Zhiping Hu, MD

My current research mainly focuses on transcriptional reprogramming therapies for end-stage liver disease (ESLD), the pathogenesis of metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD), and the development of clinically relevant liver disease models. We are exploring the use of lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) to deliver mRNA encoding transcription factors to restore liver function. This approach has shown promising results in animal models and ex vivo human liver tissue and may support future clinical translation. I am also involved in establishing a stage-specific rat model of liver cancer to support preclinical evaluation of new treatment strategies. In addition, I have experience in iPSC differentiation, primary hepatocyte and cholangiocyte isolation, and ex vivo human liver perfusion models. My earlier work focused on the role of the central nervous system in metabolic diseases, especially mechanisms related to adipose tissue browning, as well as molecular pathology and surgical research related to liver cancers.