The Center for Hepatobiliary and Gastrointestinal Research (CHGR) is a multi-disciplinary research center at UTHealth Houston dedicated to advancing knowledge and therapies for acute and chronic diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and hepatobiliary system.
Our work spans from uncovering molecular mechanisms of disease to developing novel therapeutic strategies that improve patient outcomes in surgery and critical care. The CHGR is part of the Institute of Perioperative Medicine, which houses several organ-focused research centers.
Vision
To be a national leader in hepatobiliary and gastrointestinal research through transformative discoveries that improve patient outcomes.
Mission
To promote groundbreaking research into the molecular and cellular mechanisms of diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease, acute liver injury, alcohol- and metabolism-related liver disease, and hepatocellular carcinoma, while driving translation to novel treatments through collaboration and resource sharing.
Our Research
The CHGR integrates expertise from anesthesiology, surgery, internal medicine, bioinformatics, molecular medicine, and more. Our research includes:
- Preclinical Models: Using murine models to study hepatic ischemia reperfusion injury, drug-induced liver injury, alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD), steatohepatitis (MASH), inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), pancreatitis, and gastrointestinal cancers.
- Molecular Technologies: Applying transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics to map disease mechanisms.
- Clinical Biobank: Building a large-scale collection of blood, liver, colon, and pancreas samples from patients with ALD, MASH, HCC, IBD, and transplant cases.
- Collaborations: Partnering with UTHealth Houston centers on outcomes research, artificial intelligence in perioperative care, and pulmonary and critical care medicine to translate laboratory findings to clinical applications.
Training the Next Generation
Our environment blends physician-scientists, PhDs, and clinicians to accelerate bench-to-bedside translation. The CHGR is deeply committed to training:
- Graduate Students: Through GSBS and MD/PhD programs.
- Postdoctoral Fellows: Supported by NIH T32 grants.
- Early-Career Faculty: Providing mentorship and infrastructure to foster independence and NIH funding success.