Profile
I have been trained in inflammation biology associated with host-pathogen interactions, and chronic inflammatory diseases like obesity-associated diabetes (diabesity) and related co-morbidities like IBD, NASH, Cancer, enteropathogenic infections, etc. Our group is comprised of well-trained, experienced technical staff and talented Ph.D. students. My team’s goal is to apply my knowledge to the pathophysiologic manifestations of junk diet-triggered-co-morbidities and identify much less explored roles of eccentric molecules and underlying processes that regulate pathophysiology. Our expertise lies in executing careful and reproducible mouse diet-triggered inflammatory processes using genetically modified mice, human tissue, and plasma samples. We have the essential training and expertise to carry out the program that deals with the identification and targeting of multi-organ crosstalks for better therapeutic regimes.
Current Focus Areas
1. Regulation of glucose homeostasis: Considering the pandemic of diabetes and co-morbidities, therapeutic corrections of deregulated glucose homeostasis are the need of time. We are actively pursuing the identity of unique regulators of glucose homeostasis that are heretofore unknown.
2. Targeting hepato-urjakines in tumorigenesis: Calorie-triggered “Urjakines” could intervene in the growth of high-energy demanding tumor cells. Using murine models of orthotropic tumours and intermittent calorie interventions, we have identified key liver secretory hepato-urjakines that could either promote or curb tumor pathology.
3. Exploration of innate metabolic mediators: We have uncovered Salmonella-cidal role of TCA cycle metabolites and their corroboration with an innate immune response to control enteropathogenic infections.
Selected Publications
1. Ozcan, L., Ghorpade, D. S., and I. Tabas.