STRUCTURAL STUDIES OF LIGANDIN AND GSH TRANSFERASES

The Liver Research Center involves 30 major investigators in 8 departments at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, and collaborations at 6 other institutions. Our emphasis is to bridge the gap between advances in basic biology and their application to liver physiology and disease processes. Since the Liver Research Center was established and funded in 1977, the program has expanded in space, faculty, projects, administrative and educational efforts, and research funding. The Liver Research Center is now a major interdisciplinary activity at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. Research efforts focus on mechanisms of liver cell injury and regeneration. Major studies involve effects of hepatitis viruses, metals, drugs, chemicals, parasites and inheritable disorders; collagen deposition and prevention, molecular mechanisms of protein synthesis and viral replication, structural-functional studies, transport at the subcellular and molecular level and hepatic detoxification. Major studies include (1) reo virus and biliary atresia; (2) receptors in normal and regenerating liver; (3) copper toxicity; (4) cDNA probes in study of collagen, ligandin, and HBsAG m RNAs; (5) development of a novel liver cell culture which retains differentiated function, and (6) detection of fibrogenesis. Four core facilities are in operational: Protein Chemistry (Bhargava), Cell Culture (Reid) Morphology (Goldfischer) and Administrative (Arias/Shea). New collaborations have been established with outstanding biophysicists at Bell Labs for NMR studies of liver metabolism. The facilities include 36 well-equipped laboratories, newly renovated 800 sq. ft. Animal Institute, 25-bed Adult Clinical Research Center, Human Heredity Center and Pediatric Liver Registry. Clinical facilities include a 1100-bed general hospital and a 400-bed University Hospital. A large diverse patient population includes many patients with viral, alcoholic, parasitic and inheritable disorders of the liver.