Modern molecular techniques have progressed to the point where sequencing can seem almost quaint. At the Basic Science Symposium of The Liver Meeting 2022, new techniques were on full display, with sessions devoted to epigenetics, microbiome analysis and spatial transcriptomics. But the first session was still on genetic variants in all their forms – rare variants, common variants and non-germline mutations.

In contrast to most adult mammalian tissues, the liver can regenerate itself to an impressive degree. That regeneration is critical to survival – as a key digestive organ, the liver deals with all sorts of toxins, from rotten-ish food in the wild to alcohol in more cultured settings.