Dr. John M. Vierling’s primary research interests are the immunopathogenic mechanisms involved in hepatobiliary injury caused by viral infection, autoimmunity, alloimmunity, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Dr. Vierling’s basic science laboratory investigations have used murine models to study the immunopathogenesis of non-suppurative destructive cholangitis, which destroys bile ducts in primary biliary cirrhosis, an autoimmune liver disease, as well as in two alloimmune diseases, hepatic allograft rejection and chronic graft-versus-host disease.

By emphasizing a "laboratory bench to bedside" philosophy, Dr. Vierling has also been active in the design and execution of clinical therapeutic trials of antiviral agents for treatment of hepatitis B and C infections in patients before and after liver transplantation, trials of immunosuppressive drugs in liver transplantation and autoimmune liver diseases, trials of new therapies for hepatic encephalopathy and antifibrotic agents to prevent or reverse cirrhosis. Dr. Vierling is the author of numerous research publications, reviews and chapters on these topics.

Dr. Vierling directs Advanced Liver Therapies, a clinical research unit devoted to hepatobiliary diseases. He and his research staff are conducting phase 1-3 studies of diagnostics and therapies in chronic hepatitis B, chronic hepatitis C, primary biliary cirrhosis, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, anti-fibrotic therapy to prevent cirrhosis, hepatic encephalopathy, and measurement of hepatocellular function using 13C-labeled compounds.

Dr. Vierling is board certified in internal medicine and gastroenterology and a Fellow of the American College of Physicians. He created a liver transplant program at the University of olorado Health Sciences Center.