Basic Science Researchers - Digestive Disease Research Center (DDRC)
Director of the Scott & White Digestive Disease Research Center
VA Research Scholar Award Recipient
Professor of Medicine
Dr. Nicholas C. Hightower Centennial Chair of Gastroenterology
American Gastroenterological Association Fellow (AGAF)
Division of Research, Central Texas Veterans Health Care System
Research Interests
My research focuses on the pathophysiology of intrahepatic bile duct epithelial cells or cholangiocytes, which line the intrahepatic biliary tree inside the liver. Learn more about Dr. Alpini»
Shannon S. Glaser, PhD
Assistant Professor, Department of Internal Medicine
Research Interests
Proliferation of cholangicoytes is critical for the maintenance of biliary mass and secretory function during the pathogenesis of chronic cholestatic liver diseases, such as primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC), and primary sclorosing cholangitis (PSC). Learn more about Dr. Glaser»
Sharon DeMorrow, Phd
Assistant Professor, Department of Internal Medicine
Research Interests
My research broadly focuses on the factors controlling hyperplastic and neoplastic cholangiocyte proliferation. Cholangiocytes are the epithelial cells that line in the intra- and extra-hepatic bile ducts that are responsible for the modification of ductal bile. Learn more about Dr. DeMorrow»
Fanyin Meng, PhD
Assistant Professor, Department of Internal Medicine
Scott & White Digestive Disease Research Center, Texas A&M HSC College of Medicine
Research Interests
Functional role of microRNA and other Non-coding RNAs during Liver Injury (Alcoholic & Non-alcoholic) and Transformation. Learn more about Dr. Meng»
Heather Francis, PhD
Research Scientist II
Assistant Professor, Department of Internal Medicine
Research Interests
The focus of my research involves the interplay between histamine, bile acids, cholangiocytes (cells lining the bile ducts) and mast cells during models of regeneration and diseased states like cholangiocarcinoma (bilary cancer) and pancreatic cancer. Learn more about Dr. Francis»
