Dr. Dranoff has two major research interests focused on distinct aspects of liver fibrosis and cirrhosis. The first project attempts to define the pathogenesis of biliary cirrhosis, a subset of cirrhosis disproportionately affecting children. In this project, Dr. Dranoff's laboratory studies intercellular signaling between bile duct epithelia and surrounding portal fibroblasts. The second project is geared to define the roles of intracellular calcium signals in the regulation of hepatic stellate cells. In this project, Dr. Dranoff's laboratory studies the effects of calcium release within distinct subcellular compartments on the regulation of stellate cell proliferation, myofibroblastic differentiation, and fibrogenesis. The long-term goal of these projects is to identify novel pathways for the prevention and/or treatment of liver fibrosis and cirrhosis.