Researchers involved in the GRIPonMASH project, coordinated by UMC Utrecht, have reached an important milestone in their effort to improve the early detection of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD). More than 5,000 participants, representing over 50% of the project’s target, have now been enrolled, alongside the collection of more than 25,000 biological samples for analysis.
MASLD is a chronic liver disease in which excess fat builds up in the liver. The condition is closely linked to overweight, obesity, and metabolic disorders such as type 2 diabetes. MASLD has become one of the leading causes of chronic liver disease worldwide. The large number of participants and samples collected through GRIPonMASH will help researchers better understand the prevalence, progression, and early identification of MASLD across diverse populations.
The large number of participants is essential for understanding why the disease progresses differently between countries and patient groups, particularly in relation to cardiometabolic risk factors.
This approach also supports the development of local screening pathways and strengthens collaboration between liver specialists and other healthcare professionals. By operating across multiple countries, the project provides insight into how liver disease presents in different populations and healthcare systems.
“GRIPonMASH is helping redefine how we understand and address liver health across Europe,” says Oscar Franco, professor of public health at UMC Utrecht and project lead of the GRIPonMASH project. “By uniting expertise, data, and healthcare systems across countries, we are building the evidence needed to shift from late treatment to earlier detection, prevention, and more integrated care, improving liver and cardiometabolic health for populations worldwide.”
The first results underline the importance of screening people at risk. Around 60 percent of participants screened so far show signs of MASLD, while approximately 9 percent are at risk of significant liver fibrosis, a more advanced stage of liver damage.
Many of these participants had no symptoms before screening, highlighting how easily the disease can go unnoticed. Healthcare professionals are now following up with participants identified as being at risk, in line with local standards of care.
The collection of more than 25,000 samples, primarily consisting of blood, plasma, and serum, marks another key milestone. Researchers can now begin analyzing the data to study disease mechanisms and evaluate new biomarkers that could improve the identification of patients. Preliminary results will support progress across multiple areas of the project, including the development of diagnostic tools and related research activities.
“Bringing all these samples from the sites to the central biobank is an important achievement and reflects the strong coordination led by the team at Julius Clinical,” says Professor Manuel Castro Cabezas, scientific director of the project. “In the coming period, biochemical data will become available, helping us to better characterize the condition. We are very grateful to our partners who are working extensively in the lab to run these analyses.”
In parallel, three Centres of Excellence are piloting a Liver Health Management (LHM) platform. Early feedback has highlighted the importance of interoperability with electronic health records, and the platform has recently been updated to align with the latest clinical guidelines.
These efforts mark an important step toward developing integrated and scalable solutions for liver disease screening and management.
The project is now moving into a new phase, in which researchers will continue with participant recruitment alongside the first preliminary analyses. Participating centres are continuing their efforts to further increase participation.
Over the coming year, researchers will focus on completing participant enrollment, analyzing the first datasets, and further refining screening pathways and supporting tools. These steps will help translate the data collected into practical insights.
In the longer term, GRIPonMASH aims to support earlier and more consistent identification of liver disease in at-risk populations. By strengthening screening approaches and care pathways, the project contributes to improving diagnosis and enabling earlier intervention, with the goal of preventing progression to more advanced stages of liver disease.
GRIPonMASH is being carried out in 12 Centres of Excellence across 10 European countries, in collaboration with primary care and outpatient clinics. Researchers from UMC Utrecht coordinate the overall GRIPonMASH project.
Participating Centres of Excellence are:
