My research has two main aims:
1) To investigate the mechanisms underlying improvements in Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) after bariatric surgery. NAFLD-associated cirrhosis is rapidly becoming the leading indication for liver transplantation worldwide and can also lead to hepatocellular carcinoma. No licensed pharmacotherapy directly treats NAFLD but bariatric surgery is known to be beneficial.

2) To compare the diagnostic accuracy of non-invasive NAFLD biomarkers for predicting liver biopsy histology in obese patients. Liver biopsy (routinely performed during bariatric surgery) is the gold standard for NAFLD staging but is painful, invasive and prone to sampling error. Non-invasive biomarkers that accurately diagnose and monitor NAFLD would reduce its necessity and enable pre-operative NAFLD staging (important since the most common bariatric operation (Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass) is relatively contraindicated in the presence of cirrhosis).