Primary cilia in metabolic disease
Primary cilia are cell-surface organelles that regulate energy metabolism in humans.
The cilia membrane is continuous with the plasma membrane, yet it maintains a unique lipid composition through unknown mechanisms. We are investigating how the cilia lipid environment is maintained, and what role this plays in metabolic diseases.
Plasma membrane lipid homeostasis
The plasma membrane is the cell gatekeeper- it is both the first line of defense against invading pathogens and a platform for communication between cells.
Using genetic screens, we identified new proteins that control cholesterol and sphingomyelin homeostasis at the plasma membrane. Cholesterol and sphingomyelin are dysregulated in numerous diseases including neurodegeneration, cancer, and diabetes. We are unraveling how these proteins sense and control the levels of these important lipids.
Interested to learn more? Please email mkinnebr(@)stanford.edu