Current Projects.
Nuclear Receptor CoRepressors (NCORs): balancing anabolic and catabolic metabolism
Nuclear receptors (NRs) are transcription factors that regulate gene expression in response to the binding of specific ligands including hormones, fatty acids, and bile acids. We are particularly interested in the protein effectors (co-repressors and co-activators) of NR activity which are recruited to the genome to initiate chromatin remodeling and regulate gene expression from NR target loci. Through these studies, we aim to address the fundamental question of how metabolic signals are integrated within the nucleus to control cell and systemic metabolism through coordinated gene expression.
Transcriptional regulation of metabolic rhythms.
Metabolic homeostasis is, in part, driven by robust transcriptional rhythms that control the expression of metabolic enzymes. These rhythms are tightly regulated through signaling inputs including hormones, sugars, and fats, and determine whether a cell or tissue stores energy or uses energy. We are interested in how these rhythms change during obesity and aging, how tissue-specific metabolic rhythms contribute to systemic metabolism, and how restoring normal metabolic rhythms may impact healthspan.