Robert C. Huebert

Robert C. Huebert, M.D., is a Professor of Medicine and Associate Professor of Regenerative Medicine at Mayo Clinic, where he serves as a Consultant in the Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology and Director of the Transplant Research Center since 2023. His work bridges clinical hepatology and cutting-edge regenerative research, focusing on cholangiopathies and liver fibrosis.

• Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Minnesota Duluth
• M.D., University of Minnesota Medical School, Twin Cities
• Residency and Fellowship training at Mayo Clinic, including Advanced Fellowship in Transplant Hepatology
• Board Certified in Gastroenterology and Transplant Hepatology

Dr. Huebert's research centers on liver regenerative medicine, particularly the molecular and epigenetic mechanisms driving biliary development, fibrosis, and repair. His lab pioneered methods to derive cholangiocytes from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), enabling patient-specific disease modeling and drug testing. This technology supports the Liver Biobank, a biorepository of patient-derived iPSCs developed in collaboration with the Mayo Clinic Regenerative Medicine Biotrust. His long-term goal is to develop cell-based therapies for cholangiopathies, having demonstrated in vivo engraftment of stem cell-derived cholangiocytes.

His recent publications highlight advances in cholangiocyte biology, liver fibrosis mechanisms, bioengineered livers, and iPSC modeling. Themes include epigenetic regulation in primary sclerosing cholangitis, metabolic control of fibrogenesis via hepatic stellate cells, and microencapsulation strategies for cell therapy. These works reflect a strong translational trajectory toward regenerative therapeutics.

Scientific awards and recognitions include:

• Gilead Sciences Research Scholars Award in Liver Disease (2016)
• NIH K08 Career Development Award (2013)
• Postdoctoral Scholar Award, Regenerative Medicine Minnesota (2015)
• Young Investigator of the Year, Hartz Foundation (2009)
• Research Pipeline K2R Transition Award, Mayo Clinic (2018)
• Multiple awards from NIH Loan Repayment Program

Dr. Huebert leads NIH-funded projects on cholestatic fibrogenesis and epigenetic regulation in liver disease. He mentors trainees and collaborates widely across regenerative medicine, gastroenterology, and transplantation. He is actively involved in professional societies including AASLD and EASL, and serves on editorial and leadership committees at Mayo Clinic, including the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee and the Center for Individualized Medicine.

His laboratory, the Biliary Epigenetics and Regenerative Medicine Laboratory, is a hub for innovation in liver disease modeling and therapy development, supported by core facilities and collaborative networks at Mayo Clinic.