Sunday, May 11, 2025
5/11/2025
Southern California Research Center for ALPD and Cirrhosis - OVERALL - SUMMARY Alcohol-associated liver and pancreatic diseases (ALPD) and cirrhosis constitute leading metabolic diseases caused by alcohol use disorder around the globe. The Southern California Research Center for ALPD and Cirrhosis unifies 60 investigators from six academic institutions in Southern California to pursue a common mission of being a leader in research, training, outreach, and treatment for the diseases. The center, since its inception in 1999, has devoted its efforts for development and use of clinically relevant animal models to gain novel insights into the molecular mechanisms of ALPD and cirrhosis. These efforts culminated to groundbreaking discoveries and new therapeutic developments for the diseases such as a phage cocktail to treat alcohol-associated hepatitis patients with cytolysin-positive E. faecalis, anti-IL-23 monoclonal antibody for patients with alcohol-associated liver disease, and Simvastatin for treatment of recurrent acute pancreatitis. The center’s interactive infrastructure and environment have facilitated in the past 5 years: a 134% increase in research base to $21.6M/year; 11 new U01/P01/MPI-R01 programs and 3 DOD program projects; 241 publications; 8 NIH/DOD-funded early-stage investigators; 14 postdocs transitioned to faculty positions at US universities; 99 graduate students taught and 44 students undergone the Lee Summer Research Fellowship; and 4 workshop/community seminars and 4 international symposia organized. As a unique national resource, the center has supported 15 non-center investigators via provision of 383 model mice and 333 biospecimens by the Animal Core, facilitating their 13 grant acquisitions and applications. We further consolidated the regional repository resources to advance our ALPD translational and clinical studies in pursuit for novel therapeutic modalities. The center will continue to strive as a unique national scientific center of excellence in ALPD and cirrhosis by: 1) maximizing our interactive and synergistic science for a pursuit for the center’s main goal of identification of therapeutic targets for advanced ALPD and cirrhosis; 2) serving as a national and international resource in our fields of research via provision of unique models, technology, expertise, and collaborative opportunities with outside NIAAA-funded scientists; 3) providing comprehensive education and training at the multi-levels ranging from undergraduate and graduate students, postdoctoral trainees, to junior scientists and faculty to foster and support future generations of independent scientists in the ALPD and cirrhosis field; and 4) continuing outreach efforts to disseminate the center’s new findings to lay public, healthcare workers, and scientists in our home and global communities.
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).