Jacquelyn J. Maher, MD
Research Interests
My laboratory studies basic mechanisms of hepatotoxicity, with a focus on clinically relevant diseases such as drug-induced liver injury and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). One important goal is to identify hepatoprotective compounds that are therapeutic in the setting of acute liver failure or liver transplantation. In the setting of fatty liver, we are interested in the ability of specific fatty acids to cause liver cell death (“lipotoxicity”). We use cell culture and animal models to investigate how fat causes liver injury, and how the accumulation of toxic fatty acids in the liver might be avoided by dietary modifications such as lowering sugar consumption.
Selected Publications
- Rizki G, Arnaboldi L, Gabrielli B, Lee G, Yan J, Ng R, Turner S, Badger TM, Pitas RE, Maher JJ. Mice fed a lipogenic diet lacking methionine and choline develop hypermetabolism and weight loss coincident with hepatic suppression of stearoyl-CoA desaturase-1. J Lipid Res 2006;47:2280-2290.
- Lee G, Yan J, Ng RK, Kakar S, Maher JJ. Polyunsaturated fat in the methionine-choline-deficient diet influences hepatic inflammation but not hepatocellular injury. J Lipid Res 2007;48:1885-1896.
- Maher JJ, Leon P, Ryan JC. Beyond Insulin Resistance: Innate Immunity in NASH. Hepatology 2008; 48:670-678.
- Pickens MK, Yan JS, Ng RK, Ogata H, Grenert JP, Beysen C, Turner SM, Maher JJ. Dietary sucrose is essential to the development of liver injury in the MCD model of steatohepatitis. J Lipid Res 2009; Mar 17 [epub ahead of print].
- Professor
- Medicine/Gastroenterology
- Program Director, UCSF Liver Center
Research Theme
- Hepatic Physiology and Metabolism
Contact Information
- jmaher@
medsfgh.ucsf.edu - Phone: (415) 206-4805
- Fax: (415) 641-0517
- San Francisco General Hospital
- 1001 Potrero Ave.
- Building 40, Room 4102
- San Francisco, CA 94110
Other UCSF Affiliations
- BMS Graduate Program
- Hellen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center