Team Science to Identify and Intervene on Metabolism- and Alcohol-Associated Liver Disease (MetALD)

This Team Science Supplement to the CADRE focuses on advancing research into MetALD, a new diagnostic category of chronic liver disease linked to both cardiometabolic and alcohol consumption risk factors. The project will test the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of an individualized biobehavioral feedback intervention, compared to standard care, to prevent the progression of MetALD. The interdisciplinary investigator team will provide liver screening and staging in community and point-of-care settings for individuals with overweight or obesity and at-risk alcohol intake, using the Echosens Fibroscan® Mini 430+ with CAPTM technology for noninvasive imaging. The study will then assess eligibility rates, feasibility, and the acceptability of the intervention. Biomarkers related to liver damage and repair will also be evaluated. The investigators predict that individualized intervention will outperform standard care in reducing alcohol intake, weight-related outcomes, and cardiometabolic indicators. The impact of the study lies in its interdisciplinary approach, utilizing cutting-edge technology and addressing a newly recognized and under-researched area of liver disease.

Research Team