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Cynthia Hsu

Photo of Cynthia Hsu
Title(s)Assistant Adjunct Professor, Medicine
SchoolVc-health Sciences-schools
Address9500 Gilman Drive #
La Jolla CA 92093
ORCID ORCID Icon0000-0002-2604-1340 Additional info
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    Collapse Biography 
    Collapse education and training
    University of California San DiegoFellow2023Gastroenterology
    University of California San DiegoResident2020Internal Medicine
    University of California San DiegoMD2018Medicine
    University of California San DiegoPhD2016Biomedical Sciences
    Collapse awards and honors
    American Society for Clinical Investigation 2025  - 2025Young Physician-Scientist Award

    Collapse Overview 
    Collapse overview
    My lab investigates how gut microbial metabolites influence the gut-liver-brain axis to exacerbate alcohol use disorder and steatotic liver disease. By combining gnotobiotic mouse models, metagenomic and metabolomic analyses, and preclinical/clinical fecal microbiota transplantation, we aim to uncover microbial mechanisms that can inform innovative therapeutic strategies.

    Collapse Research 
    Collapse research activities and funding
    Role of gut microbial ethanol production in alcohol use disorder and alcohol-associated liver disease
    NIH K99AA031328Sep 20, 2023 - Aug 31, 2025
    Role: Principal Investigator
    The role of gut microbial ethanol production in alcohol use disorder and alcohol-associated liver disease
    American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases CTORA23-208366Jul 1, 2023 - Jun 30, 2026
    Role: Principal Investigator

    Collapse Bibliographic 
    Collapse selected publications
    Publications listed below are automatically derived from MEDLINE/PubMed and other sources, which might result in incorrect or missing publications. Researchers can login to make corrections and additions, or contact us for help. to make corrections and additions.
    Newest   |   Oldest   |   Most Cited   |   Most Discussed   |   Timeline   |   Field Summary   |   Plain Text
    Altmetrics Details PMC Citations indicate the number of times the publication was cited by articles in PubMed Central, and the Altmetric score represents citations in news articles and social media. (Note that publications are often cited in additional ways that are not shown here.) Fields are based on how the National Library of Medicine (NLM) classifies the publication's journal and might not represent the specific topic of the publication. Translation tags are based on the publication type and the MeSH terms NLM assigns to the publication. Some publications (especially newer ones and publications not in PubMed) might not yet be assigned Field or Translation tags.) Click a Field or Translation tag to filter the publications.
    1. mAChR4 suppresses liver disease via GAP-induced antimicrobial immunity. Nature. 2025 Oct; 646(8083):180-189. Llorente C, Raya Tonetti F, Bruellman R, Brea R, Pell N, Hartmann P, Maccioni L, Han H, Cabré N, Liu J, Eguileor A, Fondevila MF, Meijnikman AS, Hsu CL, Alghafri A, Zhou R, Gao B, Duan Y, Zhang P, Febbraio MA, Taniguchi K, Newberry RD, Fouts DE, Brenner DA, Stärkel P, Karin M, Schnabl B. PMID: 40836099.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions:    Fields:    
    2. Sleep drive, not total sleep amount, increases seizure risk. Nat Commun. 2025 Jul 29; 16(1):6967. Cuddapah VA, Hsu CT, Valle Sirias F, Li Y, Shah HM, Saul C, Killiany S, Guevara C, Shon J, Yue Z, Gionet GL, Putt ME, Sehgal A. PMID: 40730814; PMCID: PMC12307685.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions:    Fields:    Translation:Animals
    3. Clock-dependent regulation of a homeostatic sleep center maintains daytime sleep and evening activity. Curr Biol. 2025 Jul 21; 35(14):3496-3506.e5. Hsu CT, Guevara C, Killiany SL, Shon J, Dissel S, Sehgal A. PMID: 40580958; PMCID: PMC12316106.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions:    Fields:    Translation:AnimalsCells
    4. An Expert Consensus Delphi Panel in Metabolic Dysfunction- and Alcohol-associated Liver Disease: Opportunities and Challenges in Clinical Practice. Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2025 Apr 30. Diaz LA, Ajmera V, Arab JP, Huang DQ, Hsu C, Lee BP, Louvet A, Thiele M, Tavaglione F, Tincopa M, Pose E, Adams LA, Alazawi W, Arrese M, Bataller R, Duseja A, Liangpunsakul S, Lucey MR, Mathurin P, Mellinger J, Nakajima A, Ratziu V, Reau N, Rinella ME, Thursz M, Wong VW, Kamath PS, Loomba R. PMID: 40315973.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions:    Fields:    
    5. Alcohol Use Disorder and the Gut-Brain Axis: A Narrative Review of the Role of Gut Microbiota and Implications for Treatment. Microorganisms. 2025 Jan 02; 13(1). Shukla S, Hsu CL. PMID: 39858835; PMCID: PMC11767426.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 4  
    6. Faecal proteomics links neutrophil degranulation with mortality in patients with alcohol-associated hepatitis. Gut. 2024 Dec 10; 74(1):103-115. Kreimeyer H, Gonzalez CG, Fondevila MF, Hsu CL, Hartmann P, Zhang X, Stärkel P, Bosques-Padilla F, Verna EC, Abraldes JG, Brown RS, Vargas V, Altamirano J, Caballería J, Shawcross DL, Louvet A, Lucey MR, Mathurin P, Garcia-Tsao G, Bataller R, Investigators A, Gonzalez DJ, Schnabl B. PMID: 39033024; PMCID: PMC11631684.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 3     Fields:    Translation:HumansCells
    7. Viral antibody response predicts morbidity and mortality in alcohol-associated hepatitis. Hepatology. 2025 Jul 01; 82(1):127-139. Hsu CL, Wang L, Maestri E, Jacob AR, Do WL, Mayo S, Bosques-Padilla F, Verna EC, Abraldes JG, Brown RS, Vargas V, Altamirano J, Caballería J, Shawcross DL, Louvet A, Lucey MR, Mathurin P, Garcia-Tsao G, Stärkel P, Bataller R, Investigators A, Wang XW, Schnabl B. PMID: 39325984; PMCID: PMC11932942.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions:    Fields:    Translation:Humans
    8. Early detection of liver disease in patients with alcohol use disorder improves long-term abstinence. Alcohol Alcohol. 2024 Sep 21; 59(6). Orgill A, Jew MH, Soltani M, Deioma A, Grant M, Patton HM, Hsu CL. PMID: 39492699; PMCID: PMC11532622.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 1     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    9. Evidence for a role of human blood-borne factors in mediating age-associated changes in molecular circadian rhythms. bioRxiv. 2024 Jul 01. Schwarz JE, Mrcela A, Lahens NF, Li Y, Hsu CT, Grant G, Skarke C, Zhang SL, Sehgal A. PMID: 37808824; PMCID: PMC10557775.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions:
    10. From NAFLD to MASLD: implications of the new nomenclature for preclinical and clinical research. Nat Metab. 2024 Apr; 6(4):600-602. Hsu CL, Loomba R. PMID: 38383845; PMCID: PMC11262457.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 25     Fields:    Translation:HumansAnimals
    11. Serum aryl hydrocarbon receptor activity is associated with survival in patients with alcohol-associated hepatitis. Hepatology. 2024 08 01; 80(2):403-417. Yamazaki T, Kouno T, Hsu CL, Hartmann P, Mayo S, Zhang X, Stärkel P, Bosques-Padilla F, Verna EC, Abraldes JG, Brown RS, Vargas V, Altamirano J, Caballería J, Shawcross DL, Louvet A, Lucey MR, Mathurin P, Garcia-Tsao G, Bataller R, Schnabl B, AlcHepNet Investigators. PMID: 38377466; PMCID: PMC11268475.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 3     Fields:    Translation:HumansCells
    12. The gut-liver axis and gut microbiota in health and liver disease. Nat Rev Microbiol. 2023 11; 21(11):719-733. Hsu CL, Schnabl B. PMID: 37316582; PMCID: PMC10794111.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 163     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    13. MAP4K3 inhibits Sirtuin-1 to repress the LKB1-AMPK pathway to promote amino acid-dependent activation of the mTORC1 complex. Life Sci Alliance. 2023 08; 6(8). Branch MR, Hsu CL, Ohnishi K, Shen WC, Lee E, Meisenhelder J, Winborn B, Sopher BL, Taylor JP, Hunter T, La Spada AR. PMID: 37221017; PMCID: PMC10205607.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 1     Fields:    Translation:Cells
    14. Alcohol, the gut microbiome, and liver disease. J Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2023 Aug; 38(8):1205-1210. Jew MH, Hsu CL. PMID: 37096652; PMCID: PMC11272486.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 18     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    15. Chronic sleep loss sensitizes Drosophila melanogaster to nitrogen stress. Curr Biol. 2023 04 24; 33(8):1613-1623.e5. Bedont JL, Kolesnik A, Pivarshev P, Malik D, Hsu CT, Weljie A, Sehgal A. PMID: 36965479; PMCID: PMC10133188.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 9     Fields:    Translation:Animals
    16. Differences in Bacterial Translocation and Liver Injury in Ethanol Versus Diet-Induced Liver Disease. Dig Dis Sci. 2023 07; 68(7):3059-3069. Hsu CL, Wang Y, Duan Y, Chu H, Hartmann P, Llorente C, Zhou R, Schnabl B. PMID: 36807831; PMCID: PMC10313731.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 16     Fields:    Translation:AnimalsCells
    17. Any alcohol use in NAFLD patients is associated with significant changes to the intestinal virome. Hepatology. 2023 06 01; 77(6):2073-2083. Hsu CL, Lang S, Demir M, Fouts DE, Stärkel P, Schnabl B. PMID: 36631002; PMCID: PMC10192041.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 13     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    18. Intestinal virome in patients with alcohol use disorder and after abstinence. Hepatol Commun. 2022 08; 6(8):2058-2069. Hsu CL, Zhang X, Jiang L, Lang S, Hartmann P, Pride D, Fouts DE, Stärkel P, Schnabl B. PMID: 35368152; PMCID: PMC9315129.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 24     Fields:    Translation:HumansCells
    19. Intestinal virome and therapeutic potential of bacteriophages in liver disease. J Hepatol. 2021 12; 75(6):1465-1475. Hsu CL, Duan Y, Fouts DE, Schnabl B. PMID: 34437908; PMCID: PMC8929164.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 36     Fields:    Translation:HumansCells
    20. Serum metabolites detect the presence of advanced fibrosis in derivation and validation cohorts of patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Gut. 2019 10; 68(10):1884-1892. Caussy C, Ajmera VH, Puri P, Hsu CL, Bassirian S, Mgdsyan M, Singh S, Faulkner C, Valasek MA, Rizo E, Richards L, Brenner DA, Sirlin CB, Sanyal AJ, Loomba R. PMID: 30567742; PMCID: PMC8328048.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 38     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    21. Serum bile acid patterns are associated with the presence of NAFLD in twins, and dose-dependent changes with increase in fibrosis stage in patients with biopsy-proven NAFLD. Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2019 01; 49(2):183-193. Caussy C, Hsu C, Singh S, Bassirian S, Kolar J, Faulkner C, Sinha N, Bettencourt R, Gara N, Valasek MA, Schnabl B, Richards L, Brenner DA, Hofmann AF, Loomba R. PMID: 30506692; PMCID: PMC6319963.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 64     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    22. Food anticipatory activity on a calorie-restricted diet is independent of Sirt1. PLoS One. 2018; 13(6):e0199586. Assali DR, Hsu CT, Gunapala KM, Aguayo A, McBurney M, Steele AD. PMID: 29940007; PMCID: PMC6016907.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 2     Fields:    Translation:AnimalsCells
    23. Magnetic Resonance vs Transient Elastography Analysis of Patients With Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: A Systematic Review and Pooled Analysis of Individual Participants. Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2019 Mar; 17(4):630-637.e8. Hsu C, Caussy C, Imajo K, Chen J, Singh S, Kaulback K, Le MD, Hooker J, Tu X, Bettencourt R, Yin M, Sirlin CB, Ehman RL, Nakajima A, Loomba R. PMID: 29908362; PMCID: PMC6294709.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 187     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    24. Link between gut-microbiome derived metabolite and shared gene-effects with hepatic steatosis and fibrosis in NAFLD. Hepatology. 2018 09; 68(3):918-932. Caussy C, Hsu C, Lo MT, Liu A, Bettencourt R, Ajmera VH, Bassirian S, Hooker J, Sy E, Richards L, Schork N, Schnabl B, Brenner DA, Sirlin CB, Chen CH, Loomba R, Genetics of NAFLD in Twins Consortium. PMID: 29572891; PMCID: PMC6151296.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 109     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    25. A Conserved Circadian Function for the Neurofibromatosis 1 Gene. Cell Rep. 2018 03 27; 22(13):3416-3426. Bai L, Lee Y, Hsu CT, Williams JA, Cavanaugh D, Zheng X, Stein C, Haynes P, Wang H, Gutmann DH, Sehgal A. PMID: 29590612; PMCID: PMC5898822.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 36     Fields:    Translation:AnimalsCells
    26. MAP4K3 mediates amino acid-dependent regulation of autophagy via phosphorylation of TFEB. Nat Commun. 2018 03 05; 9(1):942. Hsu CL, Lee EX, Gordon KL, Paz EA, Shen WC, Ohnishi K, Meisenhelder J, Hunter T, La Spada AR. PMID: 29507340; PMCID: PMC5838220.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 62     Fields:    Translation:HumansCells
    27. PPARδ activation by bexarotene promotes neuroprotection by restoring bioenergetic and quality control homeostasis. Sci Transl Med. 2017 Dec 06; 9(419). Dickey AS, Sanchez DN, Arreola M, Sampat KR, Fan W, Arbez N, Akimov S, Van Kanegan MJ, Ohnishi K, Gilmore-Hall SK, Flores AL, Nguyen JM, Lomas N, Hsu CL, Lo DC, Ross CA, Masliah E, Evans RM, La Spada AR. PMID: 29212711; PMCID: PMC5748332.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 30     Fields:    Translation:HumansAnimalsCells
    28. Organization of descending neurons in Drosophila melanogaster. Sci Rep. 2016 Feb 03; 6:20259. Hsu CT, Bhandawat V. PMID: 26837716; PMCID: PMC4738306.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 56     Fields:    Translation:AnimalsCells
    29. Let-7 coordinately suppresses components of the amino acid sensing pathway to repress mTORC1 and induce autophagy. Cell Metab. 2014 Oct 07; 20(4):626-38. Dubinsky AN, Dastidar SG, Hsu CL, Zahra R, Djakovic SN, Duarte S, Esau CC, Spencer B, Ashe TD, Fischer KM, MacKenna DA, Sopher BL, Masliah E, Gaasterland T, Chau BN, Pereira de Almeida L, Morrison BE, La Spada AR. PMID: 25295787; PMCID: PMC4245205.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 50     Fields:    Translation:HumansAnimalsCells
    30. Behavioral and neural correlates of acute and scheduled hunger in C57BL/6 mice. PLoS One. 2014; 9(5):e95990. Gallardo CM, Hsu CT, Gunapala KM, Parfyonov M, Chang CH, Mistlberger RE, Steele AD. PMID: 24806659; PMCID: PMC4012955.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 20     Fields:    Translation:Animals
    31. Cdc42 GTPase and Rac1 GTPase act downstream of p120 catenin and require GTP exchange during gastrulation of zebrafish mesoderm. Dev Dyn. 2012 Oct; 241(10):1545-61. Hsu CL, Muerdter CP, Knickerbocker AD, Walsh RM, Zepeda-Rivera MA, Depner KH, Sangesland M, Cisneros TB, Kim JY, Sanchez-Vazquez P, Cherezova L, Regan RD, Bahrami NM, Gray EA, Chan AY, Chen T, Rao MY, Hille MB. PMID: 22911626.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 10     Fields:    Translation:Animals
    32. Rare copy number variants are an important cause of epileptic encephalopathies. Ann Neurol. 2011 Dec; 70(6):974-85. Mefford HC, Yendle SC, Hsu C, Cook J, Geraghty E, McMahon JM, Eeg-Olofsson O, Sadleir LG, Gill D, Ben-Zeev B, Lerman-Sagie T, Mackay M, Freeman JL, Andermann E, Pelakanos JT, Andrews I, Wallace G, Eichler EE, Berkovic SF, Scheffer IE. PMID: 22190369; PMCID: PMC3245646.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 101     Fields:    Translation:HumansCells
    33. Visual disability variables. II: The difficulty of tasks for a sample of low-vision patients. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2005 May; 86(5):954-67. Massof RW, Hsu CT, Baker FH, Barnett GD, Park WL, Deremeik JT, Rainey C, Epstein C. PMID: 15895342.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 32     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    34. Visual disability variables. I: the importance and difficulty of activity goals for a sample of low-vision patients. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2005 May; 86(5):946-53. Massof RW, Hsu CT, Baker FH, Barnett GD, Park WL, Deremeik JT, Rainey C, Epstein C. PMID: 15895341.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 28     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    35. Acute posterior multifocal placoid pigment epitheliopathy associated with a systemic necrotizing vasculitis. Retina. 2003 Feb; 23(1):64-8. Hsu CT, Harlan JB, Goldberg MF, Dunn JP. PMID: 12652233.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 13     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    36. Optic neuropathy from folic acid deficiency without alcohol abuse. Ophthalmologica. 2002 Jan-Feb; 216(1):65-7. Hsu CT, Miller NR, Wray ML. PMID: 11901292.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 13     Fields:    Translation:Humans
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