Dr Alison Brind, consultant physician at the City General Hospital in Stoke is also heading research into genetic factors in alcohol-related liver disease.
Earlier research with twins has also indicated a genetic predisposition to problem drinking behaviour as well as to the resulting liver damage, Dr Brind said.
"There are plenty of religious people who die young and plenty of atheists who live to 103, " said Dr. Andrew Newberg, director of research at the Myrna Brind Center of Integrative Medicine at Thomas Jefferson University.