Primary Biliary Cirrhosis Lab at UC Davis

The Primary Biliary Cirrhosis Lab at UC Davis is a multi-discipline group involving scientists from the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Japan, Taiwan, China, France, Italy, and includes intermittent guests from South America and other European countries.

The team is led by Dr. M. Eric Gershwin and Dr. Patrick Leung.

Our one and only goal in this project is to find a cure for primary biliary cirrhosis.

In order to achieve our goals we have a number of collaborators throughout the world.

We have therefore several ongoing studies on PBC.

1. There is an epidemiologic study in which we are attempting to identify common factors found in patients and controls who have PBC. Other institutions that collaborate with us include:

- Albert Einstein Medical Center
- Jefferson Medical Center
- California Pacific Medical Center
- Cedars-Sinai Medical Center (UCLA)
- Columbia University
- Mayo Clinic
- Mount Sinai Medical Center
- New England Medical Center (Tufts University)
- Ochsner Clinic (New Orleans)
- Stanford University Medical Center
- University of California, San Francisco
- University of Medicine and Dentistry, New Jersey
- University of Michigan
- University of Minnesota
- University of Nebraska
- University of Vermont
- Virginia Commonwealth University
- University of Washington Medical Center
- Northwestern University
- Beth Israel Medical Center, New York

2. There is a study in which we are attempting to find anyone with PBC that has a twin (Twin Study). We are interested in such twins whether they both have PBC or not. We have received help and have identified twins throughout the world, but need to identify further twins. If you know of anybody who is a patient with PBC and has a twin, please contact us at: megershwin@ucdavis.edu

3. We are studying the possibility that primary biliary cirrhosis is caused by a chemical exposure.

4. We are trying to interrupt effector mechanisms in PBC. In other words, whether we know anything at all about what causes PBC, we would like to stop it.

5. We are trying to identify families in whom two sisters or a brother/sister both have PBC (Family Study). We have found large numbers of such families throughout the world but would really like to find other such families. If you or someone you know has a sister or brother and both have PBC, please contact us.

The research component of the Department of Internal Medicine's mission focuses on two important aspects:

1. The keen desire to participate in medical discoveries on a significant scale and
2. The critical need to train the next generation of scientists who will contribute to those breakthroughs.

The department's innovative research program helps to make us unique. Quite simply, we maintain that doctors who teach and conduct research make better physicians, and that the research work we do in the department translates into better patient care.