Investigating primary sclerosing cholangitis

Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) is a rare, chronic liver disease characterised by inflammation, scarring, and narrowing of bile ducts. Scar tissue restricts the flow of bile from the liver into the digestive tract, causing bile to back up and damage liver cells over time. The cause is unknown. There is no treatment. And those with the condition eventually need a liver transplant, and the condition later returns. Kate Coldwell in Oxford is investigating possible links between PSC and the gut microbiome, as patients with PSC have gut microbiomes with similar features. If the gut microbiome does play a role in the condition, could diet be used to control or even prevent PSC?