Analysis of hepatocyte cell cycle dynamics during liver regeneration using the Fucci2a bicistronic cell cycle reporter mouse

Liver disease is the 5th commonest cause of death in the UK. Chronic liver damage ultimately leads to cirrhosis (scarring) of the liver, and currently the only effective treatment is liver transplantation. However many patients die on the waiting list as demand for donor organs greatly outstrips supply. This project will use cutting-edge techniques to study in depth how liver cells (hepatocytes) divide and expand. By understanding more about how this process occurs, we hope to design new therapies that can augment hepatocyte growth and regeneration of the patients’ own liver, thereby avoiding the need for liver transplantation completely.