HistoIndex, a pioneer in AI-driven digital pathology for chronic liver disease, has entered a strategic partnership with Houston Research Institute (HRI), a leading US clinical research organisation specialising in hepatology, gastroenterology, and metabolic liver disease.
The collaboration strengthens HistoIndex’s expanding network of commercial partnerships across the United States and Europe, aimed at improving diagnostic precision and clinical decision-making for patients with Metabolic Dysfunction–associated Steatohepatitis (MASH).
Expanding access to advanced MASH diagnostics
Through the partnership, all four HRI medical centres—
- Houston Research Institute Pasadena
- Houston Research Institute Sugar Land
- Houston Research Institute
- Houston Research Institute Medical Center
will gain access to HistoIndex’s integrated diagnostic offering, combining:
- Expert histopathological evaluation by experienced pathologists
- Advanced AI-based liver biopsy analysis
This approach enables more consistent, quantitative, and reproducible assessment of disease severity in MASH.
Introducing FibroSIGHT® Plus for quantitative fibrosis analysis
In addition to standard-of-care histological assessment of:
- Steatosis
- Lobular inflammation
- Ballooning
- Fibrosis
HistoIndex will provide FibroSIGHT® Plus, its proprietary AI-based diagnostic test. FibroSIGHT Plus delivers fully quantitative measurement of liver fibrosis from biopsy samples, addressing limitations of conventional categorical scoring systems commonly used in MASH diagnosis and clinical trials.
Improving clinical decision-making with AI
“Partnering with Houston Research Institute represents a significant step forward in our mission to bring quantitative, AI-enabled pathology into MASH clinical care,” said Dr. Yukti Choudhury, Chief Development Officer at HistoIndex.
“Our integrated diagnostic service centralises both traditional histopathology and AI-enhanced workflows, enabling faster turnaround times while maintaining rigorous quality standards across every specimen.”
Strengthening diagnostic capabilities at HRI
From the clinical perspective, the collaboration enhances diagnostic depth and consistency across HRI’s liver centres.
“This partnership expands our ability to offer advanced, high-quality diagnostic services to patients with MASH,” said Dr. Mazen Noureddin, MD, MHS, Director at Houston Research Institute and Co-Chairman of the Board at Summit and Pinnacle Clinical Research.
“Integrating expert histopathology with quantitative AI-based fibrosis analysis supports more informed clinical decision-making across our centres.”
Why this matters for MASH care and trials?
MASH is a progressive form of metabolic dysfunction–associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) and can lead to:
- Advanced fibrosis
- Cirrhosis
- Liver failure
- Increased risk of liver cancer
While liver biopsy remains the diagnostic gold standard, categorical histological scoring systems often fail to capture the disease’s biological complexity and heterogeneity. This limitation has driven growing demand for AI-based digital pathology tools that provide more accurate, objective, and reproducible assessments—particularly in clinical trials and treatment response evaluation.
About HistoIndex
Founded in 2010, HistoIndex pioneers stain-free, fully automated imaging solutions for visualising and quantifying fibrosis in biological tissues.
By combining advanced biophotonic technology with AI-based analytics, the company delivers next-generation tools to improve disease assessment and drug efficacy evaluation in chronic liver disease.
