Division of  Endocrinology and Metabolism

Research

The Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism conducts wide-ranging research spanning molecular, translational, and clinical science to advance understanding of endocrine and metabolic health. Investigators study hormone action, nutrient sensing, and energy balance, with emphasis on how these processes influence bone metabolism, diabetes, obesity, and systemic disease. Research in bone biology explores the skeletal system as a dynamic endocrine organ and examines how hormonal and genetic factors regulate mineral homeostasis and metabolism, while clinical studies address osteoporosis, hyperparathyroidism, and bone loss related to nutritional or hormonal disorders.

Diabetes and obesity research focuses on improving both mechanistic understanding and patient outcomes. Laboratory studies investigate mitochondrial function, lipid metabolism, and circadian regulation to uncover new therapeutic targets, while clinical and population-based projects test innovative care models, such as telemedicine and community-based interventions, to enhance self-management and reduce complications. Translational studies further explore how gut, liver, and adipose interactions shape cardiometabolic health.

Together, these research programs form a comprehensive effort to bridge discovery and clinical care, advancing prevention and treatment strategies for endocrine, metabolic, and bone disorders across diverse populations.

Bone Metabolism and Endocrine Function
Molecular Mechanisms of Diabetes and Obesity
Diabetes Care and Delivery
Translational Metabolic Research
Mechanisms of Metabolic Aging

Bone Metabolism and Endocrine Function

Researchers in the Division of Endocrinology are advancing understanding of the skeletal system as a dynamic endocrine organ that regulates both bone health and systemic metabolism. Their work spans molecular, translational, and clinical approaches to investigate the hormonal, genetic, and metabolic mechanisms underlying bone development, remodeling, and disease. Studies explore how bone-derived hormones influence mineral homeostasis and energy balance and how signaling pathways such as Wnt/beta-catenin contribute to skeletal growth and maintenance. Clinical research addresses the causes and treatment of osteoporosis, hyperparathyroidism, and rare bone disorders, as well as bone loss associated with undernutrition and hormonal dysregulation. Through NIH-supported investigations and collaborative translational studies, this research aims to uncover new therapeutic strategies to preserve bone health and treat metabolic bone diseases across diverse populations.
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Pouneh Fazeli, MD, MPH

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Mara Horwitz, MD

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Yong Wan, PhD

Diabetes Care and Delivery

Divisional researchers are also focused on improving diabetes care delivery, self-management, and outcomes across diverse populations, with an emphasis on translating evidence-based interventions into community and clinical settings. Studies investigate models such as the Patient-Centered Medical Home and telemedicine programs to enhance care for adults with type 2 diabetes at high risk of complications. Researchers also examine strategies to integrate family and health supporter involvement, optimize transitions between inpatient and outpatient care, and deliver effective diabetes education and self-management support. Large-scale clinical trials and quality improvement initiatives further explore lifestyle interventions, sleep disorder management, and the social determinants of diabetes outcomes, all with the goal of developing scalable, practical approaches to improve the health and well-being of people living with diabetes.
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Mary Korytkowski, MD

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Linda Siminerio, RN, PhD, DCES

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Margaret Zupa, MD, MS

Mechanisms of Metabolic Aging

At the Aging Institute, faculty are examining the fundamental mechanisms linking metabolism, cellular stress, and biological rhythms to aging and age-related disease. Studies investigate both the classical 24-hour circadian clock and recently discovered 12-hour cell-autonomous rhythms that regulate gene expression, inter-organelle communication, and metabolic homeostasis. Work spans molecular, cellular, and organismal approaches to understand how fluctuations in metabolites, organelle function, and nutrient sensing influence tissue health and systemic physiology. Using model systems such as mice and Drosophila alongside human-relevant techniques, researchers explore how disruptions in metabolic and rhythmic processes contribute to frailty, disease progression, and the aging process, with the ultimate goal of identifying interventions that preserve cellular function and delay age-associated pathologies.

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Andrey A. Parkhitko, PhD

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Yusuke Sekine, PhD

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Bokai Zhu, PhD

Molecular Mechanisms of Diabetes and Obesity

In conjunction with the Center for Metabolism and Mitochondrial Medicine, divisional researchers are investigating the fundamental cellular and molecular mechanisms that contribute to obesity, insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, and metabolic syndrome. Studies focus on mitochondrial energetics and mitophagy, beta cell function, nutrient overload, intracellular lipid metabolism, and the interplay between adipose tissue, liver, and muscle. Using a combination of in vivo, ex vivo, and in vitro models, including transgenic mice, stable isotope tracers, and metabolic flux analyses, researchers explore how metabolic stress, circadian rhythms, and signaling pathways influence energy homeostasis and disease progression. These investigations aim to uncover novel targets for therapeutic intervention, including small molecules that modulate leptin sensitivity or other metabolic regulators. These efforts aim to translate mechanistic insights into innovative strategies for the prevention and treatment of obesity and related metabolic disorders.
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Isin Cakir, PhD

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Michael Jurczak, PhD

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Erin Kershaw, MD

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Robert O'Doherty, PhD

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Frederico Toledo, MD

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Vijay Yechoor, MD

Translational Metabolic Research

One of the Division’s primary foci is translating mechanistic insights into systemic and clinical applications for metabolic disease. Studies examine human energy and glucose metabolism, the role of gastrointestinal hypoxia signaling, intestinal lipoproteins, and gut-immune interactions in obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. Researchers investigate how environmental, dietary, and molecular cues regulate systemic metabolism, leveraging human clinical studies, telemedicine approaches, organoid models, and animal models. The overarching goal is to develop effective therapeutic strategies and delivery models to improve metabolic health, address obesity-related complications, and enhance the treatment of diabetes and other metabolic disorders in diverse populations.
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Alison Kohan, PhD

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Sadeesh Ramakrishnan, DVM, PhD

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Frederico Toledo, MD

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Vijay Yechoor, MD