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Karl-Dimiter Bissig

Chen Family Associate Professor of Pediatrics
Pediatrics, Medical Genetics

Research Interests


Our group is interested in diseases of the liver, ranging from viral hepatitis to metabolic liver disorders and liver cancer. The lab specializes in human liver chimeric mice and created the first xenograft model for metabolic liver disease as well as a novel patient derived cancer model. We use these next generation humanized mouse models to develop new therapeutic approaches, such as metabolic pathway reprogramming - a CRISPR based gene therapy approach.

Selected Grants


Targeting Hepatocyte Senescence to Improve NAFLD

ResearchAdvisor · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2024 - 2029

Medical Scientist Training Program

Inst. Training Prgm or CMEPreceptor · Awarded by National Institute of General Medical Sciences · 2022 - 2027

Duke Training Grant in Digestive Diseases and Nutrition

Inst. Training Prgm or CMEPreceptor · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 1988 - 2027

Gene therapy for glycogen storage disease type III

ResearchCo Investigator · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2022 - 2027

Dissecting AAV silencing in humanized mice

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2023 - 2027

Targeting Hepatocyte Senescence to Improve NAFLD

ResearchAdvisor · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2024 - 2029

Medical Scientist Training Program

Inst. Training Prgm or CMEPreceptor · Awarded by National Institute of General Medical Sciences · 2022 - 2027

Duke Training Grant in Digestive Diseases and Nutrition

Inst. Training Prgm or CMEPreceptor · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 1988 - 2027

Gene therapy for glycogen storage disease type III

ResearchCo Investigator · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2022 - 2027

Dissecting AAV silencing in humanized mice

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2023 - 2027

Transplant liver screening for xenograft models of lipid disorders

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Spark Therapeutics, Inc. · 2024 - 2026

Genetic and Genomics Training Grant

Inst. Training Prgm or CMEMentor · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2020 - 2025

Mechanisms of Liver Toxicity of Anti-Depressant Duloxetine

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Baylor College of Medicine · 2023 - 2024

Physiological Dissection of the Mevalonate Pathway

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Baylor College of Medicine · 2020 - 2024

Therapeutic pathway reprogramming for metabolic liver disease

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2018 - 2022

Therapeutic potential of CRISPR/Cas9 genome engineering in humanized mouse

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2020 - 2022

External Relationships


  • Alnylam Pharmaceutical, Inc.
  • Avachrome
  • Precision Bioscience
  • Tune Therapeutics
  • Vesta Therapeutics

This faculty member (or a member of their immediate family) has reported outside activities with the companies, institutions, or organizations listed above. This information is available to institutional leadership and, when appropriate, management plans are in place to address potential conflicts of interest.