Yaron Rotman, M.D., M.Sc.
- Section Chief: Liver and Energy Metabolism Section, Liver Diseases Branch
- Senior Investigator: Clinical Research Section, Liver Diseases Branch
Professional Experience
- 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
Research Goal
My ultimate goal is to increase understanding of the pathophysiology of steatotic (fatty) liver disease to allow for development of better treatment options.
Current Research
Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD, previously called 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, how the liver handles dietary inputs, the mechanisms of action of various treatment options, and the prediction of response to treatment.
Applying our Research
MASLD is an extremely common disorder (affecting 30 percent of Americans) with limited therapies. 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 as a consequence of food 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.
Select Publications
- 17-Beta Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase 13 Is a Hepatic Retinol Dehydrogenase Associated With Histological Features of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease.
- 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.
- Hepatology (2019 Apr) 69:1504-1519. Abstract/Full Text
- Postprandial Plasma Lipidomics Reveal Specific Alteration of Hepatic-derived Diacylglycerols in Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease.
- Velenosi TJ, Ben-Yakov G, Podszun MC, Hercun J, Etzion O, Yang S, Nadal C, Haynes-Williams V, Huang WA, González-Hódar L, Brychta RJ, Takahashi S, Akkaraju V, Krausz KW, Walter M, Cai H, Walter PJ, Muniyappa R, Chen KY, Gonzalez FJ, Rotman Y.
- Gastroenterology (2022 Jun) 162:1990-2003. Abstract/Full Text
Research in Plain Language
My main research studies focus on MASLD, a disease where fat accumulates in the liver. We study how it develops over time, its relationship to insulin resistance and obesity, and how it responds to treatment at the molecular level. We specifically focus on how genetic differences affect the disease and what the liver has to do when a person ingests a meal. These studies teach us about normal physiology and what happens when it is disrupted. We are also studying how patients with MASLD respond to different treatments, how treatments actually work, what makes one patient respond while another does not, and whether this can be predicted early on in treatment. This will allow us to tailor exact treatments for different people.