150 participants have attended a seminar organized by the research center of Nutrition of the University of Navarra and the Journal of Physiology and Biochemistry about the research of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. The session was held in person, at auditorium of Sciences Building (Hexagon Building), and online.

Pilar Lostao, Vice President of International Office of the University of Navarra and researcher at CIN and IdiSNA, presented the workshop with the participation of: Antonio Zorzano (IRB Barcelona); Ángela Martínez-Valverde (high school de Investigaciones Biomédicas Alberto Sols, Madrid); Maite García Fernández-Barrena (Cima University of Navarra); Amaya Rodríguez (Clínica Universidad de Navarra), Sonia Fernández-Veledo (Hospital Universitario de Tarragona Joan XXIII); Itziar Abete (CIN University of Navarra); and Lluís Fajas (Center for Integrative Genomics, University of Lausanne, Switzerland).

"The goal of this seminar has been to share the latest knowledge in the area of the research and the treatment of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. We have delved into the molecular instructions of the pathology, as well as clinical and nutritional aspects", commented María Jesús Moreno Aliaga, director of the area of Nutrition and Molecular Metabolism of the CIN, and of the group of Personalized Nutrition and Metabolic Syndrome of IdiSNA, and researcher at CIBERobn.

A growing and alarming public health problem
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is currently the most common cause of liver disease in the Western world, affecting around 30% of the population. It is a growing and alarming public health problem, precisely because it is more prevalent in obese, diabetic and people at cardiovascular risk, affecting both children and adults.

It is a silent, asymptomatic disease, which can lead to cirrhosis and hepatocarcinoma. So far there are no pharmacological treatments that have been significantly effective. Therapeutic management is based on lifestyle modifications that promote weight loss through changes in the per diem expenses and/or physical activity. "Due to the relevance and scientific interest in this field, the School of Pharmacy and Nutrition has promoted this seminar", justified Dr. Marian Zulet, director of the area of Human Metabolism and Nutritional Guidelines of the CIN and of the Master's Degree European Food, Nutrition and Metabolism, and researcher at CIBERobn and IdiSNA.

The Journal of Physiology and Biochemistry is a publication of the University of Navarra with publishing house Springer-Nature, whose editors are the professors of Physiology Pilar Lostao and María Jesús Moreno.