UMCUniversity of Massachusetts Chan Medical School · Biology
The Brown Fat Initiative
David A Guertin · Worcester, Massachusetts
Research Focus
Dr. David Guertin's lab focuses on understanding how brown fat helps regulate energy balance and its potential role in fighting obesity-related diseases. By studying how this type of fat metabolizes nutrients, particularly glucose, the lab aims to identify new treatments to promote healthy weight management. The research combines advanced technologies like mass spectrometry and genetics to unravel the complexities of brown fat biology.
brown fatmetabolic syndromeenergy expenditurenutrient metabolismthermogenesisobesitydiabetesmass spectrometrymetabolomicsglucose metabolism
Research Aims
5AIM 01Explore glucose and other metabolites used by brown adipose tissue (BAT) in vivo.
AIM 02Investigate the impact of diet, environment, and gender on BAT metabolic fluxes.
AIM 03Characterize a novel metabolic pathway upregulated in active BAT.
AIM 04Define the interaction of BAT metabolism with other organs to uncover therapeutic targets.
AIM 05Identify ways to enhance BAT activity to combat obesity.
Skills the Lab Values
mass spectrometryin vivo stable isotope tracingmetabolomicsbiochemistry techniquesdata analysisexperimental designanimal handlingnutrition assessmentthermogenic assaysclinical research methodologies
Output against the department
Publications91bottom 30% of dept.722nd of 1,033
this lab
most publishedleast published
Citations28ktop 13% of dept.133rd of 1,033
this lab
most citedleast cited
Career totals from OpenAlex, compared against labs that share a department. A department spans everything from one paper to tens of thousands, so bar heights are on a log scale — otherwise the largest lab would flatten every other bar to a line.