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Steatotic Liver Disease
Steatotic liver disease (SLD) is rapidly becoming one of the biggest global health threats of our time.
Driven by soaring rates of obesity, metabolic dysfunction and alcohol use, SLD is now affecting millions – including a worrying rise in children and teenagers. It’s a condition marked by excess fat in the liver, which, if left untreated, can progress to inflammation, scarring, liver failure or even cancer.
Until recently, SLD was poorly understood and often misdiagnosed. But with a major shift in how it’s defined and classified, the true scale of the crisis is now coming into focus:
This more inclusive, modern classification reflects what doctors are really seeing in clinics – and is helping drive smarter, more personalised treatment approaches.
Our research spans all three of these forms of steatotic liver disease. With one of the largest adult and paediatric clinical services for SLD in the UK, our teams are working across science and medicine to:
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Understand how SLD develops at a cellular and genetic level
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Discover early warning signs and biomarkers to improve diagnosis
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Test innovative new therapies that target inflammation and fibrosis
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Run real-world clinical trials in children and adults
We’re also working side-by-side with diabetes and endocrinology specialists – because SLD doesn’t exist in isolation. It’s part of a wider picture of metabolic disease that demands joined-up thinking and holistic care.
Steatotic liver disease is no longer a niche condition. It’s a fast-growing, multi-generational crisis. That’s why we’re committed to tackling it on every front – from bench to bedside, and from childhood to later life.
Theme Leads
Dr Eirini (Serena) Kyrana
Clinical Senior Lecturer in Paediatric Hepatology - King's College London
Honorary Consultant Paediatric Hepatology - King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
Dr Elena Palma
Principal Investigator
Honorary Lecturer - King's College London