On Wednesday 8 July 2020, M. Li will defend her PhD dissertation, entitled: ‘Mitochondria, Inflammation and Stem Cells in Gastrointestinal and Hepatic Disease’.
Liver cancer, a group of diseases that prominently includes hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and cholangiocarcinoma (CCA), shows as rapid increase in an already high incidence and thus has become one of the most prevalent types of cancers worldwide [1,2]. Also because of inadequacy of current treatment options, liver cancer represents one of the most common causes of cancer related death and consequently this group of diseases is considered a major global public health challenge [3]. Progress with respect to improving clinical management is frustratingly slow and inadequate [4,5]. The work in this thesis was initiated from the notion that improved prevention and treatment of liver cancer requires better understanding of the molecular and cellular factors governing its initiation and that determine treatment success, including side effects. In addition further understanding of the processes restraining inflammatory responses in endodermal derivatives per se may also prove useful in this respect. Thus I also undertook to obtain better understanding of inflammatory bowel disease. The preceding chapters describe the fruits of these efforts, I aim to summarize these results and discuss the main discoveries in light of body of contemporary biomedical literature.
The PhD defences will not take place publicly in the Senate Hall or Professor Andries Queridoroom due to the coronavirus. The candidates will defend their thesis online.