Dr. Rana Gupta, PhD, a preeminent investigator in the field of adipose biology, will join the Duke Molecular Physiology Institute (DMPI) faculty with an anticipated start date of summer 2022.
Dr. Gupta is the first Department of Medicine (DOM) faculty appointee to be granted a prestigious Duke Science and Technology (DST) award. His recruitment was facilitated by the DST Award and the strong partnership between DMPI, the DOM, the Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism of the DOM, and the School of Medicine Dean’s Office.
For the past two decades, Dr. Gupta has been making outstanding contributions to science, beginning with his PhD training with Klaus Kaestner at the University of Pennsylvania (2002-2006), as a fellow with Dr. Bruce Spiegelman at Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard (2007-2012), and for the past 10 years, as an independent faculty member at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, where he earned the rank of tenured Associate Professor (2012-present).
As an independent investigator, Dr. Gupta has built a program that has earned international recognition for its novel contributions to the field of adipose tissue development and function. He is now considered one of the preeminent investigators in the field of adipose biology, especially as it relates to pathogenesis of cardiometabolic diseases and the regulation of metabolic homeostasis.
Moreover, Dr. Gupta’s research has contributed in critical ways to the understanding of the major regulatory effects of adipose tissue on overall metabolic homeostasis via production of secreted peptides and factors (so-called “adipokines”), and via its capacity for energy storage (white fat), or energy expenditure (beige or brown fat).
“Dr. Gupta’s deep expertise in adipose biology is a perfect complement to existing strengths at DMPI, the DOM, and the Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism in skeletal muscle, cardiac, pancreatic islet, kidney, brain, and liver metabolism,” said Christopher B. Newgard, PhD
Director, Duke Molecular Physiology Institute and Sarah W. Stedman Nutrition and Metabolism Center. “Moreover, as a seasoned mid-career investigator, we look forward to him assuming leadership roles in all of the units that he will be joining at Duke, including an immediate role as Director of the Basic Science section at DMPI.”
“I am very excited and energized by this move to Duke. The long-standing partnership between DMPI and Department of Medicine (DOM) was built with an eye towards the future of biomedical research. The state-of-art multi-omic platforms and the cadre of outstanding basic scientists and translational investigators within the institute and DOM enable collaborations that will transform our research program.”
We look forward to welcoming Dr. Gupta and his family to Duke!