Adipocyte Biology
Faculty
Jacqueline Stephens, PhD
Allison Richard, PhD
Research Focus
The Adipocyte Biology laboratory investigates the molecular mechanisms within fat cells (adipocytes) that contribute to or protect against obesity-induced metabolic dysfunction, aiming to identify and characterize proteins and pathways that can be targeted to mitigate the harmful metabolic effects. The lab’s studies reveal it is the quality, not quantity, of fat mass that drives metabolic dysfunction.
About this Lab
The laboratory conducts comprehensive studies using in vitro cell culture as well as tissue-specific knockout animal models (congenital and inducible). The lab also studies adipose tissue from human clinical trials. The lab team employs advanced techniques such as Western blotting, RT-qPCR, immunohistochemistry, and various sequencing methods to explore the roles of transcription factors, epigenetic regulators, hormones, and cytokines. Additionally, the team investigates the potential of botanical extracts, like Artemisia scoparia, to modulate adipocyte function and alleviate insulin resistance. Current projects focus on understanding how KAT8, a lysine acetyltransferase, influences adipocyte function and adipose tissue homeostasis through bioinformatic analyses of RNA-seq, ChIP-seq, and single-cell sequencing data.
