Diabetes and Metabolism

David Ann, Ph.D. 
David Ann, Ph.D., the Morgan & Helen Chu Dean's Chair of the Graduate School of Biological Sciences, professor and associate chair of the Department of Diabetes Complications & Metabolism, received his Ph.D. from Purdue University. His laboratory is investigating cancer metabolism to identify novel nutrient-restriction cancer therapy. A major focus of his team is to dissect the molecular mechanism by which tumor cells become auxotrophic for arginine.
 
Charles Brenner, Ph.D., the Alfred E Mann Family Foundation Chair in Diabetes and Cancer Metabolism, professor and chair of the  Department of Diabetes & Cancer Metabolism, received his Ph.D. from Stanford University. His team examines how nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide is disturbed by diseases and conditions including cancer, neuropathy, fatty liver, postpartum and viral infection.
 
Sangeeta Dhawan, Ph.D. 
Sangeeta Dhawan, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Translational Research & Cellular Therapeutics, received her Ph.D. from Indian Institute of Science. Her laboratory focuses on identifying the epigenetic mechanisms that regulate the differentiation, regeneration, and survival of the insulin producing beta cells, in health and diabetes.      
 
Patrick Fueger, Ph.D. 
Patrick Fueger, Ph.D., associate professor in the Department of Molecular & Cellular Endocrinology, received his Ph.D. from Vanderbilt University. His laboratory is investigating molecular mechanisms that regulate glucose homeostasis during health and diabetes to identify novel strategies for increasing functional pancreatic islet mass. 
 
Wendong Huang, Ph.D. 
Wendong Huang, Ph.D., professor in the Department of Diabetes Complications & Metabolism, received his Ph.D. from University of Texas, Houston. His team focuses on identifying novel signaling pathways in regulating liver, gastrointestine and gut microbiota metabolism to understand pathogenesis and develop therapy for diabetes and cancer.   
 
Keiichi Itakura, Ph.D.  
Keiichi Itakura, Ph.D., professor emeritus of the Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, received his Ph.D. from Tokyo Pharmaceutical College. His lab focuses on studies of the MRF-1/2 genes in modulating the energy utilization pathways and their roles in obesity and diabetes. Understanding the mechanisms related to these proteins is of primary interest.
 
Lei Jiang, Ph.D. 
Lei Jiang, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Molecular & Cellular Endocrinology, received his Ph.D. from Shanghai Institute for Biological Sciences. A major goal of his laboratory is to explore the coordinated metabolic adaptation under both normal physiological and specific pathological conditions for both cancer and diabetes. 
 
John Kaddis, Ph.D. 
John Kaddis, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Diabetes & Cancer Discovery Science, received his Ph.D. from the University of Southern California. He is currently focused on developing data systems and tools to address cutting edge questions relating to type 1 diabetes.
 
Fouad Kandeel, M.D., Ph.D. 
Fouad Kandeel, M.D., Ph.D., the Arthur D. Riggs Distinguished Chair in Diabetes & Metabolism Research, professor and chair of the Department of Translational Research & Cellular Therapeutics. His work focuses on diabetes. He is testing the safety and efficacy of islet cell transplantation for patients wtih type 1 diabetes and is also interested in understanding genetic factors contributing to type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease in Hispanics.
 
Hsun Teresa Ku, Ph.D.  
Hsun Teresa Ku, Ph.D., associate professor in the Department of Translational Research & Cellular Therapeutics Research, received her Ph.D. from Medical University of South Carolina. Her research in type 1 diabetes focuses on developing cell replacement therapy and identifying small molecules that modulate pancreatic insulin-producing beta cells and their progenitors.
 
Ke Ma, M.D., Ph.D. 
Ke Ma, M.D., Ph.D., associate professor at the Department of Diabetes Complications & Metabolism, received her Ph.D. from Baylor College of Medicine. Her team studies the regulatory networks mediating nutrient-sensing functions of circadian clock in tissue crosstalk between fat, muscle and liver in normal and pathological conditions.
 
Rama Natarajan, Ph.D. 
Rama Natarajan, Ph.D., the National Business Products Industry Professor in Diabetes Research, professor and chair of the Department of Diabetes Complications & Metabolism, received her Ph.D. from Indian Institute of Science. The major focus of her research is to determine the molecular mechanisms involved in the accelerated development of inflammation, vascular and renal complications under diabetic conditions.   
 
Joyce Niland, Ph.D. 
Joyce Niland, Ph.D., the Estelle & Edward Alexander Chair in Information Sciences, professor and chair of the Department of Diabetes & Cancer Discovery Science, received her Ph.D. from the University of Southern California. She is principal investigator of the Human Islet Research Network Coordinating Center and the Integrated Islet Distribution Program to facilitate efficient use of these resources within the diabetes community for studying and treating type 1 diabetes. 
 
Helena Reijonen, Ph.D.  
Helena Reijonen, Ph.D., associate professor in the Department of Immunology & Theranostics, received her Ph.D. from University of Oulu and University of Turku. Her research is directed at understanding the autoimmunity response that leads to type 1 diabetes and limits the treatment of the disease following pancreatic islet cell transplantation.   
 
Hung-Ping (Ben) Shih, Ph.D. 
Hung-Ping (Ben) Shih, assistant professor in the Department of Translational Research & Cellular Therapeutics, received his Ph.D. from Oregon State University. His laboratory focuses on defining the molecular control of organ morphogenesis and the interplay between morphogenesis and cell-fate decisions during pancreatic development. 
 
Debbie Thurmond, Ph.D.  
Debbie Thurmond, Ph.D., the Ruth B. & Robert K. Lanman Chair in Gene Regulation & Drug Discovery Research, professor and chair of the Department of Molecular & Cellular Endocrinology, received her Ph.D. from University of Iowa. Her research focuses on understanding the cellular and molecular mechanisms involved with diabetes development and identifying therapies to reverse the progression of the disease.
 
Rupangi Vasavada, Ph.D. 
Rupangi Vasavada, Ph.D., associate professor int the Department of Translational Research & Cellular Therapeutics, received her Ph.D. from the University of Pennsylvania. Her work focuses on understanding how biological peptides may enhance the preservation and regeneration of functional beta cells as a treatment for diabetes.
 
Qiong (Annabel) Wang Ph.D. 
Qiong (Annabel) Wang, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Molecular & Cellular Endocrinology. Her team focuses on defining the mechanisms of adipose tissue remodeling in mammary glands to prevent metabolic disorders and breast cancer, as well as brown adipocyte heterogeneity in remodeling the energy-burning capacity in brown adipocytes.
 
Jiing-Kuan Yee, Ph.D. 
Jiing-Kuan Yee, Ph.D., professor in the Department of Translational Research & Cellular Therapeutics, received his Ph.D. from the University of Texas Dallas. His laboratory focuses on developing novel human pluripotent stem cell differentiation protocol to produce functional beta islet cells in clinical relevant quality and quantity for the treatment of diabetes.