The principal research interest of my laboratory is to determine how alcohol-induced alterations in methionine metabolic pathways results in the development of liver injury. In particular, we are interested in consequent methylation defects that lead to the development of many hallmark features of alcoholic liver injury such as steatosis, apoptosis, accumulation of damaged proteins, impaired proteasome function, decreased creatine synthesis and altered protein-protein interactions. We have recently started examining the gut-liver and the adipose-liver axes in the development of alcoholic hepatitis. We are also evaluating the efficacy of betaine and betaine analogs and esters in preventing and treating liver injury of various etiologies including alcohol and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis.