Mission

A major goal of the research of the Lipid Metabolism Laboratory is to elucidate the nutritional, hormonal, and genetic factors which regulate plasma triglycerides, LDL, HDL, lipoprotein subfractions, Lp(a), glucose, insulin, CRP and other inflammatory markers. A second major goal of our research is to develop optimal lifestyle programs in the elderly in the free-living state to decrease the risk of heart disease, stroke, obesity, and dementia.

Lab Objectives

1. To determine the effect of altering dietary composition by restricting carbohydrates, fats, glycemic load, or total calories on plasma lipoproteins, blood pressure, glucose homeostasis, and body weight, cardiovascular risk factors in overweight and obese subjects under controlled feeding conditions and in the freeliving state.

2. Develop and test an interactive program to provide an optimal diet and exercise program for middle-aged and elderly overweight and obese subjects for weight loss and heart disease reduction.

3. Observe the interactions of nutritional factors, especially intake of calories, types of fat, types of carbohydrate, level of physical activity, and different genetic factors on lipoprotein subspecies, obesity, metabolic syndrome, inflammatory markers, and heart disease risk in overweight and obese subjects and subjects with premature cardiovascular disease as compared to age- and gender-matched control subjects within populations.

4. Determine the in vitro and in vivo effects of dietary fatty acids, cholesterol, carbohydrates, hormone levels, hormonal replacement, B vitamins, cholesterol biosynthesis inhibition and cholesteryl ester transfer protein inhibition on lipoprotein metabolism and gene expression, and inflammation in human liver cells (HepG2) and in human subjects under metabolic ward conditions using stable isotopes.

Staff

Ernst J. Schaefer, M.D., Laboratory Director
Senior Scientist and Professor, Medicine and Nutrition
Research focus: nutrition, genetics, aging, gender effects, lipoproteins, and cardiovascular disease risk

Bela Asztalos, Ph.D.
Scientist I and Associate Professor, Medicine
Research focus: HDL and cardiovascular disease risk subspecies, coronary heart disease risk, and nutrition

Stefania Lamon-Fava, M.D., Ph.D.
Scientist I and Associate Professor, Nutrition
Research focus: hormonal replacement, nutrition, lipoproteins, and cardiovascular disease risk

Julian Marsh, M.D.
Scientific Advisor and Professor Emeritus, Medicine
Research focus: lipoprotein metabolism and cholesterol absorption

Mariko Tani, PhD , Postdoctoral Fellow.
Research Focus: the composition and metabolism of high density lipoprotein particles

Hironobu Akao, MD, Postdoctoral Fellow
Research Focus: Plasma lipoproteins, genetics, and heart disease in the elderly

Esther Ooi, PhD , Postdoctoral Fellow
Research Focus: the effects of dietary modification and pharmacologic intervention on human lipoprotein metabolism

Joi Augustin Gleason, M.S., R.D., Senior Research Nutritionist

Margaret Diffenderfer, Ph.D., Senior Research Assistant

Katalin V. Horvath, M.S., Research Assistant

Michael Horan, BS , Graduate Student
Research Focus: the effects of omega 3 fatty acids on cardiovascular risk and mononuclear cell gene expression

Kathryn Corcoran, Budget and Administrative Assistant

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