Rita Brookheart, PhD

Assistant Professor of Medicine, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics

Nutritional Science

Institute of Clinical and Translational Sciences

Keywords:

Obesity, diabetes, skeletal muscle, metabolism, cellular stress response

Research:

Our research focuses on identifying novel regulators of metabolism with the goal of understanding their role in physiologic and pathophysiologic contexts including aging, obesity, and diabetes. Our current interests are examining the intersection of metabolism and cellular stress responses in skeletal muscle, the heart, and adipose tissue. We use cell culture, transgenic mouse models, and cellular and molecular biology techniques to identify and examine these key metabolic regulators and to elucidate their function in human disease. The long-term goal of our studies is to develop new therapeutic strategies for the treatment of diabetes and obesity-associated metabolic abnormalities. 

Website