Dr. Nijagal has been awarded a $3.17 million R01 from the the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases

Dr. Amar Nijagal, Pediatric Surgeon, and Principal Investigator of the Nijagal Lab, has been awarded a $3.17 million R01 from the the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) to lead his latest project: “Novel macrophage mediated signals regulate the immunoregulatory environment of the neonatal liver.”

This research will examine how macrophages—key immune cells—help regulate inflammation and tolerance in the perinatal liver, offering new insights into childhood liver diseases such as neonatal hepatitis B and biliary atresia. The project will use cutting-edge tools including CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing and portal vein antigen delivery to investigate how the scavenger receptor MARCO shapes the neonatal liver’s immune environment.

This work has the potential to transform pediatric liver care by informing new diagnostic and therapeutic approaches.