FFULisboa Professor Joins International Studies on Liver Disease Diagnosis

Researcher Cecília Rodrigues is part of two significant publications in The Lancet and Nature Medicine on non-invasive tests.

Generic image of a blood sample in a test tube in a laboratory.
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Generic image of a blood sample in a test tube in a laboratory.

Cecília Rodrigues, a professor at the Faculty of Pharmacy of the University of Lisbon (FFULisboa), is part of the scientific team behind two international studies recently published in The Lancet and Nature Medicine, which validate non-invasive tests for the diagnosis and assessment of metabolic-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) and its more severe form, steatohepatitis (MASH).

The work stems from the international LITMUS program (Liver Investigation: Testing Marker Utility in Steatohepatitis), a consortium involving 53 academic and industrial partners, including FFULisboa. The aim was to validate biomarkers that reduce the need for liver biopsy and optimize patient follow-up.
The study published in The Lancet evaluated blood tests and ultrasound elastography in over 1,500 patients across 13 countries, identifying gamma-GT as an effective tool for initial screening in medical routine.
In turn, the study published in Nature Medicine analyzed advanced magnetic resonance imaging techniques and serum biomarkers in 357 participants recruited from 9 countries, demonstrating the high precision of imaging in detecting advanced fibrosis and cirrhosis.
Based on information from the official source: Faculdade de Farmácia da Universidade de Lisboa (30/10/2026)