Hepatology: Metabolism, Epigenetics and Carcinogenesis

Liver cancer has emerged as a neoplasm of increasing incidence in recent years, both hepatocarcinoma (HCC) and cholangiocarcinoma (CC), being the third leading cause of cancer death worldwide. On the other hand, hepatoblastoma (HB) is a rare tumor, but it is the first type of childhood liver tumor. HCC is the most frequent liver cancer and its etiological origin is changing in recent years, with an increasing prevalence associated with obesity and metabolic syndrome. 

Despite the existence of screening programs in the at-risk population, the prognosis of HCC is poor due to the low sensitivity of these screening tests, the insufficient therapeutic offer and the scarce knowledge of the biology of the disease. The possibility of reaching a diagnosis in the early stages of the disease is essential and this requires the development of useful biomarkers. In turn, the development of therapeutic improvements requires a deeper understanding of the molecular mechanisms of the disease and the availability of treatments with proven efficacy for almost all stages of the disease makes it necessary to define the most appropriate and cost-effective strategies for diagnosis and treatment. 

In this context, the exploration of new therapeutic approaches such as epigenetic strategies, or the development of new approaches in immunotherapy, are areas of great interest in both HCC, CC and HB. Likewise, the identification of biomarkers with high sensitivity and specificity, allowing early detection of both HCC and CC, is an unmet need.

Our fundamental objective is to deepen our understanding of disease mechanisms in order to identify new biomarkers and effective therapeutic targets. For these translational purposes we analyze clinical samples, use relevant animal models of disease and apply state-of-the-art analytical molecular technologies. We also maintain active collaborations with companies in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical sectors. We are one of the groups with the broadest international experience in basic and translational hepatology.

This group is integrated in the  Cancer Center Clínica Universidad de Navarra.