Gastroenterology & GI Surgery | Featured Specialties | UC Davis Health

A groundbreaking study, published in Communications Biology by UC Davis and UCLA researchers, has revealed that a pressure-sensing protein known as Piezo1 plays a critical role in supporting gut health. The study’s findings may unlock new routes for understanding and treating complex gut disorders.

UC Davis Health gastroenterology researchers have received a $2.8 million grant from the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering to study the mechanisms of cell therapy using an AI-based digital pathology tool. The four-year study will further investigate regenerative therapies to help treat chronic inflammatory conditions.

UC Davis Health researchers have discovered that a natural molecule, 10-hydroxystearic acid (10-HSA), made by gut bacteria can reverse liver damage and repair the gut lining after aflatoxin exposure. The treatment may offer a new, non-toxic way to prevent and treat non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.