Jared Rutter

Jared Rutter is Distinguished Professor of Biochemistry and an Adjunct Professor of Nutrition and Integrative Physiology at the University of Utah, where he is also an HHMI Investigator. His laboratory spans the Biological Chemistry and Molecular Biology PhD programs, using yeast, Drosophila, mammalian cells, and mice to dissect metabolism and mitochondrial biology.

Education

• B.S., Brigham Young University
• Ph.D., University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

Research Focus

The Rutter group is driven by a central question: how does metabolism control cell fate? They pursue three interlocking themes:

• MIDAS platform — high-throughput mass spectrometry coupled to equilibrium dialysis for systematic discovery of allosteric metabolite-protein interactions.
• Mitochondrial Biology — multidisciplinary genetics, imaging, and biochemical approaches to reveal evolutionarily conserved proteins governing mitochondrial function and human disease.
• Mitochondrial Pyruvate Carrier (MPC) — a complex they discovered in 2012 that dictates pyruvate fate, thereby steering energy production, stemness, and cancer cell proliferation.

Publication Trends

Across >50 high-impact papers from 2009-2025, Rutter’s work defines how metabolites serve as signaling molecules, how mitochondrial transporters gate metabolic flux, and how rewiring these pathways can treat cancer, heart failure, and inherited metabolic disorders. His most recent studies integrate metabolomics with structural biology to map allosteric networks and exploit them therapeutically.

Scientific Awards

While specific honors are not enumerated in the source text, Rutter’s designation as an HHMI Investigator and Distinguished Professor signals sustained national and international recognition.

Training & Collaboration

The Rutter laboratory welcomes rotation students and fosters cross-disciplinary collaborations across the University of Utah Health Sciences campus and beyond. Prospective trainees are encouraged to contact Dr. Rutter directly or follow the lab website and Twitter @RutterLab.