What if liver diseases and liver toxicity could be detected, prevented and treated more effectively, without relying on outdated testing models? The Brussels Liver Research to Valorisation Consortium (B-Liver) brings together decades of expertise at Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) to transform the way liver biology is studied, toxicity is assessed, and new therapies are developed. By bridging research and real-world application, B-Liver is helping to shape the future of liver health and chemical safety assessment.
The challenge: Liver diseases are an increasing global health burden
Liver diseases cause more than two million deaths worldwide each year, including around 284,000 in Europe. One of the most prevalent conditions is MASLD (Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease), also known as fatty liver disease, affecting an estimated 30 to 38% of the adult population. MASLD can progress to Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatohepatitis (MASH), where fat accumulation is accompanied by inflammation, with a significant risk of progression to liver fibrosis and, ultimately, liver cancer. Rare inherited metabolic liver diseases pose another medical challenge, as for many of these conditions effective treatments are still lacking.
At the same time, liver toxicity remains a major obstacle in drug development: around one in seven drug candidates fails because of liver-related toxicity.
Current laboratory models often fail to accurately mimic the complexity of human liver biology, while animal models raise ethical concerns and do not always translate well to humans. Meanwhile, industry and regulatory authorities must ensure the safety of drugs, chemicals and consumer products. The need for reliable, scalable testing models that better reflect human liver responses has therefore never been greater.
The solution: Developing advanced liver models and Next Generation Risk Assessment
B-Liver combines more than 30 years of expertise from VUB's IVTD and LIVR research groups in liver cell biology, disease modelling, toxicology and hepatology. Together, the consortium is building an integrated liver technology and knowledge platform, that spans complementary approaches, from high throughput 2D screening systems and advanced 3D cultures to stem cell technologies and in vivo disease models. This platform is built around two central research pillars:
Innovative therapeutic platforms
B-Liver develops advanced liver models that accurately reproduce metabolic liver diseases such as MASLD and MASH. These models provide new insights into disease mechanisms, support the identification of novel therapeutic targets, and enable the testing of new medicines.
The consortium also pioneers innovative therapies for rare inherited metabolic liver diseases by redesigning human enzymes into so called EVOZymes with enhanced properties. These novel therapies are being developed for disorders including phenylketonuria and alkaptonuria.
Next Generation Risk Assessment of chemicals
B-Liver plays a leading role in the transition towards animal free chemical safety assessment by developing human-relevant, liver-based cell systems capable of detecting harmful effects of drugs and other chemical substances at an early stage. These mechanistic models enable faster and more reliable risk assessment while supporting the implementation of alternative testing methods based on the 3R principles of Replacement, Reduction and Refinement in animal experimentation. This work is fully aligned with recent European policy initiatives to phase out animal testing for chemical safety assessment (June 1, 2026).
The impact: Better therapies, safer products, and a new standard for biomedical research
B-Liver strengthens Flanders' knowledge and innovation ecosystem at the intersection of healthcare, biotechnology and chemical safety. By improving the treatment of liver diseases while enabling earlier detection of toxicity and more reliable chemical safety assessment, the consortium contributes to both patient health and consumer protection.
Its impact is further amplified through close collaboration with policymakers, industry and academic partners. By actively participating in national and European networks, B-Liver accelerates the translation of scientific discoveries into applications with societal and industrial value, helping align innovation, regulation and public health needs.
Looking ahead, B-Liver continues to strengthen its role as a bridge between research and application. By advancing innovative therapies and human-relevant, animal-free safety assessment, the consortium is helping to establish a new standard for biomedical research that is more predictive, more ethical and more human-centred.
From pioneering liver research to real world solutions, B-Liver is shaping the future of liver health and chemical safety.
