University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center · BiologyHenne Lab
Mike Henne · Dallas, Texas
Research Focus
Dr. Mike Henne's lab focuses on understanding how our bodies store and utilize fats, specifically through tiny organelles called lipid droplets. The research primarily explores how different organs like the liver and kidneys balance lipid storage and signaling, which is crucial for maintaining health and preventing diseases such as fatty liver disease and type 2 diabetes. By using genetic tools in fruit flies and mice, the lab investigates the pathways that regulate these processes, aiming to uncover new ways to treat metabolic disorders.
lipid dropletsmetabolic signalingfatty liver diseasekidney functiontype 2 diabetes
Research Aims
3AIM 01Investigate how lipid pools are sensed and compartmentalized in tissues.
AIM 02Identify genes responsible for organizing lipid droplets in Drosophila and mice.
AIM 03Examine the role of specialized lipid droplets in kidney injury and repair.
Skills the Lab Values
genetic screeningDrosophila modelingmouse modelslipid biochemistryeicosanoid analysis