You are here:

Understanding a childhood liver disease to improve how it is managed and treated

Published on

Updated:

Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), previously known as ‘fatty liver disease’, is the most common liver condition affecting children.[1] While the condition is underdiagnosed, it affects around one in 10 children and teenagers in the UK.[1] Over time, MASLD can cause liver damage and increase the risk of other serious illnesses, including type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Dr Jake Mann at the University of Birmingham is aiming to improve understanding of how MASLD develops and progresses in children. His research could lead to new tests and more effective treatments for this condition – helping children live longer, healthier lives.

How are children’s lives affected now?

There has been a dramatic rise in MASLD in recent years, particularly among children with obesity. The condition develops when too much fat is stored in the liver. Over time, this can damage liver cells and cause scarring, affecting how well the liver works. 

“If the disease is not identified and managed early, liver damage can gradually worsen – and, in some cases, it may even lead to liver failure in adulthood,” says Dr Mann. “Children and young people with MASLD are also at higher risk of developing heart disease, type 2 diabetes and cancer later in life.”

A new drug has recently been approved for treating adults with MASLD, and several other potential treatments are currently in clinical trials. However, it is still unclear whether these medicines could also benefit younger patients.

A major barrier in developing new treatments for young people with MASLD is our limited understanding of the cell and molecular changes in the liver associated with the condition – and how it differs from the disease in adults.

Dr Mann

How could this research help?

“Our goal is to transform our understanding of how MASLD develops and progresses in children,” says Dr Mann.

Through international collaboration, the team has access to more than 450 liver samples collected from children with MASLD – providing a unique and valuable resource for studying the disease.

“We will analyse gene activity in more than 200 of these samples, covering all stages of MASLD – from early to advanced disease,” says Dr Mann. “Using cutting-edge techniques, we will also examine gene activity within individual liver cells.”

The researchers will use advanced computational modelling to identify patterns in gene activity that may help predict later clinical outcomes.

“We hope this study will help identify new treatments – including drugs already approved for adults with MASLD – that might benefit children and young people with the condition,” says Dr Mann. “Our findings could also lead to new tests that help doctors to assess a child’s risk of disease progression without the need for an invasive liver biopsy.”

References

  1. Schwimmer, J.B., et al. MASLD in children: investigating epidemiological trends with mechanistic and translational advances. Journal of Clinical Investigation. 2025;135(13):e186422.

Research table

Project details

Project Leader Dr Jake Mann MBChB BMedSc PhD MRCP MRCPCH MAcadMEd
Location University of Birmingham
Grant Amount £197,484
Duration 24 months
Grant Code (GN number) GN4039

 

We do not provide medical advice. If you would like more information about a condition or would like to talk to someone about your health, contact NHS Choices or speak to your GP.