Membership guidelines
Membership in the Washington University Nutrition Obesity Research Center (NORC) Core Center is available to Washington University faculty who have a professional interest in obesity, clinical nutrition, nutrition education or nutrition-related research.
- Full-time Washington University faculty
- PI of nutrition/obesity-related research grant
- Plan to use a NORC Core laboratory for nutrition/obesity-related research
- Full-time Washington University faculty involved in nutrition/obesity-related research or clinical activities, but does not meet all criteria for Regular membership
- May include Co-Investigator of nutrition/obesity-related research grant in which the PI is a NORC Regular Member, current NORC Pilot & Feasibility Program recipient, and/or no active extramural nutrition nutrition/obesity research funding, but is a NORC Core Director or Associate Director still conducting nutrition/obesity research with departmental or other funds.
Membership privileges
Members will be able to attend conferences, seminars and retreats sponsored by the NORC Core Center at no cost. Members will have priority use of shared resources and services offered by the NORC including:
- Animal Model Research Core: Provides expert consultation and training in the use of animal models and technical procedures, and specific services including biochemical analyses of lipids and glucose in small volume serum and tissue samples, body composition analyses, and assessment of energy metabolism and balance. New services have been added to include in vivo substrate metabolism analyses in rodents.
- Cellular and Molecular Biology Core: Provides high resolution respirometry in intact tissues, cells and isolated mitochondria, analysis of circulating biomarkers relevant to obesity (adipokines, hepatokines, myokines and cytokines), adipose tissue immune cell isolation, murine brown/beige adipose tissue isolation and characterization, starter cultures for adipogenic murine embryonic fibroblasts, and expansion of extracellular vesicle (EV) analysis.
- Clinical Science Research Core: Provides consultation in study design and selection of outcome measures, body composition analysis, protocol-specific meals for diet intervention studies, stable isotopically labeled metabolic tracer and hormone infusate preparation, clinical services to obtain muscle and adipose tissue biopsies and conduct cardiovascular testing, inpatient and outpatient sleep monitoring services, and assistance in implementing lifestyle interventions. Offers metabolic kinetic assessments using stable isotope tracers ad mathematical modeling of both tracer and non-tracer data.
Current Members
| Name | Primary Department | Research Focus |
|---|---|---|
| Abumrad, Nada A | IM – Nutritional Science & Obesity Medicine | Molecular mechanisms of fatty acid trafficking |
| Ances, Beau | Neurology | Lifestyle and obesity in Alzheimer’s disease |
| Apte, Rajendra | Ophthalmology & Visual Science | Apolipoproteins and adipokines in eye diseases |
| Artyomov, Maxim N | Pathology & Immunology | Dietary and metabolic regulation of immune cell function |
| Ashrafi, Ghazaleh | Cell Biology & Physiology | Neuro metabolism |
| Bateman, Randall J | Neurology | CNS protein metabolism in obesity & Alzheimer’s Disease |
| Beals, Joe | IM – Nutritional Science & Obesity Medicine | Weight loss with/without resistance exercise training on muscle mass and function |
| Berger, Justin | Pediatrics – Cardiology | Glucose metabolism and heart failure in obesity |
| Bernal-Mizrachi, Carlos | IM – Endocrinology, Metabolism & Lipid Research | Vitamin D metabolism and cardiovascular disease |
| Brestoff, Jonathan R | Pathology & Immunology | Mitochondrial regulation of metabolism |
| Brier, Matthew | Neurology | Cerebral glucose and oxygen metabolism in MS |
| Brookheart, Rita T | IM – Nutritional Science & Obesity Medicine | Site-1 Protease (S1P) in regulating skeletal muscle metabolism and function |
| Brossier, Nicole M. | Pediatrics – Hematology Oncology | Effect of environmental factors and maternal diet on brain tumor penetrance |
| Cashikar, Anil | Psychiatry | APOE effects on glial lipid metabolism and 25-hydroxycholesterol |
| Castro, Daniel | Radiology | Role of endogenous opioids in metabolism and appetitive behavior |
| Choudhury, Malay | IM – Pulmonary & Critical Care Medicine | Fibroblast amino acid metabolism |
| Ciorba, Matthew | IM- Gastroenterology | Tryptophan metabolism rectal cancer |
| Colonna, Marco | Pathology & Immunology | CNS glial lipid metabolism |
| Crewe, Clair | IM – Endocrinology, Metabolism & Lipid Research | Adipose tissue extracellular vesicle regulation of metabolism |
| Dantas, Gautam | Pathology & Immunology | Modulation of gut microbiome by probiotics |
| Davidson, Nicholas O | IM – Gastoenterology | Intestinal and hepatic lipoprotein metabolism |
| DiGruccio, Samantha | IM – Endocrinology, Metabolism & Lipid Research | Cilia-based calcium signaling in regulating beta cell metabolism and insulin secretion |
| Dirckx, Naomi | Orthopedic Surgery | Citrate metabolism and bone mineralization |
| Diwan, Abhinav | IM – Cardioolgy | Lysosome biology and the role of autophagy in obesity and cardiovascular disease |
| Elgendy, Bahaa | Anesthesiology | Effect of estrogen-related receptor activation on brain metabolism in dementia |
| England, Sarah | Obstetrics and Gynecology – Basic Research | Effect of obesity on uterine contractility |
| Ferguson, Daniel | IM – Nutritional Science & Obesity Medicine | Mitochondria pyruvate carrier in obesity and MASLD |
| Finck, Brian N | IM – Nutritional Science & Obesity Medicine | Hepatic and cardiac lipid metabolism |
| Fitzsimmons-Craft, Ellen E | Psychiatry | Technology-based eating and weight disorder prevention, screening and treatment |
| Frolova, Antonina | Obstetrics & Gynecology- Maternal Fetal Medicine | Effects of maternal obesity and dyslipidemia on myometrial contractility, labor and obstetric outcomes |
| Garcia, Benjamin | Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics | Protein metabolism and metabolic function |
| Gewin, Leslie | IM-Nephrology | Growth restriction |
| Gordon, Jeffrey I | Pathology & Immunology- Laboratory & Genomic Medicine | Role of gut microbiota in metabolic function and obesity |
| Goyal, Manu Shri | Radiology | Cellular metabolic dysfunction and tissue energy deficit in Alzheimer’s |
| Greenberg, Jacob | Neurosurgery | Obesity and low back pain |
| Gross, Richard W | IM – Bioorganic Chemistry & Molecular Pharmacology | Molecular mechanisms of insulin resistance and diabetes |
| Guilak, Farshid | Orthopaedic Surgery | Biomechanics and inflammation in obesity-related osteoarthritis |
| Haire-Joshu, Debra | School of Public Health | Interventions to treat obesity and diabetes |
| Hastings, Mary K | Physical Therapy | Adverse effects of obesity and type 2 diabetes (T2D) on muscle, bone, skin and joint structures in the lower leg |
| Hershey, Tamara G | Psychiatry | Dopamine function and obesity-related eating behavior |
| Holtzman, David M | Neurology | Apolipoprotein E and lipids in Alzheimer’s disease |
| Hruska, Keith A | Pediatrics – Nephrology | CKD and bone metabolism |
| Hu, Donghua | Radiation Oncology | Mitochondrial function in people with obesity and cervical cancer |
| Hughes, Jing W | IM – Endocrinology, Metabolism & Lipid Research | Glucagon regulation by a novel brown adipose factor |
| Imai, Shin-ichiro | Developmental Biology | Hypothalamus-adipose tissue communication in NAD metabolism and aging |
| Ippolito, Joseph | Radiology | Cancer metabolism and effects of nutrition |
| Javaheri, Ali | IM – Cardiology | Role of lipid metabolism and autophagy in determining cardiac structure, function and remodeling after injury |
| Kast, David JE | Cell Biology & Physiology | Regulation of lipid droplet biogenesis and catabolism |
| Kepper, Maura | School of Public Health | Use of digital health tool to improve health (nutrition/exercise) behavior |
| Kim, Albert Hong-Jae | Neurosurgery | NAD metabolism and tumor growth |
| Klein, Samuel | IM – Nutritional Science & Obesity Medicine | Mechanisms responsible for metabolic heterogeneity in obesity and effect of weight loss |
| Kravitz, Alexxai V | Psychiatry | Mechanisms responsible for hedonic eating behavior in obesity |
| Lavine, Kory J | IM – Cardiology | Cardiac macrophage function in obesity related cardiac inflammation and heart failure |
| Liss, Kim | Pediatrics – GI | Lipid metabolism in hepatic injury and steatosis |
| Liu, Ta-Chiang | Pathology & Immunology | Effect of obesity and diet on Paneth cells |
| Liu, Yongjian | Radiology | Molecular probes for atherosclerosis imaging and therapy in obesity |
| Lodhi, Irfan J | IM – Endocrinology, Metabolism & Lipid Research | Adipocyte biology and metabolism |
| Lucey, Brendan P | Neurology | Sleep and metabolic function and orexin on food intake in Alzheimer’s |
| Markan-Klostermann, Kathleen R. | IM – Nutritional Science & Obesity Medicine | Effect of obesity-associated adipocyte cellular senescence on aging |
| Meyer, Gretchen A | Physical Therapy | Muscle-adipose tissue signaling in muscle degeneration and regeneration |
| Milbrandt, Jeffrey D | Pathology & Immunology | Nutrition and metabolism in axonal degeneration/regeneration |
| Millman, Jeffrey R | IM – Endocrinology, Metabolism & Lipid Research | Human stem cell differentiation to insulin-producing β cells for diabetes cell replacement therapy |
| Morgan, Kerri | Occupational Therapy | Physical activity and cardiometabolic health |
| Musiek, Erik S | Neurology | Effect of diet on cellular and molecular mechanisms of neurodegeneration |
| Nichols, Colin G | Cell Biology & Physiology | Metabolic and electrical control of insulin secretion and cardiac function |
| Nicol, Ginger E | Psychiatry | Prevention and treatment of obesity in people with mental health disorders |
| Niemi, Natalie | Biochemistry & Molecular Biophysics | Mitochondrial metabolism |
| O’ Keefe, Regis | Orthopedic Surgery | Metabolism in chrondrocytes |
| Pagliarini, David J | Cell Biology & Physiology | Regulation of mitochondrial metabolism and function |
| Patti, Gary J | Chemistry | Metabolic pathway assessment by using metabolomics and proteomics in cardiometabolic dysfunction |
| Peng, Guangyong | Otolaryngology | Regulation of T cell function by cellular glucose and lipid metabolism |
| Petersen, Max | IM – Endocrinology, Metabolism & Lipid Research | Effect of calorie restriction on aging |
| Peterson, Linda R | IM – Cardiology | Obesity and cardiovascular risk |
| Phillips, Jennifer | IM & Infectious Diseases | Oxysterols in TB pathogenesis |
| Piston, David | Cell Biology & Physiology | Effect of glucagon on glucose homeostasis and metabolic function |
| Province, Michael A | Genetics | Gene-metabolomic interactions in cardiometabolic diseases and aging |
| Rajagopal, Rithwick | Ophthalmology & Visual Science | Retinal lipid metabolism in diabetic retinopathy |
| Raji, Cyrus | Radiology | Neuroinflammation and obesity |
| Randolph, Gwendalyn J | Pathology & Immunology | Lymphatic system in obesity and cardiometabolic disease |
| Rawnsley, David | IM & Cardiology | Lipid overload cardiomyopathy |
| Remedi, Maria | IM – Endocrinology, Metabolism & Lipid Research | Beta cell function in obesity and diabetes |
| Rosengart, Matthew | Surgery | Cellular mitochondrial function and energy metabolism in regulating immune function |
| Rudnick, David | Pediatrics – Gastroenterology | Mitochondrial function in liver disease |
| Sah, Rajan | IM – Cardiology | Ion channel SWELL1, an important regulator of adipocyte function and metabolism |
| Samovski, Dmitri | IM – NS&OM | Adipose tissue small extracellular vesicles in regulating insulin sensitivity in obesity |
| Scheller, Erika | IM – Bone & Mineral Diseases | NAD metabolism and SARM1 in bone formation |
| Schilling, Joel D | IM – Cardiology | Macrophage metabolism and inflammation in obesity and metabolic disease |
| Schwarz, Julie K. | Radiation Oncology | Manipulating cervical tumor glucose metabolism to enhance effectiveness of radiation therapy |
| Semenkovich, Clay F | IM – Endocrinology, Metabolism & Lipid Research | Lipid metabolism and cardiometabolic disease |
| Shen, Hua | Orthopaedic Surgery | Adipose-derived stem cell extracellular vesicles in regulating tendon inflammation and metabolism |
| Shen, Jie | Orthopedic Surgery | Lipid metabolism and osteoarthritis pathogenesis |
| Silva, Matthew J | Orthopedic Surgery | Mechanical loading and bone |
| Smith, Gordon I | IM – Nutritional Science & Obesity Medicine | Effects of different diets on metabolic function |
| Stitziel, Nathan O | IM – Cardiology | Genetic variations in lipoprotein metabolism and cardiometabolic disease |
| Stone, Stephen I | Pediatrics – Endocrinology & Diabetes | Effect of FGF21 Receptor signaling on insulin sensitivity and metabolism |
| Sykes, Stephen M | Pediatrics – Hematology Oncology | Serine metabolism and leukemia |
| Tabak, Rachel G | School of Public Health | Dissemination and implementation of lifestyle interventions to reduce obesity and diabetes |
| Teitelbaum, Steven L | Pathology & Immunology | Promotion of liver metastases by obesity and hepatic steatosis |
| Vlassenko, Andrei G | Radiology | Brain metabolism in aging and Alzheimer’s disease |
| Von Morze, Cornelius J | Radiology | 13C molecular imaging techniques to assess renal and brain metabolism |
| Wilfley, Denise E | Psychiatry | Causes, prevention and treatment of obesity and eating disorders |
| Woodard, Pamela K | Radiology | Assessment of myocardial oxygen consumption in obesity |
| Zayed, Mohamed A | Surgery – Vascular | Endothelial lipid metabolism in peripheral arterial disease |
| Zellers, Jennifer | Physical Therapy | Obesity and Achilles tendon homeostasis |
IM = Internal Medicine
| Name | Primary Department | Research Focus |
|---|---|---|
| Brownson, Ross C. | School of Public Health | Interventions to reduce obesity and prevent chronic disease |
| Chang, Hao-Wei | Pathology & Immunology | Immunometabolism in obesity |
| Chapman, William | Surgery – Transplant | Steatotic liver disease and transplantation |
| Chen, Y. Maggie | IM – Nephrology | Autophagy and metabolism in organelles; various kidney diseases including focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) |
| Colditz, Graham A | Surgery – Public Health Sciences | Effect of diet and obesity on breast cancer |
| Eagon, Christopher J | Surgery – General | Surgical treatment of obesity |
| Eyler, Amy A. | School of Public Health | Implementation of state and local nutrition and physical activity policies to prevent and manage diabetes |
| Farabi, Sarah S | IM – Nutritional Science & Obesity Medicine | Effect of sleep on metabolic function in pregnancy |
| Garr Barry, Valene | Obstetrics & Gynecology – Clinical Research | Genetic, metabolic, and lifestyle factors in fetal growth restriction |
| Hagemann, Andrea | Obstetrics & Gynecology – Oncology | Weight loss uterine preservation and cancer |
| Harbison, Richard | Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery | Polyamines regulation of fatty acid oxidation in CD8+ T cells and effect on function |
| Jacome-Sosa, Miriam M | IM – Nutritional Science & Obesity Medicine | Regulation of postprandial metabolic responses and adiposity |
| Ju, Yo-El S. | Neurology | Relationships among sleep, metabolic function and neurodegenerative diseases |
| Knights, Alexander | Orthopaedic Surgery | Metabolic pathologies in adipose tissue and live |
| Lawson, Heather | Genetics | Effect of diet on gene regulation and variation in obesity-related complications |
| Lopez, Julia D. | Internal Medicine – Infectious Diseases | Nutritional and exercise therapy for obesity |
| Mukherjee, Sandip | IM – Nutritional Science & Obesity Medicine | Adipocyte NAMPT and the regulation of Cav1 expression and function |
| Norris, Aaron | Anesthesiology | CNS regulation of energy balance with emphasis on sleep, stress, and opioid system signaling |
| Palacios, Hector | IM – Nutritional Science & Obesity Medicine | Metabolomics and proteomics of MASLD in obesity |
| Palanisamy, Arvind | Anesthesiology | Perinatal factors and role of oxytocin in childhood obesity |
| Park, Yikyung | Surgery – Public Health | Modifiable lifestyle factors in relation to health outcomes |
| Parker, Kyle | Anesthesiology | Determining the role of hypothalamic nociceptin neurons in diet- and stressed-induced binge eating |
| Peterson, Lindsay L. | IM – Oncology | The link between advanced glycation end products and breast cancer |
| Powers Carson, Jennifer L | IM – Endocrinology & Metabolism | Biomarkers for metabolic dysfunction and disease |
| Raghuraman, Nandini | Obstetrics & Gynecology – Maternal Fetal Medicine | Obesity and fetal physiology |
| Ray, Mary Katherine | Psychiatry | Glucose variability and dynamic cognitive function in youth |
| Reeds, Dominic N | IM – Nutritional Science & Obesity Medicine | Obesity and metabolic complications in patients with HIV infection |
| Schechtman, Kenneth B. | Informatics, Data Science & Biostatistics | Effectiveness of family-based weight loss treatment implemented in primary care |
| Shoghi, Kooresh I | Radiology | Multi-organ glucose metabolism in obesity/diabetes |
| Stein, Richard I | IM – Nutritional Science & Obesity Medicine | Behavioral therapies for weight loss |
| Thompson, Michael D. | Pediatrics -Endocrinology & Diabetes | Impact of maternal obesity on offspring liver disease and metabolic health |
| Urano, Fumihiko | IM – Endocrinology, Metabolism & Lipid Research | Endoplasmic reticulum stress and metabolic function |
| Webber, Daniel | Pathology & Immunology | Diet microbiota host interactions contributing to childhood obesity and metabolic liver disease |
| Xu, Jinbin | Radiology | Oxidative stress involved in CNS disorders, obesity, cancer and cardiovascular disseases |
| York, Nathaniel | Cell Biology & Physiology | B-cell function in obesity and insulin resistance |
IM = Internal Medicine
Please acknowledge the Washington University NORC, Nutrition Obesity Research Center, in your publications by: “Supported by NIH grant P30 DK056341 (Nutrition Obesity Research Center).”