Craig J McClain MD

Gastroenterology•Louisville, KY

Hepatology & Liver Transplantation

Professor of Medicine, University Louisville School of Medicine

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401 E Chestnut StSuite 310Louisville, KY 40202
Phone+1 502-584-8563
Fax+1 502-562-6196

Education & Training

University of MinnesotaFellowship, Gastroenterology, 1975 - 1977
UPMC Medical EducationResidency, Internal Medicine, 1972 - 1975
University of Tennessee Health Science Center College of MedicineClass of 1972
Earlham CollegeBA, 1968

Certifications & Licensure

KY State Medical License 1982 - 2026
OH State Medical License 2005 - 2006
MN State Medical License 1976 - 1982
PA State Medical License 1973 - 1976
American Board of Internal Medicine Internal Medicine
American Board of Internal Medicine Gastroenterology

Awards, Honors, & Recognition

NIH Mark Keller Honorary Lecture honoree NIH, 2014
Fellow American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases, 2014
Elizabeth Hurlock Beckman Award for Mentoring 2013
Distinguished Faculty Award in Research for Basic and Applied Sciences UofL, 2013
Fellow American College of Gastroenterology, 2013
Fellow (AGAF) American Gastroenterological Association, 2008
Fellow American Gastroenterological Association, 2008
2007 Research Scholar Award (RSA) for Mentoring AGA Foundation, 2007
Distinguished Investigator Award University of Louisville, Department of Medicine, 2007
VHA Advanced Clinic Access Champion Award VAMC, 2007
Second most frequently cited liver pathobiology article over the past 25 years in Hepatology 2006
Distinguished University Scholar University of Louisville School of Medicine, 2006
GI Fellow Teaching Award University of Louisville School of Medicine, 2003
NIH Merit (R37) Award 2001
Distinguished Chair in Hepatology Jewish Hospital, 2001
College of Medicine Faculty Research Award 1996
Grace A. Goldsmith Award - Outstanding Research in Nutrition American College of Nutrition, 1990
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Clinical Trials

Efficacy Study of Anakinra, Pentoxifylline, and Zinc Compared to Methylprednisolone in Severe Acute Alcoholic Hepatitis Start of enrollment: 2013 Sep 01
Completed
Phase 2, Phase 3
Novel Therapies in Moderately Severe Acute Alcoholic Hepatitis Start of enrollment: 2013 Aug 01
Terminated
Not Applicable
Trial of Anakinra (Plus Zinc) or Prednisone in Patients With Severe Alcoholic Hepatitis Start of enrollment: 2020 Jul 10
COMPLETED
PHASE2
Perioperative Cerebrovascular Autoregulation Monitoring in Neurosurgical Patients Start of enrollment: 2020 Feb 11
Recruiting
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Publications & Presentations

PubMed

Back to phosphodiesterase inhibitors for liver disease: Are we ready for clinical trials?
Leila Gobejishvili, Craig J McClain
Hepatology. 2025-04-01
1 citations
Acute kidney injury in severe alcohol-associated hepatitis treated with anakinra plus zinc or prednisone.
Kavish R Patidar, Wanzhu Tu, Thomas G Cotter, Douglas A Simonetto, Amon Asgharpour
Hepatology. 2025-04-01
Impact of chronic ethanol consumption and SARS-COV-2 on the liver and intestine: A pilot dose-response study in mice.
Smita Ghare, Dennis Warner, Jeffrey Warner, Paula M Chilton, Jiyeon Lee
Alcohol, Clinical & Experimental Research. 2025-03-01

Journal Articles

Copper-Fructose Interactions: A Novel Mechanism in the Pathogenesis of NAFLD
Miriam B Vos, Craig J McClain, MDPI
Nutrition in Patients with Cirrhosis
Craig McClain, MD, National Institutes of Health
Simultaneous Quantification of Straight-Chain and Branched-Chain Short Chain Fatty Acids by Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry
Craig McClain, Craig McClain, ScienceDirect
Keratin 18, apoptosis, and liver disease in children
Mannery YO, McClain CJ, Vos MB, Curr Ped Reviews, 1/1/2011
Analysis of the second dimension retention index in comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography time-of-flight mass spectrometry using different column configurat...
Zhang J, Zhao Y, Fang A, Sei X, Wang B, Kim SH, McClain C, Zhang X, J Chromatogr A, 1/1/2011
Value of Fibrosis Markers for Staging Liver Fibrosis in Patients with Precirrhotic Alcoholic Liver Disease
Lieber CJ, Weiss DG, Paronetto F, and the VA Cooperative Study 391 group, Alcohol Clin Exp Res, 1/1/2008
The Small Intestine and Nutrition Training and Certifying Gastroenterologists as Physician Nutrition Specialists
Heimburger DC, and the Intersociety Professional Nutrition Education Consortium (INEC), J Clin Gastroenterol, 1/1/2004
Textbook of Gastroenterology
McClain CJ, Dryden G, Krueger K, 1/1/2003
Veterans Affairs Cooperative Study of polyenylphosphatidylcholine in alcoholic liver disease
Lieber CS, Weiss DG, Groszmann R, Paronetto F, Schenker S, Alcohol Clin Exp Res, 1/1/2003
Veterans Affairs Cooperative Study of polyenylphosphatidylcholine in alcoholic liver disease: effects on drinking behavior by nurse/physician teams
Lieber CS, Weiss DG, Groszmann R, Paronetto F, Schenker S, Alcohol Clin Exp Res, 1/1/2003
Can You Go Vegetarian If You Have GI Problems?
McClain CJ, Digestive Health and Nutrition, 1/1/2001
Serum cytokine response to iron reduction in chronic hepatitis C patients
Kugelmas M, Carey WD, McClain CJ, J Trace Elements in Experimental Medicine, 1/1/2000
Review article: Potential gastrointestinal effects of long-term acid suppression with proton pump inhibitors
Laine L, Ahnen D, McClain CJ, Solcia E, Walsh J, Ailment Pharmacol. Ther, 1/1/2000
Bringing physician nutrition specialists into the mainstream: rationale for the Intersociety Professional Nutrition Education Consortium
Intersociety Professional Nutrition Education Consortium, Am J Clin Nutr, 1/1/1998
Exploring therapeutic options for head injury
McClain CJ, NCRR Reporter, 1/1/1998
Mechanisms of hepatic injury in alcoholic liver disease
Hill DB, Deaciuc IV, Nanji AA, McClain CJ, Clinics in Liver Disease, 1/1/1998
Zinc, cytokines, and liver disease
McClain CJ, Hill D, Shedlofsky S, Gaetke L, Hennig B, Zinc and Diseases of the Digestive Tract, 1/1/1997
Biomedical Research on Alcohol and AIDS
McClain CJ, Pachter JS, Shellito J, Stapleton J, Waltenbaugh C, NIAAA, 1/1/1996
Nutritional Concerns of Women
Hill K, McClain CJ, Gaetke L, Saddler A, 1/1/1996
Selective removal of zinc from cell culture media
Clair J, Talwalkar R0, McClain CJ, Hennig B, J Trace Elements Exp Med, 1/1/1995
Zinc endothelial cell function
McClain CJ, Morris P, Hennig B, Supplement to Nutrition: The International Journal, 1/1/1995
Topical Silver Sulfadiazine Decreases Plasma Copper and Ceruloplasmin in a Rat Model of Thermal Injury
Boosalis MG, Shippee RL, Talwalker R, McClain CJ, J Trace Element Research in Exp Medicine, 1/1/1995
Tumor necrosis factor-mediated effects on gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase activity in cloned cerebral endothelial cells
McGovern V, Bauer HC, McClain CJ, Jackson B, Hennig B, Endothelium, 1/1/1994
How to Manage both acute and chronic hepatic encephalopathy
Marsano LS, McClain CJ, J Critical Illness, 1/1/1993
Augmentation of Immune Reactivity by Chronic Ethanol Feeding in Mice - Effect on Development of Murine AIDS
Cohen DA, Fitzpatrick EA, Rhoads CA, Honchel R, Espandiari P, Kaplan AM, McClain CJ, Proceedings of the Conference on Alcohol, Drugs of Abuse, and Immunomodulators (AIDS), 1/1/1993
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Books/Book Chapters

Aging and Vulnerability to Environmental Chemicals: Age-Related Disorders and Their Origins in Environmental Exposures
Chapter: Liver Disease
Cave M, Mohammad MK, Arteel G, Falkner KC, McClain CJEditors: Weiss B.The Royal Society of Chemistry, Cambridge, UK2013
Modern Nutrition in Health and Disease
Chapter: Nutrition in Liver Disorders and the Role of Alcohol
Page 1117. - 1127.Beier JI, Landes S, Mohammad M, McClain CJEditors: Shils ME.Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins, PhiladelphiaEdition 11th,2012
Present Knowledge in Nutrition
Chapter: Nutrition Liver Disease
Page 889.0 - 911.0McClain CJ, Hill DB, Marsano LEditors: Erdman JW, Macdonald IA, Zeisel SH.International Life Sciences Institute, Washington, DCEdition 10th,2012
Zakim & Boyer’s Hepatology
Chapter: Occupational and environmental hepatotoxicity
Page 476.0 - 492.0Cave M, Falkner KC, McClain CJEditors: Boyer TD, Manns MP, Sanyal AJ.Saunders Elsevier, PhiladelphiaEdition 6th,2012
Controversies in Hepatology: The Experts Analyze Both Sides
Chapter: Alcoholic hepatitis: Pentoxyfilline versus steroids
Page 3.0 - 10.0Gobejishvili L, Crittenden N, McClain CJEditors: Jenson DM.Slack Incorporated, Thorofare, NJ2011
Sleisenger and Fordtran's Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease
Chapter: Alcoholic liver disease
Page 1383. - 1400.Carithers RL, McClain CEditors: Feldman M, Friedman LS, Brandt LJ.Saunders Elsevier, PhiladelphiaEdition 9th,2010
Integrative Gastroenterology
Chapter: Liver disease
Page 559.0 - 578.0Cave M., Aslam N., Kulisek C., Marsano L., McClain CEditors: Mullin GE.Oxford University Press, New YorkEdition 1st,2010
Nutrition, Diet Therapy and the Liver
Chapter: Nutritional deficiencies in alcoholic liver disease. Long-term management of alcoholic liver disease
Page 159.0 - 182.0Zhou Z, Song Z, Pigneri D, McClain M, Mendenhall CL, McClain CJCRC Press2009
Textbook of Gastroenterology
Chapter: Complementary and Alternative Medicine in Gastroenterology
Page 2844. - 2859.McClain CJ, Dryden G, Krueger KEdition 5th,2009
Alcohol and the Gastrointestinal Tract
Chapter: Treatment of alcoholic liver disease
Page 196.0 - 213.0Bergheim I, McClain CJ, Arteel GEEditors: Singer M and Brenner DA.Karger AG, Basel, Switzerland2006
Present Knowledge in Nutrition
Chapter: Nutrition in Liver Disease
Page 747.0 - 763.0McClain CJ, Hill DB, Marsano LEditors: Bowman BA, and Russell RM.International Life Sciences Institute, Washington DC2006
Sleisenger & Fordtran’s Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease
Chapter: Alcoholic Liver Disease
Page 1771. - 1792.Carithers RI, McClain CJEditors: M Feldman, LS Friedman and LJ Brant.Saunders Elsevier, Philadelphia2006
Clinical Nutrition in Gastrointestinal Diseases
Chapter: Clinical Implications of Oxidative Stress and Anti-Oxidant Therapy in Gastrointestinal Disease
Page 329.0 - 342.0Arteel G, Dryden GW, McClain CJEditors: Buchman A.Slack Incorporated, Thorofare, NJ2006
Liver Diseases Biochemical Mechanisms and New Therapeutic Insights
Chapter: Role of Activated Macrophages in Liver Disease
Page 159.0 - 178.0Deaciuc I, McClain CJEditors: MannD, Friedman S, Ali S.Science Publishers Enfield, NJ2006
Gastroenterology Board Review Manual, Hospital Physician
Chapter: Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease
Cave M, Louthan MV, McClain CJ2005
Advanced Therapy in Gastroenterology and Liver Disease
Chapter: Alcoholic Liver Disease
Page 665.0 - 670.0Mendez C, Marsano L, Hill DB, McClain CJEditors: Bayless, T. and Diehl, A.m..Edition 5th,2005
Advanced Therapy in Gastroenterology and Liver Disease
Chapter: Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy
Page 196.0 - 201.0Jabbar A, McClave S, McClain CJEditors: Bayless T, Diehl AM.Edition 5th,2005
Gastroenterology Board Review Manual
Chapter: Complementary and Alternative Medicines (CAM) Therapies for Gastrointestinal Disease
Krueger KJ, Dryden GW, McClain CJ2005
Handbook of Clinical Nutrition and Aging
Chapter: Aging and Immunity
Page 657.0 - 670.0Barve S, Ritchie CS, McClain CJEditors: C. W. Bales and C.S. Ritchie.Humana Press Inc, Totowa, NJ2003
CRC Series in Modern Nutrition Second Edition, Nutritional Concerns of Women
Chapter: Eating Disorders: Metabolic Complications and Therapy
Page 183.0 - 211.0Hill KK, Hill DB, Gaetke L, McClain MP, McClain CJEditors: Dorothy Klimis-Zacas and Ira Wolinsky.CRC PressEdition 2nd,2003
Present Knowledge in Nutrition
Chapter: Nutrition and Liver Disease
Page 483.0 - 496.0McClain CJ, Hill DB, Kugelmas M, Marsano LEditors: Bowman B and Russell RM.ILSI Press, Washington, DC2001
Trace Elements in Man and Animals
Chapter: Role of zinc in maintaining endothelial integrity
Hennig B, Connell P, Toborek M, Barve S, McClain CJ1997
Cytokines in Health and Disease
Chapter: Cytokines and Liver disease
Page 401.0 - 425.0Hill D, Diehl AM, Tsukamoto H, Shedlofsky S, McClain CJEditors: Remick and Friedland.Marcel Dekker, Inc, New York, NYEdition 2nd,1997
Neuroinflammation: Mechanisms & Management
Chapter: Cytokines: Cytokines in severe head injury
Page 221.0 - 249.0Ott L, McClain CJ, Scheff S, Hatton J, Young BEditors: Wood.Humana Press, Inc, Totowa, NJ1997
Morley Geriatric Nutrition
Chapter: Zinc in the elderly
Page 115.0 - 121.0Boosalis M, Stuart M, McClain CJEditors: Morley JE, Glick, Z., Rubenstein, L.Z..Raven Press, New YorkEdition 2nd,1995
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Abstracts/Posters

Special Topic Issue: Liver and Pancreatic Diseases: Consequences of Chronic Alcoholic Consumption
Singer MV, Dooley S, McClain CJ, Zakhari S, Dig Dis, Falk Workshop, Freiburg, 1/1/2010
National Consensus Counsel on OTC Analgesics
McClain CJ, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, 1/1/1993
International Cytokine Research Conference
McClain CJ, Hilton Head, SC, 1/1/1987
Conference on Hospital Nutrition Support
McClain CJ, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, 1/1/1986
Zinc in malabsorption syndromes
McClain CJ, American College of Nutrition, Cincinnati, OH, 1/1/1983
Chronic Hepatitis to Hepatocellular Carcinoma
McClain CJ, 16th Annual Pre-Derby University of Louisville Alumni Conference, Louisville, KY, 1/26/2008
HIV and Alcohol
McClain CJ, HIV & Liver Disease Conference, Jackson Hole, WY, 1/25/2008
Gut-Liver axis and nutritional alterations in alcohol-induced organ injury
McClain CJ, Center Directors Meeting and Scientific Conference, Berkeley, CA, 1/19/2010
Microbiota, Obesity Inflammation, and NASH
McClain CJ, Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Diabetes, Multidisciplinary Endocrine Conference, University of Louisville, 1/8./2010
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Lectures

CAM and GI Disease
Chicago, Illinois - 1/1/2001
Nutrition Support and Liver Disease: Traditional and Nontraditional Approaches
Louisville, Kentucky - 1/1/2001
Monocytes and ALD
Montreal, Canada - 1/1/2001
Caspase Inhibitors and Alcoholic Hepatitis
San Diego, California - 1/1/2001
SAMe and Disease
Washington, DC - 1/1/2001
Alcohol, Hepatitis C, and Liver Disease
Washington, DC - 1/1/2001
Update on TPN
1/1/2001
Pharmaco-Nutrient Modulation of Liver Function
Nashville, Tennessee - 1/1/2000
Alcohol HIV Use and Pharmacotherapy - Antioxidants, GSH, SAMe and ALD
Washington, DC - 1/1/2000
Speaker, Alcohol/HIV/Hepatology Conference
Washington, DC - 1/1/2000
Priming and Sensitizations in ALD
Japan - 1/1/2000
Pharmaco-nutritional Modulation of Liver Disease
Las Vegas - 1/1/2000
Nutrition Training for Physicians
Birmingham, AL - 1/1/1999
ALD
Henry Ford Hospital - 1/1/1999
University Drug Studies: Can They Work
Chicago - 1/1/1999
Nutritional Pharmacology
Orlando, FL - 1/1/1999
Drug Induced Liver Disease
Louisville, KY - 1/1/1999
Apoptosis and ALD
1/1/1999
Complementary Medicine in Liver Disease
Washington, DC - 1/1/1999
Trace Metals
Washington, DC - 1/1/1999
Alcohol, Cytokines, Hepatitis C
Washington, DC - 1/1/1998
Nutritional Assessment
New Orleans, LA - 1/1/1998
GI Research Group
New Orleans, LA - 1/1/1998
Intersociety Professional Nutrition Education Consortium
Birmingham, AL - 1/1/1997
Alcohol, HIV, Infection, and Wasting Diseases
Washington, DC - 1/1/1997
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Other

Acrolein in ALD
Chen, J
1/1/2015
Liver, Environmental Toxins and Epigenetics
Ghare, S
1/1/2015
Liver Transplantation
Frimodig, J
1/1/2015
Anti-HCV interferon signaling
Mathews, S
1/1/2012
Role of the coagulation cascade in hepatic injury
Arteel, J
1/1/2012
Fructose and Liver Injury
Mannery, Y
1/1/2012
Brain epigenetics
Kharebava, G
1/1/2009
Matrix Metalloproteinases
Kirpich, I
1/1/2008
SAMe, Silymarin in fatty liver
Song, M
1/1/2006
SAMe, Silymarin and NASH
Liu, R
1/1/2005
ALD and SAMe
Song, Z
1/1/2003
Neutrophils, cytokines, and liver injury
Barve, A
1/1/2003
Alcohol Immune Function
Kelkar S
1/1/2002
Cytokines and pancreatitis
Blanchard J
1/1/2002
Alcohol and immune function
Dong Q
1/1/2000
Polyphenols
Yang F
1/1/1999
Choline deficiency and liver injury
Eastin C
1/1/1998
Regulation of hepatic cytokines
Devalaraja R
1/1/1997
Manganous SOD and alcoholic liver disease
Perera C
1/1/1995
Molecular Biology of cytokines
Joshi-Barve S
1/1/1994
Stress and Zinc Metabolism in Humans
Gaetke L
1/1/1994
Cytokines and liver injury
Honchel R
1/1/1991
Zinc and appetite regulation/energy expenditure
Gaetke L
1/1/1990
Acetaminophen liver injury in genetically obese rats
Dickson P
1/1/1988
Effect of yogurt on mineral bioavailability
Toleman J
1/1/1987
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Press Mentions

UofL and Robley Rex VA Medical Center Partnership Leads to New State-of-the-Art Multiphoton Microscopes for Exposure StudiesNovember 22nd, 2022
University of Louisville Receives NIH Funding to Support Research into Liver-Related IllnessJune 21st, 2021
UofL Receives $11.3 Million Grant for Liver Research CenterJune 21st, 2021

Grant Support

Integrated therapies for alcohol use and ALD (ITAALD) Network -UofL Clinical CenterUNIVERSITY OF LOUISVILLE2018–2029
Inflammation Resolving Lipid Mediators: Novel Therapy for Alcohol AssociatedLiver DiseaseLOUISVILLE VA MEDICAL MEDICAL CENTER2023–2027
Hepatobiology and Toxicology COBREUNIVERSITY OF LOUISVILLE2016–2026
The Role of Nutrition in the Development/Progression of Alcohol-Induced Organ InjuryUNIVERSITY OF LOUISVILLE2016–2026
Alcohol, Proteasome Dysfunction In Liver InjuryVeterans Affairs2011–2012
Summer Environmental Health Sciences Training ProgramNational Institute Of Environmental Health Sciences2011–2012
Cyclic AMP, Cytokine Modulation And Alcoholic Liver DiseaseNational Institute On Alcohol Abuse And Alcoholism2009–2011
The Role Of Alcohol In HIV Therapy HepatotoxicityNational Institute On Alcohol Abuse And Alcoholism2008–2011
University Of Louisville Bioinformatics Faculty Recruitment For EpigeneticsNational Institute On Alcohol Abuse And Alcoholism2009–2010
Biomarkers For SteatohepatitisNational Institute On Alcohol Abuse And Alcoholism2009–2010
Alcohol Liver Disease And Alcohol-Nutrient InteractionsNational Institute On Alcohol Abuse And Alcoholism2008–2010
Administrative CoreNational Institute On Alcohol Abuse And Alcoholism2008–2010
TNF And Mitochondrial Dysfunction In ALDNational Institute On Alcohol Abuse And Alcoholism2006–2010
S-Adenosylhomocysteine And S-Adenosylmethionine In Alcoholic Liver DiseaseNational Institute On Alcohol Abuse And Alcoholism2005–2010
Mechanisms Of S-Adenosylmethionine In NASHNational Institute Of Diabetes And Digestive And Kidney Diseases2005–2009
Planning Grant For Louisville Clinical And Translational Science AwardNational Center For Research Resources2006
Tumor Necrosis Factor And Alcoholic Liver DiseaseNational Institute On Alcohol Abuse And Alcoholism2001–2005
Alcohol Liver Disease And S-AdenosylmethionineNational Institute On Alcohol Abuse And Alcoholism2001–2005
A.S.P.E.N. Research Workshop On Functional FoodsNational Institute Of Diabetes And Digestive And Kidney Diseases2002
Alcohol, Nutrition, And ImmunomodulationNational Institute On Alcohol Abuse And Alcoholism2000
Alcohol, Nutrition, And ImmunomodulationNational Institute On Alcohol Abuse And Alcoholism1996–2000
Pharmacokinetics And Pharmacodynamics Of Procysteine In Liver DiseaseNational Center For Research Resources1997–1999
Alcohol Liver Disease And S AdenosylmethionineNational Institute On Alcohol Abuse And Alcoholism1998
Altered Hepatic Metabolism Following Head InjuryNational Institute Of Neurological Disorders And Stroke1996–1998

Professional Memberships

American Gastroenterological Association - AGA
Fellow