About the Network
Helping people
living with
cirrhosis
stay healthy.
The Liver Cirrhosis Network (LCN) brings together 10 leading institutions with expertise in caring for patients with cirrhosis. Cirrhosis is common cause of death and disability in the U.S.
The LCN was formed for two reasons. First, we hope to discover why and how patients with cirrhosis get sick with complications of cirrhosis. Second, we will launch a trial to see if a statin improves the health of patients with cirrhosis.
Explore the Network
The structure of the LCN consists of a Scientific Data Coordinating Center (SDCC) and 10 clinical centers. The LCN is sponsored by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), a division of the National Institutes of Health. The Network is also supported by National Cancer Institute (NCI) and National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA).
The Network
This is the Scientific and Data
Coordination Center.
Cleveland Clinic
Cleveland Clinic
9500 Euclid Avenue
Cleveland, Ohio 44195
Nicole Welch
welchn@ccf.org
Srinivasan Dasarathy
dasaras@ccf.org
Annette Bellar
bellara@ccf.org
Send a message to the Cleveland Clinic team.
Columbia University
Columbia University Irving School of Medicine
622 West 168th Street
New York, NY 10031
Theresa Lukose
tt2103@cumc.columbia.edu
Elizabeth Verna
ev77@cumc.columbia.edu
Rebecca Yeh
ry2334@cumc.columbia.edu
Send a message to the Columbia University Irving School of Medicine team.
Cornell University
Cornell University – New York Presbyterian
1305 York Avenue, 4th Floor
New York, NY 10021
Robert S. Brown
rsb2005@med.cornell.edu
Cecilia Mero
cmm2002@med.cornell.edu
Send a message to the Cornell University team.
Duke University
Duke Liver Center
40 Duke Medicine Circle Clinic 2J
Durham, NC 27710
Lauren Roberson
lauren.roberson@duke.edu
Mariko Kopping
mariko.kopping@duke.edu
Send a message to the Duke University team.
Mayo Clinic
Mayo Clinic
200 First Street Sw
Rochester, MN 55901
Amy Olofson
olofson.amy@mayo.edu
Send a message to the Mayo Clinic team.
University of Miami
University of Miami Health System
1295 Northwest 14th Street
Building Ste A
Miami, FL 33125
David Goldberg
dsgoldberg@med.miami.edu
Patricia Jones
pdjones@med.miami.edu
Jose Armando Gonzales Zamora
jxg1416@med.miami.edu
Cindy Delgado
cdelgado5@med.miami.edu
Damian Cohen
dac390@med.miami.edu
Richard Martinez
rxm1388@med.miami.edu
Eugenia Manrique
eim17@med.miami.edu
Ella Pokrifka
enp30@miami.edu
Send a message to the University of Miami team.
University of Michigan
University of Michigan
1500 E Medical Center Dr.
Ann Arbor, MI 48109
Elliot Tapper
etapper@med.umich.edu
Neehar Parikh
ndparikh@med.umich.edu
Erin Ospina
ospinae@med.umich.edu
Samantha Nikirk
samjwalk@med.umich.edu
Send a message to the University of Michigan team.
University of California San Diego
University of California San Diego NAFLD Research Center
9452 Medical Center Dr.
1W502C6
La Jolla, CA 92037
Egbert Madambal
emadamba@health.ucsd.edu
Harris Siddiqi
hsiddiqi@health.ucsd.edu
Christie Hernandez
chh006@health.ucsd.edu
Send a message to the University of California San Diego team.
University of California San Francisco - UCSF Medical Center
UCSF Medical Center
400 Parnassus
San Francisco CA, 94143
Jiries Harb
Jiries.Harb@ucsf.edu
Send a message to the University of California San Francisco Medical Center team.
University of California San Francisco - Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital
UCSF/Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital
1001 Potrero Ave, Building 5
San Francisco, CA, 94110
Adele Viviani
adele.viviani@ucsf.edu
Skylar Weiss
skylar.weiss@ucsf.edu
Andrea Xu
andrea.xu@ucsf.edu
Send a message to the UCSF – Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital team.
University of Southern California - Keck Medical Center
Keck Medical Center of USC
1500 San Pablo St.
Los Angeles CA 90033
Alberto Munoz
alberto.munoz@med.usc.edu
(323) 442-0486
Send a message to the USC Keck Medical Center team.
University of Southern California - LAC and USC Medical Center
LAC+USC Medical Center
2051 Marengo St.
Los Angeles, CA 90033
Alberto Munoz
alberto.munoz@med.usc.edu
(323) 442-0486
Send a message to the LAC and USC Medical Center team.
Virginia Commonwealth University
VCU Health Clinical Research Services Unit
1300 East Marshall Street
North Hospital, 8th Floor
Richmond, VA 23298
Virginia Commonwealth University
Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition
1200 East Broad Street, 14th Floor
PO Box 980341
Richmond, VA 23298
Falgun Patel
Falgun.patel@vcuhealth.org
Send a message to the Virginia Commonwealth University team.
Virginia Commonwealth University - Central Virginia Veterans Healthcare System
Central Virginia Veterans Healthcare System
1201 Broad Rock Blvd.
Richmond, VA 23249
Andrew Fagan
andrew.fagan@va.gov
Send a message to the Central Virginia Veterans Healthcare System
Research Study
LCN Cohort Study is an observational study designed to better understand what causes people with cirrhosis to get sick and develop complications.
Cirrhosis is a leading cause of disability and death and is becoming more common every year; we hope this study will improve our understanding of how we can keep people with cirrhosis healthier longer.
For this study we are recruiting adults who are 18 years old or older with cirrhosis. We are looking for 1,200 people with cirrhosis to join this study happening at clinics across the country. If you join, you will be in the study for a total of 3 years. Enrolled participants will have study visits every 6 months (180 days), with the option to complete some parts of the study through telehealth visits or remotely.
The visits will include questionnaires, physical exams, non-invasive imaging, and sample collection.
Eligibility Criteria
You might be eligible if:
- You are living with cirrhosis
- You are at least 18 years of age
- You are willing to provide samples at your first visit
FAQs
How do I sign up for the LCN Cohort Study?
Fill out this form to be put in touch with our study team, who can tell you more.
Who will I be seeing for my study appointments? Will it be my regular liver doctor?
You will not be seeing your regular liver doctor during study visits. You will see a member of the research study team.
Does it cost anything?
No. Joining this study is free of charge.
Will I be paid for my time?
Yes. You will be paid for your time if you decide to participate. Payments will be given at each study visit.
Will I be charged for any testing or visits done as part of the study?
No, all costs for any tests or visits performed as part of the study will be covered by the study.
Where can I get more information about liver cirrhosis?
Here’s a link to some more resources: Learn more about liver cirrhosis.
Learn more about Imaging
What is Vibration-Controlled Transient Elastography (VCTE)?
How does it work?
VCTE sends pulse of energy to your liver and provides important information for your liver’s health including fibrosis (scarring) and steatosis (fat).
VCTE examination is carried out by a trained operator. You may feel a slight vibration from the probe, but it is a painless procedure. The examination typically takes 10-15 minutes.
You will be asked to lie on your back with right arm above your head. The operator will place the probe on your abdomen between the rib spaces and trigger the probe to start. The high frequency sound waves will be sent out of the probe in pulses. These pulses will pass through your skin to your liver and then bounce back. You should not feel any pain and the sound waves do not cause any damage to your liver.
What do I need to do?
What is Magnetic Resonance Elastography (MRE)?
How does it work?
An MRE examination is often done as part of the usual MRI exam. The usual MRI liver exam takes 15 to 45 minutes. The MRE part of the test takes about five minutes.
MRI takes images of the inside of the body using a large magnet and computer technology. You will be asked to hold your breath for about 15 seconds while the images are acquired. During the scan, you will lie on a motorized table in a tube that is open on both ends. The scan can be noisy, so you will be given earplugs or headphones. The scan will also test to see how stiff your liver is. To do this, a special pad is placed against your body, over your gown or clothes. It applies vibrations that pass through your liver. You may feel pressure as the device vibrates.
What do I need to do?
There are very few risks known to be associated with MRE scans. Some people may not be able to have the MRE scan at all if they have certain types of metal in their body or implanted devices like pacemakers. Let your study team know if you have those things in your body. If you do, you can still be in the study, but you won’t have the MRE done.
MREs may cause anxiety or claustrophobia (fear of enclosed spaces) due to the loud banging made by the machine and the confined space of the testing area. MRE exams may cause discomfort from the vibrations or from having to lie still on your back.
Partnership of Participating Organizations
