The course at a glance

The liver plays a central role in metabolism.  A disbalance in the synthesis, secretion, and uptake of lipids can cause MASLD (metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic (fatty) liver disease). MASLD can lead to hepatic inflammation (MASH), fibrosis, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma. The numbers are devastating: MASLD is already an epidemic with a worldwide prevalence of 30% (!) and is considered the most frequent cause of chronic liver disease and failure. About 20% of MASLD-affected individuals have MASH and again ~20% of this group will develop liver cirrhosis over the next 3-4 decades. With the increasing numbers of obesity worldwide, these numbers are expected to significantly rise even further. Preventive measures and drug development are urgently needed. 

In the last years we have witnessed a surge of various new and promising model systems, representing key aspects of liver function and sometimes even liver structure. This bears great promise for the elucidation of molecular and cellular pathways involved in MASLD, ultimately allowing the identification of novel druggable key nodes. For this advanced course, we will bring together experts and frontiers in five highly relevant and interconnected topics to teach and discuss the basics, as well as state-of-the-art, in liver (patho)physiology, hepatocyte metabolism, liver fibrosis, hepatocellular carcinoma, and the development of novel model systems.

The course is for PhD students and early-career researchers, with lectures to teach and discuss the basics as well as the state-of-the-art. It is organized in an informal setting, held in the Anargyrios and Korgialenios School at the beautiful island of Spetses (Greece), with many sessions and activities scheduled to stimulate interactions between the participants and the speakers, from round table discussions and poster presentations to meet-the-expert-on-the-beach and diners in local restaurants with speakers in small groups.

Organizer: Bernd Helms (Utrecht University, The Netherlands)