Biography
Dr. Kirpich is a scientist and educator with a strong track record in mentoring students, trainees, and early-career scientists across basic, translational, and clinical research settings. Her scientific expertise centers on alcohol use disorder (AUD) and alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD), where she investigates the complex interactions among nutrition, metabolism, the gut microbiome, and liver pathology.
Research Interests
Dr. Kirpich’s research program focuses on understanding how dietary factors, metabolic pathways, and microbiota-derived molecules contribute to the development and progression of alcohol use disorder (AUD) and alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD). A major component of her program centers on dietary lipids, particularly omega-3 and omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). Her group investigates how these lipids and the bioactive mediators derived from them influence gut microbiome composition, intestinal barrier integrity, inflammatory responses, liver injury, and alcohol-drinking behavior. This research aims to define lipid-driven mechanisms that initiate or resolve inflammation in AUD and ALD and to identify novel nutrition-based therapeutic strategies. In addition, Dr. Kirpich studies soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH), a key enzyme regulating endogenous lipid metabolism. Her work evaluates the therapeutic potential of sEH inhibition across stages of ALD severity and provides mechanistic support for its use as an innovative treatment approach. Together, these efforts form a comprehensive and translational framework to advance the mechanistic understanding of AUD and ALD and discover novel therapeutic strategies.
Degrees and Certifications
Pomor State University
University of Louisville