Biomarker discovery

Glycomics-based biomarkers for diagnosis and prognosis in ACLF

The issue

In the development of precision medicine, efficient biomarkers are needed that can be used for the diagnosis, prognostication and monitoring of disease evolution. Based on a large experience in the study of protein glycosylation in liver disease, our team aims at developing glycomics-based biomarker in liver disease. The goal of this project is to study changes in serum protein glycosylation in patients with acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) in order to describe different phenotypes in ACLF based on the serum glycomics profile, related to diagnosis, outcome and disease evolution.

The approach

This project aims at exploring alterations of the serum glycome during the development of ACLF and correlating these changes to the diagnosis of ACLF and the outcome upon ACLF development.

Glycomic changes in the blood of our patients are mirroring changes inside the liver cells. This should give us precious information on what is going wrong in patients with ACLF, leading to better care for these patients. New non-invasive tools to monitor patients with ACLF will help clinicians to improve decision-making in the treatment of ACLF.

Clinical Translational Mandate from The Foundation against Cancer, Belgium