Exploring a new approach to treating PSC in children
Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis (PSC) is a rare and serious liver disease that can cause significant damage in children. Over time, it may lead to liver failure and the need for a transplant — but even then, PSC can return in the new liver. Despite ongoing research, there is still no effective treatment to stop or reverse the disease.
Dr Rohan Malik, Additional Professor at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in New Delhi, is the latest recipient of the Dr Arnold Smith Scholarship, supported by Liver Foundation. His research is exploring a new avenue of treatment that targets the gut–liver connection — a growing area of interest in liver disease.
Most children with PSC also live with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), pointing to a possible link between gut inflammation and liver injury. Remarkably, studies have shown that removing the colon before a liver transplant can reduce the chances of PSC returning, suggesting that something in the gut may be driving the disease.
Dr Malik is testing whether exclusive enteral nutrition (EEN) — a special dietary treatment commonly used to treat children with IBD — could also help manage PSC. The idea is that by calming inflammation in the gut, it may also ease the burden on the liver.
If successful, this approach could offer a low-risk, non-invasive treatment option for children living with PSC. It could also help pave the way for larger studies to refine this strategy and understand how diet and gut health influence chronic liver disease.
With decades of paediatric liver expertise and international collaborations under his belt, Dr Malik is well-placed to lead this important research — and help bring hope to children and families affected by PSC.
You can help fund this vital project
Funds are needed to help build this Scholarship. Donations made on the link below will go to this work.
