Prof Christopher Byrne
MBBCh, PhD, FRCPath, FRCP
Professor of Endocrinology and Metabolism
Profile page(s)
Professor Byrne trained as a physician and clinical scientist in the UK and USA, at Cardiff, Cambridge and Stanford Universities, undertaking a PhD studying liver lipid metabolism.
He is UK Diabetologist advisor to the NICE NAFLD Guidelines (ng49), and former recipient of the Dorothy Hodgkin and Banting Memorial awards by Diabetes UK for research excellence related to diabetes. He has published ~450 peer-reviewed publications, various book chapters and three books. According to Expertscape in 2022, his global ranking for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease research over the previous decade was 5th. Clarivate Highly Cited Researcher 2022.
Landmark publications:
NAFLD improves risk prediction of type 2 diabetes: with effect modification by sex and menopausal status. Y Kim, ….. Byrne CD. Hepatology 2022;76:1755–1765.
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and increased risk of incident extrahepatic cancers: a meta-analysis of observational cohort studies. A Mantovani…………CD Byrne, Targher G. Gut. 2022. 71 (4), 778-788
NAFLD as a driver of chronic kidney disease. CD Byrne, G Targher. Journal of Hepatology. 2020 72 (4), 785-80
Synbiotics alter fecal microbiomes, but not liver fat or fibrosis, in a randomized trial of patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. E Scorletti…………Byrne CD. Gastroenterology 2020 158 (6), 1597-1610. e7
Alcoholic and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and associations with coronary artery calcification: evidence from the Kangbuk Samsung Health Study. Y Chang……Byrne CD. Gut 2019 68 (9), 1667-1675
Cardiovascular disease, cancer, and mortality among people with type 2 diabetes and alcoholic or nonalcoholic fatty liver disease hospital admission. SH Wild……..Byrne CD. Diabetes care. 2018 41 (2), 341-347
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and risk of incident type 2 diabetes: a meta-analysis. A Mantovani, CD Byrne, et al. Diabetes care. 2018. 41 (2), 372-38.
Serum uric acid concentrations and fructose consumption are independently associated with NASH in children and adolescents. A Mosca, V Nobili…….., CD Byrne. Journal of Hepatology. 2017 66 (5), 1031-1036
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and risk of incident cardiovascular disease: a meta-analysis
G Targher, CD Byrne et al. Journal of Hepatology. 2016. 65 (3), 589-600.
NAFLD: a multisystem disease. CD Byrne, G Targher. Journal of Hepatology. 2015 62 (1), S47-S64
Treating liver fat and serum triglyceride levels in NAFLD, effects of PNPLA3 and TM6SF2 genotypes: results from the WELCOME trial. E Scorletti………Byrne CD. Journal of Hepatology 2015. 63 (6), 1476-1483
Effects of purified eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acids in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: results from the Welcome* study. E Scorletti………Byrne CD. Hepatology. 2014. 60 (4), 1211-1221
Combined influence of insulin resistance, overweight/obesity, and fatty liver as risk factors for type 2 diabetes. KC Sung, WS Jeong, SH Wild, CD Byrne. Diabetes care. 2012. 35 (4), 717-722
Major grants:
Named investigator/co-applicant Southampton NIHR Biomedical Research Centre awards 2008-2027
Named collaborator NIHR155530 The Midlands Liver Research Alliance 2022-2024
NIHR Southampton Biomedical Research Centre PhD Studentship. Title: ‘Uncovering drivers of NAFLD progression using patient derived organoids’. 2022-2026
Echosens. 2022-2023. Southampton CCG Community Liver Clinic rescanning.
Cancer Research UK. C45617/A29908. 2021-2022. Early identification of patients with pancreatic cancer: a pilot study to evaluate the utility of Faecal elastase-1 and 13C mixed triglyceride breath test as screening tools in high-risk individuals.
NIHR Southampton BRC Investigation of inflammation and dysbiosis in non alcoholic fatty liver disease 2020-2022.
NIHR HTA. Evaluating a new protocol for primary care-initiated identification and management of patients with familial hypercholesterolaemia Co-I. 2018-2022
NIHR/Chr Hansen/Rothamstead: funding for INvestigation of SYnbiotic TrEatment (INSYTE) trial and associated experimental medicine studies.
Impact example:
Our research over the last decade has provided evidence that NAFLD is a multisystem disease that has far reaching implications beyond the liver for other diseases such as type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. We showed in key randomised controlled trials that omega-3 fatty acid treatment or synbiotic treatment is of limited value in the treatment of liver disease in NAFLD; evidence that informed the NICE NAFLD Guideline (ng49). Research in Southampton showing the value of the ELF test in diagnosing liver fibrosis (and recommended by the NICE NAFLD Guideline (ng49)), led to us establishing the first Community service utilising the ELF test and vibration-controlled transient elastography to diagnosis liver fibrosis in primary care. Our impact was recognised with the prestigious Banting memorial lecture award by Diabetes UK in 2022.