Cynthia Ann Moylan

My research interests focus on the study of chronic liver disease and primary liver cancer, particularly from metabolic dysfunction associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), formerly called nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).  As part of the MASLD Research Team at Duke, we are investigating the role of environmental contaminants, epigenetics, and genetics on the development of advanced fibrosis and liver cancer from MASLD and other chronic liver diseases.  We are also interested in understanding risks for progressive liver disease including developmental programming and in utero exposures and have been investigating these risks through studies of the Newborn Epigenetics Study (NEST).  The long term goal of our research is to develop non-invasive biomarkers to identify those patients at increased risk for cirrhosis and end stage liver disease in order to risk stratify patients as well as to develop better preventative and therapeutic strategies.