Dr Lauren Terry is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow, where she investigates the biological mechanisms that drive chronic liver disease and liver cancer. Her research is motivated by the increasing global prevalence of conditions such as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), for which effective treatments remain limited. By understanding how liver cells and the immune system interact during injury and repair, Lauren aims to contribute knowledge that supports the development of new therapeutic strategies and improves long-term patient outcomes.

Working in Professor Mark Febbraio’s laboratory, Lauren’s current work focuses on the role of extracellular vesicles as key mediators of communication within the liver. Extracellular vesicles released from hepatocytes, immune cells, and stromal cells can carry bioactive molecules that influence inflammation, metabolism, and tumour progression. Lauren uses cell biology and immunological approaches to investigate how changes in extracellular vesicle signalling contribute to liver disease development and progression, and how these vesicles may be exploited as biomarkers or therapeutic targets. 

Lauren completed her PhD in 2022 at the Centre for Liver and Gastrointestinal Research at the University of Birmingham, UK. Her doctoral research focused on hepatocyte efferocytosis, the process by which dying liver cells are removed, in both healthy liver and chronic disease. She employed ex vivo human liver tissue and in vivo murine models, including acetaminophen-induced liver injury, to investigate these pathways. As part of an iCASE PhD, she collaborated with AstraZeneca on high-throughput screening projects to characterise efferocytosis mechanisms. Lauren has a strong background in cell biology and immunology and is driven by the potential for her research to translate into meaningful advances in liver disease treatment.