Education

  • PhD, University of Missouri - Columbia, MO, 2001, Animal Science, Reproductive Physiology and Neuroendocrinology
  • BS, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, 1997, Animal Science, Science and Technology Focus

Research Interests

Dr. Morrison has a general research interest in whole animal neuroendocrinology and physiology, especially as applied to the neuronal regulation of feeding behavior, body weight homeostasis, reproduction, growth, and metabolism. Dr. Morrison’s work has recently focused on dietary protein content and its effects on food intake and body weight.

Dietary protein restriction significantly alters body composition, metabolism and food intake, but the mechanisms through which protein intake is detected and regulated are largely unknown. Recent work in the Morrison lab has discovered novel pathways contributing to the detection of protein restriction, and in particular has identified the circulating hormone FGF21 as the first known endocrine signal of protein restriction. Ongoing work is focusing on both the mechanism through which dietary protein regulates FGF21 and the mechanisms through which FGF21 coordinates adaptive changes in food intake and metabolism in response to protein restriction. In addition, separate experiments seek to identify novel pathways connecting dietary protein intake to metabolism, feeding behavior and longevity.

Departments:  Neurosignaling and Animal Metabolism and Behavior

Selected Publications

  1. Spann RA, Kim SQ, Khan MSH, Albarado DA, Fernandez-Kim SO, Berthoud HR, McDougal DH, Münzberg H, He Y,  Yu S, Morrison CD. FGF21 signals through hindbrain neurons to alter food intake and energy expenditure during dietary protein restriction. bioRxiv In Review, Preprint available at: https://doi.org/10.1101/2025.04.19.649640

  2. Khan MSH, Kim SQ, Ross RC, Corpodean F, Spann RA, Albarado DA, Fernandez-Kim SO, Clarke B, Berthoud HR, Münzberg H, McDougal DH, He Y, Yu S, Albaugh VL, Soto PL, Morrison CD. FGF21 acts in the brain to drive macronutrient-specific changes in behavioral motivation and brain reward signaling. Mol Metab. 91:102068, 2025.

  3. Hill CM, Albarado DC, Coco LG, Spann RA, Khan MS, Qualls-Creekmore E, Burk DH, Burke SJ, Collier JJ, Yu S, McDougal DH, Berthoud HR, Münzberg H, Bartke A, Morrison CD. FGF21 is required for protein restriction to extend lifespan and improve metabolic health in male mice. Nat Commun. 13:1897, 2022.

  4. Hill CM, Laeger T, Dehner M, Albarado DC, Clarke B, Wanders D, Burke SJ, Collier JJ, Qualls-Creekmore E, Solon-Biet SM, Simpson SJ, Berthoud HR, Münzberg H, Morrison CD. FGF21 Signals Protein Status to the Brain and Adaptively Regulates Food Choice and Metabolism. Cell Rep. 27(10):2934-2947, 2019.

  5. Hill CM, Laeger T, Albarado DC, McDougal DH, Berthoud HR, Münzberg H, and Morrison CD. Low protein-induced increases in FGF21 drive UCP1-dependent metabolic but not thermoregulatory endpoints. Scientific Reports 7:8209, 2017.

  6. Berthoud HR, Münzberg H, Morrison CD. Blaming the Brain for Obesity: Integration of Hedonic and Homeostatic Mechanisms. Gastroenterology.152:1728-1738, 2017.

  7. T Laeger, DC Albarado, SJ Burke, L Trosclair, JW Hedgepeth, HR Berthoud, TW Gettys, JJ Collier, H Münzberg, and CD Morrison. Metabolic responses to dietary protein restriction require an increase in FGF21 that is delayed by the absence of GCN2. Cell Reports 16:707-716, 2016. 

  8. TM Henagan, T Laeger, AM Navard, D Albarado, RC Noland, K Stadler, CM Elks, D Burke, CD Morrison. Hepatic autophagy contributes to the metabolic response to dietary protein restriction. Metabolism 65:805-815, 2016.

  9. T Laeger, TM Henagan, DC Albarado, LM Redman, GA Bray, RC Noland, H Münzberg, SM Hutson, TW Gettys, MW Schwartz and CD Morrison. FGF21 is an endocrine signal of protein restriction. Journal of Clinical Investigation 124:3913-22, 2014.

Web of Science Bibliography
PubMed Bibliography
ORCID Bibliography