NAFLD BioResource celebrates ‘Love Your Liver' awareness month

The Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) BioResource started in December 2019, and despite the many challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic, has now opened up its 28th NHS recruiting site and recently celebrated recruiting its 650th patient.

NAFLD represents a spectrum of liver disease, ranging from simple steatosis (fatty liver) through to advanced cirrhosis (scarring of liver tissue). The NAFLD BioResource team aims to make the project available for all patients with NAFLD who wish to take part in research, and will aim to continue opening up more sites across England.

We'd like to extend our thanks to all NAFLD patients who have joined the NIHR BioResource to date!

Established by the British Liver Trust, ‘Love Your Liver' awareness month aims to raise awareness of the steps people can take to reduce their risk of developing a preventable liver condition. This fascinating organ undertakes over 500 vitally important jobs to help keep us alive. This month, we are all encouraged to prevent liver disease and to work towards better liver health.

The NIHR-funded NAFLD BioResource was set-up to be a resource for researchers to support research into the cause and severity of NAFLD. The aim is to identify better treatments and improve the quality of life of patients with NAFLD.

Graphic of researcher and liver to indicate research and health

The NAFLD BioResource is led by the NIHR Birmingham Biomedical Research Centre (Professor Philip Newsome) in collaboration with the Newcastle and Nottingham Biomedical Research Centres. Participants who join the BioResource will provide a blood sample, health and lifestyle data, and consent to be approached for future studies. 

If you are a patient with NAFLD and wish to join the study, please use the email address below to contact the NAFLD BioResource team, who will help direct you to the nearest recruiting site.

If you are a researcher and would like to learn more about becoming a recruiting site, or wish to access the samples/data, then please email the NAFLD BioResource team on: uhb-tr.nafldbioresource@nhs.net