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Overview
As a part of the Betty and Guy Beatty Center for Integrated Research, the Beatty Liver and Obesity Research Program includes a basic science laboratory (including a Cell Culture Lab for advanced molecular experimentation), a clinical trial team, a data management team and a health services research team. Additionally, the program has a large specimen bio-repository. The staff includes PhD-trained scientists, data analysts, clinical trialists, and other research staff. A large number of graduate and undergraduate students are trained at the center. The program also houses research for the Center for Liver Diseases, Liver Pathology and the Outcomes Research Program.
The research portfolio includes development of diagnostic tests (called biomarkers) to predict an individual’s predisposition to disease and targeted therapies for those affected.
The urgency for this obesity research is clear. Obesity-related liver disease currently affects about 30 percent of the U.S. population and that number is expected to climb dramatically in the years ahead. Our investigators are shedding new light on this insidious disease and sharing their findings on the world stage. In the last few years, they have presented at numerous international conferences and written articles which have been published in important peer-reviewed journals. Such exposure adds to the body of research and positions Inova as a major player in this critical area of investigation.
The Beatty Liver and Obesity Research Program's objective is to generate innovative discoveries and pursue the development of novel biomarkers for the diagnosis and treatment of several important diseases by implementing personalized medicine protocols.
The Beatty Liver and Obesity Research Program has a number of major components: