Takeshi Saito, MD, PhD

Dr. Saito specializes in the care and research of liver diseases. His research focuses on understanding the mechanisms of innate immunity that regulate hepatic inflammation that underlies a variety of liver diseases.

His current research focuses are the following: (1) the interplay between virulence of hepatotropic viral pathogens and antiviral immunity of the liver, (2) the viral evolution of resistance to antiviral therapy, (3) the identification of proviral and antiviral host factors that determine the organotropism of viral infection, (4) the role of micronutrients in the regulation of innate immunity, and (5) the macrophage immunobiology in liver disease. In these research programs, Dr. Saito’s laboratory employs a full range of in vitro and in vivo research tools, including cell lines, animal models such as humanized-liver chimeric mice, and clinical specimens.

As a physician-scientist, Dr. Saito’s research program has the unique opportunity to bridge basic science and clinical hepatology. Currently, his laboratory is supported by multiple federal grants as well as industry funding. For further detail, visit Dr. Saito’s research laboratory website: https://sites.usc.edu/saito-lab/.

Dr. Saito earned his medical degree and Ph.D. degree from Showa University School of Medicine. He then completed his internal medicine residency and gastroenterology-hepatology fellowship at Show University Hospital, Tokyo, Japan, followed by post-doctoral training at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center (virology) and University of Washing (Immunology). Dr. Saito Joined the Keck School of Medicine as an Assistant Professor in 2010.

• NIH (NIAAA): R21AA031412, 2024
   – 2026
• ASCI: Elected Member of the American Society for Clinical Investigation (ASCI), 2024
• NIH (NIAID): R01AI179019, 2023
   – 2028
• NIH (NIAID): R21AI139954, 2018
   – 2021
• PhoenixBio: PhoenixBio R&D Grant, 2018
   – 2028
• CRDFG: CRDF Global Research Award, 2017
   – 2018
• L.K. Whittier Foundation: L.K. Whittier Foundation Award, 2016
   – 2017
• American Federation For Medical Research: Western Region American Federation For Medical Research (WAFMR) Outstanding Investigator Award, 2016
• NIH (NIDDK): R01DK101773, 2015
   – 2021
• NIH (NIAAA): R21AA022751, 2014
   – 2017
• ISHSR: Young Investigator Award International Symposium on Cells of the Hepatic Sinusoid, 2013
• International Meeting on Hepatitis C Virus & Related Viruses: Travel Scholarship for 18th International Meeting on Hepatitis C Virus & Related Viruses, 2011
• Baxter Foundation: Donald E. and Delia B. Baxter Foundation Faculty Fellow Award, 2011
• AASLD and American Liver Foundation: Liver Scholar Award, 2010
   – 2012
• AGA: American Gastroenterological Association Foundation’s Research Scholar Award (Declined for LSA), 2010
   – 2012
• Japan Society of Hepatology: 2010 Hepatology Research High Citation Award, 2010
• Viral Hepatitis Research Foundation of Japan: Viral Hepatitis Research Foundation of Japan Research Fellowship, 2009
• ISICR: International Society for Interferon & Cytokine Research Milstein Young Investigator Award, 2008

• Showa University, School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan — M.D. — 1998 — Medicine
• Graduate School of Medicine, Showa University, Tokyo, Japan — Ph.D. — 2002 — Virology
• Internship/Residency, Showa University Hospital, Tokyo, Japan — 2001 — Internal Medicine
• Fellowship-Gastroenterology/Hepatology, Showa University Hospital, Tokyo, Japan — 2004 — Gastroenterology&Hepatology
• Post-Doctoral Fellowship, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX — 2005 — Virology and Immunology
• Post-Doctoral Fellowship, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA — 2009 — Virology and Immunology

• Host Response to Hepatitis Delta Virus Infection
  NIH · R21AI186383 · Apr 1, 2025 – Mar 31, 2027 · Role: Principal Investigator
• Hepatocyte Metabolic Stress Response to Alcoholic Fatty Liver
  NIH · R21AA031412 · May 15, 2024 – Apr 30, 2026 · Role: Principal Investigator
• IL-1ß as a novel therapeutic agent against hepatitis B virus
  NIH/NIAID · R21AI179734 · Jan 1, 2024 – Dec 31, 2025 · Role: Co-Investigator
• Role of Peritoneal Macrophage in Spontaneous Bacterial Peritonitis
  NIH/NIAID · R01AI179019 · Jul 1, 2023 – Jun 30, 2028 · Role: PI
• Role of Peritoneal Macrophage in Spontaneous Bacterial Peritonitis
  NIH · R01AI179019 · Jul 1, 2023 – Jun 30, 2028 · Role: Principal Investigator
• Cholesterol Toxicity in Alcohol-Associated Hepatitis
  NIH/NIAAA · 1R01AA030770 · May 15, 2023 – Apr 30, 2028 · Role: Subcontract
• Impact of Occult Hepatitis C Virus Infection in Progression of Liver Diseases
  NIH · R21AI139954 · May 25, 2018 – Apr 30, 2021 · Role: Principal Investigator
• Establishment of a Novel Humanized Liver Chimeric Mice Model
  PhoenixBio · Feb 1, 2018 – Jan 31, 2028 · Role: PI
• The balancing act: hepatic innate immune defense and viral evasion
  CRDF Global NIAID · Jul 1, 2017 – Jun 30, 2018 · Role: PI
• Diagnostic investigation of occult HCV infection
  L.K. Whittier Foundation · Sep 1, 2016 – Aug 31, 2017 · Role: PI
• Innate Defense Program against HCV
  NIH · R01DK101773 · May 1, 2015 – Mar 31, 2021 · Role: Principal Investigator
• Retinoid regulation of hepatic innate immunity.
  NIH · R21AA022751 · Aug 20, 2014 – Jul 31, 2017 · Role: Principal Investigator

• Virology of hepatitis viruses
• Cell and immunobiology of the liver
• Molecular biology of metabolic liver diseases
• Clinical gastroenterology and hepatology

• Keck School of Medicine professor Takeshi Saito, MD, PhD, elected to American Society for Clinical Investigation (10/17/2024)
• Emerging Treatments for HDV Infection: What’s in Store and Why Are They Needed? (09/28/2021)
• Improving Detection of Hepatitis Delta Virus in the United States (08/20/2021)
• Research Links Specific Bacteria With Worse SBP Outcomes (10/28/2021)
• Potential outbreak of HAV in LA (09/18/2017)
• HCV hibernates after the antiviral therapy
• Hepatitis A Outbreak in LA

• Terrault, Norah
• Ou, Jing-Hsiung
• Golden, Lucy
• Kaplowitz, Neil
• Akbari, Omid
• Zhou, Kali