective HSC functions in hepatic homeostasis, aging, and disease progression across various forms of SLD. Through experimental characterization of the RSPO3-HSC-hepatocyte axis, the project is expected to advance understanding of shared pathophysiological mechanisms underlying alcohol-related and metabolic liver diseases, potentially informing development of improved therapeutic strategies and prevention approaches for conditions affecting approximately 40 percent of the adult population both domestically and globally.