Research Staff Spotlight: Jashdeep Bhattacharjee, PhD

“I love doing research,” says Jashdeep Bhattacharjee, PhD. “I consider myself lucky that my passion has become my profession.”

A Research Specialist in the lab of Rohit Kohli, MBBS, MS, Dr. Bhattacharjee works on basic science studies on obesity and fatty liver disease. Specifically, the team is investigating potential therapies for the most severe form of fatty liver disease: a recently renamed condition called metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH).

In MASH, the liver has not only accumulated too much fat, but it also has inflammation. This inflammation can cause scarring and fibrosis that can lead to the need for a liver transplant.

Using preclinical models, Dr. Bhattacharjee performs experiments to test potential treatments for MASH. Recently, he was the first author of a study that found that an investigational compound called EPGN2154 reversed MASH-related liver fibrosis in mice.

“What I like about CHLA is that it’s an open and supportive environment where you can share and discuss your research with colleagues,” he says. “I also enjoy the cultural diversity here and the chance to work with people from diverse backgrounds.”

Originally from Kolkata, India, he came to CHLA in 2016 for a postdoctoral fellowship under Dr. Kohli. Outside the lab, he enjoys exploring Los Angeles with his wife—going to concerts, trying new restaurants and attending contemporary art exhibitions.