Project Grant R01AA032837

The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism awarded the University of Texas at Dallas $555,966 on September 1, 2026, under the Alcohol Research Programs (CFDA 93.273) to investigate vagus nerve stimulation and cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathways in alcohol-associated liver disease pathogenesis.

The funded research examines whether left cervical vagus nerve stimulation protects against alcohol-associated liver disease through activation of the α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor on splenic and hepatic macrophages. Preliminary data indicates that α7 receptor agonist treatment ameliorates alcohol-induced liver injury and reduces hepatic inflammatory response, and that Kupffer cell α7 expression modulates disease progression in mice. The project will investigate the mechanisms by which α7-expressing immune cells influence the development and progression of alcohol-associated liver disease, with the goal of identifying therapeutic targets for a condition that represents one of the most common indications for liver transplantation.

Performance occurs at the University of Texas at Dallas campus in Richardson, Texas, through May 31, 2031. The award is a Project Grant supporting five years of research in a discipline relevant to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism's mission to develop fundamental knowledge applicable to improved treatment methods and prevention strategies for alcoholism and alcohol-related problems.