Functional genomics of viral hepatitis and liver disease

Viral hepatitis is a major cause of chronic liver disease and hepatocellular carcinoma, the 2^nd leading cause of cancer death worldwide. A protective hepatitis C vaccine, and curative therapies for chronic hepatitis B are absent, as are strategies to prevent and treat advanced liver diseases and liver cancer. Addressing these major unmet medical needs, HepSYS develops world-class research programs integrating basic, translational and clinical investigations. HepSYS makes use of state-of-the-art technologies and develops unique research models to uncover the cell circuits driving liver disease progression and cancer for the development of novel biomarkers and therapies. Our efforts have resulted in high impact discoveries being translated into the clinic. Examples include the identification of host factors for hepatitis B, C and D viruses as antiviral targets, the discovery of key mechanisms of immune responses informing HCV vaccine design and novel approaches and biomarkers for prevention and treatment of advanced liver disease and cancer. HepSYS scientists have published 43 articles in high-impact journals in 2018/19, including The Lancet, N Engl J Med., Gastroenterology, Gut, Nature Communications, Nature Microbiology, Hepatology, J. Hepatology with a total impact factor of 432. Further HepSYS published 26 reviews with a total impact factor of 161. Since its implementation, HepSYS has levered over 30 M€ external funding, including 3.6 M€ direct funding in 2018-2019. Furthermore, 4 patents and patent applications have been out licensed and two start-up companies have been created by HepSYS members. These achievements in science, education and technology transfer will ensure that HepSYS remains a world leader at the forefront of the liver disease research.