Cynthia Ju, PhD

Special Interests

Research Interests

Drug-Induced Liver Diseases, Hepatic Inflammation, Innate Immune System of the Liver My laboratory studies the role of the innate immune system in inflammatory liver diseases caused by drugs and other hepatotoxic agents. Drug-induced liver injury (DILI) accounts for more than 25% of liver failure cases in the ICU, and these adverse drug reactions are currently the most common cause of withdrawal of drugs from the pharmaceutical market. The key to predicting and preventing DILI is a thorough understanding of the underlying mechanisms. Our current research focuses on (1) establishing a mouse model of halothane-induced liver damage, (2) investigating the role of hepatic macrophages, neutrophils, NK, and NKT cells in halothane-, acetaminophen-, and Con A-induced liver injury, and (3) developing a screen assay to evaluate drug candidates’ potential of causing immune reactions. Findings from these studies are expected to contribute to the ultimate goals of identifying mechanistic features and predisposing factors that determine patients’ susceptibility to DILI and developing diagnostic tests to predict a candidate drug’s potential of causing DILI.