News

Please check out the new paper from the Rosen lab (working in collaboration with Randy Seeley’s group at the University of Michigan) about changes in adipose tissue after two different weight loss strategies in mice. Margo Emont compared white adipose tissue from obese mice that received either vertical sleeve gastrectomy (VSG) or semaglutide. Some important changes in gene expression and cellular composition were conserved across weight loss interventions, while others were specific to either semaglutide or VSG. Margo also found that some gene expression programs in adipocytes reverted to a chow-like state after weight loss, while others remained “locked” in the obese pattern. link

Greg’s latest paper is available on BioRxiv. Using unique intra-patient controls, he shows that the adipose tissue of chronic lymphedema has a different complement of adipose stromal and progenitor cells (ASPCs), which confer a more pro-adipogenic and pro-lymphangiogenic environment.  https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.02.18.638907v1

Congratulations to Margo Emont on starting her own lab at the University of Chicago! Margo is now an Assistant Professor of Medicine in the Division of the Biological Sciences. Best wishes for this exciting new chapter, Margo!

We are excited to welcome Anne Goergen to the Rosen Lab. Anne joins us from the University of Zurich, where she investigated the role of cellular stress responses in liver and their impact on body weight regulation. Welcome, Anne!

While attending the 46th meeting of the Spanish Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (SEBBM) as a keynote speaker, Evan was interviewed by La Voz de Galicia about the lab’s work. You can read the article here (subscription required).

Frankie Heyward’s paper was just published in Nature Communications. Frankie used cell-type specific profiling of gene expression and chromatin state in AgRP neurons to predict novel transcriptional mediators of leptin action. Surprisingly, his data suggested that IRF3 might work downstream of leptin, and functional studies proved this to be true. This important work illuminates how leptin induces satiety, and also expands the known metabolic repertoire of IRF3. Congratulations, Frankie!

Congratulations to Shuai Yan — his paper was just published in Nature Communications. Shuai showed that IRF3 causes insulin resistance in adipocytes independent of any effect on body weight. The mechanism is via induction of an enzyme called AIG1, which encodes a hydrolase that destroys insulin-sensitizing lipids called FAHFAs. FAHFAs are known to reduce inflammation, and Shuai’s work reveals the other side of the coin: inflammation (though IRF3) reduces FAHFAs.

Evan wrote a comprehensive review article on interferon regulatory factors (IRFs) in metabolism, with help from Zunair Ahmad and Wahab Kahloan. It just came out in Nature Reviews Endocrinology. 

We are delighted to welcome our newest team member, Yangmian Yuan, who joins us as a postdoctoral research fellow. Yangmian recently earned her PhD from the College of Life Sciences at Wuhan University, China, with a dissertation focusing on adipose tissue energy metabolism.

Lab alumnus Frankie Heyward and his wife Evida recently welcomed their first child Evie Amera Heyward into the world. Congratulations Frankie and Evida!

Erwei Li has identified oxytocin from the peripheral nervous system as an endogenous regulator of adipose and systemic metabolism. His manuscript titled “Control of lipolysis by a population of oxytocinergic sympathetic neurons” is now available online at https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-023-06830-x.

Erwei Li has been granted a two-year fellowship through the Charles A. King Trust Postdoctoral Fellowship Program. Additionally, Erwei has been promoted to the position of Instructor. Congratulations, Erwei!

Established in 1944, the Endocrine Society’s Laureate Awards recognize the highest achievements in the endocrinology field, including groundbreaking research and innovations in clinical care. The Roy O. Greep Award for Outstanding Research recognizes meritorious contributions to research in endocrinology. Congratulations, Evan!  
link

Frankie Heyward is starting his own lab in Dallas, Texas! Frankie is an Assistant Professor of Internal Medicine and Neuroscience at UT Southwestern Medical Center, and he is joining the Center for Hypothalamic Research. Best wishes, Frankie!

We extend a warm welcome to Zain Nichols, who has joined us as the Administrative Coordinator for Endocrinology. Zain is a recent graduate of the University of Rochester. Welcome aboard!

After a successful post-doctoral fellowship, Shuai is embarking on a new adventure in the pharmaceutical industry. We wish Shuai abundant success and happiness in this exciting next chapter!

We are thrilled to have Khushi and Eliza on board as research assistants in the Rosen and Tsai labs. Eliza joins us from St. Lawrence University, where she majored in biochemistry . Khushi arrives from the University of California, Irvine, bringing with her a background in neurobiology. Welcome!

Zinger Yang Loureiro has joined our lab as a Staff Scientist. She comes to us from the University of Massachusetts Medical School, where she recently completed her Ph.D. dissertation under the mentorship of Silvia Corvera.