Welcome to our Lab!
We study lipotoxic mechanisms underlying metabolic diseases.
The major accomplishment of our laboratory is advancing the idea that sphingolipids (e.g. ceramides) contribute to insulin resistance and metabolic disease. This prior work involving cell culture and rodent model systems has revealed considerable new mechanistic insight into the role of these molecules as central regulators of nutrient homeostasis. This focus on basic science and discovery biology will continue to be a major component of our laboratory. However, we now endeavor to also translate these findings into new clinical procedures or behavioral interventions to improve health.
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Who?
Of the 4000 sphingolipids that accrue in tissues, which ones are biologically active and which are relevant to metabolic disease?
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What?
Through what mechanisms do cells translate small changes in sphingolipid levels into profound effects on nutrient homeostasis?
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Where?
Where do sphingolipids act (i.e. which tissues and which organelles)?
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When?
When in the timeline of events leading to metabolic disease do sphingolipids accumulate? What regulatory mechanisms govern rates of ceramide synthesis or degradation?
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Why?
Why did sphingolipids evolve such prominent roles in nutrient homeostasis?
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How?
How do we exploit this knowledge to improve human health?
Why we do what we do - Scott Summers
A lifelong quest - a Vitae talk by our PI and chair of NUIP department.
Why we do what we do - William Holland
It runs in the family - A Vitae talk by our PI and Associate Professor.
Fall News
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Faith Bowman (doctoral candidate) presents at Malta conference - Oct 2nd 2024
Our biochemistry graduate student Faith Bowman presented her work at the 3rd Metabolism in Health and Disease conference in St. Julians, Malta. The work presented was entitled “Characterizing FOXN3’s Role in Directing Glucose and Energy Substrate Metabolism”.
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New review published! - Jul 31st 2024
Our lab recently published a new review entitled “Ceramide microdomains: the major influencers of the sphingolipid media platform”. Congratulations to our PhD student in Nutrition and Integrative Physiology Mariah Stout!
Check it out!
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Marie Norris (doctoral candidate) presents at Japan conference - Nov 7th 2024
Our Nutrition and Integrative Physiology graduate student Marrie Norris presented her work at the Japanese Society for Inherited Metabolic Disorders at Tokyo, Japan. The talk was entitled “Ceramide: The Unmasked Driver of Heart Failure in Long-chain Fatty Acid Oxidation Disorders”. Congratulations for attending as the winner of best presentation in the 2024 April conference!
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Rebekah Nicholson (doctoral candidate) presents at Spain conference - Oct 28th 2024
Our Nutrition and Integrative Physiology graduate student Rebekah Nicholson presented her work at the ‘Cell Symposia: Multifaceted Mitochondria’ in Sitges, Spain. The talk was entitled “Proteome Integral Solubility Alteration (PISA) Identifies Novel Ceramide-Protein Interactions in the Inner Mitochondrial Membrane Mediating Proximal Tubule Mitochondrial Form and Function During Acute Kidney Injury”.
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Rebekah Nicholson (doctoral candidate) presents at San Diego conference - Oct 23rd 2024
Our Nutrition and Integrative Physiology graduate student Rebekah Nicholson presented her work at the ‘American Society of Nephrology Kidney Week’ in San Diego, CA. The talk was entitled “Characteriziation of a Novel ASAH2 Variant Associated with Diabetes and Kidney Failure in Tongan and Samoan Patients”. Congratulations for attending the conference as a Kidney STARS scholar Bekah!
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Rebekah Nicholson (doctoral candidate) presents at Ann Arbor conference - Nov 8th 2024
Our Nutrition and Integrative Physiology graduate student Rebekah Nicholson presented her work at the ‘Lipodystrophy Symposium’ in Ann Arbor, MI. The talk was entitled “Ceramides: Links to lipodystrophy and cardiometabolic disease”.
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Dave Dumaguit (PhD Student) presents at Denver genetics conference - Nov 5th 2024
Our PhD student in Nutrition and Integrative Physiology Dave Dumaguit presented his work at the American Society of Human Genetics Annual Meeting, in Denver, CO. The talk was entitled “Characterization of a novel ASAH2 variant associated with diabetes and Kidney Failure in Tongan and Samoan patients.