György Baffy, M.D., Ph.D.

Assistant Professor of Medicine

Address:

Liver Research Center
55 Claverick Street, 4th Floor
Providence, RI 02903
phone: 401-444-7441
fax: 401-444-2939
E-mail:Gyorgy_Baffy@Brown.edu

Clinical Interests:
My clinical interests include a broad spectrum of gastroenterology with a particular emphasis on chronic liver diseases.

Research Interests:

My long-term research interests are in the pathomechanisms of alcoholic and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease that lead to steatohepatitis, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma. Our current research is focusing on the role of uncoupling protein-2 (UCP2) in these events. UCP2 is a mitochondrial inner membrane constituent that mediates proton leak, uncouples ATP synthesis, and negatively regulates reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. Hepatic UCP2 is upregulated in various animal models exhibiting fatty liver. We use a mouse strain made deficient of UCP2-/- by targeted gene disruption (Zhang et al, 2001) and challenge these mice with various paradigms of acute and chronic liver injury. An additional project aims to define the role of UCP2 in the gastrointestinal tract where UCP2 is abundant. Fatty acids and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs), both implicated in the pathogenesis of colorectal inflammation and carcinogenesis, appear to regulate UCP2 expression. As an ROS modulator, UCP2 may have an important function in these processes.

Derdak Z, Fulop P, Sabo E, Tavares R, Berthiaume EP, Resnick MB, Paragh G, Wands JR, Baffy G.Enhanced colon tumor induction in uncoupling protein-2 deficient mice is associated with NF-{kappa}B activation and oxidative stress. Carcinogenesis. 2006 Jan 9

Baffy G.  Uncoupling protein-2 and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Front Biosci. 2005 Sep 1;10:2082-96.

Horimoto M, Resnick MB, Konkin TA, Routhier J, Wands JR, Baffy G.Expression of uncoupling protein-2 in human colon cancer. Clin Cancer Res. 2004 Sep 15;10(18 Pt 1):6203-7.

Horimoto M, Fulop P, Derdak Z, Wands JR, Baffy G.Uncoupling protein-2 deficiency promotes oxidant stress and delays liver regeneration in mice. Hepatology. 2004 Feb;39(2):386-92.

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