Wednesday, June 4, 2025
6/4/2025
Pittsburgh Liver Research Center - The Pittsburgh Liver Research Center or PLRC was founded in 2016 through intramural support from the institution and due to a high interest in bringing together scientists and physicians with the common goal of addressing an increasing burden of liver disease. The long-term objective of PLRC has been to promote impactful science in understanding the cellular and molecular basis of hepatobiliary injury and repair, with an eventual goal of improving outcomes in liver diseases in both adult and pediatric populations. Since its inception in 2016, and NIDDK-funding in 2019, the PLRC has brought together a constituency of individuals with strong track records in basic and translational liver research. The PLRC is thus a multidisciplinary center that builds on the historic strengths of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC), a leader in the delivery of innovative and cutting-edge clinical care, and the University of Pittsburgh (Pitt), a leader in research, discovery, education, and innovation. Serving as a point of convergence for timely research in liver health and disease, the PLRC promotes interactions, collaborations and intellectual exchanges between the researchers from various disciplines as well as between researchers and clinicians to improve the comprehension of complex hepatic diseases for improved understanding of the underlying mechanisms. The PLRC provides an integrated platform to enhance, enrich, and synergize scientific interactions among investigators working in the field of liver pathobiology who currently reside in diverse departments and institutions at the UPMC and Pitt. This is accomplished by enabling and fostering multi-, trans- & inter-disciplinary collaborations, providing an optimum infrastructure for liver research in three key areas, which also are the three Scientific Interest Groups of the PLRC, i.e. Injury, Repair and Transformation. PLRC is currently composed of 79 all members that consist of 46 full members that form the research base, 4 Pilot & Feasibility members, 9 Leader members and 20 Associate members. PLRC is administered by the Administrative Core, which enables a seamless integration of various functions of the PLRC through optimal organization of the PLRC. The Admin Core has also formed alliances with other centers and institutes within and outside Pitt to provide additional resources and opportunities to the PLRC members. PLRC offers 4 state-of-the-art Biomedical Research Cores- the Advanced Cell and Tissue Imaging Core, the Clinical Biospecimen Repository and Processing Core, the Genomics and Systems Biology Core and the Human Synthetic Liver Biology Core. PLRC is highly invested in next-generation of liver-focused investigators by providing research funding, mentoring and access to research infrastructure to help promote their independent career in academic medicine. Eventually, PLRC serves as a platform for continued education while promoting scientific exchange and collaborations among members to eventually bridge the void between basic research and clinical practice. Thus, the PLRC serves its multi-faceted mission of discerning complex tribulations in hepatic health and disease by enabling innovative, collaborative multi-disciplinary research in the highly relevant area of cellular and molecular basis of hepatobiliary injury and repair. We firmly believe that discerning fundamental cellular and molecular processes of common liver pathologies that remain major unmet clinical needs through team or individual investigator led research, supported by optimal infrastructure, resources and enrichment is critical for successful translation and impact.
HHS’ Tracking Accountability in Government Grants System (TAGGS) website provides access to detailed descriptions of grants, loans, aggregated direct payments and other types of financial assistance awarded by the HHS Operating Divisions (OPDIVs) and the Office of the Secretary Staff Divisions (STAFFDIVs).