Jack Williams

Current Research

Investigating the role of folate in early stage liver disease

It is estimated that liver disease is responsible for 4% of all deaths worldwide. In the US alone, somewhere between 24-48% of all adults are currently affected by the early stages of metabolic associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD). Not all individuals with MAFLD will develop more severe forms of liver disease such as steatohepatitis (MASH), but the factors which influence disease progression are poorly understood. An increasing body of research has shown that deficiencies in one-carbon metabolites –folate in particular–are strongly correlated with many types of liver disease. In order to assess the role of folate and other one-carbon metabolites in liver disease, we have developed a novel LC/MS metabolomics workflow which can profile these metabolites in a variety of tissues and sample types. My work will use this method and others to study factors which cause folate deficiencies and the effect these deficiencies have on disease progression and severity.