Yaron Rotman, M.D., M.Sc.

Senior Investigator

Liver and Energy Metabolism Section, Liver Diseases Branch

NIDDK

Research Topics

My ultimate goal is to increase understanding of the pathophysiology of fatty liver disease to allow for development of better treatment options.

Current Research

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common liver disorder in the western world and is closely associated with metabolic syndrome, insulin resistance, and obesity. My main interest is in understanding the disease pathophysiology and through it, normal liver physiology. My studies focus on understanding the genetic aspects of fatty liver disease, its pathogenesis, the mechanisms of action of various treatment options, and the prediction of response to treatment.

Applying our Research

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is an extremely common disorder (affecting 30 percent of Americans) but currently has no approved therapy. Better understanding of the mechanisms of disease may allow for identification of druggable targets, better selection of patients for treatment, and early prediction of treatment response, with the overall effect of preventing death and suffering associated with the disease.

Need for Further Study

We need a better understanding of the mechanisms that cause some individuals to accumulate fat in the liver during caloric excess, while others are protected. Similarly, it is unclear why some individuals will develop liver injury and progressive disease after accumulating fat in their liver, while others maintain a relatively benign course. Finally, better treatment options are needed.

Biography

Clinical Research Fellow, Liver Disease Branch, NIDDK, 2006-2009
Gastroenterology and Hepatology Fellowship, Rabin Medical Center, 2003-2006
Internal Medicine Residency, Rabin Medical Center, 2000-2003
M.D., Hebrew University Hadassah Medical School, 2000
M.Sc., Hebrew University Hadassah Medical School,2000

Selected Publications

Ma Y, Belyaeva OV, Brown PM, Fujita K, Valles K, Karki S, de Boer YS, Koh C, Chen Y, Du X, Handelman SK, Chen V, Speliotes EK, Nestlerode C, Thomas E, Kleiner DE, Zmuda JM, Sanyal AJ, (for the Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis Clinical Research Network)., Kedishvili NY, Liang TJ, Rotman Y. 17-Beta Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase 13 Is a Hepatic Retinol Dehydrogenase Associated With Histological Features of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease. Hepatology. 2019;69(4):1504-1519.
Velenosi TJ, Ben-Yakov G, Podszun MC, Hercun J, Etzion O, Yang S, Nadal C, Haynes-Williams V, Huang WA, Gonzalez-Hodar L, Brychta RJ, Takahashi S, Akkaraju V, Krausz KW, Walter M, Cai H, Walter PJ, Muniyappa R, Chen KY, Gonzalez FJ, Rotman Y. Postprandial plasma lipidomics reveal specific alteration of hepatic-derived diacylglycerols in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Gastroenterology. 2022.
Podszun MC, Alawad AS, Lingala S, Morris N, Huang WA, Yang S, Schoenfeld M, Rolt A, Ouwerkerk R, Valdez K, Umarova R, Ma Y, Fatima SZ, Lin DD, Mahajan LS, Samala N, Violet PC, Levine M, Shamburek R, Gharib AM, Kleiner DE, Garraffo HM, Cai H, Walter PJ, Rotman Y. Vitamin E treatment in NAFLD patients demonstrates that oxidative stress drives steatosis through upregulation of de-novo lipogenesis. Redox Biol. 2020;37:101710.
Takyar V, Nath A, Beri A, Gharib AM, Rotman Y. How healthy are the "Healthy volunteers"? Penetrance of NAFLD in the biomedical research volunteer pool. Hepatology. 2017;66(3):825-833.
Rotman Y, Koh C, Zmuda JM, Kleiner DE, Liang TJ, NASH CRN.. The association of genetic variability in patatin-like phospholipase domain-containing protein 3 (PNPLA3) with histological severity of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Hepatology. 2010;52(3):894-903.