Christian Vaisse, MD, PhD

Vera M. Long Endowed Chair in Diabetes Research
Professor
Department of Medicine
Diabetes Center
Research Overview: 

The overall goal of this laboratory is to identify genetic defects implicated in the onset and progression of multi-factorial metabolic diseases such as obesity and diabetes. Our strategy combines human genetic approaches with molecular biology and animal studies. We are currently concentrating our research on the molecular mechanisms implicated in the hypothalamic effects of the adipocyte secreted, weight regulating hormone, leptin. After describing the first leptin receptor mutation in severely obese humans, we recently found that genetic alterations in the Melanocortin 4 receptor (MC4R), a mediator of the hypothalamic effects of leptin, are responsible for a more common form of human obesity. Using large scale automated screening procedures we now further investigate the frequency of mutations in the MC4R gene in large cohorts of obese patients. In parallel we also search for obesity causing mutations in additional candidate genes downstream the leptin pathway. Finally, both through in vitro and in vivo studies we are aiming to understand how these mutations cause obesity and what the implications are for the treatment of this condition.

Primary Thematic Area: 
Human Genetics
Secondary Thematic Area: 
Tissue / Organ Biology & Endocrinology
Research Summary: 
Genetics of Metabolic Diseases
Publications: 

Author Correction: Genomic and epigenomic mapping of leptin-responsive neuronal populations involved in body weight regulation.

Nature Metabolism

Inoue F, Eckalbar WL, Wang Y, Murphy KK, Matharu N, Vaisse C, Ahituv N

Postnatal Dynamic Ciliary ARL13B and ADCY3 Localization in the Mouse Brain.

Cells

Brewer KK, Brewer KM, Terry TT, Caspary T, Vaisse C, Berbari NF

Identification of AgRP cells in the murine hindbrain that drive feeding.

Molecular metabolism

Bachor TP, Hwang E, Yulyaningsih E, Attal K, Mifsud F, Pham V, Vagena E, Huarcaya R, Valdearcos M, Vaisse C, Williams KW, Emmerson PJ, Xu AW

Ciliary ARL13B prevents obesity in mice.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology

Terry TT, Gigante ED, Alexandre CM, Brewer KM, Engle SE, Yue X, Berbari NF, Vaisse C, Caspary T

1522-P: Identification of AgRP Cells in the Murine Hindbrain That Drive Feeding.

Diabetes

TOMAS P. BACHOR, KUSH ATTAL, EIRINI VAGENA, FRANCOIS MIFSUD, VIANA PHAM, MARTIN VALDEARCOS-CONTRERAS, CHRISTIAN VAISSE, ALLISON XU